# simple Home made plunge router lift idea.



## Chad Holst (Mar 11, 2014)

First i want everyone to know im knew to the woodworking world and am just setting up my first garage shop.

Anyway, i have purchased a used 1 time (new) plunge router and am planning on making a router table with a lift for it.

I have searched the sites, watched countless You Tube videos and read many articles on the many ways to make a lift system. Some guys use metal cable and pullies, some guys use plastic gears and complicated systems, some are using amazingly creative wood slides with threaded rod attached...I'm sure you have seen them all.

My idea seems pretty simple, but thats the issue, i cant imagine these people went to all this trouble, if my idea would work, so can someone please tell me why i cant do this:

(I apologize in advance for not being able to use the right vocabulary to describe the parts of the router, i'll do my best)

My router: Masterforce 2HP plunge router. It has a speed control from 11k-25k. On/off trigger is on a handle, but it has an "always on, button" to keep the trigger locked in. It is a Plunge router only. It is not the type that the router pulls out of a base and can be put in another base or a regular store bought lift.

Anyway, my idea.... The router has a threaded rod, that can be adjusted up and down, to set the depth of the "plunge". My idea is to remove that 6" rod. drill a whole through the part that rod "hit" or stopped when plunging down. that hole would go through the router plate. Then a new longer rod could be put through the base and through the existing threaded rod holder on the router. at the other end (oppsite the base) the rod could be secured to the router with 2 nuts or a t nut. A coupler could be used at the spot you drilled the hole for the rod to continue through the router. basically, when you spin this rod, it would sandwhich the router together or "plunge" it. If you screwed the router to a table, and the turned the rod, the router would "plunge" and this would push the router bit up. If you turn the rod the other way, it would "unplunge" and lower the router. No gears, no fancy wood slides, no $300 router lift. This would cost...$5.00? maybe..for a threaded rod and a few nuts and a coupler. 

On the table side of the rod you could simply JB weld a nut, that is cunter sunk into the table. Use a ratchet to lower or raise it. You could also get fancy and put a hex nut patern in the end of the rod, and use an alen wrench like commercially made router do.


I cant use sketch up at work, but here is a crude drawing of the idea....









Infact, now that i look at it more, since the top (in picture) fitting is already threaded, you wouldnt even need to put a nut/washer on that end. You would simply use an unthreaded portion from the rod that goes through the other fitting. You dont want that part to be threaded. You could use the coupler to conect these two pieces. Shoot, you could probably use the existing rod that comes with the router.


So...the question is...why all the other fancy lifts? it stays flat, as its screwed to the table base. Its smooth as it uses the supports on the "plunger" to function. 


On mine, i would have to put some sort of push pin or rod, to engage the arbor lock, to change bits above the table, but that wouldnt be to hard. a $1.00 rod and a small spring mounted so that when you have the router all the way up, the rod is aligned with the "lock button" for the arbor. (or you just pull the base/router up as its all one piece now and just sits on the tables hole, and change it like normal)


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## shoot summ (Feb 21, 2014)

I've used a router table for many, many years.

I've used it with fixed base, and plunge routers.

While I think the idea of a lift sounds convenient, the price pushes me away. Even at my age(53) I can still easily bend down to adjust the router,its quick, easy, and I have no issues with it. So while your idea sounds interesting, I would use your router for awhile, see how it all works, and then refine your plan.


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## GeorgeC (Jul 30, 2008)

Agree. Try it for awhile before going to a lot of work to built something.

My Craftsman router has a built in, above the table adjustment. To use that all I have to do is drill one hole in the router table insert. table.

However, the router is so simple to adjust that I do not find that above the table capability necessary.

George


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

If your dead set on lift capabilities and dont wanna purchase a lift, Id strongly consider selling your current router and buying a Craftsman Pro combo ($150) or a Triton plunge router($250). These have above table height adjustment or lift capabilities built into them. I know theres a bunch of others available that have the same feature, these are just the 2 that came to mind as I have researched both thouroughly.

