# removing the spring from plunge router



## carlp. (Nov 3, 2012)

G'day guys should i remove the spring when mounting a plunge router under the new table for easy adjustment. regards carl


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Carl, yes you should. Gravity will pull the router down with no problem eliminating the need for the spring/springs. Pop the router out of the table for quick and much easier bit and depth changes this way.


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## Marvingee (Nov 9, 2012)

Yes, but take care. They can "Spring".

Be well,
Marvin


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Yes Carl. I would recommend that you remove the springs if you intend to have the router dedicated to the table.

Some routers, such as the Triton make it very easy to remove the springs.

I have not seen any instructions on removing the springs for a Black & decker.


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## BOjr (Dec 1, 2012)

I have one additional question on this topic. Everyone seems to be of the same opinion in that the spring should be removed. Why? It's not in the way and I don't think that it will harm the router so why go through work of removing the springs ?

Buck


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## rwbaker (Feb 25, 2010)

I agree with Buck except that on my Freud it also provides stability and keeps the router from upward creep. May be make and model dependent.

Good Luck - Baker


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

BOjr said:


> I have one additional question on this topic. Everyone seems to be of the same opinion in that the spring should be removed. Why? It's not in the way and I don't think that it will harm the router so why go through work of removing the springs ?
> 
> Buck


It just makes it easier to lift the router but they don't necessary need to be removed. If one was using the Router Raizer then the springs wouldn't be removed per the instructions.


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## Carlswoodturning (Mar 6, 2013)

I'm a newbie, but I can say with a Triton, the spring should be removed, otherwise it works against the built in lift mechanism. It's great to not need to buy a seperate lift, but even without the spring, the triton seems to bind when raising in the table. Maybe just a problem with mine.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

"Why remove the springs?"

Ok, you have your plunge router mounted on the plate, drop it into the table and want to make a height adjustment. With one hand you release the plunge lever, with one hand you lift the router and the router plate and all come out of the table. Sure, you could hold the plate down with your forehead but that makes it difficult to see the adjustment. You could fasten the plate down but that defeats the entire purpose of having a plate. Even if you are smart and pop the router out of the table to make height adjustments the springs will fight you. Removing the springs is one of the "Keep it simpe" methods taught by the guys from the Router Workshop.

Richard, upward creep? Did you scold it and tell it to stay? :haha:
If your router is moving up you need to adjust the clamp or plunge lock. We don't want your router to fly away.


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## carlp. (Nov 3, 2012)

*removing spring*

Hi Guys i must concur with Mike i removed the spring from my bosch 11ae as it is a dedicated table machine in my production line fine height adjustment is now easy. thanks for all the replies. regards carl


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## rwbaker (Feb 25, 2010)

*Mr*



Mike said:


> "Why remove the springs?"
> 
> Ok, you have your plunge router mounted on the plate, drop it into the table and want to make a height adjustment. With one hand you release the plunge lever, with one hand you lift the router and the router plate and all come out of the table. Sure, you could hold the plate down with your forehead but that makes it difficult to see the adjustment. You could fasten the plate down but that defeats the entire purpose of having a plate. Even if you are smart and pop the router out of the table to make height adjustments the springs will fight you. Removing the springs is one of the "Keep it simpe" methods taught by the guys from the Router Workshop.
> 
> ...


The spring provides an addition to gravity and was placed there by the manufacturer for a reason. On most routers it is to counteract gravity, ergo making its use unneeded when the plunge router goes into the most unnatural state of being inverted. I actually bought a third router to remove my Freud from this service as the spring was needed, but the removal of the spring would have made my life much easier; this model Freud is a great plunge router and a very bad table router. Some routers are meant to stay as there creators meant and not switch sides (in this case positions). My Freud, without the spring, would creep upward by a 1/32" over a 6 ft run when cutting a 1/4" slot in mahogany and a 1/16th when using clear pine.

Those of us that work in both wood and metals realize that these numbers may be fine for someone such as yourself, but when you sell commissioned works for five figures and habitually work with your Bridgeport and Clausing machines in the 0.00002 +/- an inch range (over the equivalent distance), then this is just sloppy workmanship. When you are advising a person to make a change that may or may not hurt the performance of the finished product, then you can only speak from personal experience. I will try to keep it simple for you - keep the spring then no harm, remove the spring and you do not know what will happen to him, you only know about your own situation. Ruin a $300.00 piece of mahogany because you removed a spring then know some things were designed that way for a reason. Read up on metrology and why it is important in the design of machines - your projects might benefit from it; after all it is only a router, what is important is the end result. A router is just one of many ways to achieve an action that is part of the sum of actions required to create a finished product. 

Regards - Baker

ps - Removable router plates were originally designed so people could attach and remove routers more easily from tables, thus making greater use of a lesser number of machines. Originally tables did not have plates and many are sold today, usually cast iron, that have no provision for a plate.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Baker, please post photos of your commisioned five figure's woodworking projects? I would like to see them.

I am having a hard time understanding how a person that can maintain 0.00002+/- tolerances can't adjust his router so it stays where it is set? I repair heavy industrial equipment, (IE.. Bridgeports) and build robotic weld stations and assembly lines for the Big 3.

We are working with wood on this forum, not metal. When I give advice it is from experience. I buy (and sell) routers on a regular basis for the simple reason that if you have not used a product you really don't understand it.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Because I work with wood and metal, I really am interested in seeing shots of your shop set-up, by the sound of it my equipment is but toys compared to yours. I'm also intrigued by the description of your projects, any chance of a few photos?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

bump


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