Router Lifts with side adjustment

[Phil Dowd]

I've seen a lot of positive support for the Jessem Master Lift II, but I'm not sure it includes the side adjustment?
http://jessem.com/MAST-R-LIFT.html

I'm trying to find a cast iron table to mate with a lift with right angle adjustment. Sounds like a Bench Dog table with the Jessem lift could be an excellent match of quality products, but I don't know if it is possible.

Any experience or ideas out there?

Phil

[Bill Huber]

The Jessem Master R Lift II does not have the side adjuster, you have to go to the Mast-R-Lift Excel to get the side adjuster. The Mast-R-Lift Excel is all built on its own table and I don't think they sell just the left and side adjuster.

[Phil Dowd]

Bill
It seems that the that the table you referenced is phenolic. I've been reading some reviews the talk about "sag" in phenolic tables. Is that a real concern, and would the finished results show the effect?

[Jamie Buxton]

MLCS offers a lift with a side crank. http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/u-turn-lift.html?zoom_highlight=router+lift

[Don Sundberg]

If you want to integrate it into a cast iron top, the choices I know of are the MLCS U-Turn and the Woodpeckers Sidewinder. I'm not sure about the availability of the Sidewinder, it doesn't look readily available any more.

[Phil Dowd]

I did not find anything on the Woodpecker site or on Amazon regarding the Sidewinder. although there is a U-tube video, vintage 2010. Seems to be discontinued.
I also found a review of the Jessm Excel, and it was done on a system with an aluminum top. The product on the market is a phenolic top, and the lift is integrated (…..as compared to being a separate stand alone unit.) Does anybody know if a metal top is in the works? The review was very encouraging. I am still wondering if the discussion about "sag" in phenolic tops is real or rumor.
I don't know anything about MLCS.

[Mark W Pugh]

I did not find anything on the Woodpecker site or on Amazon regarding the Sidewinder. although there is a U-tube video, vintage 2010. Seems to be discontinued.
I also found a review of the Jessm Excel, and it was done on a system with an aluminum top. The product on the market is a phenolic top, and the lift is integrated (…..as compared to being a separate stand alone unit.) Does anybody know if a metal top is in the works? The review was very encouraging. I am still wondering if the discussion about "sag" in phenolic tops is real or rumor.
I don't know anything about MLCS.

I was just at a woodworking show. We were told that the Sidewinder has been discontinued. The one review, on the MLCS lift, is not encouraging.

[Rich Riddle]

I was just at a woodworking show. We were told that the Sidewinder has been discontinued. The one review, on the MLCS lift, is not encouraging.

Yes, in Columbus the wife of the owner indicated to a prospective customer that Woodpeckers no longer produced the Sidewinder. Many customers had voiced concerns about the "slop" in the Sidewinder. Last year at the Woodworking Show the owner's wife admitted there was up to .02 variance in positioning the unit. Just too much slop for most people.

That said, the MLCS gets even worse reviews. Perhaps the technology hasn't caught up with producing a very accurate side controlled router lift. Hope it gets there soon.

[glenn bradley]

The side adjuster on the JessEm is really smooth. They have had this feature for years and years and really have it down. If that is the focal point for you I would go with JessEm.

[Bill Huber]

Bill
It seems that the that the table you referenced is phenolic. I've been reading some reviews the talk about "sag" in phenolic tables. Is that a real concern, and would the finished results show the effect?

I have the Jessem table and it is phenolic and I just have not had a problem with it sagging. I have had the table for about 7 years and started with a Bosch 1617 in a lift and now have a PC 7518 and still do not have a problem.

I guess it could be the support of the table, if it was only supported on the ends I guess it would sag but then I think about any table that was only supported on the ends would sag.

My table top is well supported, it sets on 3/4" plywood in 4 places and 2 of the supports are right at the lift plate.
http://www.pbase.com/wlhuber/image/85312065

[Phil Dowd]

Thanks for the illustration Bill……I guess that would NOT have a sagging problem! Your picture gives inspiration to how I would construct the support table for the Jessem Excel. I want to incorporate the router table into a table saw out-feed table, and make use of the proximity to feed the dust collector remotely located (minimize the ductwork runs).

Thanks all for all your input. It is good to know the status of the Sidewinder. I'll bet there is more to come in the future.

Unless things change in the next two months or so, I'll be heading to he Jessem Excel phenolic table and lift. I am still curious about the Jessem aluminum table (Prototype) that was reviewed on the internet.