Woodpecker Insert Rings Plastic or Aluminum?

[Bill Franklin]

Woodpecker now only sells ABS plastic insert ring sets for their router plates and lifts. However, Woodcraft still has some sets of aluminum rings available (at twice the price). I know the one down side of aluminum is that if they are dropped they can be damaged. My new lift has the ABS rings. Does anyone have experience with both? Any opinions? I tend not to like plastic, but I'm not sure I have any good information to back it up.

Thanks for your input.

Bill

[Van Huskey]

Though I have not used them, I prefer ANY metal NEAR a router bit to be firmly attached, rings are too close and too weakly helf for me. Based on that alone the aluminum ones are simply a non starter.

[Matt Meiser]

I have the metal rings and I'm glad that's what I have but I can't imagine anything from Woodpecker being junk so I'm not sure I'd worry about them either. Everything metal or plastic I have from them has been very precisely made.

Van, I have no qualms about these metal rings--they are extremely securely mounted.

[Van Huskey]

I have the metal rings and I'm glad that's what I have but I can't imagine anything from Woodpecker being junk so I'm not sure I'd worry about them either. Everything metal or plastic I have from them has been very precisely made.

Van, I have no qualms about these metal rings--they are extremely securely mounted.


I really wasn't questioning how well they are secured, I have felt them and agree that they are well secured for what they are. But, for me metal that is not screwed, glued or otherwse not "permanently" secured just gives me pause around high speed cutters and when there is a "softer" alternative that is perfectly functional thats what I pick. If that doesn't bother someone then I would suggest they go with aluminum, they will likely be at worst equal in long term costs.

[Jim O'Dell]

Don't they also have the phenolic rings available? I like the 3 aluminum ones that came with my router, and wish I had the money to get the entire set while some are still available. I think I'd rather have the phenolic ones than the ABS. Jim.

[Matt Meiser]

I think the phenolic ones only fit their phenolic plates.

[Joe Jensen]

I have their phenolic rings and they are very nicely made. When I ordered the entire set I am pretty sure they had aluminum and the phenolic. The aluminum were a little more expensive, and I figured plastic was better near the bit. I also seem to remember thinking that it made sense to buy the whole set because in the future I plan to buy one of their lifts and I would be able to use the same inserts.

[Ron Bontz]

I have had the whole aluminum set for 7 or 8 years. Never a problem.:)

[scott vroom]

I'm about to purchase the PRL V2 (I guess with the ABS rings?). Aluminum just sounds sturdier than plastic, but from an operational standpoint is there any reason plastic cannot provide the same quality of work as aluminum, and with a similar lifetime? I do a lot of plumbing and ABS is some tough stuff. I just cannot imagine sag being a problem, particularly given that the wood bridges the ring during most of the operation.

Scott

[Jeff Nolan]

aluminum for at least 6 years, not a problem and I suspect they will last another 20... the locking mechanism secures those rings well.

As has already been said, anything from Woodpecker is going to be top shelf.

[Alan Schaffter]

I'm about to purchase the PRL V2 (I guess with the ABS rings?). Aluminum just sounds sturdier than plastic, but from an operational standpoint is there any reason plastic cannot provide the same quality of work as aluminum, and with a similar lifetime? I do a lot of plumbing and ABS is some tough stuff. I just cannot imagine sag being a problem, particularly given that the wood bridges the ring during most of the operation.

Scott

I have the aluminum rings on my WP Plunge Lift. The thing I don't like is they unscrew clockwise opposite of righty tighty, lefty losey. I would seriously look at the INCRA/WoodPeckers version of the PRL V2. INCRA uses flat steel insert plates with tabs to keep them from turning and rare earth magnets to hold them in place. INCRA supplies the lift with 5 inserts. Check them out at Incremental Tools.

http://www.incra.com/images/rta_prlv2_lift.jpg

[scott vroom]

I have the aluminum rings on my WP Plunge Lift. The thing I don't like is they unscrew clockwise opposite of righty tighty, lefty losey. I would seriously look at the INCRA/WoodPeckers version of the PRL V2. INCRA uses flat steel insert plates with tabs to keep them from turning and rare earth magnets to hold them in place. INCRA supplies the lift with 5 inserts. Check them out at Incremental Tools.

http://www.incra.com/images/rta_prlv2_lift.jpg


Alan, I'm concerned about the magnetic plates somehow getting loose and getting into the cutter. You mentioned "tabs"....do you know how these work?

