Anyone tried the new Jointech Smartlift Digital router lift?

[Kurt Voss]

I came across this in a link from the TS fence discussion and wondered if anyone had tried one yet?

http://www.jointech.com/Graphics/images/smartlift_digital_c_index.JPG (http://www.jointech.com/smartliftdigital.htm)
http://www.jointech.com/

[Bob Reeve]

I saw it demostrated last year at a WW show and am saving my pennies. I aslo would love to hear from someone who has bought it.

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

I'm just not sure I could plunk down the extra bucks for that. I've got the Router Lift Pros (I think that's what Jointech calls them), and the couple times I've had to remove/put back one half of a matched rail/stile set, I did it with just a couple test cuts and adjustments. I've not read the technical stuff, but it seems you'd have to 'seat' the bit exactly the same every time to get any real benefit from the electronics.

KC

[JOSEPH GOVEA]

Hey Kurt, I just recently received my digital lift I haven't had time to set it up as I still need to build the cabinet. From I have seen this lift is well made and as said it is good for repeatability.

[Glen Blanchard]

This puppy is one sweet machine. The big deal here is repeatability. I absolutely love it.

[Glen Blanchard]

it seems you'd have to 'seat' the bit exactly the same every time to get any real benefit from the electronics.

KC

KC - the beauty of the system is that once you have chucked up a bit (regardless of how far it is seated) all you do is "zero" out the bit as Rick described and you are exactly back to where you were previously. So it is not necessary to seat the bit exactly the same each time, which would be impossible anyway.

[Brian O'Shea]

I have been looking seriously at the digital lift. I have not yet been able to "put my hands on one" I do like everything I read about it but I have to agree with KC. Maybe I am missing something, and PLEASE explain if I am, how does the lift "remember" the position / height of a bit that you zeroed yesterday? I never seat any bit to the bottom of the collet, they are always set somewhere from 1/16" to 1/4" above the bottom of the collet. If I chuck up a bit and it is 3/16" above the bottom of the collet, zero the lift, use it until I need to chuck up another bit, then go back to my original bit, place it in the collet at 5/16" above the bottom of the collet, I do not have to re-zero the lift??? Who, what, how is the 1/8" difference accounted for? Even if the lift were capable of placing an incription on the bit, lets say magnetically, it would only be capable of remembering the last known position in reference to the "code reader" . I would greatly appreciate the sharing of knowledge here, then I could / would buy one.
Thank you,
Brian

[Gary Keedwell]

I don't have one but have a ton of machining experience. After the bit is firmly tightened there has to be a reference place to "touch-off" to zero your lift. I would say that you would have to lower your bit below the surface of your table and slowly raise the bit until you touch something. You would have to lay something over the opening of the table and with the bit either spinning or stationary, touch the tip of the bit as you raise the bit slowly.
After you "touch-off" your bit , you press the zero button, then you raise it till you get the cut you want. Look at the didital read-out and write down what you see. For instance: after you get the bit the height you want , say 1.678 on the dial, write down the bit and the 1.678 on a reference sheet of paper or some kind of notebook.
The next time you use that same bit, just "touch-off" the bit and push the "zero button" and then raise it to 1.678.
You do that to all your bits and there will be no fussing around. You will get close enough to the ballpark that adjustments may be only a few thousands or nothing.
Hope I helped,
Gary

[Glen Blanchard]

I would greatly appreciate the sharing of knowledge here, then I could / would buy one.
Thank you,
Brian

Brian,

Gary's explanation is right on the money. I went one step further, and explained what I did in the following thread.


http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=50833

[Gary Keedwell]

I think if you look through a machinisit inclined catolog you can find something similar to what you have Glenn. I've been out of the machine shop loop but I seem to remember devices for the sole purpose of touching off.
Gary

[Brian O'Shea]

Many thanks to Glen and Gary. I will feel much better now when I spend my hard earned money!!! Thanks again....
Brian

[Brian O'Shea]

The info from Gary and Glen re-kindled my interest and I re-visited my stored searches for purchasing at the best price. Price Cutter.Com has them for $299.00 The best price I have seen since I started looking several months ago. Anyone know of a better buy ?
Thanks

[Glen Blanchard]

The info from Gary and Glen re-kindled my interest and I re-visited my stored searches for purchasing at the best price. Price Cutter.Com has them for $299.00 The best price I have seen since I started looking several months ago. Anyone know of a better buy ?
Thanks

Brian,

Be sure to factor in the cost of shipping. Jointech often ships free of charge which (depending on Price Cutter's shipping costs) may change the total cost of purchase significantly.

[Michael Drew]

Reviving this old thread instead of staring another one.....

I am interesting in this lift, but would feel better about buying it if I knew owners were happy with it.

[Alan Trout]

Ive had mine for about 3 years and it is a very good lift. It is very nice for repeatable cuts.

Alan

[Jim Newman]

I had one of the first ones made and the fact I can use tough bits to ace out such as lock miter bits and other PITA bits makes it well worth it for me. As stated by others you are buying this and repeatability, which makes life so much easier. What made me purchase my digital router lift, was spending about 20 hours to get a lock miter bit set up to make some cabinets out of 3/4" maple plywood. All you have to do is write down the height setting on the end of the bit, and set up next time is a snap...makes life so much easier! Of course with it being so well made and no trouble at all over the years.....you get what you pay for....unfortunately.....expensive....and worth it.

[Michael Drew]

Thanks guys.

[Michael Drew]

Jointech is not returning email or answering their phone. I’m trying to find out how or if I can get a Milwaukee 5625 to fit the digital lift. Does anyone know if it will fit or what I’d have to do to make it fit. Jointech does not offer an adapter for this router. I have not bought a router for use with a lift, yet, but the 5625 looks to be one heck of a router and about $100 less than the PC 7518.

[Chris Parks]

In this thread there is a direct email address to the manager???

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=115198&highlight=jointech

[Robert Mishler]

This is a good unit. I've used for over five years in my small cabinet shop. HOWEVER, there is no customer support. When things start breaking you can't get replacement parts. As above, customer service will not answer the phone, and I have a two year old e-mail stating they will have the part in two weeks. There are just as good or better lifts on the market with customer service.

[Glen Blanchard]

This is a rather old thread, but you are correct Robert. I bought their digital lift at a show in Orlando when they were introducing it. That was many years ago. It has been a fine lift, but it is in need of some maintenance and possibly some replacement parts. I have decided (when it is time) to just purchase another lift entirely (probably the new Woodpecker sidewinder) to which I will add a Wixey DRO. At this point it would be difficult for me to give up the DRO.

I question whether Jointech/iTools is even in business any longer. They have removed their phone number from the Jointech website. It's a pity as they made some very nice stuff. Once the original owner passed away, it went downhill quickly.

[Don Jarvie]

Rockler had them on clearance last year for 85 bucks so I got one. I only used the digital feature a few times and it works well. I mostly measure by ruler.

I mainly got it for the lift part and could do away with my Cman router table. Price was right.

[Don Buck]

I've had mine for nearly 7 years and have built several kitchen's worth of doors with it. The indexing of the bits is easy and once you are happy with a particular profile make sure you record the bit height so you can match it in the future. Saves wood and time. I've had to rerun some cope & stick rails/stiles in the midst of a project and it matched the previoulsy run stock perfectly.

Don