# Bench Dog Router setup - Inconsistent Quality



## EricTwice (Dec 9, 2016)

I have the same problem when adjusting the fence to the miter square on the big shapers I work with. Try making a pair of gauges. (I would use scrap and toss them when I am done, but for a router table it might work to make permanent ones. the bearings are standard sizes.)

They don't have to be anything fancy. align the fence so it is dead straight end to end. make 2 matching sicks with blocks that fit in the slot. Put the blocks in the slot at the ends of the table. the fence is then moved to the end of the sticks and the fence is now parallel to the slot.


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

Eric,

I'm following your train of thought. Multi-track for the sticks and a miter bar might be the way to go for something more permanent.


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## RichT (Oct 14, 2016)

I have the extension wing version for my Delta table saw. After looking at the options, I decided on a JessEm master lift. The complaints you have about the lift don't apply to it. The leveling screws are accessible from above, and the inserts are pretty stable and cam in place, rather than using screws.

One thing I don't follow is your need to have the fence parallel to the miter slot. I use a coping sled or a miter gauge depending on the need for things like cope cuts, and use the fence flush with the bearing bit for profile cuts. The only time I use the fence with the miter gauge or coping sled is when I'm using it as a stop block to register the wood against for depth of cut.


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## JRsgarage (Jan 2, 2017)

i agree with your inconsistency with bench dog. i have the older router cabinet from them and although it has held up, there is a large room for improvements(door stops). i am glad i went with a jessem lift after reading about your experience with the inserts…but to be fair, i seldom see router inserts sit flush.

but, i do like the cheap mdf fence faces…use them as sacrificial. i've replaced mine several times and each time with mdf; it's cheap and straight.


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## runswithscissors (Nov 8, 2012)

I agree with Rich Taylor about needing the fence to be parallel to the miter slot. In fact, some fence designs, esp. on homemade router tables, pivot one end of the fence and move the other end to make the adjustment with the bit. The reason for this is it makes very fine adjustments easier to do.

Aluminum scratching cast iron? That's a new one on me. Anyhow, a few minute scratches on cast iron have no affect on the performance of the router table.


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## OnhillWW (Jan 10, 2015)

Oxidized aluminum is aluminum oxide aka sandpaper grit ! Yes it will scratch a lot of things.

I have a BD wing table attached to my table saw, for 3 years it was equipped with a Rockler lift which uses the same inserts you have. I had to use shims to level mine as well - a bit of work but once done it works fine. The screws are a PITA and I wound up keeping a Yankee screwdriver equipped with a magnetized phillips bit attached at hand. This made insert changes faster and I stopped dropping screws. That said, I finally tired of the whole thing and purchased a Jessum/Incra lift with the magnetic inserts. This is nice as changes are quicker and there are more opening sizes to choose from but the inserts sit a couple of thousands too high. Too high is worse than too low as shimming is possible if too low but now I have to break, round and smooth all the insert edges so that I do not marr any work I do on it!!! So much for buying a "quality" tool??


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

Thinking that the router table fence needs to be kept parallel to the miter slot is, IMO, a misunderstanding.

Almost all coping sled designs guide along the fence, and the few that do ride the miter track register the fence to a surface on the sled base to get it parallel. All of the other types of sleds that ride the miter track that I've seen are intended for use without the fence (though you may keep it in proximity for DC).

That said, for $1,000, I'd expect that set up to be immaculate, with and Incra fence to boot. You can get a very nice shaper for that type of money.


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## EarlS (Dec 21, 2011)

I'm not a big fan of coping sleds, mostly because the bit has to sit up so high above the table top to offset the sled thickness. Having said that, I'm re-considering my opinion based on the comments above. Sometimes you get set in one way of thinking and don't consider other options that are as good, or better. I'm still very disappointed in the Bench dog approach to the fence slots. They could have done so much better.


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## larryw (Feb 10, 2011)

Earl , I have the same bench dog cast iron table and heavy router lift , but I purchased the Baltic birch plywood cabinet instead of the steel one. My complaints are pretty much the same as yours though, the flimsy plastic inserts are a joke , and the fence is hard to set up accurately, other than that I'm happy with it. The heavy cast iron table is beautifuly machined flat , and the router lift is massive and well made.


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## felkadelic (Jun 12, 2011)

I considered this lift when I reworked my router table last year, but ended up going with the Incra Mast-R-Lift II which cost the same amount of money. One of the main factors was that the Incra lift takes metal inserts (and the optional CleanSweep inserts to help with dust collection).


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