Thread: Router for router table with carjack

Originally Posted by Arry

... I am using a simple car jack as the router lift.

This way I do not need to actually fix the router underneath the table.

How will it work if not fixed to the table?

Ray

IMHO the Triton 1/2' works well. With the through the plate winding handle you eliminate the need for the car jack.

Originally Posted by rayintheuk

How will it work if not fixed to the table?

Ray

Bsically I have a shelf underneath where the router plate would go say 40cm below.

The car jack is then bolted to the shelf and then the router is then attached to the jack, not to the plate, if that makes sense.

Cheers

Originally Posted by Stevlyn

IMHO the Triton 1/2' works well. With the through the plate winding handle you eliminate the need for the car jack.

I totally agree with Stevlyn.
I was also going to use a car jack but then the big Triton router went on special at Carbatec. The above table height winder will save a whole heap of time fiddling around with a jack, and will be more accurate.

I can't see how you can avoid fixing the router to the plate. The way I see it you would fix it to the plate, set it in plunge mode without the spring and use the jack to lift for height.

Originally Posted by Stevlyn

I can't see how you can avoid fixing the router to the plate.

My concern also. Car jacks may be of fairly robust construction, given the loads they bear, but the stability of the whole assembly relies on the fixing to the lower shelf and that there is absolutely NO play whatsover in the jack itself. IMO, any side force (which is what most table routing consists of, after all) must affect the position of the bit relative to the table, if the router's not fixed to the table.

I wouldn't do it, not only because of safety, but because I cannot see how overall accuracy won't be hugely affected.

Happy to be proved wrong.

Ray

Hi Arry
I have been using a Holden scissor jack to raise my Hitachi TR12 router in my router table for about 6yrs works well and when locked never moves you can change bits through top of table also check out pictures here.
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f171/c...-table-134927/

colbra

Firstly thanks for all of the advice.

Secondly, I am not sure if this is the dumbest thing I have ever asked but.....

With the router table insert plate, does that need to be attached to the table ie with screws.

Reason I say this is I didn't think it had to...

But if you want to raise or lower the router, with a jack or not, the router insert plate would just pop up otherwise?

I have had a long stressful week at work so excuse the question if it is stupid.

Cheers

Hi Arry
No problems asking questions that’s how we all learn so ask away! If I can help I will if it ever worries you asking just PM me or others and I will try help as would all the rest of the folks here on the forum that has been my experience over seven years.

Using the scissors jack! The plate is attached to the table with 4 screws and the base of the router is attached to that keeping in mind it is a plunge router. And the plunge router works like a ram as you wind the jack the ram is pushed upwards raising the bit in a upward direction till it protrudes through the router table insert, to desired height which as I said is screwed to the table top if you wind it right up the chuck protrudes through the table far enough to change the bit in the chuck which is a real handy and time saving. did you see the pics I put in they might help too.hope I explained it well enough.

Col (colbra)

Many thanks again Colbra

I have attached photos of my setup. (slowly building a router table)

I bought an MDF top and have a Maktec Router.

I have made a router insert out of MDF and attached that to the router.

The weird thing is with the router table top if you can see in the pic there is what seems to be 4 metal circles in each corner of the routed out insert.

How on earth do I attach the MDF plate to that?

Cheers

Hi Arry looks good ! was the table top that you bought purpose made for a router table and was the opening cut when you bought the top! if that was the case those little round pieces of steel may be magnets and with corresponding magnets in the top you made would hold the top in place, but this is only a guess! If that's not the case you can get a metal thread insert that screws flush into the table and then you can screw a metal head into the insert you made to give you a flush finish see att picture
colbra Col

Hi mate

Yes the top was spefically made for these metal legs but I decided not to use them.

Yes, the opening was already cut.

A few weeks after I bought the table I rang them and apparently they make an insert plate specifically to suite.

They failed to mention this when I bought it and they no longe make the inserts, grrrrr

Where can you get inserts like that from and where should they be put? ie can they be used in those existing metal things?

I just went out into the Shed are you are absolutely correct !

Those things are indeed magnets, who would have thought lol

I have now glued some thin washes to the underside of the MDF insert....will let you know how I go

Thanks again !!

Arry I just updated my last post colbra Try Carbe Tec

I think I updated mine first