A router table significantly increases labor productivity and efficiency when working with a hand router. It is often unprofitable to purchase a serial model of such a table for your home milling machine. It is much more economical to make a table with your own hands. It will not take much time and will require very little financial investment. Any home craftsman can cope with this task if desired.
The question is how to make milling table do it yourself, many home craftsmen ask. This is understandable: equipment on which the milling cutter is fixed motionless and the workpiece moves on a work table specially equipped for this purpose is in many cases much more convenient to use. Often, when working with a hand router, the workpiece is secured to regular table, and all manipulations are carried out by the tool itself, which does not allow maintaining the accuracy of processing.
Using a table for a manual router when processing wood products, you can achieve results that can be obtained with professional milling machines. With the help of such a simple device, a whole list of technological operations is efficiently performed: cutting shaped holes and making various slots and grooves in the workpiece, manufacturing connecting elements, edge processing and profiling.
With device milling table factory production can be seen in the video below. We will try to do no worse, and in some ways even better and, most importantly, cheaper.
A milling table will give you the opportunity to process not only wooden workpieces, but also products made from chipboard, MDF, plastic, etc. Using such a table, you can make grooves and splines, process elements of tongue-and-groove joints and tongue-and-groove joints, chamfer and create decorative profiles.
A milling table, the production of which does not require large financial expenditures, will allow you to equip your home workshop with a real woodworking machine. It is no coincidence that many manufacturing companies We started manufacturing milling tables and accessories for them, but for such a device you will have to pay a decent amount of money. A homemade table, if made in accordance with the drawings that we will analyze in this article, is in no way inferior in functionality to models produced in production conditions, and will cost much less.
Milling table drawings: option No. 1
Drawings of a milling table with a detailed analysis of the design of the main components and their dimensions.
Dimensions of parts Sectional table Double-layer table cover Cutout in the first layer of the table Marking the cutout of the second layer of the table Gluing both layers Cutting the cutout according to the markings of the second layer Drawing of the rip fence End plate of the stop Dust extraction pipe Safety shield made of plexiglass Comb clamp and locking block
Milling table design
If you wish, you can make a milling table from a regular workbench, but it is better to make a special design. This is explained by the fact that a machine with a cutter creates strong vibration during operation, so the table for it must be highly stable and reliable. It should also be taken into account that the milling device itself is attached to the bottom of the tabletop, so there must be enough free space under it.
To attach the router to the tabletop, a mounting plate is used, which must have high strength and rigidity. You can use it to make such a plate a metal sheet, textolite or durable plywood. The bases of most router models already have threaded holes; these are what are needed to connect such a device to the tabletop and mounting plate. If there are no such holes, you can drill them yourself and tap them, or use special clamps.
Mounting plate should be located on the same level with the tabletop; for this purpose, a selection of appropriate sizes is made in the latter. It is necessary to drill several holes in the plate, some of which are necessary for connecting it to the tabletop using self-tapping screws, and others for attaching it to the base of the router. The screws and self-tapping screws that you will use must have a countersunk head.
To enable your homemade milling machine more convenient, you can place a regular button on the tabletop, as well as a mushroom button, which will make your device even safer in operation. To improve your convenience home machine You can attach a long metal ruler to the table surface.
Before you start designing milling table for your workshop, you need to determine the place where it will be located, and also decide what type of milling equipment you want to make. So, you can make an aggregate-type machine (the table will be located on the side of the sawing equipment, serving as its extension), compact table machine, free-standing stationary equipment.
You can opt for compact benchtop equipment for working with wood and other materials if you access it irregularly or often use it outside your workshop. This installation takes up very little space, and if desired, it can be hung on the wall.
If the area of your workshop allows, then it is better to make a stationary milling machine, which is much more convenient to work on than on desktop equipment. To make such a device more mobile, it can be placed on wheels, with which you can easily change its location.
A simple homemade milling table. There are questions about the overall strength, but it’s cheap and cheerful.
A simple milling table can be made very quickly. To make a structure that can easily be placed on a regular desktop, you will need a sheet of chipboard on which the guide element is fixed. An ordinary board of small thickness, which is attached to the tabletop using bolted connections, is suitable as such a guide (and at the same time a stop). If necessary, you can attach a second such board in parallel, which will serve as a limiting stop.
It is necessary to make a hole in a sheet of chipboard to accommodate a router, which will be fixed to the tabletop using two clamps. After this, your compact milling table with guide can be considered ready.
Manufacturing of bed and table top
Homemade bed milling installation must have high stability and reliability, since it will bear the main loads. Structurally, it consists of a frame with supports on which the tabletop is fixed. As a material for the manufacture of the frame of the bed, you can use metal profiles connected by welding, chipboard, MDF, wood. It is advisable to first prepare simple drawing. It is necessary to indicate on it all structural elements and their dimensions, depending on the dimensions of the parts that are planned to be processed on such milling equipment.
The lower part of the bed from the front side must be deepened by 100–200 mm so that nothing interferes with the feet of the milling machine operator. If you are going to process linings for doors and the ends of facades for them on your homemade machine, then the dimensions of the frame can be as follows: 900x500x1500 (height, depth, width).
