# Shop made router lift



## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

There have been several threads about router lifts lately, and I didn't want to high-jack someone else's thread so I thought I would start a new one. Instead of spending big bucks on a lift, it is possible to make your own, and the good thing is someone else already did the dirty work of figuring out the dimensions and parts to needed to build one.

One of them is from Popular Woodworking and is pretty straight forward. 










The plans can be found here (p. 19 of the PDF) Router table with router lift LINK

Another one that looks good is the one from American Woodworker. Everything but the bushings and steel shaft can be bought from Home Depot and Rockler.










The bushings can be bought at Amazon FF-1011-1 Oilite Sintered Bronze Flanged Sleeve Bearing 3/4" ID

The 18" steel shaft is from Metal Supermarkets LINK but there site kind of bites. Go to it and pick: Steel Cold Rolled > Round > 1045 > GROUND SHAFTING 1045 .750

There are steel shafts on Ebay and Oilite bronze bushings also. You can go to the American Woodworker site for more details on building this lift.


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## levon (Sep 14, 2008)

hi paulo,

im sure this works great, but it sure seems easier to buy a router for 100 bucks than to pay for and build this cumbersome looking lift. i want to be able to have accessibility to the router and anything that makes it easier to adjust and change bits in is what i want, after working with the router table awhile, you may agree with me. that is just my humble opinion.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

I can't argue with that. You would probably have to have a dedicated router for the router table to use one of these, and a flip-top would make changing the bits a breeze. 

I just thought I would throw this out there because in the same manner that some would rather make a router table top and router table than make them, someone may want to make a lift instead. Also there is the aspect of not being able to afford a router lift so if you really want one you could make one. 

I've bounced around with a few ideas for a lift, but since I only have one router, I will probably just attach it to a mounting plate and be done with it. I have an old Porter Cable router and instead of spending $170 to $270 for a Rockler/Rousseau/Jointech/Woodpecker router lift, I can simply reach under the table and give the PC a twist to raise or lower it.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI Noob

If you want a lift for your router take a hard look at the router raizer kit,it's way over price for some washers and some rod coupling nut,tubing and some threaded rod,,the kit comes with many items that are not used... the kit has many items to fit many routers...but they charge you for them..  if I recall I have a bag of 20 to 25 parts left over...


Router Raizer

http://www.routertechnologies.com/pc693.htm
http://www.routertechnologies.com/type_2_base_with_9.htm

below you will see snapshot of the lift and the parts that is needed to do the job..


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Noob said:


> I can't argue with that. You would probably have to have a dedicated router for the router table to use one of these, and a flip-top would make changing the bits a breeze.
> 
> I just thought I would throw this out there because in the same manner that some would rather make a router table top and router table than make them, someone may want to make a lift instead. Also there is the aspect of not being able to afford a router lift so if you really want one you could make one.
> 
> I've bounced around with a few ideas for a lift, but since I only have one router, I will probably just attach it to a mounting plate and be done with it. I have an old Porter Cable router and instead of spending $170 to $270 for a Rockler/Rousseau/Jointech/Woodpecker router lift, I can simply reach under the table and give the PC a twist to raise or lower it.


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> HI Noob
> 
> If you want a lift for your router take a hard look at the router raizer kit,it's way over price for some washers and some rod coupling nut,tubing and some threaded rod,,the kit comes with many items that are not used... the kit has many items to fit many routers...but they charge you for them..  if I recall I have a bag of 20 to 25 parts left over...
> 
> ...


Thanks Bobj for that link. It jogged my memory and remember seeing a router crank in a book called "Router Magic" by Bill Hylton. That is another route that's worth looking into. Router Magic book LINK


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Paulo

Yep that's a good one but the only down fall on that one it's made to be use on under side of the router in the cabinet and not for the above table adjustment ..

I have Bill Hylton book and read it all the time 

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Noob said:


> Thanks Bobj for that link. It jogged my memory and remember seeing a router crank in a book called "Router Magic" by Bill Hylton. That is another route that's worth looking into. Router Magic book LINK


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## Noob (Apr 18, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Paulo
> 
> Yep that's a good one but the only down fall on that one it's made to be use on under side of the router in the cabinet and not for the above table adjustment ..
> 
> ...


That reminds me, I need to quit reading books and articles on routers and actually go out and use it.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

"That reminds me, I need to quit reading books and articles on routers and actually go out and use it."

I concur with that Paulo, once safety is understood, only use, use and more use will turn a beginner into a Routologist, isn't that true Jim?


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