Help - PRLV2BD iin a Bench Dog Cast Iron Table Extension (#40-031) w/ PC7518

[Todd Young]

For those that have BD #40-031 & PRLV2BD:

I just purchased the PRLV2BD for my BD 40-031 using a PC7518. I'm getting ready to install the PRL but there are a few things that are not matching up with the manual or my current insert plate situation that I'm looking for advice on.

I have an e-mail into Woodpeck for confirmation, but I'm not sure if they answer e-mails on the weekends and I'm under a time crunch for X-Mas gift work. I have some plans to use this set up this weekend, and am hoping to solicit some help from the knowledge of the creekers.

Can you advise if:




The PRLV2BD has side plungers for side to side play? - (mine doesn't) Manual shows them as part of the plate to minimize side play
The PRLV2BD comes with 8 leveling screws and should have threaded holes in the plate to use them? - (mine doesn't have either screws or threaded holes in the plate) Manual shows they should. I do have the leveling screws from the BD table that level from under the table
The PRLV2BD should have 2 mounting holes to attach it to the BD Table Extension holes or does the PRLV2BD just sit inside the table insert without being mounted to the table? - the old plates for the BD have 2 holes for mounting screws to lock it to the table and the PRL doesn't. There is VERY minimal side to side play as well as front to back play. This is very minimal and may not have any bearing on the use of the 7518, but there are flags going up that say "don't find out the hard way if it will have an impact". I really don't want to be using this thing and have that minimal play kick the piece somewhere in the middle of a feed.
Should there be any (even very minimal) amount of side to side and front to back play with the insert in the table?

I've reviewed a number of posts trying to find out if I should or shouldn't be mounting the PRL to the table with the 2 screws. Some I've seen have mentioned it as a concern when installing, some say these things are so heavy that movement isn't an issue. I can see where the weight of these would lend to stability, but again, I don't want to find out the hard way.

Any advice is appreciated.

T

[Sam Joyce]

I would say that not having the mounting holes for the screws isnt a big deal as long as it IS a tight fit in the table insert with no side to side play. Even minimal movement could be a problem especially when routing with the fence.

[Todd Young]

That's where the flags are flying in my head. The play is really minimal, but when I try to push and pull both side to side and front to back, I can hear play more than I can see play. I hope that makes sense.

[Jim O'Dell]

I agree with Sam. In fact, I wouldn't want my PRLv1 to be bolted to the router top. Now, if there is any side to side movement of the plate in the table, then that is not good. You would never be able to repeat a "cut" with it as the plate and therefore the bit could be in a different spot each time. I'll go look at my PRL right quick to see if it has the side plungers...Mine has 2 plungers, one in the middle of one end, and one in the middle on one side. Of course, I don't have the BD top, I used Woodpecker's template to route mine into my own top, so I don't know the BD is as tight of a fit. But I would look again at all 4 sides of the plate and make sure there aren't 2 plungers already there. Jim.

[Ralph Butts]

I ultimately returned my PRLBD because it did not mount to the table with screws. Well that is not completely accurate the mounting issue was the turning point for me to decide to return the unit. I contacted WP tech support (M-F) to confirm my issues would in fact be issues. The plates are not drilled/threaded and the shear weight of the router and plate was the reason they provided. I could have drilled the plate but ultimately decided to go a different route. I liked the PRL unit itself however. Sorry I

[glenn bradley]

JMHO after years of use but, my PRLv1 has never been bolted to either of the tables it has been in nor is there need for it when used as designed. If you were going to do operations that applied immense lateral force to the bit without any material also contacting the table I imagine the bit would fail before the pressure ever got the lift to budge. Again, from experience, the plungers are nice but, ultra fine sawdust fills the areas around the plate and pretty well lock it in place after a decent amount of use. Mine has only been removed to change tables and it was quite an effort to persude the lift to "pop" out of the recess.

It is not clear from the current web pages but, back before the PRLv2, the Bench Dog version of the PRLv1 did not offer side plungers. I am not sure about the levelers but, I am sure both of these features, or the lack thereof was carefully designed to be compatible with the Bench Dog tables of the time. There would be no reason to buy the BD compatible lift unless you did want to put it in a BD table so it is designed accordingly. Hopefully a current PRL-BD lift owner can chime in as to their experience. If things have changed with Rockler's influence on Bench Dog I am sure the folks at WP can explain that but, it sounds like your lift is as the PRLv1 BD lifts used to be.

[Todd Young]

The bolting of the insert isn't something I'm caught on. It was just how the old insert was attached so it was a concern. Sounds like it's not that big of an issue after hearing others talk about never having their bolted down. I know the insert is pretty heavy without the 7518 in there and that thing's a beast itself.

Jim, I like you kept saying to myself, "am I just not seeing these things"? I went back and checked again and there are no plungers on the insert.

The little bit of play I have I can hear more than I can see so I thing I'm going to try and find something paper thin to slide in around 2 of the four sides to reduce the play. I also agree with Glenn, I bet the sawdust will take care of the little bit of play, if nothing else does. Jim I agree with you that the play is a concern but I'm thinking something paper thin around 2 of the walls of the insert could solve that, plus the addition of the sawdust.

Thanks for the intel guys. was just looking for some confirmation from what my gut was telling me.

T