JessEm’s Pow-R-Tek SR

[Pat Rice]

When I first saw the product announcement from JessEm I knew I wanted it. I have the Incra router table with Cleansweep dust box and had previously had some issues with dust buildup in my previous JessEm router motor that I order at the time I ordered the Incra table. In order to accommodate the air intake and exhaust hoses I had to eliminate the Cleansweep box and ended up cutting out the bottom to use the blastgate. Now that it is completed I really like the new setup and the two hose provide clean air to the router motor.
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[Aaron Inami]

Hi Pat,

I am seriously considering this as a router motor for my new router table. Since you already took the plunge, can you answer a couple question?

1. Is the power cord permanently attached to the router motor? Or can we unplug it? The reason I ask is that I will typically pull my router out of the table and use the table as a down-draft system when doing other hand-held routing or drilling that produces a lot of dust.

2. The two cooling hoses attached to the motor - are they both exhaust? Or is one intake and the other exhaust?

3. What is the lowest RPM this will run at?

Thanks!

[Pat Rice]

Aaron, the power cord is permanently attached to the router motor, but you could pull the whole cord out. Of the two hose one is the intake and the other the exhaust, you can feel the suction on the intake. I will have to double check the lowest rpm tomorrow.

[richard poitras]

Hi Pat,

I am seriously considering this as a router motor for my new router table. Since you already took the plunge, can you answer a couple question?

1. Is the power cord permanently attached to the router motor? Or can we unplug it? The reason I ask is that I will typically pull my router out of the table and use the table as a down-draft system when doing other hand-held routing or drilling that produces a lot of dust.

2. The two cooling hoses attached to the motor - are they both exhaust? Or is one intake and the other exhaust?

3. What is the lowest RPM this will run at?

Thanks!

Arron this may help with your 2nd question?

https://jessem.com/products/copy-of-1-3-8-insert-ring-for-template-guide-bushing

[Pat Rice]

Lowest rpm was 9,540

[Aaron Inami]

Thanks, Pat!!

[Ezra Wheeler]

I received mine this past week and just did a test install in my new Master Lift. This is an almost perfect motor in my opinion but so far my only complaint is that as soon as you plug in the power to the controller it turns on. I would prefer to have an in line switch or a toggle to turn the controller on then have the start and stop buttons only be active after that switch was employed. Also it was not made abundantly clear that you need to order the air flow ducts and their mounting parts as a separate kit. That should have been a drop-down menu option on the order page. I had to place a second order after receiving the motor for the air flow kit and pay extra for having two shipments.

The cord is definitely intended to be permanently attached
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[Ezra Wheeler]

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[Ezra Wheeler]

The slow start is very nice and the speed control is exceptionally smooth. I am very excited to use this motor. It is mounted to the Master lift which is mounted to the Harvey router table extension. I also ordered a Harvey router fence and dust collection box. Hopefully my dream router table set up works as well as I imagined.

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[Aaron Inami]

This is an almost perfect motor in my opinion but so far my only complaint is that as soon as you plug in the power to the controller it turns on.

I would contact Jessem. It sounds like you got a defective unit because one of the features on the control box is the "0 volt release", which means if you lose A/C power, the router will not automatically start up again when power is restored.

[Ezra Wheeler]

I would contact Jessem. It sounds like you got a defective unit because one of the features on the control box is the "0 volt release", which means if you lose A/C power, the router will not automatically start up again when power is restored.

Sorry for the confusion, the motor does not start when plugged in but what I was being critical of is that the control unit stays on as long as it is plugged in. The motor will only start when you push the green button but the led display stays on always and attracts attention and maybe from an unsuspecting little one.

[Aaron Inami]

Ah okay. It appears to be acting like a VFD would. VFDs will power up and never turn off as long as you have them plugged in.

[Chris Parks]

Ah okay. It appears to be acting like a VFD would. VFDs will power up and never turn off as long as you have them plugged in.

It is a VFD, you may as well buy a CNC spindle & VFD which is way more robust and versatile, probably cheaper and a water cooled one is so quite you literally have trouble hearing it when it is running.

