Rockler Router lift

You can buy a router with a built in lift for close to the same price.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Could you use a second router? For a little more money you could skip the router lift and just mount one of these Triton plunge routers to your table. I’ve never regretted that decision for a minute.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I’ve got that lift, or the one that it was based on (it certainly looks like mine). Bought it from Rockler about 4 years ago and it has serviced me well in that time. I got no complaints.

-- Working at Woodworking www.VillageLaneFurniture.com

Triton ya thats the ticket

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Dan,
I have that lift it works just fine. I’ve had it for about 2 months. I don’t do anything “wild” with it but it seems to do the trick.
Ellen

-- Ellen on Cape Cod

Charlie, the Triton router looks like a great solution, a dedicated table router free’s up my Bosch and it has a built in lift. The only complaint about it from what I see is that people don’t care much for it’s plunge mechanism but hey, I’ve got a good plunge router and would leave this one on the table.

The only problem with this is.. I think it’s been discontinued. Amazon doesn’t have it and calling other places that advertise it online they tell me that it’s currently unavailable.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

I think I have the same lift in the picture. I like it and all, but I really hate the friction fit dial. If you get chips or a lot of dust down in it, it tends to slip and you sort of loose your place height wise. As long as you’re cognizant of that and keep it blowed out as your working, you won’t have a problem. Don’t get me wrong, I really like it, it has more than served its purpose for me. In hind sight, I wished I would have bought that Woodpecker PRL-V2 lift, its a little more…maybe quite a bit more, but I think it could be a better lift.

Just my opinion.
Kelly

-- He who dies with the most tools wins!.....Just wait, I'm going to win!..ERR my wife will at least.

I was doing a little research, and it looks like Triton has come out with an updated model of the same router. Woodcraft is showing it available for $229 with free shipping, but I’m not sure if that is the newer version or not. I was on Triton’s web site, and the new one looks just like the old one. I’m not sure what is different.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

I use the Freud 1700 in my router table. It works well for me. If you compare regular price, it is about the same cost as the Rockler router lift. The Bosch 1617 , and Porter Cable 890’s also have above table height adjustment, I’ve heard good things about the Triton too. There may be others also.

-- Kent Shepherd * The goal is-----More Tools!

I’ve run the big Triton for over a year now. It’s cooped up in a small box in the cabinet, but the depth controls (both gross and fine) are very accessible and easy to use and so is the spindle stop. Changing bits above the table is no problem with a crooked wrench. I use a remote switch. Never used a lift, but can’t imagine it’s better.

-- Measure twice, cut once, buy extra stock.

The router lifter is a great idea. I made my own but it’s no match for the professional ones .They look great one day I will buy one.Problem for me is the shipping costs after that a nasty man comes to your door to deliver it with a big sticky bill for tax import type anyway I made my own and it works good but I would not hessitate go for the lift.We have all our routers with plunge here in the uk but they don’t match the lifter. Alistair

-- excuse my typing as I have a form of parkinsons disease

ai jim , you have always said pc was the best router…now your going for the triton…....your rockin my router world…..and that is very intresting…....i want one of these

-- The Grizzone

Hi COTL (can I call you COTL?)

I have been debating for months about the same thing.

The first lift I ever saw was at Rockler and the concept blew me away, but it costs so much and I wasn’t sure if it was a good one or not.

I am not ready to buy yet so I haven’t done any real research but I was watching a Wood Whisperer podcast the other day where David Marks was giving a tour of his shop and he showed us his JessEm router lift.

Right then and there I decided to buy a JessEm when the time comes. If it is good enough for him I’m sure it will meet my needs.

I just found it on Amazon, it looks like it costs a little more the the Rockler sale price.

I hope this helps.

Bothus

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.

I would never buy the router lifts. Maybe I am missing something with that but I currently run a 2 1/4 hp frued with above the table adjustment/bit change and I absolutely love it. Extremely easy to use and best of all it was on sale last year for 99.00. I will say if I were in the market right now I would certainly buy the PC from rockler:

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=22160&filter=Rockler%20Outlet

I have 5 other PC routers and one use the Frued in the table. I have been tempted to sell my Frued and buy the PC at rockler just so I have all PC routers in my collection. Don’t go with the router lift, I think they are over priced and they don’t even come with a motor. The PC 982R for 149.00 should serve you well. Not sure about this 892R but all the PC routers I own are built in the US. Keep us posted.

