Hi everybody
I recently bought a router table made by Record, with a cast iron top and gas strut opening to mount a router, it's on a pressed steel frame, I mounted my 1/2 Makita router into it and tried using it but the vibration kept releasing the locking clamp, it was also awkward to set the height required and I would like to find a router or mechanism that is adjustable from the top. I have looked at the Dog adjusting mechanism and also a Trend router both adjustable from the top. Can anybody advise ??

Welcome to the forum David. Makita routers are my favourites, and if in good working order will not cause vibration hand held or in a table, even a cast iron one which is what I use. To solve the height adjusting problem I made a foot operated lifter which works extremely well, especially for dowelling. The Makita 3600BR shown in the photograph has now been replaced with a Triton TR001, which for table use is perfect because of the above table bit change, in fact it's successor now has above table height adjustment. The 3600BR is now permanently on skis.

Attached Thumbnails

There are many fixed base routers that feature above-table height adjustment. I got the Milwaukee 5616, but many other brands can equal the features and performance.

One drawback of this approach is the need to clamp and unclamp the height mechanism. That entails bending down and peering into a dark compartment. For that reason alone, many people prefer spending much more money for a Plunge Router attached to lift mechanism. It easily doubles the financial outlay as compared to a fixed-base router alone.

Hi Gary

One difficulty faced by the OP is that there are almost no fixed base routers are available in the UK! We mainly do plunge base over here. The Trend T11 he mentions has the advantage that the depth of cut can be adjusted from above the table by the simple expedient of drilling a hole through the table top for the depth adjuster to go through. What I'm not sure about is whether of not I'd want to go drilling a hole through the Record table (see below for the reasons why)

Hi David and welcome to RouterForums

Would I be right in thinking that you have the Record router table with a cast iron main table section and a sliding aluminium front section (the RPMS-R)? That's the one like the Ryobi RT6000 router table. If so then I'd better say that they have gained a reputation for being awkward to attach almost any router to. I've worked with another branded version of this table and a deWalt DW625 and I can say that it's difficult to mount that machine (or other plunge routers) on the underside of the table. A T11 would have the much the same problems as it is basically a DW625 with some upgrades to the base casting. In fact the mounting clamps are generally awkward on this router table. In addition how are you ever going to drill through that cast iron top to insert the rise/fall adjuster of the T11?

Fundamentally there's little wrong with Makita routers (other than the fact that they are not a favourite of mine - sorry, Harry!), so if your router is working correctly in hand-held mode (is it?) then it should be working OK beneath the table. First thing I'd do is check that the router is firmly attached to the router table. Try running it without anything in the collet (no tool, no collet extender). If you are getting no vibration in hand held mode, but it's vibrating beneath the table then the router isn't clamped firmly enough to the table. In your shoes I'd seriously consider removing the OEM mounting clamps, mounting the router on a Tufnol or plywood plate and fixing the plate to the underside of the table utilising the original mounting clamp holes. If you get to the stage where there is minimal vibation with the router running without anything, but the vibration appears if you insert a cutter or collet extender then either the collet isn't tight enough or, if you are using an extender, then the extender is at fault. Send it back and get another one (such as the excellent Axcaliber collet extender from Axminster Power Tools) which uses proper engineering-quality collets unlike the cheap manky items supplied with some extenders.

Regards

Phil

First, Welcome to the Router Forums.

Phil P has given you a detailed response, and what I want to do is put the emphasis on solving the vibration problem. Harry's assessment of Makita routers is very much like mine; he and I own the same model except his is Australian and mine is U.S. If the router vibrates outside of the table it has a serious defect that must be addressed for safe operation; if the vibration occurs only when mounted in the table, the table is the problem. What do you mean by "1/2 Makita" router?
Please note that certainly Harry is a much more experienced, expert and knowledgeable router user than I am, and Phil P is a professional woodworker and so is also much more experienced and expert than I am.