# Router lift plans



## MeRLiN4U (Jan 14, 2013)

Thanks again for welcoming me into this forum router and woodworking and I have read a lot from here in already, great stuff for a begginer like me.
I dont have a lot of equipment so I will build myselfe a router table this year and I will order some plans to build my router lift from here woodgears.ca/router_lift/
Have somebody ordered this plan and build it because it does not look to hard and I do not have any skills to wood at all.
I bought the dovetail jig through e-bay last year Leigh Dovetail jig D1600 with isolac templates and I have the Bosch PTS 10 
My router is a Bosch 1400 ACE and I have 2 junk routers which costs 30$ maximum.
My plan is to build a very nice winebox this year with the dovetail jig but I also need a router table for my plans so thats why I was wondering if somebody have build this routerlift woodgears.ca/router_lift/plans_t/index.html and it does not cost a lot to order the plans so I am curious if there is somebody who have build this one.
I will always need some help but I cant wait until I will build the box.
I ordered a router plate from Rockler to my Bosch 1400 but it did not fit with the holes, so my friend will make new holes for me so without that I cant do nada haha
I hope I did well in writing and putting in url links for who have any interest.
You guys in the USA have that luck that you have all this great equipment, If I put an order I must pay more than double for everything here in Sweden.
The router plate cost about 10$ and the postage cost 15$ + taxes haha

Sincerely yours. /RM from feezing Sweden


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## camoz (Jan 31, 2012)

I havn't made it, but this guy has a great reputation, and seems to give great detail


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Merlin, a lift is one of the "Whistles and bells" features on a router table. If you want one that is fine but you really dont need one. By popping your router out of the table bit changes are quick and easy. So are height adjustments. Remember that a lift does nothing to improve your routing. Food for thought.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike

I will need to disagree with you on that one it will improve your routing..

==



Mike said:


> Merlin, a lift is one of the "Whistles and bells" features on a router table. If you want one that is fine but you really dont need one. By popping your router out of the table bit changes are quick and easy. So are height adjustments. Remember that a lift does nothing to improve your routing. Food for thought.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Mike
> 
> I will need to disagree with you on that one it will improve your routing..
> 
> ==


I will have to agree with you Bob...
makes life simpler too...


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Ok, I'll bite... how will a lift improve your routing? It is no more accurate than any other method of adjusting the bit height. It is not any faster. What am I missing?


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## MeRLiN4U (Jan 14, 2013)

First of all thanks for answear to the topic and the second I have to buy another router because it has to be round and my router a Bosch 1400 is square so I will order a Porter Cable 690LR Router for 120$ and after sending it to Sweden it will cost 200$ because I did not find any here that is round.
I have watched a lt of movies with router lifts and for me it would be just perfect, I think it would be because I am not a pro in woodmaking and I have not even started with my Leigh dovetail jig yet haha
I will take pictures when I will make my first work or maybe my secon because of the shame if I make something wrong.
I will make an order of the router lift this week because it looks great. /M


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## Blooprints (Jan 19, 2013)

Bob,
The free plans you have in your sig are cool, I printed out a couple of them and I was surprised by the detail for free plans. Have you used any of them?


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Mike said:


> Ok, I'll bite... how will a lift improve your routing? It is no more accurate than any other method of adjusting the bit height. It is not any faster. What am I missing?


all adjustments made from the top... no reaching in the compartment to do this...
no fussing with the locking mechanism from the underside....
these two items alone speed up the production...

no play/slop in the router mechanism when adjusting that are irregular and unpredictable...
my JessEm is graduated in 1/256 of an inch increments... that puts it in the/an accuracy game all by it's self...
easier to recreate an old set up...
these three differences make for spot on set ups.... 
more production time saved....

I have done it your way....
the lift has it all over the fuss with method and has been a real plus/bonus to bottom line...

pop the inset and crank the crank to lift the collet clear of the top to change bits... takes mere minuets to do this now vs your method that takes many multiples the time... 
more production time saved....

the lifts live and breathe MISS/KISS...
and no bending at odd angles and working blind... no fussing around at all...
more production time saved....

went and timed a bit change....
1" radius RO for a 1" radius RO and reset to approximate original settings... 
2 min 35 seconds....
fine tune reset...
1 min 10 seconds

haven't a set up like yours anymore to compare to...
just remember that it took considerably longer to do the same...


