Jessem Vs Bench Dog Vs ?

[scott vroom]

I want an out of the box top quality router system. I've viewed many fine looking shop made router tables here but have no desire to make one myself. I'm not interested in used and plan to keep whatever I buy forever(i.e., don't want to upgrade later). My budget is around a grand and I'm looking at Jessem as the leading candidate, although Bench Dog is attractive, and maybe even Incra. Am I looking at the right products for my budget? (Watch, I bet $10 bucks Rod pitches a shaper!! LOL!!:D).

Thanks a bunch-

[glenn bradley]

Someone will surely say it so I'll just get it out of the way; building your own will allow you to get exactly what you want and get the experience of building it too. There, now that that is out of the way . . .

I haven't seen a commercial table that wasn't lacking in one way or another. They're not built wrong. They just have to be designed to fit "everybody" and that means compromise on many fronts.

I had read too much on JessEm CS so they were not on my short list although owners give very good reports on the quality and performance. I don't see that they offer an enclosed cabinet so there goes the out of the box solution unless DC is not an issue.

The Incra stuff is nice but, you are buying into a whole approach to working with their designs. They are good designs and do some trick stuff but are a bit of a real estate hog for me. If only I had twice the shop space . . . Oh, sorry. Wool-gathering . . . I think Incra also fails to offer an enclosed cabinet.

As to Bench Dog and the Rockler offered versions; they were always good quality and liked by many. The manual lock on the Bench Dog lift knocked them out of the running for me. Besides they didn't fit the motor I was after. I notice the lift is not included on the 40-300, just a plate. Hmm, I'm not helping much yet . . . maybe you could tell us what specific models you are looking at so we can get a better idea of what you are after. Is a lift important to you? How about dust collection and storage? Miter slots, split fences or inserts? Stuff like that there.

The motor you want to run will effect your list somewhat. I knew I wanted the features of the Milwaukee 5625 and at the time some great lifts did not fit them. As it turned out, the lift I liked best came in a version designed specifically for the 5625 (Woodpecker PRL v1 with the 16TPI screws). With a little more info as to your requirements, I'm sure you'll get plenty of recommendations here for a wide variety of solutions.

[Rick Fisher]

I have the Jessum router lift, table etc..

Its a great system, but I wish I had a cast iron top.

Have not seen the lift that goes with the Bench dog, but love the idea of the cast iron top..

PS..

Reason I wish I had a cast top is for Magnetic featherboards.. Best invention ever..

Really.. ever.. :)

[Chris Kennedy]

Have you looked at the Veritas? I was intrigued by it when I was buying a router table, but it was too expensive for me.

Cheers,

Chris

[Michael Heffernan]

I'm going to chime in with a vote for the Incra LS system. I have the LS-17" system, including the table leg set. This is an 'out of the box' system and you will be up an running in about an hour. I had an old Rockler router table kit, which was okay, but difficult to set the fence to the right measurement. With the Incra system, everything is, IMO, extremely accurate and precise. It takes a lot of the time-consuming fine tuning out of the equation and let's you get to routing your project.
Here is the combo system that I purchased. Keep an eye out for sales or free shipping. I got mine for $700 with free shipping. It comes with a great machined aluminum router plate, just specify your router.

http://www.incrementaltools.com/Router_Fence_Table_Combo_3_p/rtcombo-3.htm

I have a Triton 2-1/4 hp router that has its own 'above the table' height adjustment. I recommend an above the table type of system. There are a few routers that offer this built in to there bases (Triton, PC, Bosch).
Or you can go for a dedicated router lift. Incra offers both the Woodpeckers PRL-V2 and the Jessum Mast-R-List, designed for their table. If ever my Triton router dies, I will probably opt for one of these lifts for a PC-7518 router. Here is the link to their lifts. Look for specials on these as well.

https://www.incrementaltools.com/Articles.asp?ID=159 (https://www.incrementaltools.com/Articles.asp?ID=159)

As I said, for me, the system is great and does everything I want it to, with precision and repeatability. Set-up is easy and you're ready to go. If you want to customize the base, their leg set allows to build a cabinet integrated into the aluminum leg channels. You can add storage later, if you don't want to mess with it right now. I do suggest that you build a dust collection box under the router, no matter which table you choose.

I built a cabinet system for under my Incra table, and it stores everything I need for routing. Here are a couple of photos of my semi-custom table build.

130925 130924

I also posted the build process of the whole table here:
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=118565

Good luck choosing. You will certainly get a lot of opinions and advice on the pros and cons of all the systems. Make sure to search the forums, as there are many threads on this subject.

[Ken Shoemaker]

I have the Bench Dog cast iron extention and router lift on my Delta Contractor saw to conserve shop space. I have considered it one of the best investments I have ever. It is machined to perfection and has worked flawlessly everytime I have used it. Pricey combination, but well worth it at twice the price.