One of significant characteristics The bed for a homemade milling machine is its height, on which the ease of working on such equipment depends. According to ergonomic requirements, the most suitable height for equipment used while standing is 850–900 mm. It is advisable to make the lower parts of the frame supports adjustable. This will make it possible not only to compensate for uneven floors, but also, if necessary, to change the height of the milling table.
Make it inexpensive but very reliable work surface for a homemade milling device, you can use an old tabletop kitchen table. These countertops are usually made from chipboard sheet 26 or 36 mm thick, covered with wear-resistant plastic. Their surface ensures good sliding of the workpiece, and the chipboard base perfectly dampens vibrations that occur during operation of the equipment. If you make a desktop for a machine with your own hands, then MDF and chipboard (LDSP) boards with a thickness of 16 mm or more are suitable for these purposes.
Milling table drawings: option No. 2
Detailed drawings of a milling table with additional retractable drawers, which can be made from timber and plywood (or MDF). A list of parts with dimensions and recommended materials of manufacture is presented in the table.
Table of table parts and their dimensions Frame Upper corner of the frame Lower corner of the frame Guide for sliding drawers Layout of the guides Tabletop Drawing of the stop Large drawer Small Drawer Front of Small Drawer Table Side Panels
How to make a mounting plate
Since the tabletop of a homemade milling machine is quite thick, the mounting plate for attaching the router must have a minimum thickness. This will allow you to make maximum use of the reach cutting tool. It is clear that such a plate, with a minimum thickness, should have high strength and rigidity.
The plate can be made of metal or from a material that is not inferior to it in strength - textolite. The thickness of the textolite sheet should be in the range of 4–8 mm. According to a previously prepared drawing, a rectangular part is cut out of such a sheet, in the center of which a hole is made. The dimensions of the latter correspond to the diameter of the hole in the milling cutter sole.
The connection of the plate with the base of the router and the table itself, as mentioned above, is ensured by the holes made in it and the corresponding threaded holes in the base of the router. Holes for fixing the plate to the table surface are made in its four corners.
The dimensions and location of the holes for connecting the plate to the router must fully correspond to the holes located on the tool base. In order not to make a mistake when manufacturing a plate, you must first prepare its drawing, on which you need to indicate dimensions this part, the diameters and location of all holes on it. If desired, you can fix it on the table surface using clamp brackets.
Video from a detailed story about building a milling table, the functionality and convenience of which are very high, but the complexity of manufacturing is also very serious. For most craftsmen, such a table will be unnecessarily complex, but perhaps someone will learn useful ideas when creating your own equipment.
Milling table assembly
The milling table begins to be assembled by attaching the table top to the finished bed. The mounting plate is applied to the place on the tabletop where it should be placed according to the drawing, and its outline is traced with a pencil. This is necessary in order to select a recess for the plate along the marked contour, for which they use manual frezer with a tool with a diameter of 6–10 mm. The size of this recess should be such that the plate fits into it at the same level as the surface of the tabletop.
It will not be possible to make a recess with right angles using a round cutter, so the corners on the plate itself must also be rounded using a file. After fixing it in the tabletop, it is necessary to make a hole in the mounting plate with dimensions corresponding to the diameter of the router base. It is done using a straight cutter, the thickness of which should be greater than that of the tabletop itself.
When the requirements for equipment are small and there is no desire to mess with homemade products, you can buy something similar to what is shown in the photo below.
To perform such an operation you do not need a drawing, since it does not require high precision. WITH reverse side table tops, it is also necessary to select a certain amount of material, since a dust collector casing and other devices will need to be placed at the bottom of the table. To quickly perform all the operations described above, you can rely on the drawings or photos posted in this article.
The final stage of assembling a homemade milling table is connecting all of it structural elements. First, the router is started from the bottom of the tabletop, its base is screwed to the mounting plate. Then the plate itself is attached to the upper surface of the tabletop using self-tapping screws with countersunk heads, which must be completely recessed into the prepared holes. Only after performing these operations is the tabletop itself securely fixed to the frame.
Milling table drawings: option No. 3
A compact tabletop milling table and a detailed analysis of its creation in the photo below.
Computer model Appearance assembled Rear view Front view The cutter is raised, the shutters are moved apart The cutter is lowered, the shutters are moved Hand-held router Hose from a vacuum cleaner for removing dust and chips Attaching the router and removing chips Adjusting the lift of the cutter The lifting of the cutter is carried out by rotating the screw Adjusting the lift of the cutter Adjusting the reach of the cutter Plexiglas platform before installation router The glass is precisely fitted to the tabletop The router is screwed to the support platform
Making the top clamp
To make a homemade machine safer to use and to ensure the convenience of processing large workpieces on it, you can equip such equipment with an upper clamp. To create this device, made on the basis of a roller, it is necessary to prepare a drawing.
A ball bearing of a suitable size is often used as a roller for the pressing device. Such a roller is mounted on a holding device that allows it to be fixed at any distance from the tabletop. With the help of this simple universal device, the workpiece of any thickness will be securely fixed when moving along the surface of the work table.
In the video below, a man shows his homemade milling table, which he assembled right on the balcony of his own house.