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike

Once I added a lift and a diag.read out I can set the bit fast and do it over and over..same thing is true for the many jigs I use all the time,just one more jig so to speak..
" improve" my routing ,it's true it's not a must have item but it's like AC in my car/truck ,sure makes it easy-er to use..

==



Mike said:


> Ok, I'll bite... how will a lift improve your routing? It is no more accurate than any other method of adjusting the bit height. It is not any faster. What am I missing?


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Guys, I value your opinions but I am still not convinced. I try to keep an open mind about things so the next time the group is here making sawdust we will time how long it takes me to change and adjust a bit. Fair enough?


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## camoz (Jan 31, 2012)

MeRLiN4U said:


> First of all thanks for answear to the topic and the second I have to buy another router because it has to be round and my router a Bosch 1400 is square so I will order a Porter Cable 690LR Router for 120$ and after sending it to Sweden it will cost 200$ because I did not find any here that is round.
> I have watched a lt of movies with router lifts and for me it would be just perfect, I think it would be because I am not a pro in woodmaking and I have not even started with my Leigh dovetail jig yet haha
> I will take pictures when I will make my first work or maybe my secon because of the shame if I make something wrong.
> I will make an order of the router lift this week because it looks great. /M


Hi,

Just regarding your existing router not being round, depending on if you intend to permanently leave the router in the table, this should not really be an issue as far as I can see from the plans. Your issue with this router for the design is the base plate, as it would prevent you from getting any angle and still have the router bit protrude through the table. If you are planning on just using this router in the table exclusively, I would probably save your $200 at this stage, buy the plans and then work out if removing the base plate gets you enough clearance. If so just modify the design of the mounting point on the router lift to accommodate the square router and you are fine, if not then you can go ahead and spend the extra $200 if needed.

Or wait and see the results of Mike's time trial

Cheers,

Camo


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## Alan Bienlein (Oct 17, 2009)

Mike said:


> Guys, I value your opinions but I am still not convinced. I try to keep an open mind about things so the next time the group is here making sawdust we will time how long it takes me to change and adjust a bit. Fair enough?


I used to think like you do on this Mike. I started with just a router screwed to a piece of plywood. Did it that way for most of my wood working life. Then I progressed to a plunge router and a router razier. I thought I died and went to heaven! 

These two systems were ok and the router razier was a definite improvement but you still had to remove the router for bit changes and when you locked and unlocked the router there was still movement that could drive you nuts.

When the plunge router gave up the ghost I made the plunge to a router lift and never looked back. All bit changes are above the table. No more messing with having to lock and unlock the router to make adjustments. And best of all I rarely need to do test cuts any more as the adjustments are that precise.:sold:


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Alan, I have used many different router tables over the years. My favorite is still my Router Workshop table with the Vacuplate. Using the Bosch 1617 fixed base and now the MRF23EVS may well be the reason I feel no desire for a lift. I have never had any problems with movement when locking these routers into position.


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## john880 (Aug 18, 2010)

Well I went with another way. Built back around time the lifts came out. Stick has seen my set-up. I went with a hinged back/lift and then locks, top. Incra set up on the hinged side. All in one motion. There at my eye level sits the router a big Freuid 2000 series. Very easy to crank down to change bits with their one hand wrench set up. I cut a tight sperad apart pinch fit, crank to the lower knob, can crank it down and back up in a very short time. I also cut a piece of hard maple (4"x6"x3/4) into a 30 degree angle down to the bottom side. I sit this upon the plate as a referance to the bit for what ever height I am after to crank to, as a eye leveling across the top .If that bit is a little off, lift,, crank a tad,, unlock lower,,, and I am routing.

On most of the giant bits that cut multi fassets. Once that bit is set, where it is designed to do the job that it was created to do and then does it with perfect results. I run a relitive small piece of MDF or maple thrue the bit, making very sure it is flat to the table & up against the fence, label it with a Sharpie, set it into the drawer made for such. Then when I want to dupulace such a cut later, lift router table top, install bit, set fence, raise router right there in front of me. Eye balling across the table top untill that router bit comes into the exact alignment of that previous template, and == there ya go all standing there in front of my router cabinet, well moving 1/4 to one side to eye across the top, then back to front to lower.


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## steamingbill (Jan 13, 2013)

camoz said:


> Hi,
> 
> .......... then work out if removing the base plate gets you enough clearance.
> 
> ...


Camo,

I've seen people referring to removing the base plate in a few threads.

