It is more convenient and efficient to work with a manual router on a special table. Therefore, the owners of the instrument sooner or later think about buying a table or making it with their own hands.
Homemade design has a number of advantages, which you will learn about below.
Purpose of the milling table
example of a homemade milling table
A router is one of the essential tools for woodworking. With it, you can:
- cut the spike fastening;
- select a groove or groove;
- grind the edges.
Some processes are inconvenient to do with a hand tool, because you need to hold the workpiece and the cutter at the same time. The table is a reliable support and fixture for manual router, on which it is possible to produce accurate and high-quality products that are not inferior to factory ones. Making a stand according to ready-made drawings is easy.
Advantages of a homemade table for a manual router
- Value for money finished fixtures are usually unsatisfactory. The buyer is faced with a choice: a cheap wobbly Chinese workbench or a branded product at a fabulous price.
- Dimensions homemade design will be optimal for the home workshop.
- The functionality of the milling table and the number of additional devices depend only on the desire of the master.
- Homemade design is easy to modify and improve.
Features of a homemade design
The type of table is the first thing you need to decide before making drawings and making a table with your own hands. The choice is between three options:
- stationary: if the work is done in the workshop and the area allows it, this is the strongest and most reliable type of stand. Once set, the settings can not be changed for a long time. To move around the workshop, attach the wheels;
- desktop: convenient for field and one-time work. A small table will fit in the pantry or on a shelf;
- aggregate: attached to the side of a workbench or carpentry table.
Cutter fixture. The most convenient is to use a mounting plate installed in the countertop. The tool is attached to the plate from the underside and can be easily removed for replacement or repair of the cutter. You can make a mounting plate with your own hands from a small piece of sheet steel.
Materials. Many convenient and functional homemade products are made from scraps and waste: plywood, boards, timber, chipboard. As a material for the countertop, you can take thick plywood or chipboard, many choose MDF. Laminated is especially convenient - the surface is smooth, workpieces slide easily over it. Good for countertops are thick plastic, aluminum sheet.
Whatever material the countertop is made of, it should not bend during operation! If the table surface is large, consider additional stiffeners in the drawing.
Small cutting table
If the master uses a manual router infrequently, a compact table is suitable for him, which is rigidly fixed on the workbench. It is made with a side stop and an outlet for connecting a vacuum cleaner.
Materials required for work:
- plywood No. 21;
- PVA glue;
- bars 50x50;
- threaded pins - 2 pcs.;
- wing nuts - 2 pcs.;
- screws.
Tools:
- hacksaw;
- hammer;
- screwdriver;
- drill;
- chisel;
- clamps.
Work progress:
- We make a table box with our own hands from plywood or a bar. You will have to tinker with plywood: it is glued together in two layers for strength: the cut parts are coated with PVA and fastened with clamps until completely dry. You need to prepare 4 such blanks.
- In one of the bars of the base we cut out grooves for fastening to the workbench. There should be two.
- Cut out a square of plywood according to the size of the future countertop. We mark the places of attachment and exit of the cutter.
- We drill holes with a drill, countersink the holes for the screws to hide the heads.
- On the screws with our own hands we assemble the construction of the box.
- We make a mount for the side stop: these are two threaded pins on which the wing nuts will be screwed.
- Let's make a side emphasis: two plywood rectangles that will be fastened with screws and a pair of stiffeners. We drill and countersink holes for screws, drill circles for the cutter and grooves for clamping.
- We make a small box for connecting a vacuum cleaner, insert a pipe into it and attach it to the stop.
- Now we press the emphasis on the lambs with our own hands to the tabletop and you can start milling.
Stationary table for router
Such a milling table is in no way inferior to factory models. To make it yourself, you need materials:
- plywood;
- chipboard cuttings;
- bar 5x5 cm;
- fasteners (self-tapping screws, bolts, hinges);
- metal profile;
- jack;
- aluminum guides;
- steel plate 6 mm;
- saw carriage (guide).
Having picked up everything you need, we proceed to assemble the table with our own hands. First, we make the basis of the structure from scraps of boards, chipboard and plywood. The stand needs to be made rigid, so we cut out additional spacers from plywood. In the right sidewall we make a hole for the toggle switch, it will connect to the router.
- The tabletop is made of chipboard, it is installed on hinges on one side and additionally rests on two racks, between which a manual milling cutter will be fixed. We cut the racks out of plywood, attach them to the tabletop with corners on the screws.