Thanks

[scott vroom]

Alan, disregard....I can see the "tabs" in the photo. Still have a concern that magnetically secured rings could come loose and tangle with the cutter.

[glenn bradley]

Like Matt, I have the aluminum rings. They thread down tight and there is no way they are coming out through vibration or anything else other than the use of the spanner wrench. As Alan mentions, even if caught by a cutter, the rotation is such that they would tighten if struck. This is by design.

All that being said, unless there is a degree of flex in the ABS rings, I see no problem with them. I do like having the wide variety of openings to allow me to set the gap around the bit as I see fit for a given operation. Back when I had my Rockler plates, I made various inserts to allow the same function. 1/8" hardboard fits perfect in the older Rockler plates case anyone's interested.

[Jim O'Dell]

I just looked at the Woodpecker site, and they show these (phenolic rings). The second paragraph makes it sound like they will work with all of their plates. Almost as expensive as the aluminum. More than the ABS
link: http://www.woodpeck.com/8pctwislockringset.html (http://www.woodpeck.com/8pctwislockringset.html)
Jim.

[Matt Meiser]

Maybe the difference I'm thinking of was only on the Pinnacle plates. I bought one of their phenolic plates and returned it for aluminum thinking someday I'd buy a lift and I wanted the rings to be compatible. Or I just misunderstood.

Regardless, like I said before, I don't think you can go wrong with a Woodpecker product.

[Mark Patoka]

I have the Woodpecker lift that came with the three standard aluminum rings and as others have stated, they fit securely and have never had them come loose. I recently ordered the ABS set and no problems either. No flexing and appear to hold just as well.

[Alan Schaffter]

Alan, disregard....I can see the "tabs" in the photo. Still have a concern that magnetically secured rings could come loose and tangle with the cutter.

Two things-

The INCRA lift IS made by WoodPeckers, INCRA buys them w/o the ring hole cut and machines it for their steel inserts.

The rare earth magnets REALLY secure the steel rings. Combined with the tabs, they are not going anywhere unless you want them to. Plus you don't need that spanner. I have really gouged up the surface of my WP Plunge Lift from the spanner slipping out of the holes.

[glenn bradley]

I have the Woodpecker lift that came with the three standard aluminum rings and as others have stated, they fit securely and have never had them come loose. I recently ordered the ABS set and no problems either. No flexing and appear to hold just as well.

That's the kind of info you're looking for. Mark has and has used both. Good stuff Maynard. :)

[Chris Padilla]

Two things-

The INCRA lift IS made by WoodPeckers, INCRA buys them w/o the ring hole cut and machines it for their steel inserts.

The rare earth magnets REALLY secure the steel rings. Combined with the tabs, they are not going anywhere unless you want them to. Plus you don't need that spanner. I have really gouged up the surface of my WP Plunge Lift from the spanner slipping out of the holes.


100% agree here. I have an original PRL from Woodpeckers and the new lift from Incra. The inserts for the Incra are nicer, flatter, dead flush and easier to remove than the WP. Frankly, I don't see how the inserts could EVER move with those magnets holding them. Strong items rare earth magnets....

[Bill Franklin]

I went for the aluminum set today from Woodcraft as they won't be available after their stock is gone per a phone call to Woodpeckers. I appreciate everyone's input.

Bill

[Bill Franklin]

I received the aluminum set and I like the fit of them a lot. Now I have to try to find the original 3 that came with the lift in aluminum.