# Homemade Router Lifts



## Baloo (Mar 15, 2005)

Does anyone know where to find plans, printed or on the web, for building your own router lift? I did a quick search her and did not find anything.

I just builty a new table and would like to take a crack at building one of these. I know I have seen them in past magazines however, like everything else, when I need it I can't find it or the ones I find are specific to another homemade table.

I would assume it would be more or less niversal, however I am using a Bosch 1617.


----------



## ijig (Sep 29, 2004)

Is your router deciated to the table? If so I may be able to help!


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

ijig said:


> Is your router deciated to the table? If so I may be able to help!


Mine will be dedicated to the table and I would like to hear what you have to offer. 

I am in the design process of a router station at this time and hope to start construction within the next 2 weeks.


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Baloo, I think you will find that the 1617 is so easy to adjust that there is really no reason for a lift. I have installed 1617's in several tables and have yet to find one that was difficult to work with. If your table top is on an enclosed cabinet you might consider hinging the top to swing up and be supported by a prop rod.


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

aniceone2hold said:


> Baloo, I think you will find that the 1617 is so easy to adjust that there is really no reason for a lift. I have installed 1617's in several tables and have yet to find one that was difficult to work with. If your table top is on an enclosed cabinet you might consider hinging the top to swing up and be supported by a prop rod.


Mike,

Would this work using a router plate as well?


----------



## Baloo (Mar 15, 2005)

ijig said:


> Is your router deciated to the table? If so I may be able to help!


I would like to say yes, however I know that will not be the case about 20% of the time (maybe less). The plate I am using, which is dictated by the top, is an 11 X 14.


----------



## Baloo (Mar 15, 2005)

aniceone2hold said:


> Baloo, I think you will find that the 1617 is so easy to adjust that there is really no reason for a lift. I have installed 1617's in several tables and have yet to find one that was difficult to work with. If your table top is on an enclosed cabinet you might consider hinging the top to swing up and be supported by a prop rod.


I agree. I was looking for possibly a simpler way for those "minor" adjustments. I am pretty certain that the top being hinged won't work because of the aformentioned size of my plate, however there is a door in the fron of the cabinet I am building.


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Bob, I can't see why any plate would have a problem. The hinged lid is not supposed to go 90 degrees, just lift a foot or so to allow access for bit changes or adjustments when you have your router directly mounted to the top. The entire reason for the mounting plate is to eliminate all that grief. The plate pops out in a heartbeat, goes back in just as fast. You can't get any easier than that.
Baloo, if you make your height adjustments like I do, you will be at eye level with the bit. Your arm is in perfect position to reach forward and twist the adjuster while the other hand is on your wood or set up bar.


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

aniceone2hold said:


> Bob, I can't see why any plate would have a problem. The hinged lid is not supposed to go 90 degrees, just lift a foot or so to allow access for bit changes or adjustments when you have your router directly mounted to the top. The entire reason for the mounting plate is to eliminate all that grief. The plate pops out in a heartbeat, goes back in just as fast. You can't get any easier than that.
> Baloo, if you make your height adjustments like I do, you will be at eye level with the bit. Your arm is in perfect position to reach forward and twist the adjuster while the other hand is on your wood or set up bar.



Thanks Mike, I have been debating on this and I believe I will plan on the hinge top based on what I have learned. :sold:


----------



## Lt. Ball (Mar 10, 2005)

I installed a router raiser that CMT offers. This thing is great. I can do all my adjustments from the top of the table. The kit comes with every thing needed to install it on almost every router on the market. It is a little steep at around $90. Even if I did not have the whole CMT set up I would use it anyway.


----------



## Baloo (Mar 15, 2005)

Bob N said:


> Thanks Mike, I have been debating on this and I believe I will plan on the hinge top based on what I have learned. :sold:


Just a thought before you start creating sawdust. I believe that the weight of the router, as low as that weight would sit, would cause the plate to "tip" out of the hole when the tope was raised unles of course the plate were fastened to the table.


----------



## Bob N (Oct 12, 2004)

Baloo said:


> Just a thought before you start creating sawdust. I believe that the weight of the router, as low as that weight would sit, would cause the plate to "tip" out of the hole when the tope was raised unles of course the plate were fastened to the table.


