With the table glued-up, it is time to mount the router. The first step is to remove the mounting plate from the assembly. The manufacturer even provides the correct Allen wrench to do this. There are two positioning pins on each side so that when this plate is returned, the orientation and calibration will be the same as set at the factory.       I next put the router I am to mount in place and select the orientation of it.  If I mount it as I show in the picture, the access to the locking lever will be difficult. I turned it around until that lever and the speed control dial were more accessible.    Note that I have installed a V-groove bit and lowered the router to be touching the insert plate. The plate has a center hole. I use the bit and this hole to keep the router centered on the base. When I have it where I want it, I mark the location.     I have now removed the base from the router and clamp it in place on the Rout-R-Lift's base. I use a self-centering punch to mark the mounting holes.    I should note, that while I used the V-groove bit to help center the base, the aluminum base itself is scribed with several circles to serve as a visual guide to centering.      I carefully drill the fours holes with a bit slightly larger that the mounting screws. I have placed the piece on top of am MDF scrap to keep from marring the top itself.   This close-up shows the engraved guide rings better. Following the drilling of the holes, the instructions say to turn the plate over and counter-sink to allow for the screw head.    I can now attach the router to the Rout-R-Lift's base.    I attach the adapter plate and router to the Rout-R-Lift unit. With the weight of the router, this would be a difficult task except that the position pins make this step easy and precise.    I am a minute away from testing the router in the new Rout-R-Lift unit.    So far, it looks very good. I first want to check the centering of the router.    This extreme close-up tells all. The insert plate is resting on the router V-groove bit...at exact center. You can see from the rule, the center is off by about 1/32"— not perfect but as close as will ever be needed.    My next concern was router bit height. With the large panel bit installed and bottomed in the collet, the lower cutter is below the table surface by about 1/4" — even with the Rout-R-Lift cranked all the way up.    To me that is a major problem. I will not run a router bit that is just partially inserted in the collet — particularly the wide bits that need all the grip they can have.      This view might illustrate the problem better. The insert is the close-up showing the sash cutter against the molding I cut a few weeks ago. The router is raised all it will go. I have a problem. Main Menu Previous  Page Next  Page