- We make an emphasis-carriage for moving the part along working surface. To do this, we cut a groove for metal guides and install them. The carriage will be a guide removed from a broken saw.
- We collect from chipboard longitudinal stop so that you can set gaps around the tool, the stop must be mobile. Therefore, on top of the stop, we cut the grooves perpendicular to each other and attach the structure to the surface of the table. In the center we make a shallow recess to remove sawdust.
- We collect boxes for connecting a vacuum cleaner, attach it behind the stop.
- We prepare a platform for placing blanks: choose upper layer Chipboard equal to the thickness of the steel plate. We fasten the plate onto the screws. We countersink the holes for the screws so that the heads do not protrude. The plate must lie flush with the surface of the table, otherwise it will be inconvenient to work. A milling cutter will be attached to it from below.
- We attach the hand mill to the bolts from the bottom of the steel plate.
- We make an elevator for a manual router from a jack (automobile), which makes it possible to accurately change the height of the working router. We dismantle the handles of the router and replace them with aluminum guides, which we fix on the jack. The table is done and ready to use.
A modern range of processing power tools will satisfy the needs of any craftsman. However, you can always turn hand tool V stationary machine.
The most sought-after woodworking tool is, of course, a milling cutter. Most of the work can be done with a manual milling cutter, but when large workpieces are processed, technical difficulties arise.
Purchase milling machine For home use too costly event, so the masters are trying to make a table for the router with their own hands.
Homemade table allows you to manipulate the workpiece, while the router itself is rigidly fixed on the tabletop. The power tool is attached from below, protrudes above the level of the table.
Do-it-yourself homemade milling table from wooden bars
How to make a table for a manual router
The main condition is a massive structure that will be reliable during vibrations and withstand the weight of a workpiece of any size.
IMPORTANT! Because the router is dangerous, the table may fall and cause injury. To give stability to the structure, it is advisable to equip the table legs with height adjusters. Then you can set the machine on an uneven surface.
The worktop should be made of a smooth, wear-resistant material, such as a kitchen worktop coating. The legs and frame of the table can be made from a bar with a thickness of at least 40 mm, or from plywood 10-12 mm. The space under the tabletop should allow easy access to the router for maintenance and changing the router bit. Or the upper part is made hinged, like a piano cover.
Since a home-made milling table is a critical piece of equipment, before starting work, you need to draw detailed drawing.
Security:
- The cutter start button is made remote. It is advisable to close it with a lid to prevent spontaneous switching on. But the emergency de-energization button, on the contrary, should be easily accessible;
- It is advisable to close the cutter with an automatic folding shield, as in circular saws;
- There should not be any objects, protruding parts of the interior, steps and wires around the table. During operation, you can trip and get injured;
- The electrical wiring is laid in the corrugation, and securely fastened to inner surface table;
- The replacement of cutters is carried out only on a de-energized electrical appliance, with a complete disconnection from the network;
- It is desirable to provide for the possibility of removing chips from the working area.
IMPORTANT! There should not be any sagging power wires inside the structure.
In addition to clogging the workplace, sawdust can get into the ventilation of the router (because it is under the table) or between the tabletop and the workpiece. This can lead to slippage of the workpiece.
How to install a plate for a router in a table
The most important part of the design that affects the quality of work is the plate (or sole) of the hand mill. Since, when installed in a table, it is no longer a support unit, it is necessary to consider a reliable fastening and controlled movement of the cutter vertically.
Plate for fastening the router
Mounting the power tool to a plate instead of a table makes it easy to dismantle it for maintenance or changing attachments.
For the convenience of working with a milling cutter, the craftsmen install it permanently, and the workpiece is moved. When working in this way, we are no longer talking about a manual router, but the so-called "milling table". In this article we will try to explain how to make a wood milling machine with your own hands.
Which cutter to choose
There are many types of cutters. Before choosing it, you need to consider for what purposes you will need it. More complex workpieces will require a more powerful and resourceful router. Experts recommend choosing a router with manual adjustment and automatic spindle stabilization.
Very convenient milling machines with systems soft start and quick stop. And if the tool allows you to replace the motor brushes without opening the case, then there will be no price for it at all. This is a really significant plus.
In many operating instructions, manufacturers of milling machines advise against using it in upside down work. In general, these restrictions are not justified and can be ignored.
