Router Lift Questions

[Howard Henderson]

Hi All-

I used to do a lot of woodworking, but have been too busy working for the past few years. Now that I'm getting back into it, I am reading about router lifts and realize I was in the stone ages, back then!


I can't find anything about my old Black and Decker workhorse router. It is one powerful old beast, but without modernties like variable speed, etc. The data plate calls it a type 445. I put a couple of pics below.


Would there be any lift available today that would fit it? Or would I be better off just getting a more modern router?



Thanks for any advice,
Howard

[Jerry Miner]

I don't know what lift would fit your router, but I know that the Woodpecker's PRL-V2 is one of the best lifts.

Woodpecker's is a USA manufacturer. You can call them and ask if they can accommodate your router. Here is an excerpt from their website:

ABOUT US Thank you for choosing Woodpeckers for your woodworking tools, accessories and products. You can reach us by phone during the following office hours:Monday thru Friday 9 am – 5 pm EST Woodpeckers, Inc. 13700 Prospect Road Strongsville, OH 44149 (We do not have a showroom and are not open to the public. If you would like to arrange to pick up your order, please call us to arrange an appointment.) Phone – 1-800-752-0725 Phone – 440-238-1918 Fax – 440-238-2097 Email – mailroom@woodpeck.com

[Edwin Santos]

Hi,
These router lifts are designed to grip the round motor circumference so unless your router motor is an unusual diameter outside the design range of the lift, it should work. I have the Rockler FX lift. Ever the optimist I'm betting it will work. If you have a Rockler store nearby, you could take your router motor there and see for yourself it it will work. It's worth a few research calls.

[Robert Engel]

Before you invest a lot of money in a lift, a good option is the Triton routers which have a very acceptable built in lift mechanism. I've been using one for a while and I am very satisfied with the power as well as adjustment.

[Mike Wilkins]

Measure the diameter of the router body after removing the base. That will determine the possibility of using one of the modern lifts. It looks like the fore-runner to the Porter Cable 7518 3.5 horse router. If so it will drop into most lifts without a problem.
Nice heavy router you got there.

[Howard Henderson]

Thanks for the advice, Fellows!

That is one thing that is so helpful about this board - we are rural enough the nearest Lowes or Builders Square is over 100 miles away, so it is tough seeing/looking at equipment firsthand or talking with other woodworking enthusiasts.

I'm going to look closely at all the options mentioned.

Yes, that old Black and Decker is a beast for sure. I got it years ago at an auction. Everything was selling high as they had a collection of power tools on one end of the trailer - but by the time they got to the other end of the trailer, where this B&D was off by itself, I wound up getting it for $20.


For power, it should work gangbusters as a table-mounted router.


But is variable speed that big of a feature?



Thanks again,
Howard

[Nick Decker]

Howard, if the B&D router is single speed, it'd be a good candidate for a router speed controller. Should work fine, and inexpensive. To me, yes, variable speed is important. Larger bits need to run slower.