Thread: Router lift

Thanks so much for this. I just 'retro fitted' my Triton router table with a lift like this (used some angle iron for the "cabinet sides" and the rest was pretty much to your plan.

Even the wife was impressed (or course, I hope you don't mind, I never actually gave you the credit for the design but took it myself!!!).

Thanks again,

Mal.

Fair enough Niki... another good one mate

BUT!!

hahaha knew Id say that eh!

Okay thats fine for these young gits with their young knees that can bend and squat all day without a hickup ... so now your mission Niki if you choose to take it... is to make a lifter that us old artheritik pharts can use without havin to bend creak and attempt to squat to raise the sodding thing from low on the table...

So what we can do here is have "the ultimate cheep as chups above table router lifter" challenge!

yes there's gobs of above the table lifters out there but gad the prices!! Im thinkin for those on pensions an such who cant affort the fancy shop bought one but through the ultimate "cheep as chups above table router lifter" challenge could make one from readily to hand bits an bobs without havi to outlay any cash or if so it would be minimal

Have at it Niki!! And anyone else up for the challenge

Funnily enough - I was thinking exactly that when I adapted mine (not the old creaky legs stuff - the 'lift from above' bit).

My wife is away this weekend so I accept your challenge.

I used to play around a lot with the Lego Technics stuff - now all I have to do is replicate the gears and rods in wood. Simple!!!???

In fact, I can already think how to get a winder mechanism through the table top - I think the tricky part is the fact that I will need 2 x height winders (one on each end of a moving bar) and I need to coordinate them to wind together.

I'll let you know how I go.

Mal

In fact, if I can convince my daughter she doesn't need her old bike, and I take the cogs and chain, and mount them under the router table to join two lifting uprights, connected to an above-the-table handle..... (am I a bad father, or an ideas man?)!!!

Originally Posted by ACT Mal

In fact, if I can convince my daughter she doesn't need her old bike, and I take the cogs and chain, and mount them under the router table to join two lifting uprights, connected to an above-the-table handle..... (am I a bad father, or an ideas man?)!!!

An ideas man!! ABSOFRIGGINLUTELY!! Mate if you can do it I know exactly the location of 7 unused bikes out the back yard that no one uses anymore... all bar the youngest has either gotten a car gotten "duuhhh Im too old for a bike dad" or else "ME??? Ride THAT?? hahahaha yeah right see the pink pigs dad? there they go" so given that I could possibly have the workins right in the back yard just have to sneekily watch which bike young Joshy jumps on in the mornin an snuffle the rest behind the shed

Niki!!! Come on mate!! Challenge is on!!

Cheers!

Thank you

Mal
Anything that impresses SWMBO and gives you "points" to buy new tools - I don't mind.

Wild dingo
One thing that comes in mind is the "Drill/Screwdriver flexible shaft" (see pic) that can be connected to the lifting screw, extended to one side of the table and turned with small handle like those on the workmate clamps.
Personally, I like to lock the plunge unless it's for doweling.

But lets see with what Mat will come-up.

Regards
niki
Attachment 42159

Unfortunately, I haven't got a solution to the Wild Dingo challenge yet. What I'm thinking is this:

I have changed Niki's design slightly to be a lever mechanism (with a wooden bar lying across the bottom of the router, attached at one end with a pivot point) that will drive the router down when the free end is pulled towards the underside of the router table top.

Problem I now face is: how do I pull the ever down with a control mechanism mounted below the top or in the side???

Actually, just had another idea and it's Canberra day to day so I have the day off work.

I'll get back to you shortly.

Mal.

Hi Mal

Have a look at this post, the first 2 pics showing the "pedal"
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/doweling-router-table-45961

And at this post to see how it's installed (the last 3 pics)
https://www.woodworkforums.com/f44/router-table-45911

I hope that it will give you some ideas...

Regards
niki

Wild Dingo,

Does this help - works great for me - allows micro adjustment, easily

http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...ad.php?t=23893

Regards,
Bob

Bob... maybe its me but I cant work out how that works ABOVE the tale??

Going on the surmise that the table is above the bit... the vice appears to face below the bit thus the turning mechanism would appear under that?... Im sorry mate its a bottler if I could figure out how it works from above the table
Cheers

Originally Posted by Wild Dingo

Bob... maybe its me but I cant work out how that works ABOVE the tale??

Going on the surmise that the table is above the bit... the vice appears to face below the bit thus the turning mechanism would appear under that?... Im sorry mate its a bottler if I could figure out how it works from above the table
Cheers

+ ...from your original post " So what we can do here is have "the ultimate cheep as chups above table router lifter" challenge!"

--Sorry the comprehension skills totally overlooked this part

I have looked at using a chain drive and sprocket system to operate the lift from the top at the side [just below the table surface] but discarded the idea as too complex for the benefit gained.

Regards,
Bob

OK all - feeling pretty damn good about myself coz I've done it.

I've created a router lift that can be operated from the side or from above the table. I hope you can adapt what I've done to suit your own needs.

First, as stated before, I am using a lever arm to plunge the router itself (see picture 1). That, in turn, is pulled up and down by a nut moving along a threaded rod.

The rod is turned by a wheel that protrudes out the side of the table top (see picture 2). It rotates the rod, which turns inside the nut (see picture 3) that is attached to the end of the lever arm, moving the nut up and down the rod. This moves the lever arm up and down, which plunges the router.

The only drawback I found was that turning the large diameter wheel took AGES to move the router up and down. Thus, I drilled a hole in my table top immediately above the end of the rod (see picture 4). I removed the rod, used a hacksaw to cut a large groove in the end of the rod, then replaced it.

Now, I can take a large spade bit, put it in my cordless drill, insert it into the hole, and rapidly plunge my router!!! Thus, the wheel can now be used just for fine adjustments and the drill is for rapid adjustments.

Just to make sure that I don't drill the nut right off the rod, I burred the end of the rod with a hammer (so that the thread is so bent, the nut can't get past it). It may be pertinent to note that, if you are going to try this for yourself, try and remember to put the nut on the rod BEFORE you start wielding the hammer. I spent about 5 mins trying to re-thread the rod with a hacksaw, cursing myself soundly the entire time!!!

Finally, to lock the plunge, I will jam a thin wedge between the wheel and the table top.

And that, as they say, is that.

Terribly chuffed with myself considering that, as of this morning, I had no idea how I was going to do this.

Enjoy,

Mal.

I came with something like in the picture that is good for "Cabinet router table".

All the parts can be made of wood.

The "Round nut" is one like used in the "Jorgensen" screw clamps so it can rotate when the lifting bar moves up/down.

During the lifting (i.e., rotating the threaded rod), the lifting bar (this one with the "Round nut") will "shorten". That's the reason that the lifting bar is slotted at the right side and can move left/right on the bolt (the "view from above" detail).

The "Lower support" is just a block of hard wood with hole at the size of the threaded rod with a piece of metal inserted in the hole to prevent the "eating" of the wood.

The "Upper support" is also a block of hard wood with a large hole to enable a socket to be pushed in to rotate the "Double nut" and, a small hole at the size of the threaded rod.

The "Plunger" is made of round stick and slids up/down in mating hole in the "Cross beam".

niki
Attachment 42325

Sorry, I'm a week late but I thought you may be interested in my lifter. I have adapted a pipe clamp to do the job and it works very well. Ignore the background. It is the garage door that is there to confuse!