I'm looking for opinions here. I'd like to install a router lift into my saw table extension and want to spend somewhere around $400-450 for both the router and lift. I've heard good things about the Jet xacta lift (I have a jet saw) and the woodpecker version (not sure its worth $300?!).
I am tentatively planning on the xacta lift and a dewalt router (I'm partial to dewalt, but not sure of their router's abilities yet). Ideally, I'd get a router that had a plunge and standard base so I could permanenetly mount the base to the router lift and use the plung when needed. I'd definitely want the removal of teh router to be quick and if the router had a shaft lock thats a plus.
As if you hadn't guessed, I'm new to routers... but I only like buying tools once!
Just get the 3 1/2 hp Milwaukee and you won't even need the router lift. It's all done right from the router. And then you'll have one of the best routers made with enough power to do anything a router can do!
Check how the lift mounts the router before you buy. I have a Benchdog lift and it is excellent. It holds the router with no base. While not difficult to take in and out, I'd not want to do it that way at all.
Router tables with an insert usually have the router base bolted to them. In the case of a lift, it will usually hold it around the router body. I can't speak for other brands as I just don't know how they mount. What you will end up doing is buying two routers. One hand held, the other mounted. You will make that decision after the first time you take the router from the table, make one pass hand held, then put it back into the table.
You have a couple of options that will keep you near your budget. The lift is $229. You can get a 2 1/4 hp router for about $180. That leaves $100 for a hand held router. Best price for the lift was from
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Do some shopping around and look at different configurations that will do the job. Ed snipped-for-privacy@snet.net
Save your money a wee bit longer (additional hunnert/hunnert and a half?) and buy the Porter-Capable 3 1/4 horsie variable speed router and a lift that will take it, i.e,. one of the bigger ones.
Woodcraft recently sent me a flyer with the Porter-Capable on sale for in the less than three hunnert price range. It's not close at hand/I probably pitched it so I'd call/consult with Woodcraft to verify this.
Now, there will be a slight problem when you get all of this together. The temptation is to set this all up and leave it as a dedicated router table (An Ultimate Router Table actually) and you will like it. The trouble comes in when you go to free hand (out of the table) rout something. You'll really not want to be disassembling the An Ultimate Router Table set up and you'll be pining for another 3 1/4" horsie variable speed Porter-Capable for above the table work.
I just picked up the Hitachi M12V. It's a plunge router and I plan to mount it beneath a tabletop. Instead of spending the bucks on fancy router lifts, consider the Router Raizer. I'm probably going this route. It is a simple enough device for adjusting height. By using a plunge router, you eliminate the need for a specialized assembly to raise/lower router.
The money saved will buy some very, very nice bits and maybe even a good book on routing and jigs.
A year or so ago I did a lot of checking on the router lifts, Mainly because i have just screwed the base to peice of laminated wood and clamped a straight peice of wood to the table for a fence. Still to this day one of the best set-ups there is for all of the gizmo's out there. So far the only thing that warms my heart is not pulling the motor down to change bit which on some days be 10 to 15 times on one machine. Kinda like the micro up & down adjustment also..
Anyway I found the better unit was from Woodpecker, with The Jessum a close second Nothing else compared
Granted the lift alone is 300 right now but you caam get about 10% Of that Pay an extra 30.00 for the adapter for the Bosch 1617 and get the Bosch
1617 straight motor no VS And if you do enough WW get two so you do not have to be pulling them out of the table when you need a hand held operation.
Okay quit adding it all up, I get the Bosch 1617 for 110.00 and I hope they did not go up at the first because they told me the price was good untill the first and i did not call up and order a couple of more last WED.
How do I get this price, Go to a Bosch service center and ask about refurbished tools, They still carry the one year warranty they are considered new.
At one time i would have said Ya right Up yours on refurbished tools. I have 7 of the 1617 that I bought refurbished Never a problem, And from what i can gather what i do to a router in a week takes some of you all year. I have never had a problem with any of them. Well There was a small problem with the bases one from a refurb and one from one of the new ones, Long story will post it later But because of it Bosch is retooling the making off the base
I have a "new", Incra PRL that I'd let go at a good price. (I bought it only to find that its dimensions were a little larger than the opening in my router cabinet top. I put it back in the box and haven't touched it since)
I just did exactly that. Bought a PC 7518 3 1/4HP router and a Master Lift to go with it. I had previously installed a Bench Dog extension to the left cast iron wing of my table saw (rather than remove the wing, as suggested by the manufacturer). This is neater than sliced bread.
There is some truth to this. In the meanwhile I'm using a smaller PC router that has both a fixed and plunge base. I have higher priorities right now.... I want a Trojan miter saw stand for my 12" Dewalt CMS so I can move it around without tripping over my nuts.
I couldn't agree more about the Router Raizer. Why would anyone spend so much more? The RR works great on a handheld too. You can put it in and out of a table without touching the lift system.
I have a router raizer w/PC690 in it and a PRL from Woodpeckers with a
7518 PC in it. I love the PRL w/ the bigger PC. It has plenty of power for anything. I like to have three router tables set up for raized panel doors (a rockler double table with the raizer and another
690 and the prl in my left extension wing) The prl/pc combo is pricey but I think its worth it.
How much Horse power do you need? Consider the Hitachi 12V. I got one from Amazon last month for 1 $139 with free freight. It is a plunge router with 3+ HP. A router raiser ( $89) will work, or use woodpeckers plunge raiser for $149. Are you using your saw's fence?
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