Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, I am trying something else. I've purchased a small scissors
jack with a low top clearance (3 1/2"). I fastened the router table
legs on top of some 4" blocks and screwed the blocks into the work
bench top. Now when I want height adjustment I just slide the jack
under the upside-down router, hike it up, fiddle up and down as
required, then lock the router slide into place, remove the jack - and
rout. Works fine so far.

FoggyTown

"foggytown" wrote in message
ups.com...
Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, I am trying something else. I've purchased a small scissors
jack with a low top clearance (3 1/2"). I fastened the router table
legs on top of some 4" blocks and screwed the blocks into the work
bench top. Now when I want height adjustment I just slide the jack
under the upside-down router, hike it up, fiddle up and down as
required, then lock the router slide into place, remove the jack - and
rout. Works fine so far.

I've seen that recommended, but it seems awfully clumsy to save a couple
bucks. But if it works for you, great!

There was someone on here some time ago that did the same. He had pictures
of it on his website.

"foggytown" wrote in message
ups.com...
Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, I am trying something else. I've purchased a small scissors
jack with a low top clearance (3 1/2"). I fastened the router table
legs on top of some 4" blocks and screwed the blocks into the work
bench top. Now when I want height adjustment I just slide the jack
under the upside-down router, hike it up, fiddle up and down as
required, then lock the router slide into place, remove the jack - and
rout. Works fine so far.

FoggyTown

On 29 Oct 2006 14:10:30 -0800, "foggytown"
wrote:

Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, I am trying something else. I've purchased a small scissors
jack with a low top clearance (3 1/2"). I fastened the router table
legs on top of some 4" blocks and screwed the blocks into the work
bench top. Now when I want height adjustment I just slide the jack
under the upside-down router, hike it up, fiddle up and down as
required, then lock the router slide into place, remove the jack - and
rout. Works fine so far.

If that gets old after a while, I saw a cheap solution to router
lifting in an issue of Woodsmith quite a while back. The guy who sent
in the suggestion used the crank end of a pipe clamp as a lifting
screw, and mounted the pipe to the underside of the router table with
a flange. Seemed like a simple enough solution, and possibly a bit
easier than using a jack.

Sun, Oct 29, 2006, 2:10pm (EST-3) (foggytown)
doth sayeth:
Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, snip

After reading so many people talking about their fancy router
lifts, adjusters, or whatall, I thought about a scissors jack. And
decided not. I can pull the router base, or whatever you want to call
it, out of the table, router and all, make whatever adjustment I need,
then drop it back in. Probably about as fast as a lift or whatever, as
accurate, and loads less $.



JOAT
If it can't kill you, it ain't a sport.

On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:44:55 -0500, (J T)
wrote:

Sun, Oct 29, 2006, 2:10pm (EST-3) (foggytown)
doth sayeth:
Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, snip

After reading so many people talking about their fancy router
lifts, adjusters, or whatall, I thought about a scissors jack. And
decided not. I can pull the router base, or whatever you want to call
it, out of the table, router and all, make whatever adjustment I need,
then drop it back in. Probably about as fast as a lift or whatever, as
accurate, and loads less $.

That was my solution, too. My PC690 just isn't that heavy, so I just
pop it out with the base, adjust, and stick it back in. Easy. And
even better, cheap!

Prometheus wrote:
On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:44:55 -0500, (J T)
wrote:

Sun, Oct 29, 2006, 2:10pm (EST-3) (foggytown)
doth sayeth:
Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, snip

After reading so many people talking about their fancy router
lifts, adjusters, or whatall, I thought about a scissors jack. And
decided not. I can pull the router base, or whatever you want to call
it, out of the table, router and all, make whatever adjustment I need,
then drop it back in. Probably about as fast as a lift or whatever, as
accurate, and loads less $.

That was my solution, too. My PC690 just isn't that heavy, so I just
pop it out with the base, adjust, and stick it back in. Easy. And
even better, cheap!

But you can't make adjustments relative to the table top when the unit
is removed from the table. And if you make an adjustment that turns
out to be 1/16" wrong, you have to go through the whole process again.
I just make a slight turn on the jack.

FoggyTown

On 31 Oct 2006 02:53:28 -0800, "foggytown"
wrote:


Prometheus wrote:
On Mon, 30 Oct 2006 01:44:55 -0500, (J T)
wrote:

Sun, Oct 29, 2006, 2:10pm (EST-3) (foggytown)
doth sayeth:
Since I don't want to blow the bucks for a router lifter or a router
with a micro adjustment feature to slap into my cheapo bench router
table, snip

After reading so many people talking about their fancy router
lifts, adjusters, or whatall, I thought about a scissors jack. And
decided not. I can pull the router base, or whatever you want to call
it, out of the table, router and all, make whatever adjustment I need,
then drop it back in. Probably about as fast as a lift or whatever, as
accurate, and loads less $.

That was my solution, too. My PC690 just isn't that heavy, so I just
pop it out with the base, adjust, and stick it back in. Easy. And
even better, cheap!

But you can't make adjustments relative to the table top when the unit
is removed from the table. And if you make an adjustment that turns
out to be 1/16" wrong, you have to go through the whole process again.
I just make a slight turn on the jack.

I must have described it poorly- The plate the router is mounted on
is shop-made from hardboard, and sits in a rabbet so it is flush with
the table. To adjust, I pull the whole plate, router attached, so
it's like just adjusting a router with a large baseplate. The offset
for the table is built into the plate.

Tue, Oct 31, 2006, 4:01am (EST-1) (Prometheus)
doth erroneously state:
snip And even better, cheap!

No, no, no. The word you want is "frugel". That way people will
say of you, "Oh yeah, that's the frugel guy", and not "Oh yeah, the
cheap *******". LOL



JOAT
If it can't kill you, it ain't a sport.

Tue, Oct 31, 2006, 2:11pm (EST-1)
(Prometheus) doth sayeth:
I must have described it poorly- The plate the router is mounted on is
shop-made from hardboard, and sits in a rabbet so it is flush with the
table. To adjust, I pull the whole plate, router attached, so it's like
just adjusting a router with a large baseplate. The offset for the table
is built into the plate.

I don't think you mumbled. You've got a setup somewhat similar to
mine. My base, plate, or whatever you wanna call it is 1/2"plywood,
about 1'X8", and drop in a cutout so it's even with the table top. I
adjust it to the base, and as long as it's adjusted to that, it's
adjusted to the table top. No prob. I don't see any problem with
accuracy. Yank it, adjust it, drop it back. I'd say it's less fiddley
then a jack, probably as fast, or faster. And, way more frugel. Mine
works well enough if, and when, I make another router table, I'll use
the same system again.



JOAT
If it can't kill you, it ain't a sport.