"Router lift" (above the table) for plunge router

[niki]

Good day

As you know, I don't have the "normal" cabinet router table but...

If one day I will make it, I thought to make a "Router lift" like on the drawing.

All the parts (almost) can be made of wood.

The "Round nut" is one like used in the "Jorgensen" screw clamps.

During the lifting (i.e., rotating the threaded rod), the "Lifting bar" will "shorten". That's the reason that the "lifting bar" is slotted and can move on the fix bolt (the "view from above" detail).

The "Lower support" is just a block of hard wood with hole at the size of the threaded rod with a piece of metal inserted into the hole to prevent the "eating" of the wood.

The "Upper support" is also a block of hard wood with a large hole to enable a socket to be pushed in to rotate the "Double nut" and, a small hole at the size of the threaded rod.

The "Plunger" is made of round stick and slids up/down in mating hole in the "Cross beam".

Sorry for the poor drawing, I'm still "Lo-tech"...

niki

[LCHIEN]

I don't know if you are looking for comments, but here are some:

Normally router lifts are more compact but since this will be buried in a table its not so critical.
A good point is that the lift crank point will be well away from the bit - no interference with the cutting bit and jigs when making adjustments.
The basic idea is sound. but I think you may have some issues with overall friction:
The plunger should be supported by two guide holes farther apart since the point at which it contacts the lifting bar will be moving and wanting to pull the lunger sideways (plus the incline shown will also pull it to the side) and bind. A friction reducer (teflon strip) and levelling the lift bar at this point may help. Also a bearing on the lower support will help reduce friction and help the rod turn easier since all the router weight will be sitting on the pivot point.
A smoother operating mechanism from reduced friction will help position the router better.
One drawback will be that the router still must be manually locked after positioning, a process that may cause the setting to shift a few thousandths of an inch. I think most router lift kits have low backlash so that the router will stay in the position set by the lift and not have to be further locked.
Also note due to the mechanical advantage of the lifting bar, you will have to crank the rod about twice as far as you want to lift the router. E.g. to lift the router a cm you will have to move the round nut 2 cm. That gives you more fine control but you may have to turn the crank a lot.

[niki]

Thank you for your comments Loring

The drawing is very general and the angles are not necessarily steep as on the drawing (and considering my drawing "abilities"... )

About the plunger support, it's already tested on my present router table and the plunger moves only a few millimeters on the "lifting rod" (side ways) (see pic) but, it helps to have two supports.

I'm not so sure that the router springs (and or vibrations) can exert such a power to turn the threaded rod but it should be tested and maybe some artificial friction can be added to the threaded rod (that's the reason that I would not add bearings).

About to much cranking, you are correct (depends on the pitch of the threaded rod) but you can always use the cordless drill to rotate the "double nut" faster up to near the height needed.

And last but not least, the price is almost nothing comparing to "real" router lift.

Thanks again for your comments, as always, we can learn a lot from them.

niki

[LCHIEN]

My comment on locking the router was not so much for the benefit of preventing the rod from turning and the height shifting but to lock the router so it has no side-to side play and up and down play while routing.
This will occur because the typical router base does not have close fitting retention in the unlocked base mode (where as you router lifts will generally have polished guide rods with virtually no side play).

I'm in favor of smooth running lift cranks so that's why I suggested the bearings, nothing to do with locking or not locking the rod from movement while routing.

In america, your ANSI/SAE threaded rod choices would be 1/4-20 tpi, 5/16-18 tpi, or 3/8"-16 tpi
so for that length of rod i wouldn't go much bigger or smaller.
So your range of router adjustment (assuming the router is in the middle of the lift arm) would be 40 turn per inch(2.54cm) or approx 16 turns per cm
to as much as 32 turns per inch or approx 12.7 turns per cm.
That's a lot, we find 16 turns per inch useful since 1/4 turn = 1/64th inch which is about the smallest useful increment in most woodworking.

[niki]

Thank you Loring

You are correct, there is some small play (almost invisible) and that's the reason that I like to lock the plunge unless I'm doweling with the "pedal".
I shall have to think of some extension rod that will be connected to the locking lever and operated from the side.

I don't remember the guy's name but he made motorized router lift with a screwdriver motor and I remember that I saw on his video lifting it with foot switch (for each pass) but never locked it.

Right now, I'm using 8mm rod with pitch of 1.5mm (I think) and need about 35~40 turns from zero to full plunge. With the "lifting lever" I shall need much more but once I'm close to the required height it will not be so much of work.

For the time being, buying a router lift or router with build-in router lift will not justify my 2.3 projects a year...

Thanks again
niki

[Gary L]

I have been hemming and hawing for a couple of years now and fighting with various routers to figure out how to mount one where it will do the most good.
After all of this I finally broke down and spent the money to get it right and as simple as possible.
I purchased the Woodpecker QL350 Quick lift and just got it all mounted today.
This thing is very well made and although I have not yet used it I can already see how it will make my woodworking alot easier.
Like many, I have limited space for big tools or alot of smaller ones so I have to always consider where they will fit when not in use.
My BT 3000 is now even more versitile.





I do love some of the inginuity that some here put into their shop tools but then with limited time for these projects I find it is often easier in the long run to just buy the gadget and get to playing in the shop on the projects I want to do.

Gary