Drive for a homemade milling machine
In order for a homemade milling machine to be different high performance and functionality, it is necessary to equip it with an electric drive of sufficient power. If you plan to use your machine to process wood parts with shallow recesses, a 500 W electric motor will be sufficient for it. However, equipment with a low-power drive will often shut down, which will negate any savings from purchasing a weak electric motor.
The optimal choice for such machines are electric motors, the power of which starts from 1100 W. Such an electric motor with a power varying between 1–2 kW will allow you to use your homemade device like a real milling machine for processing wood products. In addition, you can use any type of cutter on this machine. To equip the machine drive, you can use electric motors that are installed on stationary equipment (for example, on drilling machines), as well as on hand tools(drills, grinders, hand routers).
You should pay attention not only to the power, but also to the speed of the electric motor. The higher this indicator, the better quality the cut will be. Electric motors, as is known, can be powered by electrical network with voltages of 220 and 380 V. There will be no problems connecting the former, but three-phase asynchronous motors will have to be powered using a special star-delta circuit. Connecting according to this scheme will make it possible to use an electric motor on its maximum power and will ensure a smooth launch. And if you directly connect such an electric motor to a 220 V network, you will lose 30–50% of its power.
Milling table drawings: option No. 4
Analysis of another design of a self-made milling table, supplemented by a video from the author.
The tabletop is folded down The elevator is organized using a jack Tabletop, top view Movable carriage-support Parallel stop with wings Box for connecting a vacuum cleaner (dust and chip removal) Steel plate for fastening the router Attaching the sole of the router to the plate Operating principle of the elevator
Safety when working on a homemade milling table
When making a homemade milling machine, you should ensure the safety of working on it. First of all, it is necessary to equip the working tool itself protective screen. Photos and drawings illustrate how such screens are constructed. professional equipment. A mandatory element of your homemade equipment should be an emergency stop button, the so-called mushroom. It should be placed in an easily accessible place, and the start button should be secured in a place where it will not be accidentally pressed.
Make sure that the processing area is well lit, as this is the most dangerous place of any equipment. If during work you need to frequently change the offset of the cutter, you should make a manual or automatic device lifting and lowering the tool (lift). Such a lift will allow you to use your homemade milling equipment more efficiently and make working on it comfortable and safe. Various designs such elevators can also be found on the Internet.
If desired and necessary, you can constantly upgrade your homemade equipment and turn it over time into a full-fledged coordinate machine with a rotating work table.
The masters of the past produced decorative treatment wood by hand. We still admire their creations to this day. But learn fine work woodworking took years, and not every apprentice was able to create a masterpiece to qualify as a master. And raise money for tools and accessories for higher craftsmanship. What is still relevant today: sets of shaped planes, pieces of iron for them and cutters for manual finishing of the product will cost more than a good manual wood milling machine. Which will also shorten the learning process and increase labor productivity significantly. If you make a milling table for it with your own hands, then the quality of the products will become much more stable. True, the functionality of the router will be reduced (the number of types of work operations), but the remaining sections will not be so difficult to finish using the same router without a table or even manually, without the risk of “screwing up” the entire workpiece. This material will be about the essential aspects of making a milling table yourself.
Note: masterpiece was originally a technical term denoting a trial work that must be done independently by an apprentice claiming to be a master. Since in the old workshops the corporate spirit and nepotism dominated everything and everyone, in order for a new apprentice to make his way into a master, he had to do something truly outstanding, even exceptional. This is where the use of the word “masterpiece” came from for a creation created during a creative surge.
Table or machine?
However, hand routers are not cheap tools. There seems to be no fundamental difference in the design of it and the milling head of a vertical milling machine. A motor suitable in power and speed for a homemade milling machine may be waiting in the closet for some use. So what is better to do for milling work on wood: the entire machine from scrap materials, or buy a manual router and a table for it?
Note: factory-made tables for hand-held milling machines are sold in the same way as drill stands that turn them into drilling or lathe machines.
It's about vibrations. The vibration of a machine with a workpiece is the worst enemy of cutting materials. In milling operations, the influence of vibration on the quality of processing is especially strong. If a drill or cutter (except for a chisel in a slotting machine) bites into the workpiece once and then moves through the material more or less smoothly, then the cutter hits the workpiece at least twice on each revolution. Shaped cutters with cutting edges curved in 3 planes reduce this drawback, but do not eliminate it completely - a cutter that does not hit the workpiece will not cut anything from it.
A homemade milling machine with a motor made from junk generally shakes as best it can. Vibration dampening measures available in the home workshop provide a quality of work more suitable for simple carpentry work. In manual wood milling machines, vibration damping is already provided structurally. Installing the router into the table further reduces the “shaking”, and the entire unit becomes suitable for fairly delicate carpentry work, incl. over the front parts of furniture, decorative parts and other important parts. So there is still a fundamental difference between a homemade milling machine and a table for an existing manual milling machine.
How does a milling table work?
The main differences between a milling table with a finished machine and a home-made machine for the same purpose are as follows:
- The table is made according to the design of a vertical milling machine with a bottom drive, while a homemade machine can be both vertical and horizontal. However, the latter does not provide any tangible advantages over the vertical one at home.
- The milling table can be easily equipped with a lift - a device for smoothly and possibly quickly adjusting the protrusion of the cutter above the work table.
