Unisaw router table modification

[Larry Gipson]

I recently added a Benchdog router table and lift to my X5 Unisaw. I has the PC 7518 router motor. These were all bought new, so no gloat I guess.

Since I was tired of looking at the little spindly gray legs that came with the Unisaw, I welded up some new ones from 2x2 tubing. Now the saw extension legs look like the ones on the outfeed table :-)

There are leveling pads on both the new legs and on the new plate I made for the HTC wheel set. The design of this wheel set has always bothered me since it only has one support piece (0.0625" tubing it seems) and a single wheel to support the extension. It's not great for alignment if you move the saw, but at least the new leveling feet stabilize things once the saw is in place.
I've been thinking about welding up a new set of wheels, but I guess I'm happy with this for now.

[Jefferey Scott]

Looks like a good sturdy setup Larry. How do you like your Benchdog table?

[Larry Gipson]

Hi Jefferey,

You might notice that the power cord on the router still has the factory tie on it, so it hasn't been tried. The fit and finish of the Bench Dog cast iron table seems good. I didn't know when I bought it how much I limited my lift choices with it, though. Most lift plates & lifts seem to be 9 1/4" by 11 3/4". The Bench Dog system is 8 1/4" by 11 3/4". Only the Bench Dog and a couple other lifts specially made for this system will go in the table. The moral to the story is to be sure you want the Bench Dog lift first before buying the table!

The good news is the Bench Dog lift seems like a quality product. It's still heavily built and solid. People have found fault with the plastic insert around the bit, which was implemented when Rockler absorbed Bench Dog from what I've read. The plastic insert is held in place by 3 tiny screws which are really needed to hold it in place. I can see why people complain. It wouldn't take much to lose one of the screws changing bits.

I've been thinking about making my own heavier plastic inserts with magnets to hold them in place just to be ornery. The store bought plastic insert measures 0.118" to 0.120" and the hole it goes in measures 0.125" to 0.130", so the top surface sits a little low. Probably 0.125" plastic sheet could be used to make home made inserts that would be about right. There are 6 threaded holes in the lip that could be used for fine height adjustment. Lee Valley sells some rare Earth magnets that are 1/4" dia and 0.100" thick which could be imbedded in the plastic to hold it in place. All it would take is ambition :-)

[Dave Novak]

I need to learn how to weld. Nice work.

[Larry Gipson]

Hi Dave,

I've only been mig welding for a short time myself, though I learned to weld, braze & silver solder with acetylene as a kid. If my dad was angry to find his bottles empty once in awhile, he never mentioned it.
I have the Miller 211 mig welder and the Hypertherm 45 plasma cutter. This sort of officially makes me dangerous :-) I cut the tubing with a cut-off wheel on one of the angle grinders and cleaned up the cut with a flap disk. The new legs are attached to the rails now, so that's also different from what the factory did. I had to notch both rails (again with the cut-off wheel/flap disk) to allow a cross-cut guide to work. Both table extensions on the unisaw are 10" by 27". The remaining gray table on the saw is 20" so it could be replaced with cast iron some day if I got crazy. Actually, it's nice to be able to have a place to set a cold drink . . .

[Anthony Diodati]

I see you mounted the Bench Dog to the Right side, Most pictures show it mounted on the left side.
Does it bolt up nicely to a right tilt unisaw on the right side?