This is a good point and has crossed my mind several times. Mike has always given me good advice so I'm sure we may be missing something still. Now I am a little confused again, which is not uncommon  

I still like the idea of a hinged top for a variety of reasons, but now I have concerns about the plate issue.


----------



## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Baloo, if the router plate is mounted tight in the table, (it should be a snug fit for accuracy) raising the front of the table 12 " should result in 30 degrees or less of tilt. That could be enough to cause a plate to tip out from the weight of a router. The cure for that is to run 4 corner screws through the plate into the top. This is done on the Craftsman Professional table. (which does not tilt) Mind you I don't think a Rousseau plate would tip out. The Rousseau plate is inset about 1/2" into the table and has corner snuggers which go down over another 1/4". If you hinge your top you can mount directly to the top, no reason to use a plate. If you use a plate there is no reason to hinge your top. I prefer using the plate.


----------



## Dewy (Sep 15, 2004)

The simplest lift is to use a car scissors jack under the table.
The router springs hold the router down while you turn the jack to lift it.It's a tried and tested cheap method that has stood the test of time.


----------



## cminarik (Nov 8, 2005)

*I'm interested in your solution*



ijig said:


> Is your router deciated to the table? If so I may be able to help!


iJig...I never saw a follow up from you on a homemade router lift. I have two routers, one that is dedicated to the table, so I'd appreciate your comments...Thanks.


----------



## mailee (Nov 11, 2005)

*router lift*

If you are interested I did make a router lift in my homemade table. It uses a cantilever of wood and bolts and is adjustable from above the table. I do have pictures if anyone want's to see them but I have no plans as it was off the cuff so to speak.


----------



## Holbren (Dec 30, 2004)

Baloo,

I have plans for one from an American Woodworker mag a year or two ago. Send me your address and I'll copy and mail to you.

Brian


----------



## cmarshall (Jan 25, 2006)

I built my own. I inserted my router baseplate in the extended table of my table saw. I have a shelf under the router. I'll try to explain in detail. On the shelf I placed a block of wood with a hole in the center. I got a nut at the hardware store that you pound into a proper sized hole. In this nut I screwed a carriage bolt of the proper length. Picture a bloc of wood with a carriage bolt sticking up out of it, looking like a mushroom sitting on the block of wood. On this bolt I inserted a approximately 4 inch in dia. 1/4 inch thick circle of lexan (plexiglas would do). I cut knotches in the lexan to be able to easily turn it. I took a piece of 4 inch square HMW poly and drilled a hole in it to match the size of the carriage bolt. This sits on top of the carriage bolt head. To use this homemade lift; unlock the plunge router, turn the lexan plate to adjust the router up or down. This works fine for me. you can micro adjust as fine as you want.


----------



## martlewis (Jan 28, 2006)

Is there any up to date information on making your own router lifts? I've assembled my cabinet and now need to mount the top with a lift in it. Can anyone offer any advice on making the mechanism as i can't afford to purchase one?


----------



## jeremy mather (Nov 2, 2009)

Baloo said:


> Does anyone know where to find plans, printed or on the web, for building your own router lift? I did a quick search her and did not find anything.
> 
> I just builty a new table and would like to take a crack at building one of these. I know I have seen them in past magazines however, like everything else, when I need it I can't find it or the ones I find are specific to another homemade table.
> 
> I would assume it would be more or less niversal, however I am using a Bosch 1617.


Hi, my name is Jeremy and I built a raiser using the screw from a G.M. sissor jack to raise the router. Using two smooth steel shafts as a guide, I attached an old craftsman router to it. The nut on the end is used to raise and lower the router. I cane even change bits from on top of the tables insert.


----------



## tigerhellmaker (Sep 13, 2009)

Router lift


----------



## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

I believe that it was in American woodworker, issue 106, that there wad a good plan for a router lift. That plan required you to remove the router from the base, and use a bracket that you make, and that runs up and down a bar, and the router rides on bushings. It looks very solid, and would last a lifetime. Go to your library and you can check it out, or copy the article. The one shown above may be good, if moisture isn't a problem.


----------



## tonyjuststarting (Nov 1, 2009)

This is the cheapest router lift I have seen it's worth it to take a look. Just go to this site and put in router lift. (not that I would build it but it might give you an idea)instructables.com/


----------



## david cooksey (Jun 3, 2011)

Plans can be found @ this web site

Woodworking Tools - Woodworking Forums


----------