- The workpiece stop system of the milling table can be improved compared to homemade machine to improve precision and cleanliness of processing.
- The table-mounted milling machine is reversibly modified (see below) so that it can be removed for manual work.
How a simple milling table for woodworking works is shown in Fig. Cabinet (bed) - any sufficiently strong and stable design, because The main vibration damping is carried out, except with the router itself, by the base plate. Therefore, the cabinet in this case is not actually a bed, because is simply a supporting structure.
On a simple table it is difficult to achieve high-quality processing of workpieces with a large width-to-height ratio. A completely flat board on an equally flat table suddenly, for no apparent reason, moves jerkily, the cut turns out to be uneven, or even the workpiece is bitten by the cutter. The reason is longitudinal, i.e. horizontally propagating elastic waves in the workpiece material. The comb vertical stop (see below) does not have time to absorb them, and antinodes (foci) of vibrations appear on the workpiece, spoiling the whole thing.
The horizontal stop is designed for such a situation, see next. rice. It is always performed with a comb, because is primarily a vibration absorber. For the same purpose, a second vertical comb stop is added.
In Fig. a table with 2-sided stops is shown, designed to feed the workpiece back and forth, see below. TO homemade table for ordinary carpentry work, it is better to make one-sided stops (see below): they are technologically simpler and can be made from ordinary hard, fine-grained wood (oak, beech, walnut). In any case, the most critical structural components of a homemade milling table are:
- Support (work table) and installation (mounting) plates;
- Stops – comb and blind (simple);
- Milling machine lift.
Plates
The base and mounting plates of a milling table are structurally identical to those of the same machine. An example of the design of a base plate for a milling table made of 2 layers of 19 mm plywood is shown in the figure:
Its main disadvantage is its high cost: birch plywood (bakelite is even better) of grade no lower than Ib. Meanwhile, having spent a little more time and labor on gluing a multilayer plywood “pie”, it, and even better quality, can be made, as for a milling machine, from cheap 4-mm construction (grade II) or packaging (non-grade) plywood. The required wear resistance and strength are ensured by impregnating the sheet with a water-polymer emulsion before cutting (a full-fledged substitute is the construction primer EKO Grunt), and vibration-absorbing properties by layers of PVA glue. Dried assembly (reinforced) PVA produces a viscous elastic film that perfectly damps vibrations, but even without that, the height space in which the elastic wave can gain strength is reduced by five.
Note: plywood is glued from veneer sheets with cheap casein or similar synthetic glue, which has vibration-damping properties only to a small extent (its layer is hard and brittle). Plywood glued with PVA would be completely unprofitable.
The design of an installation unit with increased vibration damping for a milling table is shown in Fig. and exactly the same as for a milling machine ().
And the procedure for making the base plate is the same: a sheet of plywood is impregnated 2-3 times on each side, then cut out (immediately with cutouts for the router). It is better to make a car window round or with rounded corners. The bag is glued according to the glue instructions and dried for at least 2 days under dispersed pressure for approx. 100 kg/sq. m slabs; a very good load - stacks of books and/or magazine files.
Plate for the router and its modification
The installation (mounting) plate of the router is made of fiber-laminated vibration-absorbing thermosetting plastic: textolite, fiberglass. Massive thermoplastic materials - hardboard, etc. - are somewhat worse at absorbing vibration. Thermoplastic plastic may warp when heated during operation and the machine will lose accuracy. Massive (ebonite, bakelite) or layered thermosetting plastics (getinax) are unsuitable - they very soon delaminate and crack due to vibrations and heating.
How the machine is modified for installation in a milling table is shown in the figure:
The lock of the standard sliding work table (shown by the arrow on the left in the figure) is released (pressed out). The standard table is then removed and placed on compression springs (in the center) with a total force of approx. 1.5 car weight. The base of the standard table (shown by the arrow in the center) is removed, and a mounting plate is attached in its place (on the right in the figure). Restoring the machine for manual use is done in the reverse order.
Stops
Since a homemade milling table is capable of providing better accuracy and cleanliness of processing than the same machine, it is advisable to modify the stop system for it. Stops, as in the machine or in Fig. above with picture simple table, are suitable for the manufacture of non-facade (decorative) parts, because The straight L-shaped blind stop still strongly transmits vibrations back into the workpiece and makes it difficult to feed it (a workpiece made from ordinary industrial wood can jam).
Drawings of oblique comb and blind vertical stops for a homemade wood milling table are shown in Fig. Structurally, the comb stop for a table is somewhat different from that for a machine (all teeth are the same), because The whole unit doesn't shake as much anymore. Maple is one of the best vibration absorbers, but seasoned, without defects, knots, twists and cross-layers, commercial maple wood is an expensive and scarce material. It can be completely replaced by oak, beech, hornbeam, and walnut.
Note: An even better vibration damper is elm wood. But the defect-free seasoned business elm in wide sale practically absent, because All of it goes into lasts for sewing expensive leather shoes and important machine parts.