Tip: choose a router with a power of at least 2 kilowatts to confidently work with any tree. It should also have a speed control, as a rule, it is on all models. As for whether it’s worth buying brands like Bosch or Makita, my opinion is that if you do it professionally and every day, it’s worth it, but if for yourself, then an inexpensive Chinese is enough.
DIY milling table video
Milling table base
An important part of the tool is special frame(bed). This is a frame on supports, on top of which there is a countertop. The bed can be made from any material: metal, wood, chipboard, etc.
The main thing is that it be rigid and stable. Size doesn't really matter either. It all depends on what size parts you will be working with.
To provide convenient work machine operator, the lower part of the bed must be deepened.
Due to this, the operator does not cling to the structure with his feet during work. We advise you to make a bed with adjustable supports that will allow you to work on any uneven floors.
A do-it-yourself wood milling machine is notable for its huge selection of creation options. You can create it completely for yourself.
table top
There is nothing complicated here. One option is the usual kitchen countertop covered with special plastic. On plastic, the workpiece will glide perfectly, and the board will dampen vibrations well.
Table router mounting plate
A plate with high strength at low thickness. As a rule, it is made of metal or textolite (the latter option is easier to use).
A rectangular plate with a hole in the center. After that, the router is attached to the mounting plate. In order to fix the tool with the plate to the table, four holes must be drilled at the corners of the plate.
The easiest do-it-yourself milling table, drawings
So we got to the point of this article. So how to assemble a wood milling machine with your own hands? First, a tabletop is temporarily attached to the finished frame (frame). Then a mounting plate is placed on the countertop and its position is marked. Next, with the help of a milling cutter, on the countertop choose seat for the plate.
It should fit perfectly with the top plane of the countertop. In conclusion, it is necessary to mill the hole according to the shape of the sole of the router and connect it all together. Of course, you will have to tinker with some points, but the main thing is to follow all the instructions.
Top clamp
For more comfortable work, the table can be equipped with an upper clamp. A regular ball bearing will do.
It will allow you to tightly fix the workpiece. This will allow you to improve the quality and speed of work, as well as save your nerves and effort.
Safety
We need to focus on the most important thing - safety. First, for the cutter, it is recommended to set protective screen. Secondly, equip the tool with an emergency stop button. The button should be in an easily accessible place for you, but at the same time, not interfere with your work. Third, working area can be further illuminated.
All these points will only add comfort to your work, because you cannot save on safety. Create for health.
Currently, milling equipment is very popular. The essence of this type of material processing is that the cutter processes the workpiece, which 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. The table for a manual router is perfect solution this problem. You can make a design that will allow you to move the workpiece, and the manual milling cutter itself will be fixed permanently. The question arises, how to make a table for a manual router with your own hands.
Of course, you can try to search already turnkey solution, but this will be quite difficult to do, since a hand router is a specific tool. Such a table with your own hands can be made quite simply. However, to begin with, it is worth deciding on its design.
Selecting the type of table to be mounted
A table for a manual router with your own hands can be made 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 drag it to any other convenient place.
When it comes to working in confined spaces, as well as in permanent place, then the stationary version looks preferable. It will be possible to do 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.
In the event that the first two options are not suitable, you need to choose the third.
Before you make a table for a manual router with your own hands, you need to clearly understand what main parts it consists of. There must be a frame, table top, mounting plate, stops. These are the parts that are part of any table for a manual router. The easiest option is to use a ready-made table. You just need to attach additional details to it. Here you have to make stops, clamps and think over the method of fastening.
However, it is worth considering the process in more detail 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 framework 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 whole structure. Here, all joints are not welded together, but are fastened by means of bolted joints. In this case, the connections are reliable, and if necessary, they are easy to disassemble.
As for the dimensions of the bed, they are selected depending on the size of the parts on it that will most often be processed. In order to avoid mistakes, it is worth getting a drawing. It should indicate all overall and geometric dimensions.
List of materials and parts for the manufacture of 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, it all depends mainly on the height of the person who has to work with a manual router. To avoid hitting the bottom of the table with your feet during work, it is worth making it recessed in relation to the top. In this case, all problems of this kind disappear.
For the manufacture of the cover should be used chipboard. This material perfectly resists various kinds 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 easily processed using any tools. In addition, plastic is a smooth material on which the workpiece will glide perfectly. It does not even require additional processing. Plastic is easy to cut and process. This allows you to make excellent grooves on its surface and fasteners.
