Opinions: Precision Router Lift V2

[Michael Spurgeon]

Anyone with experience or thoughts on the new version of the Woodpecker PRL? It appears to have a couple of handy new features but sometimes new features turn out to be detriments and as we all know, newer isn't always better when it comes to tools.

Thoughts/opinions/experiences?

Thanks

Mike

[Chris Padilla]

Mine arrived in the mail last night. I got mine directly from Incra and it has their own "MagnaLock" rings which are different than Woodpecker's Twist lock rings. Other than that, I think they are identical.

It is typical Incra/Woodpeckers quality, heavy duty plate. The thumb wheel is cool and allows very fine height tuning very quickly and easily. The MagnaLock rings sit DEAD flush.

I have not installed it yet so I cannot comment further but I do have the original PRL and except for having to clean it due to gummed up threads, it was awesome.

I am planning to compare/contrast the two some time in the future. :)

[Michael Spurgeon]

Mine arrived in the mail last night. I got mine directly from Incra and it has their own "MagnaLock" rings which are different than Woodpecker's Twist lock rings. Other than that, I think they are identical.

It is typical Incra/Woodpeckers quality, heavy duty plate. The thumb wheel is cool and allows very fine height tuning very quickly and easily. The MagnaLock rings sit DEAD flush.

I have not installed it yet so I cannot comment further but I do have the original PRL and except for having to clean it due to gummed up threads, it was awesome.

I am planning to compare/contrast the two some time in the future. :)


Chris -- Congrats on your new purchase and I hope that you will share your observations of how well it keeps the router height when adjusted, etc. and especially its new features -- the thumb wheel and the spring-loaded mechanism to quickly raise the router to change bits. Good luck to you.

BTW--what fence and table top are you using with it?

Thanks,

Mike

[Chris Padilla]

Mike,

I have the Woodpecker 27"x43" table top with an Incra Twin-Linear fence system. Woodpeckers/Incra take quite a bit of my take-home pay each month! ;) :D

[Rich Bay]

I purchased one direct from Woodpeckers. I really don't have a basis for comparison to other lifts as I have always used a Milwaukee 5625 with through the table adjustment. The lift is much more convenient.

Adjustments are very fine and the quick release allows for big changes and bit changes quickly.

Only minor issue -

The adjustment wheel for fine height adjustments only has a 3/8" range either up or down (3/4" total) if installed per instructions. When you max out the range there is no hard stop. The wheel keeps turning but no more height adjustment. This was only a problem because I was testing this and the Incra Fence by making a 1/32" stair step pattern via a series of cuts. I go 1/2 way through a 3/4" piece and found the problem. Most likely this will not be a normal issue.

[Chris Padilla]

Rich,

I noticed that, too, about the fine-adjustment wheel but that shouldn't be too surprising. I'd have to play with it again but does it tell you when you are in the middle of the adjustment range? Obviously, you'd like to sit in the middle so you have maximum height adjustment range +/-. Agree, this shouldn't cause any issues as long as one is aware of it.

[Rich Bay]

Chris:

on the lift support columns there are a pair of lines representing the maximum and minimum travel range. The instructions call for adjustment of the router to the middle of this range - when the router is mounted.

This works fine and should give you 3/8 up and 3/8 down. From what I see now there is no indication of where you are in the 3/4" range while working. There is supposed to be a digital position indicator available for this lift in December, maybe that will address this.

If you initially set this to the lowest position you should be able to get 3/4 up adjustment - if that is what is required in a given cut. Not where you would want it all the time but it should work if needed.

[Mike Goetzke]

I early ordered one for my Milwaukee 5625 - got it on eBay w/MS cash back. After reading the about the height limitations above I'm wondering if I made a mistake. I have a Quick-Lift and I can crank it up/down the whole travel of the lead screw. Also, I noticed (after I ordered it) that it has a 16 pitch thread - my QL had a 32 pitch. With the PRL-V2 why in the world wouldn't they have a 32 pitch???

My router has external power/speed control. I never open my router enclosure. With the PRL-V2 am I going to have to open the enclosure door and make sure I'm in the middle of the travel every time I change a bit???


Mike

[Rich Bay]

Mike:

Don't overemphasize by comment about the adjustment range.

The coarse adjustment is very fast. i.e. when setting a bit to a height I just lay a reference bar next to the bit and run the lift up or down with the coarse adjustment. This just takes a couple of seconds. Then if it is necessary to fine tune the adjustment the wheel will move it to exactly where it needs to be.

The origin of my comment was from a (probably silly) test I made when I first got the lift. I was working with a piece of 3/4 stock and making a 1/32 cut - raising the bit 1/32 and moving the fence 1/32 at a time and making another cut. The result with a straight bit was a series of 1/32 steps. Doing this I ran out of steps after 3/8 inch. Clearly this is not the way the find adjustment was designed to be used.

Since then I have not had to readjust the under lift position under the table.

Good Luck with your 5625 version. When I bought mine they told me they had no plans to make one for the 5625 so I bought a new PC.

[Brian Effinger]

Don't overemphasize by comment about the adjustment range.

Actually I'm glad you said that. I ended up buying one off of ebay, and have been worried about the +/- 3/8" fine travel range. But I still have a question about that. If I wanted to use my router table to make mortises, will I be able to? Would I use the wheel to adjust the bit up 3/4" and then if I wanted to go deeper use the quick lift to raise the entire carriage up and then go back to the wheel? Or do you think it would just be faster to use something like the Mortise Pal and my plunge router?

[Chris Padilla]

Brian,

The wheel is for fine adjustment. Otherwise, the router plate has a crank that you can do larger adjustments with.

On the original PRL, you had the same thing except that fine-tuning was done with a crank...the PRL-V2 provides a nice thumb-wheel so you don't need a tool for fine adjustment. You still need a tool for larger adjustments.

I make mortises on my router table and PRL all the time and it is wonderful having good, precise control over the depth of the mortise. The PRL-V2 is no different in that respect.

What the PRL-V2 has is a tool-less fine adjustment and what appears to be a solution to the issue of gummed-up threads on the PRL. The PRL's 32 tpi threads get gummed up over time and cranking it becomes difficult so you have to pull the lift out and clean it.

I also like the MagnaLock rings that Incra offers over Woodpecker's Twist ring for the PRL-V2.

[Mike Goetzke]

Actually I'm glad you said that. I ended up buying one off of ebay, and have been worried about the +/- 3/8" fine travel range. But I still have a question about that. If I wanted to use my router table to make mortises, will I be able to? Would I use the wheel to adjust the bit up 3/4" and then if I wanted to go deeper use the quick lift to raise the entire carriage up and then go back to the wheel? Or do you think it would just be faster to use something like the Mortise Pal and my plunge router?

I called Woodpecker's this morning to ask about this limited fine adjustment travel. None of the tech people were available but they claim they have sold over 1,000 of these and it can't be a problem since no one has called them about it:eek:.

I then called Incra (they offer the same lift). It is true that if you make several fine adjustments (or a few big ones) it may be required to turn the fine adjustment wheel to get it in the middle of the +/- 3/8" range. This will require you to get the lift in a position to see the fine adjustment stop position witness grooves machined in the lead screw shaft (Incra's web site has a users manual). This seems to be a step backwards from the QuickLift design. I can think of many situations where I use the lead screw to adjust the height of the bit more than a few thousands. Like - mortises (listed above), raised panels, dados, rabbits, deep profiles... These will eat up the +/- 3/8" range in no time.

Maybe someone with this lift can comment on if the fine adjustment witness marks can be seen through the hole in the top of the router plate.

Mike