The comb and blind stops are installed in pairs (the blind stop is the first along the workpiece), see the inset in the center in Fig. They are fixed with a locking block (stopper), highlighted in red in Fig. on right. However, placing a comb with a capercaillie before the cutter along the course of the workpiece when feeding it, as shown there, is still wrong: the main “shaking” occurs behind the cutter. But installing 2 pairs of comb-grouse, before and after the cutter, is not prohibited and is useful for processing accuracy.
Back and forth emphasis
Workpieces made from homogeneous high-quality materials (MDF, post-forming for kitchen countertops, selected thin-layer wood) are often milled using the back-and-forth method: the part is pushed onto the cutter and immediately, without turning off the router, pulled back. The combination of up and down milling in one pass (see the article on the milling machine) gives the cleanest surface.
Note: parts milled back and forth are quite suitable for veneering and lamination.
However, it is impossible to place a pair of oblique combs turned in opposite directions for milling back and forth: the workpiece will jam on the incoming ridge. For back-and-forth milling, the workpiece is supported by pairs of vertical and horizontal straight combs (see figure above): their ridges (and grooves between them) are perpendicular to the working surface, and the working parts of the combs are trapezoidal in plan with bevels 60 degrees from the perpendicular (30 degrees from the sole of the comb). Unfortunately, the choice of materials for making straight 2-sided combs yourself is limited: defect-free, seasoned commercial maple, elm, teak.
Note: On sale there are straight combs for wood routers, cast from polypropylene. I don’t know how they work, I haven’t tried them.
Elevator
The most simple designs elevators for a wood milling table - hard cam (pos. A in the figure) and wedge (pos. B).
Their common advantage is the ability to do base plate folding for easy access to the router. But the overall huge drawback is instability; the machine slides down due to vibration. In fact, after 1.5-2 m of cutting, the elevator has to be reinstalled. A cam elevator, in addition, in terms of ease of use, is not much better than a homemade milling machine elevator that is adjustable with washers and rubber.
The optimal design of the milling machine elevator in the table is screw, see next. rice. If the lower flange nut is additionally secured with a locknut (or a self-tightening flange nut is installed), the cutter extension is held firmly. And it can be truly adjusted, literally while the workpiece is being processed.
Precision mini table
For artistic woodworking and/or facade carpentry, an indispensable thing is a milling and copying machine. It is possible to make it yourself, but it is quite difficult, and purchasing a factory made one only makes sense if there is a stable flow of orders for work of this type and solid skills in performing them.
However, shaped grooves in the front parts of furniture, milled in a straight line, can give an excellent aesthetic effect. Direct milling is widely used in the manufacture of furniture and decorative wood products in any style, see fig. It can be done independently with low-power hand tools. milling machines on wood of increased accuracy (on the right in the figure); installing a manual mini router in a table improves the quality of work and productivity in the same way as a “large” one.
Drawings of a mini wood milling table for domestic handcraft milling machine are given on the next page. rice. Its distinctive features are a cam side clamp of the workpiece and a vertical comb with wide teeth. Solution for working with quality materials quite justified: small fine combs themselves “act” a little on the workpiece, which is minimized in this design.
What about the hood?
Milling wood produces many times more sawdust, shavings and wood dust than sawing operations. Dust spoils the precision of processing on the table and the health of its operator just like a dusty machine. Therefore, a milling table also requires a dust collector, a dust extractor and a dust collector; their design is the same for both the table and the machine, see respectively. article.
A milling table will make your work easier and help increase the accuracy of workpiece processing. You can buy a ready-made one, or you can make a milling table for a manual router with your own hands, using woodworking skills. We have prepared for you quite detailed step-by-step instructions for making a table.
The essence of all designs of a horizontal milling table is the same, the idea is clear - you need to think it over for yourself and implement it, taking into account your capabilities. And in the end, you will get a machine that allows you to process workpieces much more accurately and perform operations that previously seemed difficult for a manual milling cutter.
Decide on the size of the working surface, based on the dimensions of the workpieces being processed and the free space in the workshop. Start small - build simple table top, incorporating modernization possibilities into the design. Work on it and little by little bring it to mind.
Make a table top
The simplest table for a router - separate work plate, placed on carpentry trestles or between pedestals. The device costs pennies and can be manufactured in a few hours, but will allow you to perform a significant proportion of the same operations as a multifunctional machine. All you need is MDF or birch plywood with a thickness of 19-25 mm. Better fit a plastic-coated panel that provides less frictional resistance, and a plate laminated on both sides will not warp during use.
Set the exact right angle of cut on the circular saw, cut the parts according to size and sand the ends.
Cutting diagram: 1 - main plate; 2 — support base; 3 — front wall of the stop; 4 — gusset (4 pcs., dimensions for 19 mm plywood); 5 — drawer (2 pcs.); 6 — side bar; 7 — connecting strip (4 pcs.)
Advice. Measure the thickness before cutting sheet material, often different from the standard. Amend the drawings to eliminate problems when assembling the structure.
Remove the plastic cover from the router base.
Draw a line in the middle of the slab and place a mark 235 mm from the edge.
Place the pad so that later the main router controls are closer to the edge of the table. Visually align the center of the cover with the marked point and mark the locations for drilling holes for the mounting screws.
Determine the center location for the sole with equally spaced screws.
