Router spindle not square to table

[Steve1]

Took me a while to figure out why my miters were open.  The bevel cutter I used was as close to 45 (or 90) as I am able to measure.

I have a Jessem router lift which I had always considered to be very well made.  But I find that if you are holding the motor a little cocked when you clamp it, it will stay cocked after you clamp it.  I have one router and sometimes use it in the router table, sometimes on the fixed base, and sometimes on the plunge base.  (Maybe I should dedicate a motor to the table ?)  It is indeed awkward to remove/install the motor from the underside of the router table, and the clamp screw on the back.  Probably I should have removed the router lift from the table and installed the motor on my workbench.  I never thought to check if the spindle was actually square to the table.  Live and learn.  But that's also why I am writing this --- so others might not have to learn the hard way.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I wouldn't have thought that this would be an issue? Especially with Jessem. I would think that the clamp would force it straight?
I use a 3hp Triton in my table. It has not let me down in 2 years of commercial shop use. I do however run it on a separate circuit for the extractor when taking heavy cuts.

 

[Steve1]

I wouldn't have thought that this would be an issue? Especially with Jessem. I would think that the clamp would force it straight?

I would not have thought that would be an issue either.  I think the problem originates with the pivoting blocks on shoulder screws that Jessem uses to accommodate multiple router sizes.  There is always going to be some play in that arrangement.  When you clamp up the motor, the play is eliminated, but the router may not be in perfect alignment when you clamp it up.

I guess its like anything --- until you measure how square (or straight, or plumb, etc), you really don't know what you have, and should not assume.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

Yes, this is one of the problems that comes up with virtually anything that is adjustable. this is almost always a balance situation. The more adjustable a thing is, the more useful it can be in multiple situations, but that comes with the caveat of also requiring that adjusting before you can use it. Tools that do multiple jobs don't usually don't do them all very well. Hopefully they do one well and the others at least adequately? But again, taking more time/adjustment to do that. If you don't need those added features very often, this might work out.
Simple things that are not very adjustable do that one thing very well and are much quicker to use, but they require separate tools for each operation. This adds to cost and space/storage concerns.

I learned this early from the ShopSmith that I was given by a family member many years ago. It is essentially a power source and mounting base for an old-school multi-tool. With the available attachments, it can do nearly any woodworking task. Table saw, bandsaw, jointer, drill press, horizontal boring, lathe, etc. But it doesn't do any of them very well and it can only do one at a time, so you better have your order of operations right and not need to go back to another operation. It does the best as a lathe, but takes up too much space for that and is pretty blah for the rest.
If you had a very tiny space but wanted to do a variety of things? Ok, just don't concern yourself about time.

 

[Bob D.]

The mount for the router body may be perpendicular with the table top but is the bit perfectly parallel with the router body.

The critical measurement seems to me to be is the bit perpendicular to the table. In between there are many adjustments or mechanical connections where that relationship can be accurized or destroyed.

 

[Steve1]

Rotating the spindle of the motor did not significantly change the amount of tilt. (Its about a 10" long rod, there was a touch of run-out at the tip, but that can be accounted for in the checks)

Rotating the router body 180 degrees in the Jessem body did not necessarily change the direction of the tilt.

But I did notice that frequently when I loosened, moved/rotated the router and re-tightened, the amount of tilt changed. 

There are indeed many connections where accuracy could be compromised.  None are adjustable.  Jessem did a good job in manufacturing and assembling the unit.  I have not been able to identify any inaccuracies in the assembled unit, just play in the clamping jaws.  Probably, the nominal centerline of the carriage is square to the table top. 

 

[Lbob131]

At  6.46  the  router  is  inverted  and  sits  squarely  on  the  collet  nut. Then  tighten  up. =243s

 

[Steve1]

He says "The last step is to bolt it down at the corners".

No.

Last step is to put a straight rod in the collet and check that it is square to the table top.  Until you measure, you just don't know.

 

[Lbob131]

His  method  is  the last step.
When  its  square  to  the plate, measuring  is  unnecessary.

 

[mino]

His  method  is  the last step.
When  its  square  to  the plate, measuring  is  unnecessary.

Steve is correct. You may skip steps in between to speed up.

But never skip the last step - verifying that what you did is what you think you did.

 

[Lbob131]

Measuring  it  will just  confirm  that  its  bang on accurate.
So  measuring  is  unecessary  IMO.

If  you  are  just  man  handling  the  router  in  to  place  from  underneath  then  certainly  its  needs  checking.
Its  like  putting  a  blade  into a saw. You  don't  start  faffing  around  with a  dial  guage  to see  if  its  running  true.