Plus you might get free shipping from Rockler right now.

-- Jerry Nettrour

Hey Grizz
I still have mostly PCs but I do have other routers and one of the two I have in router tables is a triton and feel it’s probably a better deal than buying a lift and a router separately.

-- Jim from Heirloom Woodshop Southern Oregon

Gotta agree with a1Jim. I have the Triton mounted on my table and it does the job. I have done quite a bit of raised panels on it and also the rail and stile. It has done the job on everything thrown at it.

-- Ed E. " Taking one board at a time "

Wow, lots of choices here.

Well, my Bosch comes with a fixed and plunge base. The fixed acts as a lift but I’m not that happy with the ease and the range in the under table capacity. As a a router though I’m very happy with it.

I like the idea of the Triton with the router fixed in the table freeing up my Bosch. The tritons it seems use the router in plunge mode under the table. They just disable the springs so that the screw can take over to raise/lower it.

I started out with looking at the discontinued triton at $199 and Charlie said that a newer model now is $229 which is a little jump. But, at the same woodcraft site the 3 1/4 model is $269 which might make a nice difference. So, like what usually happens is I’ve started out at $149 for a lift on sale to a possible $269 for a high powered plunge router that is good under a table.

It’s a lot to swallow but the higher price does include the luxury of having a dedicated 3+ hp router under the table and not just a lift. So, If I looked at it as $149 for the lift and an extra $129 for the router in the triton package then it looks better. Funny how we can justify things like that. Now it all make just so much sense.

Thanks to everyone for the recommendations on routers and some pretty nice lifts that you recommended. I’ve still got to think about it. It seems that only woodcraft has this router now. And I wonder if they do in their stores. It’s not available anywhere else.

Many thanks.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

Your thought process (justification system) works a lot like mine.

Now I’m thinking I should buy a Trition too. And I came to the same conclusion you did, why not upgrade to the 3 1/4 HP?

I think I might call my local Woodcraft store and see if they have them in stock.

Thanks for posting your question. Let us know what you do.

Bothus

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.

One small point to keep in mind… The 3 1/4 hp Triton does not have the through-the-table winder crank like the smaller one. This is really not a big deal as long as your table setup is such that you can easily reach your router under the table with your right hand. There is an inner ring you press in while twisting the main handle that allows you to bring the collet up above the table for bit changing with a single motion. In fact, I never use the winder on mine… it’s faster and easier just to use the gross and fine depth adjustments on the router itself. But still, if you are in love with the idea of that little crank handle above the table, know that you will not get it with the 3 1/4 hp model.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Geesh I want it all. The 3 hp would cut through that Oak with fewer passes but they didn’t put the through the router table crank. A small inconvenience but I wonder why not? It’s not a huge deal but wouldn’t it be nice if I could spend the bucks and get exactly what I want. Watch.. I’ll buy it and in 6 months they’ll update it and include the crank.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

I’ve been wanting a router lift so bad I can hardly stand it. But, I’m waiting for the “Right One”, which I understand will be on the market in a few more months and available through a well known WW supply house. This new lift is fully motorized with a small electric motor. It also has a variable speed control (for raising the bit quickly for above the table bit changes). It has a control panel that mounts to the front of your router table and a foot pedal for hands free operation. This thing is the coolest thing since sliced bread! My understanding is that it will be competitively priced with the well known high end lifts.

It opens a lot more possibilities with the router table. For one thing, it makes it very simple to create mortises for loose tenon joinery. Imagine being able to raise a spinning bit bit, incrementally, into a piece of stock on the table. It also has above and below the table digital height readouts. Additionally, you can set a stop for the maximum depth of cut for any operation. When you’ve finished the but, this lift has a reverse mechanism that then lowers the motor (and the bit) so that the bit is back below the table. If I remember correctly it has a total travel range of a bit more than 4”.

-- Build for the joy of it!