For a base with asymmetrically placed screws, measure the diameter of the pad and the distance from the outer circumference to the cut of the sole.
Mark a mark with a pencil in the middle of the beveled side, calculate the distance from it to the center:
- S = D / 2 - (D - H)
Position the cut perpendicular to the midline and mark the center of the sole.
Mark the locations of the mounting screws.
Drill holes for mounting and for the cutter, countersink the recesses. Mark semicircular cutouts in the base and front wall of the stop.
Cut out the bends with an electric jig saw. Make auxiliary frequent cuts perpendicular to the edge of the part, slightly short of the marking line. Then move the file a little closer to the contour line - pieces will fall out without interfering with the movement of the blade. Sand the cutout with sandpaper wrapped around the pipe.
Attach the connecting strips to the bottom of the tabletop.
Glue all the pieces together and secure them with additional screws. Select screws that are longer than the standard ones by the thickness of the plywood and install the router from the bottom of the slab.
1 — side strip for fastening with clamps on trestles; 2 - drawer; 3 — countersunk guide holes; 4 — front wall of the stop; 5 - self-tapping screw with countersunk head 4.5x42; 6 - scarf; 7 - support base
Fasten the table to the trestles with clamps, secure the position of the stop with clamps and get to work.
Make a solid base
The worktop can be installed on a frame of low height, sufficient to accommodate the router. The portable table is stored on a rack, and for work it is fixed on a workbench. If you often mill and have free space in the workshop, add support pedestals to the tabletop and get a full-fledged machine.
Cut the cabinet elements according to the dimensions given for the 820 mm high table, or change them so that the table top is level with other equipment.
Frame details: 1 - outer side panel; 2 — inner panel; 3 - rear panel; 4 - base
Place the tabletop with the back side facing up. Install the side panels sequentially and screw them with screws, pre-drilling the guide holes. Secure the base, place the frame front side down, align the right corners and install the two back panels.
Finally, attach the wheel supports to the bottom of the housing using roofing screws. Place the wheel mounting pads no closer than 20 mm from the edges.
1 — side stand; 2 — wheel support; 3 - bottom; 4 — internal stand; 5 - rear panel
Use the free space in cabinets to solve the problem of storing tools and consumables.
Embed the mounting plate
Get a longer cutter reach by placing the tool on a 4-6 mm thick plate made of duralumin, getinax or monolithic polycarbonate.
Cut a square with a side of 300 mm from the sheet and place it on the workbench. Glue the plastic sole of the router on top with double-sided tape, placing it in the middle face up. Using a drill of the same diameter as the mounting screws, drill holes in the plate, using the plastic trim as a template. Remove the sole, use a countersink or a large drill to make indentations for the caps.
Screw the plate to the disconnected router, insert an 8 mm drill into the collet. Lower the tool body until the drill touches the surface and rotate the chuck, marking the center. Unscrew the plate and use a hole saw to make a hole at the mark.
Place the plate on the tabletop and trace the outline. Draw and cut the cutout by inserting the jigsaw blade through drilled hole. Straighten the ends with a file and sand with sandpaper.
Secure thin boards around the marked outline with clamps.
Clamp in collet copy cutter with a bearing, set the milling depth according to the thickness of the mounting plate. Carry out the milling in several passes, then add 0.5 mm with the micrometer adjustment of the router and make the final pass.
Drill through holes under the screws and expand them from the back of the tabletop with an 11 mm drill bit for self-locking nuts. Clean the surfaces and install the nuts with epoxy glue, aligning with the screws.
Fit the mounting plate to the cutout, place it in place, drill the mounting holes and countersink front side. Attach the part to the router base, insert the tool into the tabletop and tighten the screws. Check that the plate is flush with the plane of the tabletop; if necessary, compensate for errors with washers.
Improve your focus
For faster and more convenient machine setup, upgrade the parallel side fence and add a rotary fence to help machine the ends of narrow parts. The latter can be taken from a stationary circular saw. Cut aluminum T-profile guides into the surface of the slab. To make cutouts in the tabletop, use a router or circular saw with groove disc.
Lightly round the top corners of the grooves with sandpaper. Cut the profile to size, drill holes according to the diameter of the screws, and countersink them. Place the parts into the grooves, make thin holes and tighten countersunk screws.
Drill 7mm holes in the base of the stop, select hex bolts and plastic handwheels with nuts.
Install a guide profile in the front stop bar to secure clamps, auxiliary pads and protective devices.
Cut a cover from plywood with a hole in the center, secure it to the gussets located near the cutout of the longitudinal stop. Connect the adapter fitting and connect the vacuum cleaner when working on the router table.
Add a safety shield made from plywood scraps and a strip of plexiglass to the stop.
To make oblong cuts, drill 7mm holes at the indicated points, connect them tangents and make cuts with a jigsaw.
Make homemade clamps and clamps necessary for milling small elements.
The comb clamp can be made from maple wood, choosing a section with a straight grain pattern. Make the gaps between the ridges on a circular saw:
- Set the cutting height to 50 mm.
- Set the cutting width to 2 mm.
- Make a cut.
- Pull the workpiece back with a hand pusher.
- Turn the board 180° and saw through the other side.
- Move the stop by 5 mm, repeat the operations.
