Almost time for a router lift...

[John Pollman]

Pretty soon, I'm gonna want to get a router lift. I've just started looking around. I was looking at JessMs but then saw this Grizzly that looks interesting. Does anybody have experience with it?

Automatic Router Lift with Touch-Screen Controls at Grizzly.com

This router lift takes table-mounted router height adjustments to the next level. Make all your precise adjustments at the touch of a button. Specific height settings can be keyed in and saved for repeatable cuts, or jog up/down to the desired cut height to match a pattern piece; either way, put...

www.grizzly.com

 

[bill kaminski]

looks ok but says it is backordered
check MLCS..they have a powered lift

 

[glenn bradley]

I will just kick in that a single feed screw design can struggle with heavier routers so factor that in. I have never been big on a lot of bells and whistles on a router lift but that's me. If the plate or your table have any kind of scale on them the bit will have to be well centered in the opening/plate. Many lifts have a reasonable means to do this while others are pretty hit and miss / trial and error. I guess if I was going to post a short list of requirements for something that costs as much as these do I would say . . .
- Two or more screw feeds (usually ganged with bicycle chain) to offer a very controllable elevation.
- An automatic carriage locking mechanism so I didn't have to lock one manually each time or trust to gravity.
- A plate that is not going to sag (this goes for your table too).
- An easy and resilient height setting mechanism (I've never felt the need for a quick-release mechanism but we all have different priorities).
Obviously you should pay attention to, or ignore these things, as is fit for your use model. What is important to me may not be important to you, YMMV, and all that

 

[Ryan Mooney]

- Two or more screw feeds (usually ganged with bicycle chain) to offer a very controllable elevation.
- An automatic carriage locking mechanism so I didn't have to lock one manually each time or trust to gravity.

I admit to not having seen or found a lift that does that, unless not without getting into shaper territory...?

 

[Paul Douglass]

Got a jessms last year, Not the best probably but makes me wonder why I waited so long to get one. use to look for reasons to avoid the router, now I look for reasons to use it.

 

[John Pollman]

Last week, I built an outfeed/assembly table. I'm just aching to put a router lift in it.

 

[glenn bradley]

I admit to not having seen or found a lift that does that, unless not without getting into shaper territory...?

The Woodpeckers PRL-1 has an automatic locking mechanism as did the original Bench Dog lift IIRC. This is one of the things that led me to seek out a second PRL-1 instead of the PRL-2 when it was introduced. The amazingly stout Bench Dog lift had already morphed to a different animal at that time. This is not to say that there is not a good selection of quality lifts available today. The PRL-2 and the Jess-Em Mast-R-Lift Excel II at least have a quick lock mechanism or function built into the height adjustment so you don't have to go pawing around under the table to lock the carriage. If I have to reach under the table to unlock / lock the carriage every time I want to adjust the lift I could save a ton of money just buying a Triton, Bosch or Milwaukee that have above the table adjustments built in. I did this with my Milwaukee 5625 for quite a while before I made the change to a lift. I'm just saying that if I cannot control everything from above the table I am less thrilled with the product.

 

[Paul Douglass]

My problem with woodpeckers, is every product I have purchased from them is good/great but not as good/great as their price seems to think if is.

 

[John Pollman]

At this point, I'm leaning toward the JessEm Masterlift II and a Dewalt 618. I did see that Woodpeckers has a jig/bit set that allows you to cut the opening for a 9-1/4 x 11-3/4 very accurately. I might spring for that.

 

[Ryan Mooney]

Jess-Em Mast-R-Lift Excel II

That's what I ended up with.

I admit needing the tool to adjust height is mildly less convenient than I imagine some of the ones that have the crank on the side or otherwise don't need a tool for setup might be but it's remarkably precise, pretty easy to turn, has good above table access, and seems to hold position pretty well even if I forget to rotate the lock (which is literally right there.. but sometimes...), so it was certainly a bit of a step up in ease of use at least from the 5625 in a piece of 3/4 ply.

 

[John Pollman]

I haven't pulled the trigger yet, but I probably will shortly. I'm going with the JessEm Mast-R-Lift II. I went to Woodcraft and checked it out. It is a NICE unit! If they had one in stock, I'm pretty sure it would have come home with me. Saw Stop has an awesome one too that is a chain-driven four-post unit, but it's $549 as opposed to $395. I'm gonna build up my own fence system too.

This is fun!

 

[John Pollman]

One massive router table, coming up!

The table is done, everything else should be here next week. I hope I can sleep.