To get the most out of this feature, you would also wanna purchase a table insert. Someone posted recently that Grizzly was selling an insert for $13. I dont have any experience with it.


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## Chris Curl (Jan 1, 2013)

Or if cost is a concern, you can get a cheap ryobi router that has above table height adjustment. The $59 ones at home depot are like that. I was the guy talking about the $13 grizzly router plates. That is not a sale price. That is the normal price.


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## Chad Holst (Mar 11, 2014)

Fair enough, thanks for the imput fella's.

Im not sure that i am going to even use a lift right now, but was looking into them. I would 100% build my own if i did, as its a project and i wouldnt pay the price they want for the commercially made ones. 

My question was more in theory rather than because i plan to do it right away.

I see guys using all sorts of pretty amazing engeneering to build these lifts, and some guys obviously just trying to use anything to "get by". I wanted to see if anyone had a reason that using the already exsisting "holders", modified to use a threaded rod to colapse the plunger, wouldnt work.

I looked at my router again last night, and although i think it would be the best option, im simply not convinced these very simple idea would work, only because i would think others would all be doing it instead of using such P in the A contraptions to build. 

While looking at the router again, i think it would be even easier than my terrible paint drawing above.

Just a threaded rod, with a t bolt on the existing holder, a nut and washer above and below the base, and you have a screw that when turned would plunge the router...making it go up...


Again, im not probably going to do this any time soon, as changing the hight shouldnt be too hard even from bellow, plus the speed control is bellow as is the button to lock it to remove the arbor. So i still would need easy access to the unit.


If i build a lift, it will be used on a router i purchased only for the table. I will want to use this router for the table and for off the table routing, so i dont want to drill through the stop, or i can only use it on a table after that.

Thank you for the lead on an insert. I am going to start working on the table this week or weekend. I need to get one. Are they pre-drilled, do i need to do anything to them besides make an opening they fit in?


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

I had decided I was never gonna pay the rediculously high prices for a lift as well. Then someone pointed me toward this one...

http://jessem.com/ROUT-R-LIFT_II.html

Its less than 200 bucks. Add the $150 Craftsman router I purchased for it and Im still less than the cost of the other lifts on the market.:thumbsup:


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## Chad Holst (Mar 11, 2014)

Bass Blaster, thanks. I appreciate the reply. if i were to buy one, that looks like the way to go. 




I also appreciate the link, as it helps explain what i was talking about in my modification idea. Really, my idea is what you linked to. Basically that lift is just 2 pistons (?) that slide up and down....which is what a plunge router already has. Then the "up down" action is accomplished by them hooking a threaded rod to the lift and capping one end with a bolt. My idea was to use the exsisting rod holder on a plunge router to do the same thing. 

Here is that lift:









Here is a sample of what i am talking about: (not my router)









To me, the right side of that picture sure looks to be the exact same thing machanically as the actual router lift. Really all the are doing with that lift is turning a "regular router" into a plunge router and then adding a threaded bolt to the unit to "plunge it". Your plunge router already has the plunge and conviently mine and many others already have a place to put the threaded rod. 

$150 bucks is a great deal from what i have seen, but if this worked just as well, $5 is an even better deal.


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## BassBlaster (Nov 21, 2010)

I think the difference your missing is the quality of the lift vs the quality of a built in adjustment mechanism on a router and the precision at which you can adjust the router in the lift and the ability to hold said adjustment.

By all means, give it a shot. Id love to see how it turns out.:thumbsup:


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## ryan50hrl (Jun 30, 2012)

Often construction quality and materials are overlooked. No ones saying you can't do what your proposing....

But to do think it can be done with the same precision and quality is unlikely. Even the home built lifts I've seen, either use close to the same price worth of materials, or fall short in repeatable precision to the same level as a commercially available lift....


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## Chad Holst (Mar 11, 2014)

I dont think i will drill a hole in the base of my current plunge router, as it is brand new. However if i come across a good deal on a plunge router to be used only in the table, i will give it a shot.


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