Simple router lift on a Ryobi

**sidewz** · 8th September 2013, 07:24 PM

Firstly, credit for the idea goes to this guy. Ultra-cheap router lift

I applied this idea to my Ryobi ert241200 plunge router.

This old router has been in my table for a while, but the lift mechanism was a bit crap really, and there were other issues.
ert241200.jpg
1. Becuase it was upside down, and the posts are hollow, Dust was getting into the posts , and was building up inside the body, stopping the posts from going all the way home. It had gotten to the point that I had lost about 20mm of travel, and could no longer get a spanner onto the collet form above the table.

2. The throat of the base on the etr241200 is only about 38mm, so couldn't fit some of decent size bits into it.

So I stripped it all down to fix some problems.

I enlarged the throat to about 55mm.

I used a 100mm m6 furniture bolt to do the raising, and I put a threaded insert into the old depth stop hold to grab it.
2013-09-08 16.05.17.jpg

I removed the old depth stop plastic thing on the base, and drilled through where the spring and ball bearing were hidden, to let the bolt reach through. A little bit of a tidy up with a dremmel and the bolt head sits nicely in the base.

2013-09-08 16.05.51.jpg

I also put some tape over the open end of the posts, so that dust won't fill them up again.

2013-09-08 16.33.52.jpg

Now I can raise or lower it from above. An allen key for normal adjustments, and a drill for raising it right to the top for changing bits.

2013-09-08 17.18.25.jpg 2013-09-08 16.52.31.jpg

I just need to add a thumb wheel onto the shaft of the screw, so I can make small adjustments even when the router fence is over the top of the adjustment hole.

**Oddy** · 14th September 2013, 10:43 PM

Incredibly simple - I like it!!! The best ideas are the simplest ones.

**robolop 46** · 18th November 2013, 12:17 AM

Incredibly simple

**tdrumnut** · 18th November 2013, 07:40 AM

KISS, I think I might see if this will work on my B&D router. Thanks

**The Bleeder** · 18th November 2013, 07:42 AM

As everyone else has said simple

Never crossed my mind to use a threaded insert.

**malb** · 18th November 2013, 08:27 AM

Looks like a fairly neat solution, but is the threaded insert an alloy one? If so I would keep an eye on it as power driving a steel scew through it frequently would be likely to cause the insert female threads to wear rapidly, particularly given the potentially dusty environment that it operates in.

If the plunge lock is functional, you might be able to raise the router manually (including letting the connector bolt rise through the table) and clamp it in place with the plunge lock for bit changes, then lower it back by releasing the plunge lock and manual lowering and adjusting the connector bolt for the next cutting height. This would largely eliminate power driving the screw against the weight of the router and the attendant wear.

**NCArcher** · 18th November 2013, 04:58 PM

Originally Posted by malb

Looks like a fairly neat solution, but is the threaded insert an alloy one? If so I would keep an eye on it as power driving a steel scew through it frequently would be likely to cause the insert female threads to wear rapidly, particularly given the potentially dusty environment that it operates in.

If the plunge lock is functional, you might be able to raise the router manually (including letting the connector bolt rise through the table) and clamp it in place with the plunge lock for bit changes, then lower it back by releasing the plunge lock and manual lowering and adjusting the connector bolt for the next cutting height. This would largely eliminate power driving the screw against the weight of the router and the attendant wear.

The bolt head is under the router plate Mal. The hole is only just big enough for the driver bit.

**malb** · 18th November 2013, 06:15 PM

Gee, NCA your right, theres a big difference between looking at the pic on a 10in netbook without glasses and looking at it on a 21in panel with the specs. so either the idea is useless or the hole in the table and insert ring could be enlarged.

However I suspect that my warning about power driving a steel screw through an alloy nut might be valid.

**Treecycle** · 19th November 2013, 10:25 AM

Maybe the diameter of the bolt head could be reduced and the hole in the table opened up a little so it can go through without having to make an enormous hole. As said earlier, that would allow the router to be lifted up manually for bit changing which makes it a lot quicker, with less wear and tear on the threaded bits.
Still, in the present state, a smart idea.

**NCArcher** · 19th November 2013, 04:03 PM

To be honest, if you wear out the insert, whack another one in. Good job.

**rwbuild** · 19th November 2013, 05:07 PM

Originally Posted by Oddy

Incredibly simple - I like it!!! The best ideas are the simplest ones.

(you stole my line)

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