Guide · Featherboards and hold-downs
The starting pin: what the plate makers say it is for
Bosch and Kreg say a starting pin is for bearing-guided bits only, and Bosch requires its guard with it. Which plates include a pin, and the thread Bosch states.
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Short answer
A starting pin is a post set into the plate near the bit. Bosch and Kreg say to use it only with bearing-guided bits for curved work, and Bosch requires its starter pin guard every time. It is not permission to rout freehand. Follow your own plate maker's instructions.
What a starting pin is
A starting pin (also called a starter pin) is a short post that screws or fits into a hole in the insert plate, a little way from the bit. The plate makers below describe it for curved work with a bearing-guided bit, where there is no straight fence to guide against.
This page quotes what the makers say. It is not a tutorial. Read the manual for your own plate or table before using a pin.
Bosch RA1181: the most detailed directions
Bosch says the RA1181's starter pin replaces the fence for routing curves. It should be used only with bits that have pilot bearings, must always be used with the starter pin guard, and the work is fed right to left across the front of the bit.[1] The manual also warns not to rout very small workpieces with the pin.[1]
On the RA1181 plate, the starter pin threads into a 1/4-28 threaded hole, and the starter pin guard attaches with a #10-32 x 3/8 in truss-head screw into a 10-32 threaded hole.[1] Those figures are for that plate only. We found no rule that other makers use the same thread.
Kreg: guide-bearing bits only
Kreg's PRS4034, PRS4036 and PRS4038 insert plates come with a brass starting pin, and Kreg's manual says to use it only with guide-bearing bits.[2] Kreg's PRS1025 table top page lists a brass starting pin too.[3] That page is a Kreg regional page; North American kit contents may differ.
We could not read the starter-pin wording in the manual for Kreg's PRS2100 benchtop table, so we make no claim about it.
Plates that include a pin
| Plate | Pin listed | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Kreg PRS4034, PRS4036, PRS4038 | Brass starting pin | Kreg manual |
| Kreg PRS1025 table top | Brass starting pin (regional page) | Kreg product page |
| JessEm Rout-R-Plate | Start pin | JessEm |
| Woodpeckers AI890 | Starting pin | Woodpeckers |
| POWERTEC 71850 | Starting pin | POWERTEC |
| Bosch RA1181 table | Starter pin and starter pin guard | Bosch manual |
JessEm's Rout-R-Plate includes three insert rings, a router centering bushing, a start pin and a 1-3/8 in guide bushing.[4] Woodpeckers' AI890 plate comes with three Twist Lock rings, a starting pin, a spanner wrench and mounting screws.[5] POWERTEC's 71850 plate comes with reducer rings, leveling screws and a starting pin.[6]
Only Bosch, in our sources, publishes detailed directions and a guard requirement. For the other plates, the manual for your plate is the authority. If it gives no directions for its pin, ask the maker before using it.
The pin and the ring
A starting pin does not change how large an opening the bit needs. On the RA1181, Bosch's ring rule still applies: at least 1/16 in per side between the bit's cutting diameter and the ring's inner diameter, and no altering the ring or plate hole.[1] See which ring opening for your bit diameter.
What a pin is not
- Not a way to rout without a bearing-guided bit. Both Bosch and Kreg limit it to bearing bits.
- Not a substitute for a guard. Bosch requires its starter pin guard with the pin.
- Not a cross-brand part. Bosch's 1/4-28 thread is for its own plate.
Plates that include a starting pin
Picks that fit2 products
Choose the PRS4036 if your router is a Porter-Cable 690 or 890 Series or a Bosch 1617 (predrilled).
More on choosing
Choose the undrilled PRS4038 only if Kreg's mounting pattern list names your router. Both include a brass starting pin that Kreg says is for guide-bearing bits only. Check that your table opening takes a Kreg plate. On Amazon, check that Ships from / Sold by is Amazon.com or Kreg.
Predrilled for Porter-Cable 690/890 and Bosch 1617
Kreg PRS4036 Precision Router Table Insert Plate, predrilled for Porter-Cable and Bosch
Undrilled, with two marked patterns
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Questions
What is a starting pin on a router table for?
Bosch says the RA1181's starter pin replaces the fence for routing curves, used only with pilot-bearing bits and always with the starter pin guard. It is not permission to rout freehand.[1]
Can I use a starting pin with any bit?
No. Bosch says to use the RA1181 pin only with bits that have pilot bearings, and Kreg's plate manual says to use its starting pin only with guide-bearing bits.[1][2]
What thread is a starting pin?
On the Bosch RA1181 plate, the pin threads into a 1/4-28 hole. That is Bosch's figure for that plate only; we found no cross-brand thread rule.[1]