Jessem router table -- 1/8" sag in center??

[Michael Spurgeon]

I FINALLY purchased a Jessem router table with Mast-R-Lift, Mast-R-Fence, and 32x24" Phenolic Mast-R-Top. The fence seems great as does the lift, but the allegedly flat phenolic top sags 1/8" next to the right and left edges of the middle of center cutout when measured without the lift and when measured lengthwise as well as crosswise.

Jessem brags about the flatness of the phenolic table top (will not sag nor warp) and while the rest of the package seems to be quality, this seems like too much sag in the center but I am no expert and before I ask Jessem or return the top to Woodcraft, I would appreciate any opinions as to the maximum amount of sag in the center that should be reasonably acceptable. (I tend to be super picky about quality and am considering that perhaps I am too picky in this case--dunno:confused:)

(I measured an old inch thick router table top made of MDF and covered top and bottom with laminate and it was still PERFECTLY flat after 14 years.)

Thoughts/opinions about 1/8" sag in the center??

Thanks

Mike

[Paul Gatti]

An 1/8" sag is huge in a router table. I wouldn't be satisfied with anything greater than 1/32 in a router table. For the size of the table, I would think it should be dead flat.

[Dewey Torres]

Something is not right... I have a Rousseau built by Jessem and have no such problems. Are you sure your installation is correct?

I hate to be negative but a 1/8 inch sag is almost like mounting your router to an 1/8 inch piece of plywood...

Again, something is terribly wrong!

[Jim Becker]

Umm...I'd have it on the way back already...

[keith micinski]

I have a bosch router table that I was really happy with but after 3 years my Phenolic top plate has also sagged in the middle about an 8th. I don't think whatever phenolic is made of is as good as the manufacturers claim it is and being warp free and sturdy.

[glenn bradley]

1/8" . .. you will never get anywhere close to satisfactory results out of that. Back it goes. You could see if they want to try to make it right if you have time to fool with it.

[Bill Huber]

I agree with Jim, it would be on its way back.

I have a Jessem top and its flat. When I made the cabinet for it I made sure I shimmed it so it would stay that way.

[Michael Spurgeon]

And they were what I expected. FWIW, I detached the top and that made no difference. IMHO, if Jessem would place two cross braces -- on on either side of the cutout for the lift, it would provide support. The router tabletop in question came out of a sealed box.

It will be returned tomorrow -- thanks for all of the advice.

Mike

[Michael Spurgeon]

Something is not right... I have a Rousseau built by Jessem and have no such problems. Are you sure your installation is correct?

I hate to be negative but a 1/8 inch sag is almost like mounting your router to an 1/8 inch piece of plywood...

Again, something is terribly wrong!

I measured the 1/8 inch sag after my PC 7518 router and the Jessem router lift had been placed in the top. 24 hours after removing the router and lift, the sag was 1/16 inch and this was with the top no longer fastened down just in case being tightened against the stand somehow added stress.

This purchase of this Jessem router package was a judgement call based upon the high quality of the Jessem miter gauge on my Unisaw, but obviously a mistake and is being returned tomorrow to Woodcraft for a refund.

Now to start looking for a quality router package for my trusty old PC 7518 again...sigh

Mike

[Kevin Dube]

It's gotta be a bad top. I've got the 7518 in my Jessem and there is negligeable sag. I've had it for 4 years.

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[Neal Clayton]

not to rub salt in your wounds or anything, but for the life of me i can't understand why with the one tool that most people have that needs a pretty high degree of precision for quite a few of its functions, manufacturers think that plastic and particle board is sufficient for such a tool.

imo, if a shaper is out of the question, bite the bullet and shell out the cash for a steel/iron router table.

[Brent Smith]

Hi Michael,

Bring it back!!! Exchange it for another Jessem though. I've had mine for 8-9 years and it is dead flat with the same gear as you put in yours. Every company messes up now and then, you were unlucky enough to get caught with one of the rejects.

[abram godshall]

i had the same issue with mine about a year ago. i took it back to woodcraft and they put the top on again but it still sagged. i called jessum (no president personally). they had a bracket that was to fix the problem. it did NOT. i again had woodcraft install this bracket. in the end, i got my money back and purchased a shaper.

[Kevin Dube]

If I'm not mistaken they did move their operations from Canada to the states a year or two ago. Maybe they've also changed suppliers for the Phenolic tops they use as well.

[Michael Spurgeon]

When I started this original thread, I emailed Jessem and asked them what their standards were for a flat router table top that they manufactured -- never gave a hint at an issue that I was having with one of their tops. They never took the time to respond to my inquiry.:(

Glad that I took the whole Jessem router table setup with lift, back to Woodcraft for full refund. The new Woodpecker router lift has my attention now.

Mike

[Dewey Torres]

WOW, that's too bad Mike. I would have tried calling (maybe you did). I have better luck with these things over the phone. At any rate, returning it was inevitable. Good luck with your next purchase.

[glenn bradley]

When I started this original thread, I emailed Jessem and asked them what their standards were for a flat router table top that they manufactured -- never gave a hint at an issue that I was having with one of their tops. They never took the time to respond to my inquiry.:(

Glad that I took the whole Jessem router table setup with lift, back to Woodcraft for full refund. The new Woodpecker router lift has my attention now.

Mike

Poor response yields lost sales. Oh well. I love my PRL but the new version 2 looks slick. You lose the dual carriage screws but the quick lift and thumbwheel-fine-adjust probably make up for it. Well worth a look.

[Frank Snyder]

I have this same router table and it developed a 1/8" dip in the center a year later. After getting in touch with Dan Sherman at Jessem, he sent me out an aluminum brace kit for free. I had to turn the table upside down to install the two cross braces. There are a series of set screws along the bottom edge of the braces which allow you to fine tune the table surface dead flat. I installed the brace kit back in July and the router table is still flat today.

In my opinion, the brace kit is a successful fix provided it is installed properly.

[Darin McConnell]

Hi Frank just wondering if you have a picture of the braces jessem sent you to flatten your router table top. I'm having a similar problem and could use some ideas. Thanks
Darin

[Earl Rumans]

These plastic and MDF table tops just can't handle the weight of a big lift and a big router. With the home made tables guys usually include enough bracing to support the top and all the weight but most commercial tables don't have a lot of extra bracing and the tops sag in the middle. Go with a cast iron top if you are doing the heavy lift/router combination. I have the large Incra table top, Mast-R-Lift II and PC 7518 mounted in my Jet table saw and the only real support is on the edges of the table. The table started to sag in the middle, so I made a center leg to support the table and prevent the sag in mine.