- Move the stop back again and make cuts throughout the entire workpiece.
Secure the clamps to the guide using bolts and wing nuts.
1 - stopper; 2 — comb clamp; 3 — protective shield; 4 - aluminum guide; 5 - pipe for vacuum cleaner
Sand the surfaces of the parts, especially in areas where the workpieces will pass during the milling process. Clean the machine from dust and coat it with oil.
1 — drawer for cutters; 2 - trapezoidal groove for stop
Let's summarize the project
Materials needed:
- Plywood 19x1525x1525 mm - 2 sheets.
- Plastic 4x30x30 mm.
- Several dozen screws.
- Aluminum guides - 2.3 m.
- Wheel support with brake - 4 pcs.
- Wood glue and epoxy.
- M6 bolts with nuts.
The ability to take your time and think through each step, to accurately mark and cut out blanks, or the desire to learn this came in handy. The result is a high-quality milling table for little money. In the future, it is worth thinking about equipping the machine with a switch and a mechanism for adjusting the milling height.
A milling machine is purchased for many carpentry jobs. But sometimes the scope of its application increases significantly, and there is a need to reconstruct the workplace. A do-it-yourself milling table for a manual router is a great opportunity to save money cash and create a high-quality work surface for yourself. Carpentry work is now in great demand, and in Everyday life this tool is quite useful. And more convenient working conditions will make him simply irreplaceable.
Milling table
An experienced carpenter can assemble a simple milling table with his own hands even without drawings, prepared dimensions and diagrams. There are many videos on the Internet on this topic and step-by-step explanations of the essence of the work. If you have decided to try yourself in this area for the first time, then do not despair; if you wish, you can make a table for a hand router in just one day. In addition, you will be completely confident in the strength of your product, and you will also be able to choose the ideal dimensions that are necessary specifically for your room. But, before making a circular milling table, you should understand what it is.
Milling table drawing
A homemade milling table is in no way distinguishable from a store-bought version if it is made in compliance with the basic rules and requirements. Milling machines move along the surface of the material being processed, thereby leveling it. If this type of processing is made stationary, then the master will spend much less time and effort on the work.
A DIY router table takes up a certain amount of space in the room. Therefore, before installation, decide what kind of table you want to see:
- aggregate;
- removable;
- stationary.
Aggregate Portable Stationary
remember, that most work can only be performed in a stationary mode. Also, consider how often you will use the machine, because for rare use a portable model is quite suitable, and for daily use - a stationary one workplace.
What parts does a milling table consist of?
A homemade milling table can be made alone, without resorting to outside help. To do this, it is necessary to manufacture all the main parts of the structure for subsequent assembly. Without one of the parts, the milling table can become practically useless, since it will not perform its main duties. The DIY router consists of the following parts:
- countertops;
- beds;
- hem support;
- pressing combs;
- mounting plate.
The tabletop for a hand router should be thick, durable and even. Kitchen countertops are great for this, or, if you don’t have one, regular plywood. Just remember that a universal milling table requires a thickness of at least 16 mm, so the plywood sheets should be glued together with wood glue. Additional means can be used to make the surface smoother, for more comfortable work. You need to make a hole in the center to install the router.
Milling table drawings cannot do without a bed. It is responsible for the stability of the structure, absorbing all vibrations emanating from the instrument. For this you can use old bedside tables and tables, but provided that they are very durable. Some focus their attention on metal models, which is quite practical.
Milling table from an old bedside table
The hem stop, fixed to the tabletop, is responsible for the correct supply of material. It can be made stationary, for permanent materials, or sliding, if the master will work with elements of different sizes. This is a very important element in the work, since the quality of the cutter’s work will depend on the evenness of all sides.
Pressing combs on the table for a circular saw and a router are almost mandatory. They perfectly fix the material not only from the sides, but also from above. This comb can be installed at any height using fasteners. Its dimensions are set based on the personal wishes of the master and what he will encounter in his work.
Experts advise immediately installing sliding ridges and stops, then the functionality of the working machine will increase significantly.
Assembly Rules
Assembling a milling table with your own hands should be done in stages. First you need to decide on the tabletop and make a hole in it for the tool. Next, material supply control systems are attached.
In this case, it is necessary to accurately determine the places of their attachment down to the smallest detail, since the quality of further work depends on this.
Herself milling machine must be firmly secured under the tabletop. It should not dangle or hang; any movements can lead to injury during operation or equipment breakdown. It is better to fix it with self-tapping screws, for your own peace of mind.
The main thing in this method of work is to make the most convenient workplace for the master. And in this regard, the master himself works with all dimensions, knowing what he actually wants to get as a result.
Electronics at work
It is quite easy to make a circular and milling table with your own hands, but do not forget that this tool works from electric current. Since the start and stop buttons will be located in an inconvenient place for the master, care must be taken to use them. You can make an exit and install buttons to start and stop the mechanism in a convenient place, but this requires knowledge in electronics.
Eat Alternative option, which is less safe for the router and circular saw. The start button is pressed, and it is in a constantly on state, stopping only by the cable when disconnected from the network.