I dont understand this.

My current mental image is that this would leave me with a sharp bit with a floppy leg on either side of it with an electric motor above

Doesnt the base plate add rigidity and stabilty to the tool ?

Is it replaced by a corresponding plate in the lift jig ?

Any good threads or pics that would help me understand ?


Regards

Bill


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Bill, this is where language needs to be specific to avoid confusion. When people talk about removing the base plate it is actually the sub base plate which is usually black or clear plastic like in photo 1. A mounting plate is something similar to photo two and it replaces the routers sub base plate. In most lifts the routers base is not used, just the motor fitted into a special holder attached to a mounting plate. The Router Raizer is the main exception to this.


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## steamingbill (Jan 13, 2013)

Thanks Mike - understood now


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## MeRLiN4U (Jan 14, 2013)

Hi again, Jim helped me to find a plan for the router lift and the ShopNotes #121 Jan Feb 2012. , Well it has come to an issue for me bacuse of my router is not round and it is square so i have to make some adjustments before i will try this out.
Thanks for all of the help I am getting in here. /M


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## BRAVOGOLFTANGO (Oct 11, 2012)

MeRLiN4U said:


> Thanks again for welcoming me into this forum router and woodworking and I have read a lot from here in already, great stuff for a begginer like me.
> I dont have a lot of equipment so I will build myselfe a router table this year and I will order some plans to build my router lift from here woodgears.ca/router_lift/
> Have somebody ordered this plan and build it because it does not look to hard and I do not have any skills to wood at all.
> I bought the dovetail jig through e-bay last year Leigh Dovetail jig D1600 with isolac templates and I have the Bosch PTS 10
> ...


Hello Merlin, 

I built my wooden router lift using ibuildit.ca (John Heisz) plans. I couldn't quantify cnc machine router lift cost at the time, so built my own that works as good in every way as the cnc lifts. I get a lot of use and find value in having a lift despite the anti-router-lift users here & elsewhere, if you want a router lift disregard the hoohah and build or buy one, period.

John's plans were very simple to use, albeit the only thing I didn't care for was digging through each drawing for the parts. But I did and made an Excel file listing all that was needed, all said, built it for less than $50. If you wanted to go this route I'd gladly share the parts lift file, John's plans are very inexpensive for what you get.

Here is the link to the plans. http://www.ibuildit.ca


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## MeRLiN4U (Jan 14, 2013)

BRAVOGOLFTANGO said:


> Hello Merlin,
> 
> I built my wooden router lift using ibuildit.ca (John Heisz) plans. I couldn't quantify cnc machine router lift cost at the time, so built my own that works as good in every way as the cnc lifts. I get a lot of use and find value in having a lift despite the anti-router-lift users here & elsewhere, if you want a router lift disregard the hoohah and build or buy one, period.
> 
> ...


Thanks sure I would love to have them, I have been into I Build It Home Page and watched some movies but I must have missed the router lift.
I have been looking at it a couple of times and I just think my Bosch 1400 ACE would fit there with some adjustments and I have another router that is almost the same but not a Bosch that I could experiment with.
I was almost going to order the router lift plans from Tilting router lift plans for sale but he told me after 2 e-mails that my router would not fit at all so I did not bother to make an order but it is realy cheap for the plans 10$ and even how it is worth every dollar in gold.
To have a router lift is just fantastic and tomorrow I am going to get a table for building a router table and I will take some pictures of it where to put the square for the router, better to ask the pro people here fist before I make a big mistake haha
It took a while to answear because my day have been realy crazy because I have had 5 computers to fix so I did not have the time to just say thanks. /M


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## Genel41 (Feb 6, 2013)

I have 2 Freud 2.5 HP both mounted in tables .One is in my 52 inch saw table the other is in a table for an extension for my out feed . The are both plunge routers and and I made a crank that fit over the knob and have a screw to tighten it on the knob of the router then I put a small knob to make the crank . I just go under there release the clamp on the router and crank away . It is better than paying $200. to raise it .


