How To Add A Router Lift To Table Saw // DIY Router Table // Rockler Pro Lift
How To Add A Router Lift To Table Saw // DIY Router Table // Rockler Pro Lift
Making a router table by adding a router lift to my table saw extension wing. Great space saving shop project using a Rockler Pro Router lift on my Sawstop table Saw. Check out Paul Jenkins video for more detail on installing a router lift.
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Rockler Pro Router Lift
http://www.rockler.com/rockler-pro-lift-router-lift
Rockler Fence
http://www.rockler.com/rockler-router-table-fence-and-guard
Router Fence Micro Adjusters
http://www.rockler.com/micro-adjuster-for-router-table-fence
Router Lift Dust Bucket Collection kit
http://www.rockler.com/dust-bucket-dust-collection-kit-for-router-tables
Safety Power Switch
http://www.rockler.com/safety-power-tool-switch
Miter Track
http://www.rockler.com/rockler-36-miter-track
Router Fence Dust Port
http://www.rockler.com/router-table-dust-port
Router Table Accessory Kit
http://www.rockler.com/accessory-kit-for-complete-basic-router-table
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DISCLAIMER: Woodworking and the use of power and hand tools can be extremely dangerous. You are responsible for understanding the safe use of your tools and techniques. Your safety is YOUR responsibility, I accept NO responsibility or liability for any injuries, accidents, death occurring to you or others if you attempt to do the things that I do or use advice that I give.
I added some length to my extension and put in a new plate and combo t-track and miter track. I had the same questions that you did about how far to put the router and track from the working edge. I looked at router tables that were set up at Rockler and Woodcraft. One of the guys at Woodcraft, who teaches classes there said the that Incra setup, one of several that they have, has the router in the middle of the router table. That set drew some comments that the unit worked well but it was too much of a reach for some of the people using it. The setups that were liked the best, regardless of which router and/or lift was installed, had the router center about 9" from the table edge and centered on the 27" extension width. The track was from 1 to 1½ inches from the edge of the plate. I have set mine up with the 9" dimension and like it. If I am working on large pieces, the saw table provides support the other direction.
I am mere minutes away from doing this, and your vid was the best how-to for walking through the project. Chose some slightly different equipment (JessEm), but just wanted to compliment the piece here. Keep up the good work
Woodglut has very good and accurate plans.
dont move your fence to get the t-track to fit, just add a couple layers of painters tape on the side of the router guide (or your fence i guess) for your second pass
Lol "Don’t have room for a router table" and there’s like 100 sq feet of empty space behind him haha
Great job. What is the model#of your router?
Great idea ! At the time you built this did you consider just building a wooden saddle jig that sat over your tablesaw fence instead of adding a 2nd fence ?
Cutting the rails shouldn’t void the factory warranty on any other part of the saw, manufacturers should make this clear in fact it shouldn’t even void the warranty on the rails. They make the same cuts on some brands for the miter slots or a anti kick back paw.
Woodpeckers tools make add ons for table saws, so you have to drill a hole just paint it. But unless it in the rain its not likely to rust anyway.
Sawstop shoping – did the wood extension come with your saw?
Great job. I like to use a starting pin when free handing. Keeps it from kicking back.
At 8:40 Find that board a Jointer. LOL . Nice Video but I think I’m going to try the built in bottom lift of my old freud 1700 router and make a router table wing off my OLD clausing saw.
Excellent! Setting the bit depth was an aha for me. Nice job…
Pretty nice saw and router lift too, nice combo build as well, love your videos!
After seeing this though, I think the Incra system is far superior, because that router fence looks "box store-ish" at best, as there wont be any intricate joinery coming off that setup.
My jessem lift didn’t fit at first after removing the factory template, so I put it back on and ran over the edges a second time it droped right in no gaps.
My advice is to run the trim bit over it once clean the router and table and run the cut a second time, any saw dust wood fibers or whatever can screw up the cut. Youll want to make a second pass or finishing cut that way your better off getting it the first try.
Love the lift. Good build.
Get rockler 5 star tall fence knobs for your fence, i use them they are great
Nice work! Especially nice work on the opening for the router plate. I can only hope to be that good some day. Question about the table saw extension: manufactured or diy? Material?
I did this 20 years ago with a simple router plate (no lift). I just bought a router lift with a slightly different sized plate, so I’m going to make a new table. I was trying to remember how I routed out the miter track groove. Of course! Use the tablesaw fence. Duh.
I also think it’s important to reinforce the table under the router to prevent sagging. And with the benefit of experience, I now see I also need to reinforce under the miter track. My table has slightly bent in along that line.
THIS IS THE DREAM!
Nice shop. You made the bost? Awesome! Job
Yeah… not gonna spend the $380-400+ for that lift. In cheapie fashion, I plan to make my own lift.
If I got all this free it’d put it on my table also , I just use a 3×3 for my fence w/ a hole drilled for the bit …$5 & works just fine.