A new milling table made by yourself must fully comply floor covering workplace. If the floors are uneven, you should make legs with a movable mechanism, otherwise the structure will quickly become unusable. In order for the service life of the router table to significantly exceed all expectations, its surface is coated with varnish or other woodworking liquid. This not only increases service life, but also additionally holds the elements together.
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Protect yourself from damage that may occur during operation. On longitudinal stop install protective glass, which will be a barrier to flying chips, sawdust and other elements.
When making a milling table at home with your own hands, remember that working with it is quite dangerous and you better take care of your safety.
Every person's workshop contains all the tools he needs. But at the same time, there may be an urgent need to arrange a workplace, and store prices may not suit you. And in general, not all people have the opportunity to visit stores with similar products.
Milling table drawing
The milling table has drawings and diagrams, so it won’t be difficult to make it yourself a lot of work. Moreover, you yourself will know which model you need and what sizes will be convenient for you. The purchase option may not always be the way out. Don’t be afraid and waste time; even a beginner can figure out how to make a table.
Currently, milling equipment is especially popular. The essence of this type of material processing is that the cutter processes a workpiece that is fixed motionless, that is, the tool itself rotates, but the workpiece does not. However, this is not always convenient when it comes to a manual router. A table for a manual router is perfect solution this problem. You can make a structure that will allow you to move the workpiece, and the hand router itself will be fixed permanently. The question arises, how to make a table for a hand router with your own hands.
Of course, you can try to search already ready-made solution, but this will be quite difficult to do, since a hand router is a specific tool. You can make such a table with your own hands quite simply. However, first you need to decide on its design.
Selecting the type of table to be mounted
You can make a table for a manual router with your own hands in three types:
- portable;
- stationary;
- aggregate.
If we talk about the portable version, then it is ideal for a manual router. Such a table can be used not only directly in the workshop, but also dragged to any other convenient place.
When it comes to working in confined spaces, as well as in permanent place, then the stationary option looks preferable. It will be possible to perform not only operations using a manual milling cutter, but also a lot of other actions. For example, sawing workpieces.
Drawing of a milling table with a milling lift.
If the first two options are not suitable, you need to choose the third.
Before you make a table for a hand router with your own hands, you need to clearly understand what main parts it consists of. There must be a bed, a tabletop, a mounting plate, and stops. These are the parts that are included in any table for a manual router. The easiest option is to use a ready-made table. You just need to attach additional parts to it. Here you will have to make stops, clamps and think over the fastening method.
However, it is worth taking a closer look at the process from the very beginning so that there are no questions about how to make a table for a manual router with your own hands.
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Bed and its features
The bed is an integral part of any router table. And this applies not only manual option, but also ordinary. The bed consists of two parts - a frame and a table top.
For work you will need MDF or chipboard, as well as metal profiles and wood.
Exactly metallic profile provides simple assembly the entire structure. Here, all joints are not welded to each other, but are fastened with bolted connections. In this case, the connections are reliable and, if necessary, easy to disassemble.
As for the dimensions of the bed, they are selected depending on the size of the parts that will most often be processed on it. In order to avoid mistakes, it is worth acquiring a drawing. All overall and geometric dimensions should be indicated on it.
List of materials and parts for making a milling table.
As for the height of the bed, it should be optimal for the work. It is best to choose a height from 0.8 to 1 m. However, everything depends mainly on the height of the person who will have to work with a hand router. To avoid your feet touching the bottom of the table while working, you should make it recessed in relation to the top part. In this case, all problems of this kind disappear.
Chipboard should be used to make the lid. This material perfectly resists various types of vibrations. In addition, such a surface will be hard and smooth, which means that the workpiece will easily slide and move along it.
You can also use thick plastic. Such a surface is quite easy to process using any tools. In addition, plastic is a smooth material on which the workpiece will glide perfectly. No additional processing is required here. Plastic is easy to cut and process. This allows you to make excellent grooves on its surface and fasteners.
The aluminum tabletop is also excellent option. This material is easy to process and is not exposed to external aggressive factors. First of all, we are talking about moisture. Aluminum is not subject to corrosion. The tabletop will last for many years.
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Mounting plate: nuances
The mounting plate is one of the main parts of the machine. It is simply necessary to install it. Mounting plate allows you to save design features milling machine. This is done if the height of the frame exceeds 25 mm. This size occurs because the frame is made 1 m high.
Very often, a metal sheet is used to make such a plate. It must have a minimum thickness. You can use a sheet of PCB.
This material is extremely durable, which is a necessity in this case.
The mounting plate can be of different sizes, but they must be exactly the same size as the countertop. It shouldn't be too thick. Its optimal thickness is approximately 6-8 mm.
It is necessary to make a hole in the center of the workpiece, the diameter of which will be equal to the corresponding characteristic in the milling sole. Most models have special holes to which the plate is attached. If there are none, then you should do them yourself. For these purposes, a drill is used, into which a metal drill is installed. You can do without extra holes.
Any hand router can be secured using brackets with springs.
This fastening method is also quite effective, but it is worth remembering that the brackets must be made of durable material, since as a result of work, numerous loads arise that cause vibration of the machine. It can harm both the router itself and cause an accident.
All parts for the table are now ready. It is very important that they are all done according to these instructions. Otherwise, there is a high probability that the work will be done poorly.
