# Lumberjack RT1500 - any reviews/comments/thoughts?



## Aggrajag (18 Aug 2016)

I know router and router table posts are ten-a-penny but I simply cannot find any reviews online (except Amazon) for the Lumberjack RT1500 which, on the face of it, seems to be ideal for my needs and space.

Amazon:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lumberjack-RT1 ... B00ZOYF7RS
£10 cheaper at Toolsave:
https://www.toolsave.co.uk/product-lumb ... zontalTab3

Has anyone seen or used one?


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## Geordie Joe (18 Aug 2016)

Looks a lot like the one rutlands sells to me.


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## Aggrajag (19 Aug 2016)

So it does, thank you. Cheaper too but hopefully, more importantly, some reviews to go on.


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## Eric The Viking (19 Aug 2016)

Single use device. Spare parts unavailable. It bears a passing resemblance to my first router table, from a shed, which swelled up with damp and became useless.

Do something far better: Get a "Workmate" style trestle and a piece of melamine faced board (old wardrobe panel, for example), and your choice of decent 1/4" router - Trend, Bosch, etc. There are a number of nice ones about for that sort of money, and even more if you buy secondhand. Fix the board to the workmate frame (instead of the jaws) and the router to the middle. Plunge the router to make a perfectly-aligned hole, and you're good to go.

Use a piece of straight, planed stock for the "fence," held on with clamps.

You then have a router table which has the following characteristics:

1. it's cheap and strong, and easily wide enough
2. It is its own bench, and it folds up when not in use
3. It's easy to clean, and you can "modify" the dust extraction if you need to
4. It doesn't matter if you damage it
5. It's part of a "router system", including a nice handheld router with a fence, etc., at no extra cost (see what I did there?)
6. you can use it as a bench, assembly table, tea mug stand, or even a workmate (other beverages are probably available)
7. It's something YOU MADE IT YOURSELF!

I'm sure someone will pop up and say how absolutely marvellous these router-in-a-box thingies are. Put your fingers in your ears, and revel in the fact you're not so easily had by people wanting your hard-earned.

The ONLY thing that you don't get is the ability to run 1/2" shank cutters, but frankly I wouldn't go there with that sort of device (the Lumberjack wotzit) - table's too small, router is underpowered, etc, etc. And you almost NEVER want a split fence that can move in/out. In fact it's a confounded nuisance most of the time.

Frankly, this comes up so often I ought to do a how-to thread.

Really, honestly, if you aspire to usefulness, you will regret something like this, unless you're making dolls houses, in which case get something by Proxxon. 

E.


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## Aggrajag (19 Aug 2016)

I can see you're passionate about this Eric  

I have a spare workmate too. Food for thought.


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## MikeJhn (21 Nov 2016)

Just an update on this, I am back in the UK and my workshop is in France, but I need to carry out a bit of timber moulding, so got hold of a Lumberjack RT1500, this was a shop soiled model on e-by for £100.00 delivered, have to say its a very solid all metal construction unit with a very smooth lifting mechanism, came with four different collets, so all eventualities taken care of, the fence is a bit off the wall and does not slide well on the metal table top, the mitre gauge is the normal loose affair, but not beyond the whit of man to sort out, as with all router tables and saw benches come to that, the bottom of the unit is open so chips off the router heading in that direction end up on the bench, again not beyond the whit of man, as I get to use the table I will update on here.

Mike


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## bigbob1 (21 Nov 2016)

I would do what Eric the Viking says but add buy a Triton router as they are supplied with a height adjusting handle so you can raise and lower from the top of your home made table all you have to do is drill the hole for it. They are table friendly you can remove the springs in them type Triton routers in utube and you will get all the info.


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## MikeJhn (21 Nov 2016)

If you get a Triton Router don't mount it in the Triton insert It puts the winding mechanism nearly under the fence and so close you have to move the fence every time you need to adjust it.

If you are looking for something cheap and cheerful then do look at the Lumberjack or any of its derivatives, at least if you get one you will still have a workmate, think take the cost of a new workmate and a new router off the cost of the Lumberjack in the end with fence, clamps and feather boards you will save money.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Lumberjack-RT1 ... B00ZOYF7RS

Mike


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## MikeJhn (6 Jan 2018)

After using the Lumberjack for over a year now, it has proved to be a very durable and useful addition to my UK workshop, I have upgraded the fence to the Axminster UJK compact Router table one as the plastic job with the Lumberjack was not to my liking, the motor has proved to be adequately powerful enough with a 1/2" bit to rout out 62mm high Oak with this cutter: https://www.wealdentool.com/acatalog/On ... a_702.html 

Just goes to show, in use these cheap units can be very different than the opinion of someone who does not have one and guess's how good it is.

Mike


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## Beardo (14 Nov 2018)

I have used this table a lot. I have generally been very pleased with it. The instruction book is not great, it covers assembly pretty well but it's thin on usage. For instance I found that when I cut mortises the router bit had moved vertically as the wood passed. I rang them and they were very helpful, explaining that when you set the height with the wheel on the front of the table (which is very easy to use and allows precision setting) you need to reach underneath to tighten a locking knob. This is not mentioned in the manual! This knob needs to be tightened carefully and if not right can slip.
The speed is also easy to adjust and the table is sturdy. I found the clear plastic dust extractor cover got in the way and prevented the back plate being set close to the bit as it fouled on the feather board. I used the table with it hinged up out of the way and the extraction was fine. The dust extraction port has a couple of bars across it and this can cause it to block but it is easily cleared by sticking the vacuum nozzle into the front.
All together this is a very usable and well built product at a good price.


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