# Router Lift



## Hat (May 19, 2006)

I used my Jessem router the other day and the lift broke. Need less to say I was not pleased. I have never done a lot of routing with it. But I'm not pleased with it's performance. With the belt drive and all. So Jessem has lost me as a customer. So now I have a chance to buy a new one. So my question is which is a good one? I have looked at the Rockler router lift. And the Bench Dog lift. Also I was looking at the Kreg. Any suggestions?


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Well Tim...after months of drooling over lifts, but not being excited about the money involved, i drilled a 3/16" hole in my plate and started using an 1/8" hex wrench to lift my Bosch 1617. Only thing is...i have to reach down to flip the release open and closed. Works great otherwise.

Cost--about 15 minutes. 

Number of Dewalt 735 thickness planers purchased (on a close-out deal for $325) with the savings--1. 

Disappointment level--0. 

At some point i may shop-make a lift--just for the lessons i can learn. 

Your mileage may vary.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Tim, I am even worse than Earl. I saved the 15 minutes by popping my 1617 out of the table for bit changes. Same with my PC 7518 and Guild. This is faster than any lift I have seen.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

I use the Router Raizer and like it very much. The problem I have with trying to adjust a bit without the use of the Raizer is moving the bit by small amounts. With the Raizer you simply turn a handle until you get the bit height to where you want it. Another plus is that it is made in the US (or it was when I bought mine) and has great company support.


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## IC31 (Nov 16, 2012)

mgmine said:


> I use the Router Raizer and like it very much. The problem I have with trying to adjust a bit without the use of the Raizer is moving the bit by small amounts. With the Raizer you simply turn a handle until you get the bit height to where you want it. Another plus is that it is made in the US (or it was when I bought mine) and has great company support.


Looks like my first 'real' post can be about the Router Raizer. 

It is still made in the USA (or was on Monday). I installed mine on a P-C 7529/Grizzly table. It was ~$90 from AMAZON, It works slick!! The instructions can be confusing. The Raizer appears to only work on the listed plunge models, but possibly could be adapted to others with some thought. You get a couple bags of parts, choose the ones you need for your router, along with the right pages from the 50 or so in the IB. A couple hours later, you are done, ready to make dust.

Dave W


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I have the Rockler lift, bought on sale with their table. Like it but have to adjust it because it now slips down in use. Noticed another had this problem but it is fairly easy to fix. Other than that, it is really nice for my 1617. Their built in height adjustment on the fixed base is pretty great, but I really like the ultra fine adjustment function of the lift.


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

Sorry to hear that, Hat.
I've had my RLP for several years and use it with almost every project. I've never had a problem with it that I didn't cause my self. Recently, because I'm lazy, I rigged a yard sale cordless drill to crank the lift. I ran it up too high and broke the plastic "pully", as Jessem calls it. Replacement is metal. 



Hat said:


> I used my Jessem router the other day and the lift broke. Need less to say I was not pleased. I have never done a lot of routing with it. But I'm not pleased with it's performance. With the belt drive and all. So Jessem has lost me as a customer. So now I have a chance to buy a new one. So my question is which is a good one? I have looked at the Rockler router lift. And the Bench Dog lift. Also I was looking at the Kreg. Any suggestions?


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

Mike said:


> Tim, I am even worse than Earl. I saved the 15 minutes by popping my 1617 out of the table for bit changes. Same with my PC 7518 and Guild. This is faster than any lift I have seen.


Yep, that's just what I do, plate and all, that's how I designed it - apparently, because I don't recall how I made it. :haha: I simply cannot see how it can be any easier than just popping the whole thing out, turning it over, and doing your adjusting. 

If I were to have a router lift it would be shop-made, and then probably only for lessons learned, as stated previously.


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## allbarknobite (Sep 15, 2011)

*MLCS Powerlift replacement lift*



Hat said:


> ...So my question is which is a good one? I have looked at the Rockler router lift. And the Bench Dog lift. Also I was looking at the Kreg. Any suggestions?


So, Tim, a member since 2006, but still with no public profile. 
No way to tell what router you use.

If you happen to use a mid-sized router like a PC892, it might be a good time to check out the MLCS Powerlift to see if it fits your woodworking style. Comes installed on a 9x12 aluminum plate.

Can be seen at: 
MLCS PowerLift™ Motorized Router Lift

Mark


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

If you are a wiz kid you can make your own.

Motorized Router Lift

Motorized Router Lift - Retail Version

Projects that have a video

=



Hat said:


> I used my Jessem router the other day and the lift broke. Need less to say I was not pleased. I have never done a lot of routing with it. But I'm not pleased with it's performance. With the belt drive and all. So Jessem has lost me as a customer. So now I have a chance to buy a new one. So my question is which is a good one? I have looked at the Rockler router lift. And the Bench Dog lift. Also I was looking at the Kreg. Any suggestions?


