Router Above Table Lift

[Matthew Curtis]

How are the above table lift functions on the Freud and Milwaukee routers? Are there other manufactures that have a built in above table lift system that function well?

[Paul Greathouse]

I have both the Freud 1700 and the Milwaukee 5615. The Milwaukee is much smoother and is easier to adjust. Neither one compares to my Benchdog lift. If you don't want the cost of a Benchdog or equivalent, then the Milwaukee would be your best bet. As best I can tell from looking at pictures the Milwaukee 5616 & 5625 have lift mechanisms that are identical to the 5615.

[Stephen Edwards]

I have the Bosch 1617 EVS mounted in a table. It's a very good general purpose router. Though it does have a smooth above the table lift function, one still has to reach under the table to unlock and lock the motor housing.

So, if you want true above the table adjustments without having to reach under the table at all, this ain't the router for you. Other than that, it's a fine router. For the work that I do I'd be pleased with it in a "real" router lift.

[Stephen Edwards]

I have both the Freud 1700 and the Milwaukee 5615. The Milwaukee is much smoother and is easier to adjust. Neither one compares to my Benchdog lift. If you don't want the cost of a Benchdog or equivalent, then the Milwaukee would be your best bet. As best I can tell from looking at pictures the Milwaukee 5616 & 5625 have lift mechanisms that are identical to the 5615.

Paul, On the Milwaukee routers, do you have to unlock any part of the router beneath the table in order to use the above the table function? Thanks.

[Paul Incognito]

I have the Freud 2-1/4hp and I don't recommend it. I own several Porter Cable routers that out perform the Freud in every way that I find important.
PI

[Roy Hess]

How are the above table lift functions on the Freud

I bought a Freud FT 1700VCE when they were on sale at Woodcraft this past summer. I rebuilt my router table, looking forward the the "above table" bit changes, which is the reason that I bought the Freud (and the sale ). The router is powerful 2 1\4 hp, soft start, variable speed - all very nice. Once the locking collar is up above the table, the locking device for the motor and the one wrench system all work fine.The on\off switch is awful, maybe even unsafe for hand routing, fine in the table when using a secondary switch.

But to answer your question - IMHO the lift mechanism is very poorly made. The gear mechanism is not at all smooth, the router will even rack within the housing when raising, causing it to stick. So as a further answer to your question, I am researching router lifts and am resigned to rebuilding my router table once more.

[Paul Incognito]

After I burned up my Freud I invested in a PC 3-1/4 horse and a lift and haven't looked back. A big investment, but like night and day in terms of performance.
PI

[Adam Slutsky]

I recently picked up a reconditioned Freud 1700VCE to use in a router table. I got it for about $100 not hoping for much but to my surprise it has a number of great features. The dust collection using the built in shrould is excellent when hooked up to a shop vac. In addition, the thing is quiet (my 20 year old Makita screams when you turn it on). The adjustment from above the table is not great. You have to unlock it and then adjust and I end up (easily) ajusting it from below the table. The on-off switch is small but if you hook it up to a router table with an auxiliary switch, this is not a problem. In summary, I think it does have a lot of bang for the buck and am pleased wtih it.

[Greg Dykes]

This is how I adjust my Porter Cable. I still have to reach under and unlock it. I use a Craftsman nut driver. This was much cheaper than buying a lift or one of their tools.

[Van Huskey]

I have a Freud FT3000VCE, it will raise above the table to use a flat wrench with an above table collet lock, you still have to readh below to lock the plnge mechanism. Using the supplied lift knob is a pain for bit change I plan to set up a speeder bar with the proper hex socket. Mine is in a second router table that I tend to leave the same bit and height in most of the time so I just haven't gotten around to it. The beast has a lot of power BUT do not expect it or any other plunge router to truely replace a lift, but it beats the heck out of adjusting a fixed base in a RT. I have a a Incra/Woodpeckers PRL-V2 with a PC 7518 motor in my Incra system but at $600 its more than a lot of people spend on a TS but it is the best I have used then again I think you can get a box of Festool sander discs for about the same price...:eek:

[Salem Ganzhorn]

I have both the Freud 1700 and the Milwaukee 5615. The Milwaukee is much smoother and is easier to adjust. Neither one compares to my Benchdog lift. If you don't want the cost of a Benchdog or equivalent, then the Milwaukee would be your best bet. As best I can tell from looking at pictures the Milwaukee 5616 & 5625 have lift mechanisms that are identical to the 5615.

Paul,
I was looking into the 5625 and it seems this mechanism is the only thing people complain about. They say the nut is made out of plastic and strips and or breaks easily. I have no idea if it is the same mechanism as found on the 5615/6.

Best wishes,
Salem

[Matthew Curtis]

Thanks for the help.

After reading many other posts, I am still undecide on what to do. Either buy a 5625, or use my dw618 with a lift.