What is the size of your router table top? Looks like it is 3/4" phenolic plywood? Have you had any warp/sag issues?
The router in a box is great for dust collection. I can’t tell what router you are mounting on the lift, but the one you used to route the plate opening has variable speed (and possibly soft start) which will not allow off-router speed changes outside the box as you have done with your power switch. If that is the one mounted to the lift you not only have to reach under the table, but open your door and reach inside the dust control box to change speed of the router. Is that a problem?
How thick is that extension wing material. Any issues with flex, given the weight of the router+lift? I’ve thought about doing this with mine… but I worry that the wing isn’t sturdy enough.
I am in the process of building my shop up and just built a router table. I am currently waiting on my T-track from Rockler for my fence, i should be playing with it by this sunday! Great video as always
Great video.. about to do this to my own sawstop, however I was thinking, Couldnt you just add Circle routered cut out at the end and shorten the Miter track just a bit. This could prevent having to cut the rails? Just a thought. Trying to think through everything>
On second thought, wouldnt it work to turn the whole setup 90 degrees so the lift is facing you when you are facing table saw. This way the Miter slot would work without cutting the rail. hmmm.
The extension wings on a saw stop are made of wood? Or was this something u added to it yourself ?
I did a very similar mod to my SawStop. Cool vid.
I know it’s been a while but curious of router bit size to match radius of the lift plate corners? Thanks ya
I would assume that the distance from the edge is determined by standard miter gauges for table saws, which are about 6-7 inches wide (where the track guide would be at about 3-3.5 inches in the center). Having the track be 4-5 inches from the table edge would be a comfortable distance for these.
I’m placing my order for the SawStop with the 52" extension very soon. Would you recommend doing this or just ordering the router add-on.. it’s not a cheap add-on as I’m sure you know.
Make it wooden with the help of the Woodglut instructions.
Just wondering how this set up has held up. I have the same saw and a small shop space and have been contemplating how i can add a router table without taking up too much space. Are you still liking this set up? Are there any changes you would make? Is the bosch router getting the job done or would you go with a larger router? Great work man! Also, did you use the larger or smaller of the two rockler lifts?
I like your video and demo. Easy enough for us regular guys without engineering degrees and NASA rocket build equipment to follow.
Love the router lift on the table saw, but like the dog just as much. Does he remind you to remove the Bark when you fire up the saw?
Your pup is awsome
Have you had any issue with the router lift causing the laminated MDF to bow? I’m on the fence on whether it’s worth removing the extension and buying a phenolic router table top and custom-fitting it into the extension. If you haven’t had any issues, I’ll skip buying the top.
"Then, after a lot of uneasy pacing back and forth, I actually take an angle grinder to my brand new table saw." Haha… I feel yu, brother. For me it would have been a lot of uneasy pacing back and forth, a week’s worth of sleepless nights, a lot more uneasy pacing back a forth, followed by some intense spousal counseling on whether I’m making a huge mistake or not, and then finally taking the angle grinder in hand, power it on, power it back off, and then sleep on it at least one more night, just to be sure.
Great job
Well if you look at incuras router table they do it differently, but the larger your table is the more control you have over the cut, my router table is 4′ x 26" the path is from right to left over the 4 foot area.
One cool option with large parts on a table saw is you can use the whole table of the saw to support your work on what might be called the backside of the router bit but keep in mind the direction you need to feed your work as you dont want to make the cut the wrong direction the tool can take a part out of your hand and send it acrossed the room, or cause some really nasty cut results.
Facing the normal way its right to left but on the table saw side its left to right
Same is true using the pin feature.
So let’s say your table saw is 25" to the edge of your ext wing but your saws capacity is 27" to the right of the blade and 8" to the left give or take that means you have about 43" of table to support work on. So you can cut dados in a cabnit side at 30" and not have to use a stright edge clamped on the part, and your doing both the left and right sides so your able to make the dado in the same spot on both parts with one setup.
I dont think most guys think about this concept. But its somthing you should keep in your toolbox meaning head.
Ok with all this wisdom and witt is not quite like that you could do that with just the table saw fence or table saws miter ga. And a stop. But on somthing large you always have the backside of the bit to help support somthing big.
What material is your table saw extension made from?
Does anyone know what router model this is and what the HP rating is? I’m looking for a plunge router that I can also use in a router lift with enough HP for cabinet door work, etc. I thought I read that you need 3.25 HP to do some of the larger cabinet door work with a router.
That is one& great table saw you have their bud 👍👍
What breed it Utz, hes beautiful.
Thanks for the location on the extension information
Just ordered the same saw and have planes for something similar. Now that it’s been awhile, I have to ask, has the weight of the router caused the wood extension wing to sag at all? Thanks in advance, keep up the great content, and throw a bone to Utz for his dedication to the cause.
Nicely shot video dude! Nice job too!
Well done!
Small shop. Lol . Sweet set up if you have the 💰