The Hylton "Lift" -- anyone tried it?

[davidtu]

In both of his fine router books, Bill Hylton recommends foregoing a router lift in favor of a table/cabinet built with a tabletop that lifts like an old school desk, exposing the router for height and/or bit changes.

Has anyone tried this? Curious how satisfactory you found it!

Thanks!!

[Stormbringer]

davidtu,

If you mean something like this, you don't check the "Finished Projects" thread enough.



Credit to John Hunter and here's the thread. Hope it's what you were looking for. Greg

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=21228

[davidtu]

A) You're right, I don't check the finished projects thread... I haven't finished a project yet!

B) Yes, that is what I am wondering about... I guess I'll shoot John a PM to ask about his experience with it...

C) Does anyone else have experience with what John made and are you satisfied with it in place of a lift?

[jnesmith]

I wonder how you measure your bit height adjustments with that sort of set up. Lift, adjust, lower, measure, lift again, adjust again, etc....?

[davidtu]

I wonder how you measure your bit height adjustments with that sort of set up. Lift, adjust, lower, measure, lift again, adjust again, etc....?

In the book, the table top has a brace to hold the tabletop in the elevated position (John's probably does too). That brings it eye-level and he adjusts the bit height w/ it up... just places the rule right against the bit head, makes the adjustment, then lowers. Hylton says it is easy and works well, but of course I'd like to hear that from someone else!

[atgcpaul]

At Palomar College, all the benchtop router tables use this method with Porter
Cable routers. There's a notched piece of wood that keeps the lid up when
making adjustments. Making fine adjustments to get the perfect cut is more
trial and error though. For more precise work they use cabinets where you raise
and lower the router from underneath. I like both and if space wasn't really an
issue, I'd go with the cabinet.

Paul