Thread: Is this a crazy idea?

You would need to ensure that each of the corners was raised or lowered equally and that the router and the moving base remained parallel in the horizontal plane.

Originally Posted by Wongdai

My next task, after building my bench, is I need to put together a decent router table to hold my 1/2" router.

I've been thinking of the problem of making fine adjustments to the depth of cut when using a plunge router attached to a top. It seems to me to be a fairly tedious affair to adjust, even if I hinge the top so I can easily get to the plunge locking mechanism.

So would it be such a crazy idea to have the router fixed, and be able to adjust the top? If I put a screw adjuster in each corner of the top it would be a fairly insignificant exercise to change the depth of cut.

Comments?

It's a crazy idea
Buy or make a contraption to move the router.

Cheers
Michael

I may be the odd man out here, but I think it's an idea that needs developing.

Probably some variations on the idea would be welcome contributions - like what about using some sort of shims?

Denn

Rigidty may be the problem with that approach.

Nikki posted a simple & reliable router raiser so search his posts

Originally Posted by Wood Borer

You would need to ensure that each of the corners was raised or lowered equally and that the router and the moving base remained parallel in the horizontal plane.

Exactly. It's a workable idea, but it'd be just as much work as building a router lift and would have more problems to overcome.

ie. four "lifts" that need to be synchronised, as against just one that doesn't.

do you already own the router that will be dedicated to the table?

if not, you may want to consider one of the commercial router lifts paired with a Makita 3601B router



ian

Yes, I already have a router which will be used.

You know, I still like the idea. I'm going to give it a go. I'm not sure I will even need four winders - I can think of a way to raise the table with only one winder that auto-synchronizes all four corners.

Stay tooned...

So long as you don't use other benches as in/outfeed supports.

Alternately use you idea, and support the outer edge of the table, and use your winders to raise/lower a box that holds the router

Actually, I just found Niki's solution as hinted above. Very simple.

I'm torn now.

Go for the Nikki solution. I built this for less than US$10 and it works like a charm. I have a Harbor Freight router permanently mounted to a plate with this lift, so it just drops into my table whenever I need to use it. So, with the lift (<$10), plate (<$30) and router (<$80), this is less than you would pay for a commercial lift from e.g. Rockler. It's certainly not a method that I'd use if I earned my living at my router table, but for a hobbyist I can recommend it.

$10US? Thats about $250 Australian isn't it?

Just kidding.

Thanks for the advice. It sounds like a good plan to me.

G'day Wongdai. One of the neatest solutions I have seen to your problem is to use a car jack under the router. Inexpensive and effective.

You have really started me thinking, what if the whole table concept was reversed with the router positioned above the table and plunging downwards? It would do away with expensive lifters.

Ok so you probably wouldn't be able to work with very wide pieces, without substantial bracing, but it might just work with narrower stock.

Overhead Pin Routers have been around for a long while, not as versatile as normal but they do have some advantages