# Router Lift Hand Crank



## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

The attached photo shows two different hand cranks for raising/lowering a table mounted router. The one on the left is for a Porter Cable 890 that came with a used router table I purchased at a widows tool sale. It has a 3" diameter "star" type knob and is too slow for my taste. The one on the right is from my Incra (built by Jessum) lift and is much faster. I am looking for a crank of the Incra style but it has to have 3/16" female hex end. Any thoughts on where I might find such a crank. Thanks.


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

I use a mechanic’s speed handle like this one with a socket on the end. Hard to get faster than it is. https://www.harborfreight.com/38-in-Drive-Speed-Handle-62700.html


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

And I just lift my router plate and router as one unit. Do whatever, and put them back. Never could see why people like router lifts.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

JOAT said:


> And I just lift my router plate and router as one unit. Do whatever, and put them back. Never could see why people like router lifts.


Me too. I have the 890 base on my router plate, and I never use the knob. It is faster to flip it out, change the bit, and snap the plate back in. The fixed base does have an adjustment knob on it that I can tweak from under the table. I have to get down on one knee to 'sight' the bit to whatever I am trying to adjust to, so I am already there.

I am a big fan of the KISS (Keep It Simple, Stupid) method.

That being said, a speed wrench is a great choice.

If you want, you can buy the rod by the foot and adapt it into a store-bought crank handle, or bend into a crank shape


https://www.speedymetals.com/pc-1053-8260-316-hex-303-stainless-steel-cold-finished-annealed.aspx


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

Thanks for your suggestion. Unfortunately, I did not give you all the constraints. The original equipment Porter Cable adjusting rod is 3/8" OD and has to fit through a hole (only slightly larger than 3/8") in the router plate.


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

Whether you like or dislike router lifts is very personal. For the work that I do, I won't have a router table without a lift. The only time I want to look at the underneath side of my router table is if I need to do a speed change. This particular router table setup has an Igaging digital height indicator that is attached to the PC890 so lifting the router/router plate for bit changes, height adjustment, ... is out of the question.


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Would the handle off a pipe clamp work? Free it from the threaded rod, then replace your star knob with the handle.

https://www.harborfreight.com/1-2-half-inch-pipe-clamp-3813.html


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## MikeMa (Jul 27, 2006)

I think your best bet would be to get a second hand crank made for the lift you have, and then modify it by making your own handle for it.

For what it's worth, I absolutely love having a lift my router table. I have found bit changes & setup to be much faster and much more accurate using the lift. To each their own.


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

I think that is a great suggestion; had not thought along that line. The star knob is held on by a single machine screw so I should be able to make some kind of handle.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

I love my Jessem side winder lift and my Rockler crank lift. My suggestion is to remove the knob and replace with a crank. Also you might concider drilling a hole in the hand wheel and putting a bolt in to crank it , like the old steering wheel knobs of yesteryear.

Or something like this:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/RV-Designe...110916&hash=item2f2f910e58:g:NGkAAOSwTt1cwQJB

Or you can buy a auto window crank handle and replace the knob
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1966-Ford-...399613?hash=item4b5ccbaebd:g:qbwAAOSwGBRcV0-g

HErb


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Option 2:

Grab a 3/16 socket (from a cheap set, or individually from the web). Epoxy it to the stub on the router base. Grab a window crank like the one below and you're good to go.

OR

Grab a piece of 1/4 inch square stock for a couple of bucks at Lowes. Get a cheap plastic crank handle from Amazon. Epoxy one end of the square stock into the handle, and epoxy a wood donut on the square stock to act as a bearing on the router plate.


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## mgmine (Jan 16, 2012)

You could make a replacement with a long allen wrench or look into the Router Raizer and maybe one of theirs would work, check out the website below., As far as not using a lift, I would challenge anyone to adjust their router accurately and quickly without a lift. The lift isn't about changing bits, it's about adjusting to a 64th of an inch when doing something like rail and stiles. This is why making one out of something like a car jack is a waste of time.

Router Raizer


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## Gene Howe (Jul 10, 2007)

My Jessem lift uses a hex rod on a crank handle similar to the old car window cranks. It took forever to raise it for bit changes. So, I got a length of that hex rod and inserted it in a B&D 12 volt drill. Much faster now.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Make the handle yourself with a bit of scrap. A 6 inch long strip with a knob on one end, two holes on the other. Drill two matching holes in the knob and put in a couple of small nuts with locknuts or locktite. Drill a hole on the small end and use two lock nuts or epoxy to anchor the crank handle bolt and let the small handle spin free

Or find an aluminum crank handle and drill mounting holes in it and the star knob. Look up crank handles online for ideas. All kinds of crank handles shown in my search. You just need to lock the crank on the shaft you have. Of course, you could cut the star knob off and attach a crank handle directly to it. A little drilling, routh up the surface, mix epoxy and it's done.

I have a Triton TRA001 in the table with the built in lift. Very nice.


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## bfblack (May 2, 2012)

Thanks for all the good suggestions. The attached photo shows what I implemented. The body of the crank was made from a piece of scrap oak. I initially tried Poplar and then Cherry but they were too soft. The Porter Cable metal rod is 3/8" OD but there were two opposing flats. The silver headed wood screw mates with the flat; there is a 2nd similar screw on the opposite side of the rod. The torque required to clamp the router at the desired depth was substantial. I cut a slot with the bandsaw and this is shown in the lower right hand corner of the picture; the black screw closes this gap. Due to an improper adjustment of the torque required to close the clamp, the hex hole on the clamp got stripped and am waiting on a replacement clamp.  The black handle was purchased from Amazon. Once the router clamp arrives, I think I will be in business.


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## Thewoodbasher (Jun 26, 2019)

Why not make your own?


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