Any other thoughts on the mater.

[johnny means]

I am not sure of the model, but my newer Porter Cable 2¼ routers have both height adjustment and unlocking from above the table. You would need to drill holes in your plate for the adjustment wrenches but it does work well.

[Jay Allen]

I have a couple of the Milwaukee 5615s for hand use, but they have never been table mounted. For hand routing they are great, I use them nearly every day.
For table use, I have a Triton. It was mounted to a BenchDog plate from day-one. I have my router table built into the end of my assembly table. It has been flawless, the above table adjustment mechanism is smooth and bit changes are easy. The collet wrench is a nice heavy forging, not that stamped steel like some other brands.

[glenn bradley]

Paul, On the Milwaukee routers, do you have to unlock any part of the router beneath the table in order to use the above the table function? Thanks.

Not Paul but, yes; it is a cam-lock. Without a mechanism that auto-locks the carriage (many high priced lifts do not even have this) the motor must be locked after positioning and unlocked before repositioning. Otherwise, gravity applying downward pressure against the threads is the only thing keeping your motor controlled. It is reported that some of the heavier lifts can be used successfully without manually locking the carriage even though they supply this function in lieu of an automatic mechanism.

[glenn bradley]

As best I can tell from looking at pictures the Milwaukee 5616 & 5625 have lift mechanisms that are identical to the 5615.

I have all three. You are correct :).

[Derek Hansen]

Don't forget Triton you guys - it's made for table use and I love mine.

[glenn bradley]

Paul,
I was looking into the 5625 and it seems this mechanism is the only thing people complain about. They say the nut is made out of plastic and strips and or breaks easily. I have no idea if it is the same mechanism as found on the 5615/6.

Best wishes,
Salem

I have been running them for years without issue. I don't know what the nut is made of but, whatever it is, if you left the base locked and cranked the screw . . . well, the screw is one of the strongest of our 6 basic machines.

The 5625 is pretty hefty. I ran it without a lift for quite awhile. With the supplied t-wrench adjustments were smooth and easy. Woodpecker happened to have a great sale on their PRL-v1 in combination with the release of the PRL-v2. Since they make one that is specifically designed for the 5625, I went for it.

For $14 at Costco, I have this motorized "fast positioner" :D:D:D

137922

When you remove the crank (or the "fast positioner") the carriage automatically locks.

[glenn bradley]

Don't forget Triton you guys - it's made for table use and I love mine.

Dad has one and for built-in features it is hard to beat in the 2-1/4HP arena.

[Van Huskey]

Don't forget Triton you guys - it's made for table use and I love mine.


The Tritons I have seen don't have above table height adjustment, just the squeeze/twist knob. I must have missed something.

[glenn bradley]

The Tritons I have seen don't have above table height adjustment, just the squeeze/twist knob. I must have missed something.

Yep. (http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/tritonrouter2.htm) At least in the US the 2-1/4HP is marketed with emphasis on these features. The 3-1/2HP has some of them as well but does not review as well (if that means anything anymore).

Designed for the plunge springs to be removed, crank handle and bent wrench included with the set, collet automatically locks when the bit is fully cranked up through the table and so forth. Is it the end-all, be-all, probably not but they did a pretty good job of making a lift-like base integrate fairly well.

[Van Huskey]

Definitely (http://www.onlinetoolreviews.com/reviews/tritonrouter2.htm). At least in the US the 2-1/4HP is marketed with emphasis on these features. The 3-1/2HP has some of them as well but does not review as well (if that means anything anymore).

Designed for the plunge springs to be removed, crank handle and bent wrench included with the set, collet automatically locks when the bit is fully cranked up through the table and so forth. Is it the end-all, be-all, probably not but they did a pretty good job of making a lift-like base integrate fairly well.

Thanks! I should know better then to listen to a Woodcraft salesperson!

[Paul Greathouse]

Glenn Bradley,
Thanks for covering for me on the above Milwaukee questions. I was hoping you would notice this thread, I knew you had more experience with the Milwaukee's than I have. I was going to have to wait until I got home to supply a good answer for Salem & Stephen.

On a side note, several years back, someone had posted an interesting homemade router lift elsewhere on the internet (Not on SMC). Sorry but I don't remember where it was, too long ago.

The interesting thing about it was that the guy had used a scissor jack mounted to the bottom of his router cabinet to lift the router. He had a plunge router attached to the top of the jack and there was a crank arm that came out the side of the cabinet to crank the router up and down with the scissor jack. The router was attached to a regular router plate that was screwed down to the table top.

It looked like a really slick but most of all inexpensive setup. He claimed that it worked really well. I don't have anymore details than that but I thought maybe it might spark some idea's for someone that was trying to setup a lift on the cheap. Naturally this would not work with a fixed base router, only with a plunger because the router has to be free to slide up and down.