BTW - Having it on the saw allows me to use the saw fence on occasion.

Best of luck on your decision. Ken

[glenn bradley]

PS..

Reason I wish I had a cast top is for Magnetic featherboards.. Best invention ever..

Really.. ever.. :)

Amen brother.

I should also amend my statement about the Incra design. The extra real estate required automatically provides additional drawer possibilities as Michael's rig shows. I sooo wish I had more drawers in my router cabinet. I could have done without the big drawer for extra routers and saved more room for bits, bits, bits, bits.

Again, I drift from your OP requiring an out of the box solution. . . . hmmmmmm . . . still thinking.

[Kevin Groenke]

Hi again Scott.

We got a BenchDog CI extension table and lift last year, which we integrated into a shop-built cabinet. Both the table and lift are built like tanks and should be very robust. I really like the lift though power elevation would be a very nice option. The elevation adjustment hole gets filled with chips which is annoying. The included throat-plates are overkill and could be more flexible, we've made nylon insers that we prefer over the steel ones.

The full-size ProMax RT table was not available when we bought the TS extension table which IMO is too small for stand alone use. We actually had 3/16" steel plate laser cut to overlay a substrate which the CI top was inset into. I think our top (with the steel plate) is 34" x 28".

My single biggest complaint is the keyhole slots that hold the fence to the table. It seems that as often as not, we need the fence at a location that is outside of the effective range of the slots/fence. So we end up clamping down the fence or using the keyholes way out of square or whatever. It is annoying when using the miter slot with a gauge, sled or jig that there is no mechanism to make the fence parallel to the slot. Some of these issues may have been addressed with the RT table.

I would not recommend the BenchDog extension table unless you're using it in an extension table, where you can use you tablesaw's rip fence. I am so disgruntled with the table that I'll probably redesign it or replace it when I get a chance.

Ultimately I would like a sliding table like the :JessEm Mast-R-Slide and a T square style fence.
http://www.jessem.com/mast_r_slide.htm

Maybe I should just get a sliding table shaper huh?

-kg

[Joe Leigh]

It's tough to beat Woodpeckers for high end quality. They also sell table combinations with Incra fence systems, and they have a huge selection of router lifts.

[paul cottingham]

I have the Veritas and love it. Top that stays flat, versatile fence with easy zero clearnce routing....whats not to like? other than the price, that is :-)

[Rick Fisher]

Amen brother.

I should also amend my statement about the Incra design. The extra real estate required automatically provides additional drawer possibilities as Michael's rig shows. I sooo wish I had more drawers in my router cabinet. I could have done without the big drawer for extra routers and saved more room for bits, bits, bits, bits.

Again, I drift from your OP requiring an out of the box solution. . . . hmmmmmm . . . still thinking.

I built the cabinet for the drawers.. I hear ya.. Just mounted the phenolic top and lift on a shop made cabinet..

Without hijacking the thread, I have considered turning my Jessem setup into a horizontal router, with lift, and starting fresh with a cast top.

[Rick Alexander]

in my opinion.

Got this deal at a WW show in Atlanta last year

this lift

http://www.woodpeck.com/prlv2.html

works like a dream. You will not be dissappointed with this lift.

They had that lift, with their super fence, their center mount top (exceptional quality - as most all woodpeckers stuff is) with the metal blue legs for around $600. You'll just love that super fence too - absolutely top drawer. Just add a Portor cable 3 1/4 horse motor for around $250 and one day build a cabinet under it (or not) and you're all set. Here's mine. (I'm using the blue legs to make a door assembly table like a Kreg has)

sorry can't really see the fence real good as I've got phenolic in the way for a zero clearance. Only pictures I have right now.
http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL77/1203038/19282421/364613326.jpg

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL77/1203038/19282421/364613327.jpg

[Glen Butler]

As far as the table I cannot help you. For accuracy and cost I wouldn't consider buying unless maybe if the table were cast.

But for the lift part of it I may be of assistance. Bench Dog. I have never cared for anything incra made. I looked at pinnacle, and jessem: both had too many parts, were harder to adjust bit height, and allowed movement on the screw because the bushings were not tight enough. I purchased a Jessem, knowing nothing of bench dog, but took it back because it wasn't good enough. Then they showed me the Bench Dog. Upon picking it up it felt solid and well built. Very few parts means that is rugged and will stay true. Lining up a miter lock was easy using their crank handle with 1/8" per revolution.

Whatever table you decide I recommend using a bench dog lift.

[Don Jarvie]

At the Woodworking show I saw the Woodpecker demo. Very very nice and if I had the 600 to get the whole kit and kabbodle I would pick that.

Only thing is I don't have the 600 but may try to scrounge around to get the lift.