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## BRAVOGOLFTANGO (Oct 11, 2012)

MeRLiN4U said:


> Thanks sure I would love to have them, I have been into I Build It Home Page and watched some movies but I must have missed the router lift.
> I have been looking at it a couple of times and I just think my Bosch 1400 ACE would fit there with some adjustments and I have another router that is almost the same but not a Bosch that I could experiment with.
> I was almost going to order the router lift plans from Tilting router lift plans for sale but he told me after 2 e-mails that my router would not fit at all so I did not bother to make an order but it is realy cheap for the plans 10$ and even how it is worth every dollar in gold.
> To have a router lift is just fantastic and tomorrow I am going to get a table for building a router table and I will take some pictures of it where to put the square for the router, better to ask the pro people here fist before I make a big mistake haha
> It took a while to answear because my day have been realy crazy because I have had 5 computers to fix so I did not have the time to just say thanks. /M


Cool deal, shoot me a PM with an email addy and I'll send you the excel file. All I'm sending you is the parts list breakdown, not the drawings, John makes a few bucks for his drawings and I honor that. But the parts list is mine and free for anyone.

I too looked at the tilting router lift plans, didn't see a need for my uses, vertical lift is sufficient.


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## Genel41 (Feb 6, 2013)

Free plans ? I'm interested


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## BRAVOGOLFTANGO (Oct 11, 2012)

Better re-read, I never mentioned free-plans at least, maybe someone else did.

All I'm offering is a parts-list which I developed for the plans that I purchased. I'm offering the parts-list for those plans, no less, no more. :dirol:


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## billg71 (Mar 25, 2011)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Mike
> 
> I will need to disagree with you on that one it will improve your routing..
> 
> ==


Me too. A good lift allows precise adjustment in a minimum of time. I know when I turn the crank 1/4 turn on my Jessem I raise or lower the bit 1/64", I didn't have to lift the router out, unlock it, make some arbitrary amount of adjustment and put it back in the table to make another trial cut and measure to see if I guessed right.



Mike said:


> Ok, I'll bite... how will a lift improve your routing? It is no more accurate than any other method of adjusting the bit height. It is not any faster. What am I missing?


Mike, I think you're missing a lot. If being able to make precise repeatable adjustments in your cuts in a minimum amount of time doesn't meet your definition of "improve your routing" maybe I'm the one missing something...???? I'll be the first to say that no one _needs_ a lift to do table routing, I worked for years as a trim carpenter with a B&D 616 screwed to the bottom of a piece of Birch ply for my router table. But I spent a lot of time tweaking adjustments and making the call that the results were "good enough for government work" when I knew I could have done better given the time.

In one sense you're right in that a .250"x.250" dado is a .250"x.250" dado regardless of how you get there. But if I can get there in two cuts with repeatable results versus several cuts and a "that's close enough" result and I don't have to repeat the whole trial and error process all over the next time I want a precise .250x.250 dado haven't I improved my routing? Just because you don't see the benefits of a good lift doesn't mean they don't exist.

OK, you're satisfied with what works for you but saying flat out that a good piece of machinery that produces predictable repeatable results does nothing to improve your routing experience is just not an accurate statement. While it's true that some of the new woodworkers here may not be able to afford a good table setup, telling them that it just isn't of any benefit and a waste of money is a disservice to them, setting them up for hours of frustration and maybe dissuading them from the hobby altogether. You and I have spent years learning how to "do it" in less than optimal circumstances, we've stuck with it and persevered.

Newcomers to the hobby may not have our patience, telling them that your way is the best way and discounting alternative methods may discourage them after a few attempts and lose them altogether. In one way that's good, more cheap gear on Craigslist. In the long run it's not such a good thing, old farts like us are dieing off and if the young bucks get discouraged and frustrated who's going to keep the tradition alive?

Just something for you to think about...

Best,
Bill


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Don't get me wrong Bill, but when i turn the fine adjustment knob on my Bosch 1617 through the top of the table (i had to drill a hole) it also move 1/64". Yes, i did have to clip and unclip a latch. To spend more than the cost of the router to do the same thing is not a choice i make right now.

I think Jessem's lift is a very fine piece of engineering, and the look is sleek (i'd call it sexy if this wasn't a public forum!!). But for less cash i bought a drill bit to get above the table adjustment of the 1617 and had more than enough change left to add an Incra positioner and Wonder Fence--which in my opinion added accuracy on length and width, where the lift would have only addressed depth. 

I'm a newcomer to the hobby and building a workshop consumes resources--both time and money. I'm learning patience, and its value. Along the way it's incredibly valuable to us "newbies" to be able to hear the different approaches that y'all take to get to the same outcome. That has really been invaluable in helping me make good choices that fit me--though i still screw up a lot!!!

earl


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