Rockler is offering a $100 discount on the Smartlift Digital Router Lift till Sept 3rd. I was wondering if anyone has one, and what do you think. Is it worth $299.99? I have attached a picture.

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Here is the link to it...
http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?O...Select=Details

Here, it's priced at 399.99...

Maybe Stores have it on Sale?

Looks like it was popular in 2004...

If it were for a milling machine it would be very desirable and really cheap, however for a router I think that amount of cash could be better spent. If a lifter is required, a variation of Niki's lifter to suit you're particular table would be a very effective low cost addition, for dowelling I have never found it's equal.
See the link showing how I made a version of Niki's lifter.

http://www.routerforums.com/44165-post8.html

Hi Harry

Talking about lifts I made one for my drill press,,, it's 110 volt motor with a small gear box ,and a control box up front....


I got lazy one day and I didn't want to crank it up and down by hand any more so I made one to do it for me.. D:

Harry I thought you would get a kick out of looking at this one
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Come on Bj., I expect some better photos. than that poor show, it's not at all like you.

Like I always say --
Necessity may be the mother of invention --
But laziness is AT LEAST the mid-wife.

Neat idea.

My .02 would be that that would be pretty much up to you.

To me what a tool is worth is a function of how badly I don't want to do by hand whatever it is the tool does for me (or helps me do etc.).

Personally -- for $300 -- I don't mind a bit reaching under my table and twisting the height adjustment. Would much rather spend that $300 on an entirely new tool or a trip to the coast.
BUT -- for people who really hate the tedium of manual adjustments - and/or have more money than they know what to do with

It's probably well worth it it would clearly make height adjustment quicker.
-Note: Being from Rockler -- I am accepting the good quality of the tool as a given. --

Hi Harry

It's a snapshot of a 35mm snapshot , it's about 10 years old if not more, I still have the drill press but I took of the motor and gear box off and used it on a bender that I made and used it to make U-Bolts and anchor bolts up to 3/4" in dia.,cold bend type.

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OK Bj. I forgive you for the lousy pic. so how about one or more of the bender, I'm interested in anything and everything that people make.

Hi Harry

The one I made is long gone,,, sold it off,,,but it looked just like the one below but with the gear box that I put on it.. it took the work out of making the U-bolts and many other types of bent fastners....

I reworked the hand pull bar and installed the power unit....work great ,sold it off for 1200.oo bucks ...it would turn out tons of fasnters all day long..and I mean all day long 12 hour days back then...
I used Link Chain on the big plate and a gear to turn the bending point head..

• Bend Radius Capacity: 12" Radius
• Round 3/4" round mild steel
• Square 5/8" mild steel
• Flat 1/4" x 2" mild steel (easy way)
• Flat 1/8" x 1" mild steel (hard way/edge bend)
• Steel Tubing, 16 ga.: 1 1/2"
• IPS Pipe: 3/4"
• Forming Nose Height: 2 1/2"
• Center Hole 1" Dia.


I now have one like below for small jobs I do now and then,,,it also works great on anything under 1/2" dia.

see snapshot below ▼

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=44094



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