The aluminum worktop is also great option. This material is easily processed and is not exposed to external aggressive factors. First of all, we are talking about moisture. Aluminum does not corrode. The table top will last for years.
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Mounting plate: nuances
Mounting plate is one of the main parts of the machine. It just needs to be installed. The mounting plate allows you to save design features milling machine. This is done if the bed height exceeds 25 mm. This size takes place, since the frame is made 1 m high.
Very often for the manufacture of such a plate is used a metal sheet. It should have a minimum thickness. You can use a sheet of textolite.
This material is characterized by the highest strength, which in this case is a necessity.
The mounting plate can have different sizes, but they must fully match the size of the countertop. It shouldn't be too thick. Its optimal thickness is approximately 6-8 mm.
In the center of the workpiece, it is necessary to make a hole, which in diameter 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 they should be done on your own. For these purposes, a drill is used, in which a drill bit for metal is installed. You can do without extra holes.
Any hand router can be fixed with clips with springs.
This fastening method is also quite effective, but it is worth remembering that the staples must be made of durable material, since as a result of work there are numerous loads that cause the machine to vibrate. It can harm both the router itself and cause an accident.
All details for the table are now ready. It is very important that they are all made in accordance with this instruction. Otherwise, there is a high probability that the work will be done poorly.
When processing a surface with a manual router, it often becomes necessary to simultaneously hold the product. For such situations, the milling table is designed.
Of course, you can buy this device in construction stores, but it is not cheap, so it's better to spend a little time and make a router table yourself.
Types of milling tables
The amount of work to be done will depend on which version of the table you need.
Milling tables are of several types:
- Stationary
Free standing full desktop. - Portable
desktop design, which is set if necessary. - Aggregate
An option when an expansion of the surface of the saw table is made to work with the router (pictured).
Structural elements
In this article, we will consider a stationary milling table. Having made it, you can independently cope with the design of any other type.
The most important part of the table is the frame. It consists of a frame (legs, frame, etc.) and a tabletop (including a metal plate and other table components). The bed height varies from 75 cm to 1 meter and is adjusted individually.
As a bed, an old unnecessary table is quite suitable, which is easy to convert into a milling table.
The tabletop is made of chipboard, chipboard, thick plywood or plastic. Optimal Thickness sheet - 16 mm. The material for the bed should be chosen taking into account the fact that wooden blanks will constantly move along its surface. Therefore, it must be smooth. Often the countertop is made of metals that are not subject to corrosion (for example, aluminum).
There is a mounting plate in the middle of the tabletop. Many people think that you can do without this detail, but this is not so. The mounting plate is the holder for everything milling equipment.
The thickness of the plate should be no more than 8 mm. The material of manufacture depends on the desire and possibilities. It can be metal, textolite, durable plywood or other sheet material. A hole is cut in the center of the plate, suitable in size for the sole of the router.
Important: router models differ from each other, so when making a table, you should take into account that its height should ideally fit your height, and the router mount and hole size should be exactly for your tool.
Stationary milling table
Consider the option of manufacturing a milling table with a metal frame and a Dutch plywood top.
Materials and tools
In order to make a table for a manual milling cutter with your own hands, you will need materials:
- metal corner or pipe (for the frame)
- aluminum guide
- axis for fastening the router
- putty, primer and paint for metal
- self-tapping screws
- furniture bolts 6 x 60 mm
- adjusting hexagon bolts with nuts - 4 pcs.
- plywood Finnish moisture resistant laminated, 18 mm thick (other material can be taken)
- boards or scraps of plywood (for the manufacture of a parallel stop).
The following tools are also required:
- welding machine (for the metal frame of the table)
- drill and drills
- screwdriver
- jigsaw
- router
- spatula, brushes, rags.
How to make and assemble a transforming table with your own hands:
You may also be interested in an article about how to do it yourself.
And about how to make a table for yourself sewing machine, can be found from
Manufacturing steps
Step 1. To begin with, we make a table frame: the tabletop holder is welded from 4 profile pipes 25 x 25 mm, on one side of the table it is necessary to weld another pipe along which the parallel stop will move. Legs are attached to them.
It is possible to weld on each side of the frame (along the perimeter where the countertop will be located) along a corner long with a pipe so that the countertop sits on these corners in a recess.
Another option that we will use is to install additional supports for the countertop: we weld two more pipes on the long sides, which will serve not only as a support for plywood, but also as a limiter for the router (the distance between them should be such that you can safely cut a hole for fixing the device).
