Thread: Router Table Upgrade

image.pngSaw the Jessem Mast-R-Lift Excel 11 on the Gregory's website but it appears to need a stand, fence, fixed router etc which would add to the $1189 ex GST price tag. However, I understand it is made in Canada and looks a bit of good gear.

I may be wrong (never happened before) but I think the Jessem is only suitable for American style router motors.
Have a look at the offerings from Timbecon such as this https://www.timbecon.com.au/routing/...mounting-plate

Originally Posted by NCArcher

I may be wrong (never happened before) but I think the Jessem is only suitable for American style router motors.
Have a look at the offerings from Timbecon such as this https://www.timbecon.com.au/routing/...mounting-plate

Apparently, Gregorys have sourced a suitable router motor, see attached. Thanks for your post. I was starting to think I was not going to get any replies.

Hi Kidbee,

We have the Timbecon 800x600 MDF/phenolic table and fence at our Men's Shed. Paired with a Triton TRA001 it works well. It can be set up for above table height adjustment, but personally I find the Triton winder more effort than sticking my hands under the table. The fence is quite good and has a decent cutter guard if you can make people use it. Not sure how robust it would be in a school setting - have you considered a cast iron table?

In my own workshop I have the 800x600 Woodpeckers phenolic table and fence. Again with a Triton, but looking to move to an Incra lift so a fixed router will be necessary. Suggest you look at Professional Woodwork Supplies site. They are a sponsor of this forum and very helpful. See link at the top right of this page.

I can't think of any table setup which is noticeably safer than any other, but others will have more experience in this regard.

I've just returned from visiting two well-known professional woodies in the UK. One uses a shop-made MDF top, MDF fence and a scissor-type screw jack (from a car) underneath to raise and lower the router. The other has a steel top, MDF fence and sets the height by crouching under the table. Both these people do wonderful and very accurate work.

Couple of left-field thoughts. You might like to have a look at the Woodrat (WoodRat) or Google overhead or horizontal routers - just to confuse matters a bit!

Would love to hear what you finally decide.

Good luck!

Brian

By the way - if you lean towards the Swiss Tec router motor I think you'll find it is made in China or Taiwan. Swiss Tec sounds better, though.....

I suspect it is the same motor as the AUK sold by Professional Woodworkers Supplies

WM1800 MkII -1800 watt Fixed Base Router Motor

At $485 it's cheaper than the Swiss-tec.

Originally Posted by homey

By the way - if you lean towards the Swiss Tec router motor I think you'll find it is made in China or Taiwan. Swiss Tec sounds better, though.....

I suspect it is the same motor as the AUK sold by Professional Woodworkers Supplies

WM1800 MkII -1800 watt Fixed Base Router Motor

At $485 it's cheaper than the Swiss-tec.

You are correct. I was talking to Gregorys today and the router motor is Taiwanese.

Would not let new players play with Triton products-make your own -melamine MDF or whatever -could be more accurate and safer depending on design. How they got to a thing is very questionable -Triton is made for the masses that are too dumb ass to work it out for themselves -with better materials than stamped sheet metal.

Consider the AUKmotor and Incra lifter package from PWS. AUKTools Router Control Station + 1800watt Router

ive been using it now for 2 weeks and can say I absolutely love it. It replaced a Kreg plate and Triton TRA001 setup I've used for a while. I like the lifter soooo much more.

One safety feature that may be useful is a remote speed controller inbuilt into the highly lit on/off box, which also features a zero volt release.

Originally Posted by wood spirit

Would not let new players play with Triton products-make your own -melamine MDF or whatever -could be more accurate and safer depending on design. How they got to a thing is very questionable -Triton is made for the masses that are too dumb ass to work it out for themselves -with better materials than stamped sheet metal.

not a Triton fan?

Originally Posted by woodPixel

Consider the AUKmotor and Incra lifter package from PWS. AUKTools Router Control Station + 1800watt Router

ive been using it now for 2 weeks and can say I absolutely love it. It replaced a Kreg plate and Triton TRA001 setup I've used for a while. I like the lifter soooo much more.

One safety feature that may be useful is a remote speed controller inbuilt into the highly lit on/off box, which also features a zero volt release.

Woodpixel, could you please supply a photo of your set-up. I think the Incra Lift and the JessEm come out of the same factory. We were all set to get the top of the range JessEm router table package and a week after placing our order we have now been told they have run out of stock and the wait is another four months as they ship out of Canada.

My studio is an OH&S nightmare. Ignore the chaos and excuse the mess. I had a very busy day in the shop today. Im so bloody tired!

The router table is attached to the side of the table saw so I can take advantage of the Incra TSLS32 and the Wonderfence. It is simply AWESOME.

The lifter in an Incra model in metric. You are correct, JessEm custom make them for Incra, but Incra has them make a different top so they can put in their own Magnalock magnetic rings, which are very good.

The rings are standard just like any quick snap in rings but with rare earth magnets to hold them in place. The ones pictured have extra holes and are an aftermarket option with Incra (PWS sold me mine). They make a HUGE difference to dust collection. HUGE.

To the right of the table is the controller. Big lit green and red buttons. The off button is a mushroom. Its a zero current off device, which is nice. On the far side of the gray box, unseen, is a knob for speed. The router does 10k to 22k. It is well balanced, so spinning up bits to full speed is a very satisfying thing. The cuts are very nice indeed.

The motor has an internal fan. It uses brushes and the kit PWS sells comes with a spare pair of those. The motor was almost silent when new, made a razzing for an hour or so after a bit of use, but has since quieted back down - I suspect the brushes were just settling in. Grahame told me the guts has a magnetic hall sensor rather than an optical one (which haunted the competition apparently as the optics clogged up! DER!!!).

It comes with two spanners. I personally think the spanners are a let down. Of course, with every kit they are just stamped metal, same as every router I have EVER bought (except the Festool), but the crank on the one you want to use as the lower one isnt quite right and the offset angle of the handle is not quite right... so its hard to undo bits with one hand (just by squeezing the hand closed). I will get some made that work better for me. Its not a big deal, but given how pretty and well thought out every part of their AUKtools kit is, its an obvious line of improvement.

Under the table is a home made dust box with a 100mm hose attached to the front. A poor design. It will soon(ish) have a 150mm (6") PVC pipe attached to the back so I can plonk the new DC's (as in so new, it hasn't even been ordered!) hose to it with the shortest length I can... about 2 metres. This way I can simply put the hose either on the table saw hole or the router hole (right next to it) at the time I want to use each machine. Reduce my trip hazard.

One advantage that PWS doesn't advertise, for the router is you can buy ER style collets for it: Precision Porter-Cable Collet Kits!!!

You could of course by a Musclechuck or similar too.


router table.jpg

How useful do you guys find your router tables? I have often tried, unsuccesfully, to convince myself I need one but can never think of too many applications where one would be necessary or particularly useful.

Dom,

For me it's the most used piece of equipment in the shed. I use it to cut dovetails (Gifkins jig), box joints, mitres, grooves, dadoes, inlay banding, rebates, fit hinges, flush cut to templates, create raised panels and more.

I'd hate to be without mine.

Brian

My hand held router is now only used to rebate hinges!

i use the RT more than the TS.