[Aaron Inami]

Thanks for the idea, Chris. I briefly looked into it. The water-cooled system would not be my preference because I would want to remove the spindle/router-plate from the table at any time to use the router table as a "down-draft" for doing other operations. Also, water cooled might be quiet, but then you have to deal with the loud annoying fan from the VFD.

[Chris Parks]

Thanks for the idea, Chris. I briefly looked into it. The water-cooled system would not be my preference because I would want to remove the spindle/router-plate from the table at any time to use the router table as a "down-draft" for doing other operations. Also, water cooled might be quiet, but then you have to deal with the loud annoying fan from the VFD.

Not all the VFD's have that problem and the ones that do are easily fixed for a few dollars.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x882vvX_L7Y&ab_channel=MarkPresling

[Ezra Wheeler]

Without even researching it, I am fairly confident that there is little chance that buying CNC components and tinkering around trying to configure a motor that replicates the function of this Jessem unit and then shimming it to fit the master lift (if it does not already do it) will be remotely cost effective for my company. My shop is part of a business and my time is worth too much for the bother of trying to take on such an endeavor. Other folks may look at it as part of the hobby and maybe even look forward to the project... in our shop, we need to get back to work and back to making money... not deal with water leaks, custom firmware modifications and raspberry pi's

[Aaron Inami]

Not all the VFD's have that problem and the ones that do are easily fixed for a few dollars.

That just fixes it so that the fan doesn't run ALL THE TIME. The fan still cranks up when you start running the VFD/motor.

[Aaron Inami]

Without even researching it, I am fairly confident that there is little chance that buying CNC components and tinkering around trying to configure a motor that replicates the function of this Jessem unit and then shimming it to fit the master lift (if it does not already do it) will be remotely cost effective for my company. My shop is part of a business and my time is worth too much for the bother of trying to take on such an endeavor. Other folks may look at it as part of the hobby and maybe even look forward to the project... in our shop, we need to get back to work and back to making money... not deal with water leaks, custom firmware modifications and raspberry pi's

Yep, agreed. I could end up spending $1k or more on the spindle/VFD and then trying to find a spindle that will fit in a router lift (i.e. 3.5" or 4.2" or 3.318" or similar) so that I don't have to design and fabricate some sort of custom router lift. Or jerry-rig a 1-axis CNC positioning system. Just too much money and effort, lol.

[Chris Parks]

That just fixes it so that the fan doesn't run ALL THE TIME. The fan still cranks up when you start running the VFD/motor.

No IT DOES NOT, the fan does not run until the temperature rises to the set point. I've done it and I have never had the fan turn on even in 100 + day temperatures. It does not worry me what way you go but there are alternatives to the same thing and they add far more flexibility at the same time.

[Chris Parks]

Yep, agreed. I could end up spending $1k or more on the spindle/VFD and then trying to find a spindle that will fit in a router lift (i.e. 3.5" or 4.2" or 3.318" or similar) so that I don't have to design and fabricate some sort of custom router lift. Or jerry-rig a 1-axis CNC positioning system. Just too much money and effort, lol.

The AUK/Jessem motor will never survive in a full on production environment for very long, in fact a router is the wrong thing altogether for a production shop.

[Aaron Inami]

The AUK/Jessem motor will never survive in a full on production environment for very long, in fact a router is the wrong thing altogether for a production shop.

Dude, good thing I'm not a production shop and don't need the 8 hours a day durability! lol. If I was a production shop, I would be looking at shapers and CNC machines instead of routers, lol.

[Aaron Inami]

The slow start is very nice and the speed control is exceptionally smooth. I am very excited to use this motor. It is mounted to the Master lift which is mounted to the Harvey router table extension. I also ordered a Harvey router fence and dust collection box. Hopefully my dream router table set up works as well as I imagined.

Hi Ezra - would you be able to answer a few more questions?

1. Can you measure the dimensions of the control box? (width/height/depth). Also, it looks like the depth is increased when you add the mounting bracket, right?