I got this one from Rockler:

It’s made by JessEm and Rockler branded just like the one you pictured I believe. I’m happy with it. I had a previous Rockler branded JessEm lift but this one is better. I just looked and I don’t see it on Rockler’s site. It looks like WoodCraft sells it under the JessEm name. (Black verses blue though.)

I put a Porter-Cable 3-1/4 HP motor in it that I just bought the motor, not the whole router. I had the Porter-Cable 3-1/4 HP Plunge router in my first JessEm lift so now I have a Porter-Cable 3-1/4 HP router to use because I bought it as a full router.

Either one swung a 3-1/2” bit for making raised panel doors with little effort.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

If you’re thinking of putting that Triton router in it I’m inclined to think it won’t fit. These lifts are designed to take just the round bodied motors like the 3-1/4 HP Porter-Cable and a few other brands.

As for the lift’s longevity, I’ve had mine quite a while and it gets a fair amount of use. I can’t see it ever wearing out or breaking, it’s built pretty solid.

-- -Curt, Milwaukee, WI

I have the Rockler lift with a PC router motor in it. It works very well for me.

-- I don't make mistakes, only design changes....www.dgmwoodworks.com

Charlie: I noticed the WoodCraft site did not list the winding crank for the 3 1/4 HP router and I was going to post the same thing you did about it but I thought I better double check.

So I found this review that says it did come with a winding crank. So now I’m confused.

Bothus

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.

Bothus, I went to the review and couldn’t find any reference to an above the table adjustment crank. They do refer to the winding adjustment but that’s on the router itself.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html

Craftsman, I believe you are correct. The reviewer is referring to the winder handle on the router. I repeat, though, I never use the crank because it is quicker and easier just to grab the winder handle and give it a quick twist. That takes 2 seconds, as opposed to 10-15 seconds to wind the router all the way up with the crank.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Hey guys.. I have both a Triton 2.25hp and a PC690 in a Rockler/JessEm lift. The Triton is mounted to a Rockler plate that sits in a Rockler table.

No issues with my PC690 and JessEm lift. Works as you expect and is a bit under powered for being 1.75 hp only.

My Triton’s micro adjuster just went bad. You have to compress the router for it to engage. It lower’s just fine but clicks. When you want to raise it, you have to compress it (it has about a .25 inch play that springs back and forth) for the gears to catch, otherwise it lifts maybe .25 inches and then clicks and drops back to where it started. My workaround right now is, like CharlieM, I use the winder handle knob and twist to where I need it or slightly above and use micro adjust down to final height.

Out of the table, the Triton plunges great and this is where the micro adjust just shines (when it works). You can climb cut easily just by turning it to get more bit exposed for each pass very very very easily. In my case, I had to push (compress) the router down and turned the micro adjust to sneak up on my mortises and such.

So when the Triton works, its great.

I’m saving up for a Woodpecker’s PRL V2 lift for my PC7518. Right now it that one just sits with it’s fixed base on a Rockler plate and table and manually set my cutting heights with the lock nut.

Himcules, you might want to do a little Googling on that problem. I seem to remember reading something about that being fairly common, but an easy fix.

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

Thanks for the feedback guys. I stand (sit) corrected.

I am not sure what I want to do now. I just saw a guy on Craigslist that has a Rocker lift still in the packaging for $120. Since that was my original plan, now I’m torn.

Decisions, decisions.

Bothus

-- Professional kitchen designer, amature woodworker.

How’s this In South Africa same Triton $375 converted from Rands. And you must fetch it… People steal your parcels here.
Sucks.
You guys are lucky>

-- "Even small steps makes a distance." (Shawn Phillips, musician)

I’ve got the PC 7518 3.25 variable speed router mounted in an identical lift. Its simple and well designed. I particularly like the way I can sneak up on a desired height with test cuts and then dial it back in (count the revolutions of one of the hash marks from a predetermined location on the dial). Also, someone else indicated that the shape of the holder is meant for a cylinder shape, so other routers may have trouble. Good luck.

-- Langski, New Hampshire

Woodcraft supply black friday triton 3 1/4 router $179.

-- The smell of wood, coffee in the cup, the wife let's me do my thing, the lake is peaceful. http://web.me.com/deceiver6/Deceiver/Craftsman_on_the_lake/Craftsman_on_the_lake.html