[regesullivan]

I am removing the crappy steel wings from my R4512 and replacing them with laminate. I was thinking I should mount a router in it. Would I be better off buying a insert plate or it is worth trying to make one? If making one what material would you suggest.

 

[ryan50hrl]

Buy an insert plate. Aluminum preferably.

 

[mdntrdr]

Yes, buy one. Get one with different sized inserts. :smile:

 

[BassBlaster]

I just asked the same question a few weeks ago and then did lots of studying. It seems the concensus is to go with a hard anodized aluminum plate. This brings your choices down to the Incra plate or the Woodpecker plate. They are both very similar other than the way the inserts attach. The Incra uses a mag lock feature while the Woodpecker uses a twist lock. Other than that its color preferance. They are both the same price. Im going with the Woodpeckers plate. The plate and the whole set of inserts will cost about $140. I dont like the bright gold on the Incra.

 

[ryan50hrl]

If your spending 140 on a plate...I'd spend 190 on a Jessem lift.

I just got mine and it's built great.

 

[mdntrdr]

Here's my new plate...

JessUm Master Lift II.

If it's in the budget, this thing is sweet! :yes:

 

[ryan50hrl]

Here's mine

 

[mrcanterbury]

Where did you pay $190. I paid $310 for mine in October. Mine looks like the first one pictured with the black plate though.


Edit: mine is a master lift II, not rout r lift.

 

[BassBlaster]

The plate is only 100. The inserts are 40. Did that lift come with all the inserts as well?

Buying a lift would require I rethink the entire router table. I allready had it all figured out! Lol

 

[ryan50hrl]

No....it came with one good sized insert...

But I have to say I'm super impressed with the build quality. It's twice what I expected and operates smooth as glass.

 

[Al B Thayer]

I am removing the crappy steel wings from my R4512 and replacing them with laminate. I was thinking I should mount a router in it. Would I be better off buying a insert plate or it is worth trying to make one? If making one what material would you suggest.

Be advised. A laminate top will sag under the weight over time unless it's quite stout. The lifts mentioned are excellent and are really the best solutions for hanging a router in a table. There is one way that also works and saves a few headaches. That is by mounting it on a lift that doesn't hang from the table.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[Tom King]

I have a cast iron wing on a tablesaw, and a lift in a dedicated table. My first preference is one of my homemade rigs as seen the the picture I link to below. With either a Porter Cable 7518 or 690, making an adjustment of a thousandth of an inch is easy by laying it on top of a work table. The big advantages are that it gets absolutely 100% of the dust with no more than a shop vac, and the vacuum keeps the piece pulled up against the fence. We can set up multiple ones, and it takes very little time to set one up or adjust it.

http://www.historichousepreservation.com/ I have no idea why it won't let me copy the specific page link. Go to my windows page, and scroll down 5 and 6 pictures vertically.

 

[Al B Thayer]

This one cost very little and is much easier to use than one hanging from the table.

bits change very easy with this setup.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[Al B Thayer]

I have a cast iron wing on a tablesaw, and a lift in a dedicated table. My first preference is one of my homemade rigs as seen the the picture I link to below. With either a Porter Cable 7518 or 690, making an adjustment of a thousandth of an inch is easy by laying it on top of a work table. The big advantages are that it gets absolutely 100% of the dust with no more than a shop vac, and the vacuum keeps the piece pulled up against the fence. We can set up multiple ones, and it takes very little time to set one up or adjust it.

http://www.historichousepreservation.com/ I have no idea why it won't let me copy the specific page link. Go to my windows page, and scroll down 5 and 6 pictures vertically.

Can't find the picture.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[rrich]

More than just the plate, buy a lift!

A router lift makes set up so easy and for the extra dollars you'll be saying that you're so glad that you did it.

I have two tables and the Woodpecker lifts in each. Expensive? Yes but worth every penny.

 

[Al B Thayer]

More than just the plate, buy a lift!

A router lift makes set up so easy and for the extra dollars you'll be saying that you're so glad that you did it.

I have two tables and the Woodpecker lifts in each. Expensive? Yes but worth every penny.

Don't you remember when you had your first one? Mine was a sink cutout with a plate made out of Lexan. I screwed two slats to it and clamped it on my work bench.

Al

Nails only hold themselves.

 

[Burb]

While getting a lift is great, they don't fit in all tables. I own the grizzly router table which I got a great deal on. The insert is 12x9x1/4". There isn't a lift out there that is made this size. Otherwise I'd already have one . I plan on buying this aluminum insert this week http://www.routertabledepot.com/aluminuminsert.html

Mark

 

[Sarge240]

I made a plate out of steel. Punched the screw holes in it, and routed MDF for it to sit in. Did the job, no sag, working as intended.

 

[mdntrdr]

This one cost very little and is much easier to use than one hanging from the table

Al, how is this easier to use then a Jessum?

I have a 1-1/4" MDF top wrapped with HPL. My router and lift weigh 30+ lbs. I screwed 1-1/4" x 1/8" x 27" steel square tubing across the bottom of the table on either side of the lift. Sagging will never be a problem. :smile:

 

[jepp]

I use two Exacta lifts mounted side by side in the same table. I also inserted a track on the side so I could use a mitre slide.

I find the lifts give me micro adjustment rather than relying on the router adjustment.