2. Is it easy to attach/disattached the air hoses from the motor?

3. Can you take a picture of the end of the motor power cord that plugs into the control box? Are there any markings indicating the connector type? I need to build an extension cable for this that uses the same connectors so that I can unplug the router from inside the table and just lift out the router plate and motor.

Thanks,
Aaron

[Dave Sabo]

The AUK/Jessem motor will never survive in a full on production environment for very long, in fact a router is the wrong thing altogether for a production shop.

your opinion worth every penny charged.

Impossible for you to say on the Jessem motor as it doesn't have a track record yet -and- you're FLAT WRONG about the second part. I've dealt with a few top shops for the past 30+ years , one making Corian solid surface which is hard, dusty , nasty stuff, and they use good ol PC routers everyday. Definitely a production shop and definitely harder than what someone would typically make on a router table. They work just fine in that setting. I've also toured national window and door manufacturers that use off the shelf handheld routers aplenty. Not for everything, they've got computer and automated stuff too, but they got em.

Perhaps you're just used to crap routers down there.





1. Is the power cord permanently attached to the router motor? Or can we unplug it? The reason I ask is that I will typically pull my router out of the table and use the table as a down-draft system when doing other hand-held routing or drilling that produces a lot of dust.


If you need/want cord disconnects these will work:

https://www.amazon.com/IEC320-Female-Adapter-Connectors-Terminals/dp/B08FZZ6XBQ/ref=pd_ci_mcx_mh_mcx_views_0?pd_rd_w=YWroO&content-id=amzn1.sym.1bcf206d-941a-4dd9-9560-bdaa3c824953&pf_rd_p=1bcf206d-941a-4dd9-9560-bdaa3c824953&pf_rd_r=85VAA3G3G9GQVFM12822&pd_rd_wg=IMB5o&pd_rd_r=f6176c55-b3da-4332-9e3b-7f9fe683ce76&pd_rd_i=B08FZZ6XBQ


-or- these if you need mo better and locking:

https://www.neutrik.com/en/products/power/powercon-true1-top

[Pat Rice]

Aaron, I can check the dimensions of the control box tomorrow. The metal connectors on the hose have a rubber O ring and are a friction fit, you just push them on to the router motor. I used my Shaper Origin and made my own wire grommet in the bottom of the dust box to allow easy removal of the power cord with the router.
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[Alex Kapl]

I also have this motor in my extension wing on sawstop. i have it attached to the Incra PRL-V2 router lift and it seems to work well. I don't have hoses hooked up yet and I'm using Harvey dust bucket. There is room inside it to run hoses but I would probably need to shorten them. So far dust collection seems ok to skip hoses but will see how it goes. Jessem is also making the dust bucket as well for this router motor but they haven't released it yet. In case anyone wonders Harvey dust bucket fits sawstop PCS without mods but only 3 screws allign which is enough to hold it tight in place
few pictures here.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dNa7zkZ8UktxZcBz8

[Dave Sabo]

I also have this motor in my extension wing on sawstop. i have it attached to the Incra PRL-V2 router lift and it seems to work well. I don't have hoses hooked up yet and I'm using Harvey dust bucket. There is room inside it to run hoses but I would probably need to shorten them. So far dust collection seems ok to skip hoses but will see how it goes. Jessem is also making the dust bucket as well for this router motor but they haven't released it yet. In case anyone wonders Harvey dust bucket fits sawstop PCS without mods but only 3 screws allign which is enough to hold it tight in place
few pictures here.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/dNa7zkZ8UktxZcBz8

You do understand that the 2 hoses are not for dust collect right ?

They are there to provide fresh , cool air to keep the motor from overheating. That’s a real issue in many enclosed router tables and especially in those “dust bucket” contraptions.

[Jim Becker]

I agree with Dave that one must be careful with air flow within a space that contains a router in a table. A good hookup to the DC that draws the majority of the air flow through that box does pretty well for that, but the extra ventilation that the product being discussed has should improve on that. If one is only using the machine incidentally, there's not a whole lot of risk, but if multi-hour "production runs" at the router table (even for hobby work) are the norm, then additional attention to cooling will pay off.