2 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

They have now been painted with some Bronze colored hammered metal finish paint.

cool idea...

don't forget the flow gates 

I'm a little late but this is the router table lift I built abut 20 years ago. 

 I made brackets to hold the regular and the largest Porter Cable routers but changing them out takes too long so I made another for each router but then I got lazy for the third table!!

 

I don't know why I built in the tracks in the first table for I have never used them... I do like the dad and son use to do on the router forum shows.

8 hours ago, Smallpatch said:

but then I got lazy for the third table!!

Umm, yeah!!!!   First one looks good.  I have a setup similar on the TS but do not like the above the table lift.  The hole always gets full of stuff and I need to clean it out.  

All parts finished.  Reassembly in process.  Next up is wiring.

 

The plans I used were from Popular Mechanics many many years ago.. The mechanics spin handle has a 1/2" socket on the end to turn the two nuts locked together in the center of the picture to lift the entire section holding the router up and down.. the two nuts are out in the open with nothing around them to collect shavings. The flow of air the router creates makes the shavings fall to the bottom of the cabinet.

  I forgot to add, the router table top is on hinges so I have to lift it and prop it up to change bits. No problem there.

Edited January 20, 20197 yr by Smallpatch

1 hour ago, Smallpatch said:

the router table top is on hinges so I have to lift it and prop it up to change bits.

I had quite a time coming up with something that allowed a smaller router hole and can get a wrench to the motor collar to hold steady.  Thought about a hinge but went with a insertable wrench from under the table.  Have to find a pic of it.  Had to make my own wrench from some 1 1/4 wide by 3/16 thick steel.  Nothing I could find would fit where I needed it to go.

Got the DC and carriage on inside all set up.  Did the wiring for the switch and box as well as internal to the router.  

Great piece of work WBBN. Enjoy seeing your creativity, applications and solutions.

On 1/20/2019 at 6:17 PM, Grandpadave52 said:

Great piece of work WBBN. Enjoy seeing your creativity, applications and solutions.

Thanks, one of last few details to work out was the wrench for the bottom of router.  Ordered the Bosch set but the lower wrench was bigger than I wanted and still required two hands.  I am somewhat disabled in my right hand so had to work around that.  First part of solution was to make the wrench.  Went old school as Steven Newman might say and got out the file and went to work.  I used 3/16 flat steel because hey, if 1/8 is good 3/16 is always better.

 

Once fitted properly I then had to make the channel under the table but recessed into the top to get the correct height so both wrenches work.

 

 

Finally a dry fit just to make sure everything went well.  I now only need to insert the lower wrench into the channel then use upper wrench to release or tighten the bit.  I am thinking about gluing up a blank with a channel inside and making a nice handle. 

 

As Stick suggested I put in vents for the lower portion of the motor.  One on each side to insure good motor airflow.  In testing it worked well, I did not see any reason to plug any of the holes at this time.  I did put a piece of aluminum screen behind the outer cover to keep debris out.  Also in this picture you can see the mechanical lock on this side of the drawer.  It is yellow, 3/16 flat steel.  The other side has one as well.

 

 

Not done, but closer mostly finish work.  It is the details that make the project.  As in take longer....

Moving ever so slowly all the details are slowly getting finished.  

 

Router wrench access finished off.  One handed above the table bit changes.

 

Safety locks finished being painted and reinstalled.  You pull drawer open, as it becomes full extended they drop in place.  No forward or backward movement until released.  Used 3/16 inch steel bar to manufacture locks.

 

 

Router bit can be left in place same setting and the drawer closed.  Unless I used a really tall bit this should cover MOST applications.

 

 

Full retracted with 3/16 inch between drawer and the door.  Door is currently being glued up and the last of the details to take care of.  Maybe tomorrow.

 

SWEET!!!

Wow, that looks great.  Please report back after a test drive!

Test drive completed.  Works well.  DC works well.  Overall very happy with the project.  THANKS to all who gave advice and encouragement.  I doubt this would be s nice without it.

 

16 hours ago, Woodbutcherbynight said:

Test drive completed.  Works well.  DC works well.  Overall very happy with the project.  THANKS to all who gave advice and encouragement.  I doubt this would be s nice without it.

Great project done very well. Thanks for taking us along and especially posting all the pictures. Great resource for others.

Edited February 14, 20197 yr by Grandpadave52
typo