Getting a lift

I finally bought something I’ve been wanted for years: a router lift for my router table.

The idea of a router lift is something that appealed to me the first time I saw one years ago, but it always seemed like, for lack of a better description, more of an on-the-expensive-side “frill” than an actual productive accessory. My old Porter-Cable 690 functions perfectly, and has since the day I got it more than two decades ago. Why mess with success?

But the process of changing out bits and setting height was tedious, as anyone with a router table knows – get under the table, loosen things, twist the motor out, then back up to the table or bench, change out the bit, then back under the table, twist the motor in, adjust the bit height by twisting some more (which involves a lot of back-and-forth under and over the table) and, finally, lock it down and get back to work. As much a hassle as all that is, the thing that was getting to me was the under-the-table part. And, yes, it’s yet another age thing: My old knees very much dislike my router table.

All this had me thinking more and more about a router lift, and when I saw one on sale a couple weeks ago I didn’t hesitate to send away for it. The thing is amazing.

I’ve done this before, putting off a shop or tool improvement for perceived reasons of expense or lack of an overwhelmingly pressing need. Almost without exception in all those cases, when finally getting the thing in question it proved to be such an improvement to my work and productivity that I cursed myself for putting off the purchase for so long. On the downside I’m once again kicking myself for delaying, but on the plus side my routing tasks will be easier – especially on my knees! – from this day forward.