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## greenacres2 (Dec 23, 2011)

Gene Howe said:


> Sorry to hear that, Hat.
> I've had my RLP for several years and use it with almost every project. I've never had a problem with it that I didn't cause my self. Recently, because I'm lazy, I rigged a yard sale cordless drill to crank the lift. I ran it up too high and broke the plastic "pully", as Jessem calls it. Replacement is metal.


Which leads to another possible solution--whatever broke is most likely available, is the cost of the replacement part more than a new lift. Actually, a few of us "tightwads" might be interested in the right kind of broken item if the price is right.


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## Hat (May 19, 2006)

It proably can be fixed. But this on has a belt drive adjustment. Which I would strongly advise against ever buying one. They will slip. A guy at Rockler told me to use the same table top and cut a hole in it for what ever lift I get. But it I do go with a new lift and table top I Will let you know. I'm really not happy with Jessem.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

JOAT said:


> Yep, that's just what I do, plate and all, that's how I designed it - apparently, because I don't recall how I made it. :haha: I simply cannot see how it can be any easier than just popping the whole thing out, turning it over, and doing your adjusting.
> 
> If I were to have a router lift it would be shop-made, and then probably only for lessons learned, as stated previously.


Think of it this way, you have an edge that you made a day ago but find that you need another to finish the job. With a router lift you simply lay the piece on the table and raise the bit to the *exact* height by lining it up to the piece already cut. You can do it without a lift but you have to hold the piece tight against the insert while at the same time trying to hold and balance the heavy router, plate and wood all at once while at the same time trying to fine tune the adjuster on the router.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

mgmine said:


> Think of it this way, you have an edge that you made a day ago but find that you need another to finish the job. With a router lift you simply lay the piece on the table and raise the bit to the *exact* height by lining it up to the piece already cut. You can do it without a lift but you have to hold the piece tight against the insert while at the same time trying to hold and balance the heavy router, plate and wood all at once while at the same time trying to fine tune the adjuster on the router.


I've done that for 17 years... without a router lift, and with *no where near* that much trouble!


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

Dmeadows said:


> I've done that for 17 years... without a router lift, and with *no where near* that much trouble!


I can't argue with your success but I will mention this to newbee's. Whenever you have to adjust something to a close tolerance you use a screw type drive which is what you get with the Rouiter Raizer. The finer the thread the finer the adjustment. An Acme thread will not give you the same degree of accuracy as say a 10/32 thread. One type of thread will raise something 1/32" with every rotation another will raise it 1/4" and another will raise it 1". If you were going to raise a house you would never use a hydraulic floor jack. It would lift the house but not very accurately instead you would use a screw type jack. What I am saying with a router lift is the same thing. When trying to match an existing profile even 1/32" makes a difference and 1/32" is very difficult to obtain by pushing up and down on a router or adjusting by any means it if it is not secure.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

mgmine said:


> I can't argue with your success but I will mention this to newbee's. Whenever you have to adjust something to a close tolerance you use a screw type drive which is what you get with the Rouiter Raizer. The finer the thread the finer the adjustment. An Acme thread will not give you the same degree of accuracy as say a 10/32 thread. One type of thread will raise something 1/32" with every rotation another will raise it 1/4" and another will raise it 1". If you were going to raise a house you would never use a hydraulic floor jack. It would lift the house but not very accurately instead you would use a screw type jack. What I am saying with a router lift is the same thing. When trying to match an existing profile even 1/32" makes a difference and 1/32" is very difficult to obtain by pushing up and down on a router or adjusting by any means it if it is not secure.


Hi Art, 

I agree to a point that finer threads will give easy adjustment. Not necessarily more accurate. The trade-off is that with finer threads you have to crank more to make a large adjustment. A 16TPI Acme thread will give you 1/64" per 1/4 revolution. That is sufficient for most applications I have seen in woodworking. I like 16TPI(or 32) because you can make accurate adjustments by counting turns. Wish my shaper would do that! I don't know what General was thinking on that one!:sad:

We were not discussing lifting a house! Obviously a router raiser will not do that job! But that is not really relevant to the discussion.

I use a plunge router on my main table, and a fixed base on my second table. It is quite quick and easy to adjust either one. I may go to a lift because of arthritis issues someday soon, but NOT because of a need for greater accuracy!


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

The fine adjustment on the Bosch 1617 or MRF23 is a micrometer style, adjustment is quick and easy. If you want a lift thats great; I would rather have the money to spend on bits and wood.


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## Dmeadows (Jun 28, 2011)

Mike said:


> The fine adjustment on the Bosch 1617 or MRF23 is a micrometer style, adjustment is quick and easy. If you want a lift thats great; I would rather have the money to spend on bits and wood.


Mike, you about have me sold on that MRF23. Still think I would use the plunge base on the table though!


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