Router lift 'review'

[Kirk (KC) Constable]

Earlier I'd said I wasn't gonna use the Xacta lift thingy that came with the saw package...but yesterday evening a co-worker broke ANOTHER grey insert ring on the Rosseau (sp?) insert. So I decided to put the router lift in the router table.

This is packaged in a JET box, but says JET Xacata Lift AND Jess em on the insert. The box says 'drilling required', but the mounting plate had about 200 holes already drilled in it to accomodate any router known to man it seems like. So in went the M12V...

I've never been happy changing bits on the Hitachi, and the lift makes it a bit more awkward...but it's doable. It took me maybe an hour to retro-fit the table to accept the larger insert. I've looked at these lifts before and pooh-poohed them as an unnecessary 'fluff' item...but the very first time I lifted the router the full two and a half inches in just a few seconds without climbing underneath the table I was sold. The 'deluxe' fence it comes with looks kinda small and cheesy, but locks down solid on the plate and seems well made. I'm very impressed with the 'crispness' of the whole unit. I'll be getting another one for home.

KC

[Jim Becker]

I'll be getting another one for home.

The Rout-R-Lift is Jessem's older design and takes up a LOT of table real estate. You may want to consider one of the other choices available, including Jessem's Mast-R-Lift, Woodpecker's PRL and/or UniLift and BenchDog's cast iron work of art. I'm considering the latter as a replacement for my Rout-R-Lift one of these days...both to make room for a tee-slot for hold-downs and just because I like it a lot. That's not saying I don't like my Rout-R-Lift...I do. But these newer designs have better above-the-table access to the collet and really are physically a lot smaller.

BTW, the original Rout-R-Lift diid require drilling. They changed the design awhile back to include all those nice holes for attaching your router. Me, I had to drill for my PC 5718. (I also cut off the handles from the base)

[Steve Clardy]

Sounds like maybe one will be in store for me one of these days. Seems to be quite a few of them out now. Maybe by the time I get around to purchasing one they will have the bugs out of them and I will be able to purchase one without worrying about not liking it. Steve