In order to workplace was more stable, we weld reinforcing jumpers between the legs of the table, at a distance of about 20 cm from the floor.
Step 2 For coloring you need to take oil paint(Not suitable for aluminum and zinc!). We clean the metal from dirt and degrease it with any solvent (alcohol, kerosene, etc.). If necessary, you can putty the surface with a special putty and prime it.
Note: all actions should be carried out in a respirator and a ventilated area.
For primers you can use the same paint, which will be further stained, but diluted with a solvent. Longer term and qualitative the result is obtained by processing specialized compositions for metal.
After application last standing it is necessary to wait for the full drying out and only then proceed to further actions.
Step 3 The tabletop is cut exactly under metal carcass so that it lies firmly in the corners. For greater strength, you can drill (with a drill for metal) holes in metal pipes(or corners) and fasten the edges of the tabletop with the frame with furniture bolts. The size of the finished tabletop is 84 x 59 cm, the height of the table is 90 cm.
Step 4 At a distance of 20-25 cm from the edge we cut aluminum rail along the entire length of the table.
Step 5 Cut the axis for the milling cutter in half. This will help increase the space between the sole and the axle to 11mm (if you use uncut axles, this distance will be only 6mm).
Step 6 We remove the sole from the router and in the middle of the table top we mark 4 holes for its fastening, we drill them. In the middle of the tabletop we make a hole under. For each tool, the hole size will be different! Holes are drilled to the left and right of the hole, into which bolts for fastening the clamps of the milling axes are inserted (they will not be removed anymore).
Step 7 On the reverse side, it is necessary to make a large groove under the router sole milling cutter.
In the groove itself, above and below through hole cut small grooves (with a milling cutter) equal in length to the axes. At the ends of the grooves with a Forstner drill, make small recesses for adjusting bolts with hexagonal hole.
Step 8 From the pieces of the pipe we cut out two segments equal to the width of the large groove. We drill holes in them for bolts that cannot be removed. We got the clamps of the axes of the milling cutter. Nuts are screwed onto the bolts.
Step 9 Hex nuts and bolts are placed on both sides axes and necessary in order to plane adjustment milling cutter.
Step 10 We make a parallel stop. To do this, a groove is cut in a small piece of plywood for movement along a pipe specially welded for this. With an electric jigsaw, three plywood strips of the same size are cut (length of the strip = table length + guide tube width) and 4 stiffeners for them.
In one plywood strip, a semicircular hole is made for the exit of chips, which should correspond to the slot in the countertop. In the second strip, a square hole is made in the same place.
The third plywood strip is sawn in half. She is attached to reverse side strips with a square hole using bolts (then you need to make long grooves for their movement) or simple guides. The halves of plywood should move apart in different directions. An aluminum guide is installed at the very top edge of this strip.
Step 11 We fasten the first and second strips together with the sides with cutouts. We fix the stiffeners: two - along the edges of the resulting big hole at the junction of plywood strips and one at a time - on both sides (at a distance of 7–10 cm from the edge).
Cut out a small square thin plywood(which would fit between the stiffeners located in the middle), closer to the middle we make a hole equal to the diameter of the vacuum cleaner pipe. Plywood is attached to the stiffeners, forming a triangular box.
Step 12 The parallel stop for the milling table is fixed with clamps. This is done so that the milling table can be easily removed and rearranged. If it is completely designed for a router, you can fix stop using brackets with grooves for its movement.
Step 13 For convenience, we weld a 6 mm metal plate to a regular bolt. Clamps are made of wood, with two grooves for such bolts. It is necessary to have two such clamps.
Step 14 We install the router: we thread our half-cut axles into the side holes of the router, put nuts on them and fix the router with pipe clamps.
Step 15 We flip the table. Using a hex wrench, turn the bolt, lifting the router up (1 turn = 1 mm).
Can be installed with a jack so you don't have to use bolts all the time. To turn on the router, we attach a socket with a switch to one of the legs, which will act as an ON / OFF button.
Note: for convenience, you can provide a small tape for pressing the wire from the router during operation.
Workplace safety
When working with power tools, remember the following safety rules:
- While working with the router, be vigilant, do not turn away from it and do not advance the workpieces near the tool with your hands.
- Always use restraints, safety goggles and gloves.
- Keep children away from the operating machine.
- In the event of a malfunction, immediately disconnect the router from the mains and take it to the workshop.
For more information on how to make a table for a manual router, see video:
