DIY table for a milling machine. DIY table for a router with drawings

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One of the main assistants of a carpenter is a wood router. This hand tool is indispensable when it is necessary to:

cut a groove;
make a groove;
make a tenon connection;
process edges, etc.

However, when performing some carpentry work, it is not always convenient to use this tool due to the fact that you need to simultaneously hold the workpiece and operate the router. Therefore, many craftsmen resort to tricks by making milling table For hand router. With the help of a table, which is a reliable addition to a milling tool, you can end up with wooden elements that are in no way inferior in quality and precision to carpentry products made in professional furniture workshops on milling machines.

A homemade table for a manual router significantly increases the productivity of the tool and facilitates processing work wooden products. It is not difficult to make such equipment, and, in addition, unlike a standard milling table produced by various manufacturers, this table will have the dimensions, design and options chosen directly by the craftsman who makes it.

To perform any engineering work, and equipment manufacturing is one of these, it is necessary to draw up a sketch of the future machine. On it you need to indicate your vision of the project indicating actual sizes. Based on the sketch, you can easily select materials for the manufacture of the future structure, their quantity, determine the construction budget and stock up on the tools necessary for processing machine parts.

Option 1. Instructions for making a table for a manual router

Materials for making a milling table

To build a milling table you will need:

4 square bars;
chipboard and plywood scraps, the dimensions of which are determined when constructing the table drawing;
hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, hinges, etc.);
jack;
metallic profile;
six-millimeter steel plate;
aluminum guides;
movable carriage-support (guide from the saw);
manual frezer.

Drawing of a homemade milling table (option 1)

In any case, before you start making any such table, the drawing must be completed indicating all dimensions and determining the location of the working elements relative to each other.

Step by step assembly

Let us consider in detail each step in the manufacture and fastening of each element of a homemade milling table.

1st step. To make a stationary base for the table, you will need bars and chipboard cuttings, from which we twist the legs and further strengthen the rigidity with the help of horizontal connecting panels made of plywood. In the right side part we cut a hole for the start button, which will be connected to the hand router.

2nd step. The table top is made of chipboard. We make it liftable together with a router, for which we install hinges and make an additional support base from 15 mm plywood.

3rd step. To move the workpiece smoothly along the table, for example, to cut a groove in it, a moving carriage-stop is used. We cut a groove in the tabletop for the guides of the movable stop and install a metal profile into it. You can use a guide from an old saw as a stop carriage.

4th step. We also make the longitudinal stop from chipboard and make it movable to adjust the gaps around the cutter. To ensure mobility, we cut perpendicular grooves in the upper part of the stop and fasten the stop to the tabletop with clamps. We cut a small groove in the middle to suck out chips and other milling waste.

5th step. From thin plywood we make a box with a hole for connecting a vacuum cleaner hose, which will remove dust and shavings formed during the milling process. We fasten the box behind the perpendicular stop.

6th step. We take a six-millimeter steel plate and screw it to the tabletop flush with the surface. During the fastening process, we make sure that its edges do not protrude above the tabletop, otherwise the parts being processed will cling to them. A manual router will be attached to the plate from below.

7th step. We attach the router by the aluminum base to the bottom of the plate using bolts, but do not forget to pre-drill holes for the bolts in the base. Fastening hand tools to the removable plate, and not directly to the table, provides savings in milling depth and allows you to easily replace the cutter.

8th step. We are building a router lift. For this we use car jack, allowing you to change the height of the cutter with maximum accuracy.

9th step. We remove the handles from the router and instead screw in aluminum guides, which we connect to the jack mechanism.

Design and video of a homemade milling table for a manual router

Before you start making a milling table, you need to accurately determine its design features. This article provides instructions on how to make a simple router table. For other details of the first assembly option, see the video below.

We check the reliability of fastening of all elements - and the milling table is ready with your own hands!

We offer several more models of wood milling machines made by yourself for your taste.

Option 2. Another milling table and other assembly features

We offer a table design for a router with a detailed analysis of its components.

Materials and tools.

In order to make a table for a manual router with your own hands, you will need the following materials:

metal corner or pipe (for the frame);
aluminum guide;
axles for attaching the router;
putty, primer and paint for metal;
self-tapping screws; furniture bolts 6 x 60 mm;
Hexagonal adjusting bolts with nuts – 4 pcs. ;
Finnish moisture-resistant laminated plywood, 18 mm thick (you can use another material);
boards or plywood scraps (for making a rip fence).

The following tools are also required:

welding machine (for a metal table frame);
drill and drill bits;
screwdriver;
jigsaw;
milling cutter;
spatula, brushes, rags.

Basic drawings

Design features of the milling table

Under milling machine You can adapt an existing workbench. But it is more expedient, to eliminate the influence of strong vibration during operation of the cutter, to make a separate structure that ensures the stability of the table.

The main loads during equipment operation are transferred to the base. Therefore, the frame must be reliable and stable. The bed is understood as a fixed base on which the router is located. It takes all the loads and is a structure in the form of a table with a fixed lid. It can be made from a metal pipe, angle, channel, wood, chipboard.

It is necessary to take into account that the router itself is attached to the tabletop from below, which means that there needs to be empty space there.

The router is attached to the table through a high-strength and rigid plate to perform installation work. It is preferable to make it from metal, textolite or tongue and groove board.

The base of the router has threaded mounting holes for mounting. If there are no threaded holes, threading is done independently. If the task is impossible, secure the milling device using special clamps.

Start the work by using a milling cutter to select the shape and thickness of the mounting plate. To make it easier, straight corners on the mounting plate must be rounded with a file. A recess in the table top ensures that the plate is positioned flush with the table top.

Make a hole in the center of the plate for the tool to exit, drill holes for attaching the plate to the table. The next step is to drill holes to attach the milling device; keep in mind that the fasteners must be countersunk.

How to make a work surface and base

Making the base of the future milling table begins with the frame. For ease of work, the table cover should protrude 100-200 mm from the front part. When designing the frame of the bed, pay special attention to the installation height of the working surface. This size is decisive for the convenience of working at the machine. According to ergonomic requirements, it should be 850-900 mm, depending on the person’s height. For convenient operation of the future milling machine, you can install height adjusters at the bottom of the support. This will allow, if necessary, to change the height of the table; if the floor is uneven, it will help to align the tabletop.

It will be useful as a working surface for a future machine kitchen countertop Soviet times. Most often it is made of 36 mm chipboard sheet covered with plastic. The wood-based material will reduce the vibrations that occur during the milling process, and the plastic coating will ensure excellent movement along the surface of the workpiece. If you don’t have an old countertop, use MDF or laminated chipboard with a thickness of at least 16 mm.

Choose a place for the future milling machine in your workshop; the dimensions and type of future design depend on this. This may be an aggregate machine located on the side circular saw, desktop version, or maybe a free-standing stationary machine.

If the use of a milling machine is not regular, reduced to one-time work from time to time, it is enough to make a small compact table.

You can make a milling machine yourself. It is a design that fits on a standard table. For work you will need chipboard, two boards. Fasten two boards parallel to a sheet of chipboard. Attach one of them to the tabletop with bolts; it will serve as a guide and as a stop. Use the second one as a limiting stop. Cut a hole in the table top to accommodate the router. Attach the router to the table top using clamps. The compact milling machine is ready.

If you have a lot of free space in your workshop, then make a full-fledged stationary milling machine. It will be more convenient to work on it than on the desktop version

Option 3. Cheap homemade router table

The sketch is ready. Materials have been purchased. The tool, laid out in its place in the workshop, is waiting for the moment to serve its owner. The master is also serious and is not going to grab everything at once. He will sort everything out and do everything step by step.

Stage No. 1.

Start by making the frame of the future machine. Can be applied next way manufacturing the bed. Using a grinder, cut the 25×25 profile pipe to size, then weld the blanks intended for the frame on which it will be located working surface. Weld a pipe on one side along which the parallel stop will subsequently move. Weld 4 supports to the frame.

To fix the table cover, frame the perimeter of the frame with a corner, then it will sit in the recess.

Use the second method of making a frame. It implies additional supports for the working surface. Weld stops for milling equipment in the middle of the table. The size between them should correspond to a convenient mounting of the router.

For structural stability, connect the lower supports with jumpers at a height of 200 mm from the floor.

Stage No. 2.

Paint the resulting structure. Why prepare the surfaces: clean the metal pipes and degrease them with a solvent, then prime them. If there is a need to putty surfaces, apply a special putty mixture and apply primer. After complete drying, paint with PF-115 enamel.

Stage No. 3.

Cut the work surface according internal size frame, install it tightly in the corners. Then drill holes in the upper frame for fastening the table cover. Mark the tabletop itself, drill and securely connect it to the frame using furniture bolts. Table dimensions 850×600×900.

Stage No. 4.

Step back 200-250 mm from the edge and cut a T-shaped guide along the length of the working surface.

Stage No. 5.

Trim half of the milling axes. This will make it possible to almost double the distance from the sole to the guide axis, which in turn will expand the range of capabilities of the tool.

Stage No. 6.

Remove the sole from the milling equipment, mark holes in the middle of the working surface of the table for its fastening and drill them. Drill a hole in the middle of the table cover for the device. On both sides of it, drill holes for attaching the clamps of the router axes.

Stage No. 7.

On the underside of the tabletop, make a hole for the base of the router.

On both sides of the hole drilled through the hole, make grooves for installing the router axes. The size of the groove and the axis must match.

Along the edges of the grooves, use a Faustner drill (picture above) to drill holes for the hexagon adjustment bolts.

Stage No. 8.

Cut two pieces of pipe to fit the width of the large groove and drill holes in the center for the permanent bolts. They will serve as clamps for the axes of the milling device. Screw the nuts onto the bolts.

Stage No. 9.

Install hexagon bolts and nuts on both sides of the axles to adjust the plane of the milling equipment.

Stage No. 10.

Now make a rip fence. Take a small piece of plywood and cut a groove in it so that it can move along the pipe that was previously welded for this purpose. Using a jigsaw, cut three strips of identical size, where its length is equal to the sum of the length of the table and the width of the guide pipe, and four plates for them in the form of stiffeners.

On strip No. 1, make a semicircular hole to remove wood waste. It should coincide with the slot in the working surface of the table. In strip #2, cut a square hole in the same location.

Cut strip No. 3 of plywood into equal parts. Attach one to the back of the strip with square hole bolts or using guides. The plywood halves should move in opposite directions. Install an aluminum guide along the upper edge of this strip.

Stage No. 11.

Fasten plates No. 1 and No. 2 together with the sides with half holes. Fasten two stiffening ribs along the edge of the resulting hole and two on the sides at a distance of 70-100 mm from the edge.

Cut a square of plywood to the size of the distance between the ribs, cut a hole in it the diameter of the vacuum cleaner hose. Attach the square to the stiffeners.

Stage No. 12.

Secure the rip fence with clamps. This is done to make it easier to move the stop. If it is intended only for a milling machine, then secure it with brackets with grooves for movement.

Stage No. 13.

Weld a bolt to a 6 mm thick metal strip. Make the clamps from wood with two grooves for two bolts.

Stage No. 14.

Install the milling equipment: insert the cut axes into the side holes of the device, put nuts on them and secure the device with pipe clamps.

Stage No. 15.

Turn the table over and use the hex key to lift up the router.

To make it easier to lift the router, it is advisable to install a lift based on a jack.

Option 4. Milling machine based on a desk

A milling machine based on a desk is considered economical and convenient option solutions. The list of photo drawings contains a table with specifications of parts by size and recommended material.

Part sizes and materials

Woodworkers treat their router tables with respect. And there's a good reason for this. Often, milling tables allow you to achieve results that were previously only available to professional furniture workshops with milling machines. Profiling edges and making joints are done easily, neatly and safely with their help. It is therefore not surprising that many companies rushed to satisfy the indomitable appetite of carpenters by producing a wide range of milling tables and accessories for them. However, homemade milling tables are sometimes not inferior to branded ones, and any amateur can make a simple milling table with his own hands.

Regardless of whether you want to make a milling table with your own hands or buy a branded one, you need to navigate their designs in order to end up with a table that is most suitable for the size of the workshop, the specifics of the work and the budget. Making a milling table with your own hands provides a unique opportunity to get what you want. You choose the options you would like, including table size and base design.

Milling table type. First of all, there should be a clear idea of what type of milling table you need: standalone (stationary), tabletop (portable) or a side extension of the saw table (aggregate). If you work outside the workshop or only use your router table occasionally, consider a portable option. To save space, it can be removed or hung on the wall. If you have enough space, a freestanding router table will provide maximum convenience. Place it on wheels and place it where it is most convenient. A freestanding (or portable) router table can be set up to perform an operation and left for a while without interfering with other devices, machines and tools.

Table cover material. Manufacturers offer milling tables with covers made of various materials. Most make covers from MDF boards covered with plastic or melamine coated. They are flat, inexpensive and durable. They are also easy to cut and machine if you need to upgrade your router table. Since the grooves in the MDF board wear out quite quickly, manufacturers equip such covers with aluminum profiles for longitudinal and movable stops. Remember also that MDF absorbs moisture and can swell when high humidity. To reduce moisture absorption, seal all open edges of the MDF board.

Some manufacturers make router table tops from phenolic plastic, which is very strong, hard and durable. Such tables are perfectly level and flat lids, completely impervious to moisture. Phenolic plastics are well processed, making it possible to make grooves for a movable stop and aluminum profiles with a T-shaped groove or slotted holes for attaching a longitudinal stop. The disadvantage of such covers is their higher price - 10-20% more expensive than MDF.

If you prefer the reliability of metal, you can choose from aluminum, sheet steel and cast iron covers. They are smoothly polished, have smooth surfaces and are very durable. In most cases, they have a groove for a movable stop-carriage. Keep in mind that you will have to protect steel and cast iron lids from rust. Aluminum covers do not rust, but are also susceptible to corrosion. Aluminum without a special coating (plating) can leave dirty marks on workpieces.

Groove for movable stop. Milling tables are designed primarily for processing the longitudinal edges of workpieces. If you need to mill a groove across the board, then most milling tables have a built-in profile with a groove for a standard movable stop-carriage, purchased separately. This groove also serves as a convenient place for installing additional devices, such as clamping combs. Some craftsmen, instead of a movable stop sliding in the groove of the lid, use homemade slides that move along the longitudinal (parallel) stop. With such a slide, the part is perpendicular to the longitudinal stop, regardless of whether it is parallel to the groove in the cover or not.

Router attachment. Most router tables have a mounting plate for attaching the router, installed in the opening of the rebated lid. The router is screwed through holes in the base to a plate, which is usually made of phenolic plastic, aluminum or polycarbonate. The inserts can be purchased separately and fitted to the router table.

Mounting the router to a removable plate has two advantages over mounting directly to the underside of the table top. Firstly, the plate saves from 6 to 10 mm in milling depth, in contrast to the option of attaching the router to a cover with a thickness of 25 mm or more. Secondly, the plate makes it easy to remove the router. You will experience this benefit when you need to replace the cutter.

The plate should be flush with the surface of the milling table cover. If this is not the case, the workpiece will catch on the protruding edges. Make sure the table top or plate has adjustment screws or other leveling devices to ensure the plate is level with the top surface.

Some manufacturers make the plates slightly convex. Bend under the weight of a heavy router, such plates become flat rather than concave.

Cutters can have a diameter of less than 3 mm and more than 76 mm, so choose an insert with interchangeable rings to change the diameter of the opening, as shown in the photo.

If you want a more advanced device, purchase a plate equipped with a lift (see "Milling lifts").

Longitudinal stop. Unless you use bearing cutters, most milling operations require a rip fence to guide the workpiece. For proper operation it should be at least level along its entire length, perpendicular to the surface of the table and easily adjustable. Its movable face plates, which slide in and out to adjust clearances around the cutter, provide a significant advantage in operation. The ability to move one of the pads on some models allows you to joint the edges of workpieces (photo on the right). This option will be in demand if there is no planing machine.

It is also worth choosing a longitudinal stop with a T-slot or other fastening system for clamping combs, side stops and special devices. If the support is not equipped with a vacuum cleaner connection, purchase one separately. By connecting the hose of a vacuum cleaner or cyclone, you can catch most of the dust and chips generated during operation of the router. Most commercial rip fences are equipped with such connections, as is the homemade fence described in the article "Rip fence for a router table."

Homemade milling table

The simplest version of a homemade milling table is a sheet, for example chipboard, with a hole for the milling cutter, and a board that acts as a guide, fixed with clamps. The photo below is not the most rational example: the board can be much thinner and narrower, and a large area of the sheet is not used.

Whether to make legs to put this structure on a table, or to mount it between two tables, or between two stools, or something else - that’s what’s more convenient for you. This device is enough if you want to try your router as a milling machine.

The next option is not much more complicated, but much more thorough.

You can make a more complex milling table with your own hands.

Next comes detailed description making this homemade milling table, so if you are satisfied simple options, you don’t have to read any further and start making a simple milling table.

Making a table for a manual router

Milling table cover. Cut a piece of birch plywood for the panel (A) and a piece of laminate for the cover (B) to the dimensions indicated in the "List of Materials and Parts", remembering to add a 25 mm allowance for length and width.

Following the instructions on the can, apply contact adhesive to the back of the plastic and the top of the plywood. Glue the plastic to the plywood, stepping back about 3 mm from its corner. Roll the plastic tightly with a rubber roller.

Pressing the plastic-free edges of the plywood against the parallel (longitudinal) stop of the sawing machine, saw about 6 mm of material from the opposite edges, sawing through the plywood and plastic at the same time. Now, pressing the edges that have already been sawn clean against the stop, cut the opposite sides of the part (A/B) to the final size.

Saw long (C) and short (D) edge caps with an allowance of about 25 mm. Make bevels at the ends to cover the edges of the lid. Glue them to the edges of the lid and secure with clamps, aligning the top sides with the surface of the plastic. To do this, make leveling blocks by making 50x50mm cutouts on four pieces of 19x100x100mm plywood (the cutouts allow you to see corner joints). Secure them with clamps to the lid, as shown in the photo below. To prevent the clamps from interfering with work, place cuttings of boards under their lower jaws. Now glue the edge strips to the lid, pressing them against the leveling blocks.

Install a 19 mm thick groove disk into the saw machine and attach a wooden pad about 250 mm high to the parallel (longitudinal) fence. Adjust the position of the disc and the pick fence in the edge plates (D) of the tongues for installation aluminum profile. Check your settings on the scraps and change them if necessary. While pressing the plastic-covered side of the lid against the stop, cut tongues into the edge trims (D). Use a backing block to prevent chipping at the saw blade exit.

Using the same groove disk, cut out a tongue in a test cut of the board and check how the miter gauge slide fits into it. It should move freely along the tongue with minimal play. Adjust settings if necessary. Place the cover with the plastic side down and cut a groove in it for the miter gauge. To avoid chipping at the exit of the saw blade, use a support block.

Hole for mounting plate. To make a cutout in the cover for the router mounting plate, follow the steps shown below.

Step 1. Cut the mounting plate to size and place it exactly in the middle of the cover, 125mm from the front edge.

Step 2. Trace the outline of the plate on the lid.

Step 3: Mark and draw the cutout lines inside the outlined outline.

Step 4. Drill the entry hole for the jigsaw blade and cut the cutout according to the markings.

Step 5. Glue the mounting plate inside the outlined outline with double-sided tape.

Step 6. Use clamps to secure the guide strips around the plate, inserting thin cardboard spacers.

Step 7: Remove the plate and spacers. Install a copying cutter with an upper bearing into the router collet. With the router sole resting on the guide bars, set the routing depth to 3 mm in the table top.

Step 8: Begin routing the rebate by guiding the cutter bearing along the edges of the guide strips. Make several shallow passes, increasing the overhang of the cutter until the depth is 0.5 mm greater than the thickness of the mounting plate.

Aligning the router mounting plate flush with the table surface is easy if you install self-locking nuts in the corners of the recess. Having made a recess, drill a hole in each corner with a diameter of 11 and a depth of 6 mm for a self-locking nut. Make sure the nuts in the holes do not protrude. Drill through holes for screws in the center of the nut holes, and then follow the four simple steps shown in the photo below to install the adjustment system.

Once the glue has hardened, replace the 50mm long screw with a 13mm long screw. To make adjustments without tools, use an oversized adjusting screw.

Sand the edge adjustments smoothly (C), (D) sandpaper 220 grit. The sharp edges of the plastic around the recess for the mounting plate and along the groove for the miter gauge-carriage are slightly dulled with a scraper.

Router table base. Cut the legs (E) and tie rods (F) to the specified length, leaving an allowance of about 25mm in width. Tilt the saw blade 12° and cut the bevels on the edges of the tie rods and the edges of the legs. Cut out the plank to the specified dimensions for power cord(G).

Glue the ties (F) to the legs (E) and secure them with clamps. Drill and countersink pilot holes through the ties. Screw in the screws and remove the clamps. Glue the strip for the power cord to the tie, securing it with clamps. Sand the assembled legs smoothly with 220-grit sandpaper.

Place the inverted lid on the workbench and glue the assembled legs to it, pressing them with clamps. Drill and countersink pilot holes through the tie rods and into the lid. Screw in 4.5x32mm countersunk screws.

Longitudinal stop. To make the stop even, it is necessary to carefully trim the edges perpendicular to the faces. First, cut out the stop itself (H) and its base (I) to the specified dimensions (see figure below), adding allowances of about 12 mm in width and 25 mm in length. Sand one edge of each board. Install the longitudinal stop of the sawing machine, adding 0.8-1.0 mm to the final width of the parts, and file the unplaned edges. Set the planer to the appropriate planing depth and sand the newly cut edges. Measure the exact length of the finished router table cover and add 1 mm to this measurement. File the stop and its base to length according to the resulting size (the extra millimeter allows the stop to move more easily). Using a band saw or jigsaw, make 38x38mm cutouts for the router bit in the middle of both pieces. Glue the stop to the base and secure the gluing with clamps.

Cut two blanks measuring 19x120x190 mm for the end plates (K). Connect both blanks into a block using double-sided tape. Mark a diagonal cut line and the center of a 6 mm diameter hole on the top workpiece according to the figure below. Make a cut, sand the edges to the marking line and drill a hole. Separate the end plates.

Glue the end plates (K) to the fence (H/I), aligning their edges with the front of the fence, and secure the glue with clamps. Drill guide holes through the end plates in the places indicated in the figure, countersink them and screw in the screws. Using a groove blade set to the width of the T-slot aluminum profile, cut a groove into the assembled stop (K/H/K) at the front. Finish sand the finished stop with 220 grit abrasive.

Cut the gussets (J) for mounting the dust extraction pipe according to the dimensions shown in the figure below. Having temporarily installed the gussets on the stop, determine and mark their exact position. Then glue them to the stop, securing them with clamps. When the glue has dried, attach the flange pipe to the gussets and mark the centers of the mounting holes for the screws.

shield. Cut out the shield holder (L) to the specified dimensions (see figure below). Make roundings with a radius of 12 mm on its upper corners. To make slotted holes, drill holes with a diameter of 7 mm in the indicated places, draw tangent lines from one hole to another and make cuts along these lines using a jigsaw or jigsaw. Give the holder a final sand with 220 grit sandpaper.

Cut out a shield (M) from transparent acrylic plexiglass 6 mm thick to the specified dimensions. Using a sander, make it external corners rounding with a radius of 12 mm. Using double-sided tape, glue the shield to the holder, aligning the back sides. Drill and countersink mounting holes through the shield (M) into the holder (L). Remove the shield and set it aside.

Pressure comb. From a straight-layer maple board 19 mm thick, cut a 51x457 mm blank for the clamping combs. Using a miter fence on your saw, make 30° bevels on both ends of the workpiece (see picture below). Draw oblique lines across the workpiece, 67 mm from the ends, and then mark the radii of the upper ends of both clamps.

Place a regular 3mm thick blade into the saw and lift it to a height of 50mm above the saw table. Move the longitudinal stop 2 mm from the disc. Press the long edge of the workpiece against the fence and make a cut to the marking line, then carefully move the board back. A good tool for this operation would be a pusher with rubber pad, used with planer. Rotate the workpiece 180° and repeat the operation at the other end. Move the rip fence 5 mm and make new cuts at both ends. Repeat the operations, making cuts at regular intervals until the 45 mm mark. When the rip fence is at this mark, lower saw blade to a height of 25 mm and saw the edge of the workpiece to the final width.

Drill 7mm holes in the clamps (N) for the hanger and slot holes. Mark the edges of the slot holes parallel lines and cut them out using a jigsaw or jigsaw machine, then band saw cut out curves on the upper ends of the clamps. Sand the pressure combs with 220 grit sandpaper.

Cut out the stop blocks (O) to the specified dimensions and drill a 7mm diameter hole in the center. Sand the stop blocks with 220 grit sandpaper. Stop blocks are installed close to the long edges of the clamping combs to prevent them from turning when feeding the workpiece.

There is a simple and quick way adjusting the pressure of the clamping comb on the workpiece. Make the first clamp plate 3 mm shorter than the others. When adjusting the comb, press this first shortened blade against the workpiece. Now align the bottom ends of the remaining blades parallel to the router table surface and secure the comb by tightening the screw.

Mounting plate . Working with a milling table will become more convenient and safer if the diameter of the hole in the mounting plate is only slightly larger than the diameter of the cutter. You can purchase a ready-made plate with interchangeable rings suitable for different diameters cutters and suitable for most cases. Or you can make a plate that exactly matches the diameter of the cutter. A birch plywood plate will be inexpensive, but for a more solid option, we recommend choosing cast polycarbonate. Place the plate face up on a flat surface. Remove the plastic sole from the router and glue it with double-sided tape to the plate, also face up. Make sure that the sole is located exactly in the center of the plate and is oriented so that it will be comfortable to work with the router installed in the table. Place a drill bit in the drill press that is the same diameter as the mounting holes in the soleplate. Using them as guides, drill corresponding holes through them in the plate. Remove the soleplate and countersink the drilled mounting holes. Now attach the plate with screws to the switched off router and place it on the workbench. Clamp a short 8mm drill bit in the router collet and lower the motor until the tip of the drill touches the plate. Rotate the collet several times by hand to mark the center. Remove the mounting plate from the router. Install into the chuck drilling machine hole saw or hole cutter and use the finished mark to make a central hole of the required diameter in the plate.

Finishing and adding fittings. Extra sand the areas that need it. Following the instructions on the can, apply two coats of a penetrating oil coating to all wooden parts, including a recess for the router mounting plate and a groove for the miter gauge. Compared to varnish or paint, oil-based finishes are easier to freshen up by reapplying them. They also reliably impregnate grooves, holes and recesses without reducing their size.

Using a hacksaw, cut off pieces of T-slot aluminum profile to match the length of the table and rip fence. The sawn ends will have to be drilled and countersunk for new mounting holes. Through them in the profile, drill guide holes in the table cover and stop; secure both sections of the profile with screws.

Install an additional push-button switch.

Attach the safety shield (M) to the holder (L) with 4.5x25mm countersunk brass screws. Install the assembled shield, clamping combs with locking blocks on the parallel stop, and it, in turn, on the milling table, using hex bolts, washers and handwheel handles with nuts for fastening, as shown in the figures. Attach the dust extraction pipe to the gussets on the back of the stop with screws.

Screw the adjusting screws into the self-locking nuts. By grinding the corners of the router mounting plate, ensure that it fits snugly into the recess of the table top.

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Hand milling machines, thanks affordable price, are popular among home woodworkers. However, work for a simple workbench according to the principle: fixed workpiece, moving tool, inconvenient and dangerous.

The industry produces tables for carpentry work, on which you can install a plane, circular saw, or router.

The device is reliable and convenient, but its cost is comparable to a power tool. Therefore, many craftsmen make such workbenches with their own hands. Since the presence of a tool makes it possible to make a table for a router with high quality, such homemade products look and function no worse than factory ones.

The general design principle is as follows: a smooth tabletop is made from hard material(so that it doesn’t wear out so quickly), on which the router base plate is attached. The instrument itself is placed upside down. A guide for the workpiece being processed is fixed on the working surface.

Bench-type workbench

The most simple design, which does not require free space. It can be stored at home in disassembled form, and installed on any table if necessary to get the job done. The advantage is compactness. Disadvantages: low stability, and limitations on the size of the processed parts.

This is a full-fledged workbench without legs. Dimensions allow processing of any workpieces with high accuracy. At the same time, it is convenient to store the table in a vertical position. However, an installation site is required to make it operational. On regular table The device cannot be installed - the router suspended from below will interfere. Typically, the workbench is temporarily placed on an extendable table, or the tabletop is removed and the panel is placed on a frame with legs.

To save space, another option is suitable: the workbench is mounted on one side on the wall, with folding supports underneath it.

Separate table for router

The design can combine several functions: a workbench, a chest of drawers for storing tools and materials, and the milling table itself.

The advantages are obvious: versatility, stability, safety. There is only one drawback: a permanently allocated space is required. Therefore, this option is only suitable for a workshop; you cannot place a workbench on a loggia.

How to make a table for a router with your own hands?

For example, consider a full-fledged workbench with a chest of drawers for placing equipment. Of course, before starting work, you need to sketch out a drawing (according to the dimensions of your hand router) and make a list of materials:

Boards or wooden blocks for making a frame.
Chipboard sheets or solid wood panels for side panels and drawers.
Hardboard sheet (fibreboard), or thin plywood for partitions.
Two sheets of plywood 18-25 mm thick, or a finished kitchen countertop.
Screws, bolts, confirmat, steel angles for assembly.
Measuring tools: tape measure, ruler, angle.
PVA glue.

Woodworking tool: Circular Saw, drill, plane, keys, screwdrivers.

Cooking load-bearing structure beds. Before tightening the screws, coat all connections with glue.

We assemble the frame on a flat surface. We check the geometry: everything should be parallel and perpendicular.

We install partitions (they will act as stiffeners) and assemble the box for the router. The box is needed to prevent shavings and sawdust from being scattered around the room. In the future, a bell can be adapted to it construction vacuum cleaner, for waste removal.

We install the main element - the working plane. It can be made from two sheets of plywood by gluing them together. To prevent vibrations, the thickness of the table should be at least 5 cm.

Can be used finished surface for the kitchen (available in furniture stores). The main thing that upper layer was strong and smooth.

A steel plate is installed on the tabletop, flush with the surface, to secure the router base plate. Also, it is advisable to embed profiles into the table to fix the guides.

It is advisable to fill all free niches with boxes in which equipment and devices for fixing workpieces will be stored. Some boxes are replaced with stands for cutters: holes are drilled in the thick bottom of the board according to the diameter of the shanks, and the cutters will not touch each other.

To ensure safety, it is advisable to install a safety cover in the working area, as on industrial models.

A cutter sticking out of a table is a serious danger. If your hand slips from the workpiece, you may get injured. Another way to ensure safe work is a foot pedal switch. A simple circuit is assembled: between the power cord of the electric router and the general network cable A socket is installed that is turned off by a pedal. Approaching the workbench, you press the pedal and the motor turns on. After completion of work, or emergency situation– the foot is removed from the pedal and the router stops.

The finished table looks aesthetically pleasing and allows you to properly organize work area, even in confined spaces.

Lift for hand router

In normal operation, the operator of a manual milling machine lowers the shaft with the cutter using the tool handles. It's about about using the device without a machine. When the router is suspended upside down from the tabletop, the router is in what is called parking mode. A mechanism is required to lift the machine into the working position.

If there are several options:

Fixing screw rod. Using a threaded rod, the required penetration depth of the cutter is set. If necessary, it can be changed.

Lever mechanism. Allows you to more quickly change the height of the tool, even during operation. Expands the capabilities of the machine: in a sense, the router becomes three-dimensional.

Helical trapezoid. Many craftsmen use a regular car jack as a lift. You raise the cutter strictly to the required height. It is convenient, and the position fixation is quite accurate.

The considered option includes all the nuances of manufacturing a table for a router. You can use the method 100%, or adopt only the necessary technologies.

When processing a surface with a hand router, it often becomes necessary to hold the product at the same time. The milling table is designed for such situations.

Of course, you can purchase this device in hardware stores, but it is not cheap, so it is better to spend a little time and make a milling table yourself.

Types of milling tables

The amount of work to be done will depend on which version of the table you need.

There are several types of router tables:

Stationary
Free-standing, full-fledged desktop.
Portable
Tabletop design, which can be installed if necessary.
Aggregate
An option when, in order to work with a router, the surface of the saw table is expanded (pictured).

Design elements

In this article we will look at a stationary milling table. Having made it, you can independently cope with any other type of construction.

The most important part of the table is the bed. It consists of a frame (legs, frame, etc.) and a table top (including a metal plate and other table components). The height of the bed varies from 75 cm to 1 meter and can be adjusted individually.

An old one is quite suitable as a bed unnecessary table, which can be easily converted into a milling machine.

The tabletop is made of chipboard, laminated chipboard, thick plywood or plastic. Optimal thickness sheet – 16 mm. The material for the frame should be selected taking into account the fact that people will constantly move along its surface. wooden blanks. Therefore, it should 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 they can do without this detail, but this is not true. The mounting plate is a holder for all milling equipment.

The thickness of the plate should be no more than 8 mm. The material used depends on desire and capabilities. It can be metal, textolite, durable plywood or other sheet material. A hole is cut in the center of the plate to fit the size of the router sole.

Important: Models of milling cutters differ from each other, so when making a table you should take into account that its height should be ideal for your height, and the mounting of the router and the size of the hole should be exactly for your tool.

Stationary milling table

Let's consider the option of making a milling table with a metal frame and a tabletop made of Dutch plywood.

Materials and tools

In order to make a table for a manual router with your own hands, you will need the following materials:

metal corner or pipe (for frame)
aluminum guide
axles for mounting the router
putty, primer and paint for metal
self-tapping screws
furniture bolts 6 x 60 mm
Hexagonal adjusting bolts with nuts – 4 pcs.
Finnish moisture-resistant laminated plywood, 18 mm thick (you can use another material)
boards or plywood scraps (for making a rip fence).

The following tools are also required:

welding machine (for metal table frame)
drill and bits
screwdriver
jigsaw
milling cutter
spatula, brushes, rags.

How to make and assemble a transforming table with your own hands:

You might also be interested in the DIY article.

And about how to make a table for yourself sewing machine, you can find out from

Manufacturing stages

Step 1. First, we make the 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. The legs are welded to them.

You can weld on each side of the frame (along the perimeter where the tabletop will be located) a corner as long as a pipe, so that the tabletop sits on these corners in the recess.

Another option, which we will use, will be to install additional supports for the tabletop: we weld two more pipes onto the long sides, which will serve not only as a support for the plywood, but also as a limiter for the router (the distance between them should be such that you can safely cut out a hole for mounting the device).

In order to workplace was more stable, we weld reinforcing bridges between the table legs, 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 galvanized steel!). We clean the metal from dirt and degrease it using any solvent (alcohol, kerosene, etc.). If necessary, you can fill 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 that will be used for further painting, but diluted with a solvent. More long term and qualitative the result is obtained during processing specialized compositions for metal.

After application last standing you need to wait until it's full drying out and only then proceed to further actions.

Step 3. We cut the tabletop exactly to fit metal carcass so that it fits firmly into the corners. For greater strength, you can drill (with a metal drill) holes in metal pipes(or corners) and fasten the edges of the tabletop to the frame with furniture bolts. The size of the finished tabletop is 84 x 59 cm, table height is 90 cm.

Step 4. At a distance of 20-25 cm from the edge we cut aluminum guide along the entire length of the tabletop.

Step 5. Cut the axes for the router in half. This will help increase the space between the sole and the guide axle to 11mm (if using uncut axles, this distance will be only 6mm).

Step 6. We remove the sole from the router and mark 4 holes in the middle of the tabletop for its fastening, and drill them. We make a hole in the middle of the tabletop. The hole size will be different for each tool! Holes are drilled to the left and right of the hole into which the bolts securing the clamps of the router axes are inserted (they will no longer be removed).

Step 7 On the reverse side, you need to use a router to make a large groove for sole milling cutter.

In the groove, above and below through hole cut small grooves (with a router) equal in length to the axes. At the ends of the grooves, use a Forstner drill to make small recesses for adjusting bolts with hexagonal hole.

Step 8 We cut out two pieces of pipe equal to the width of the large groove. We drill holes in them for bolts that cannot be removed. We have obtained clamps for the router axes. Nuts are screwed onto the bolts.

Step 9 Hex nuts and bolts are placed on both sides axes and are necessary in order to carry out 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 purpose. Using a jigsaw, three equal-sized strips of plywood are cut out (length of the strip = table length + width of the guide pipe) and 4 stiffening ribs for them.

A semicircular hole is made in one strip of plywood for the release of chips, which should correspond to the slot in the tabletop. A square hole is made in the second strip in the same place.

The third strip of plywood is sawn in half. It is attached to back side strips with a square hole using bolts (then you need to make long grooves for their movement) or simple guides. The plywood halves 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 attach stiffening ribs: two - along the edges of the resulting big hole at the junction of the plywood strips and one at a time on both sides (at a distance of 7–10 cm from the edge).

We cut out a small square from thin plywood (which would fit between the stiffening ribs located in the middle), make a hole closer to the middle, equal to diameter vacuum cleaner pipes. The 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 intended for the router, you can fix emphasis using brackets with grooves for its movement.

Step 13 For convenience, we weld a 6-mm bolt to a regular bolt. metal plate. The 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 secure the router with pipe clamps.

Step 15 We turn the table over. 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 to hold the wire from the router while working.

Workplace safety

When working with power tools, do not forget about the safety rules:

When working with a router, be careful not to turn away from it or move workpieces near the tool with your hands.
Always use restraints, safety glasses and gloves.
Keep children away from the operating machine.
If a malfunction occurs, immediately unplug the router and take it to a workshop.

For more information on how to make a table for a hand router, see video:

Welcome to our page "Milling machines photo review"!

In this photo gallery we have collected and decided to show the most different ideas and milling machine implementation options, from simple tabletop machines to full-fledged multifunctional solutions.
* This photo review was created for informational purposes and is not a product. You can print this page yourself and for free.

The information in the review is structured, there are many diagrams and photographs with explanations.If you have your own interesting photos, ideas, suggestions, then you can send them for inclusion in this review (indicating your information as the author) via or email: . You can write your comments in the reviews on this page.

The primary purpose of milling equipment is profile and flat processing of wood, composite materials (MDF, chipboard and others), artificial stone, and polymers. Various types are used as an executive instrument.

Using a milling machine, a whole list of technological operations is performed: cutting shaped holes, slots and grooves in the workpiece, manufacturing connecting elements, processing and profiling edges and ends.
That is, a milling machine helps to quickly make products with beautiful and complex shapes,be it a figured tray or a box:

Or make a complex carved interior element:

Thanks to the variety of cutters, the machine turns into a universal tool for woodworking. In fact, you can use it to perform the entire processing cycle: cutting, shaping, and treating the surface until it is ready for coating with protective and decorative agents (varnishes, paints, oils).

1 . Wood milling machine.

Using a milling machine, you can successfully perform various technological operations such as:

straight edge profiling;

milling of shaped profiles;

creating curly ends according to a template;

creation of tenons and grooves of various configurations (such as " dovetail", T-shaped, V-shaped, microspikes and others);

cutting blanks and cutting them into pieces of the required length;

leveling the surface of the workpiece being processed (for example, a slab - a table top);

wood carving and engraving, for which they are actively used and ;

making grooves of both straight and spiral types on the surface of products that have the shape of bodies of revolution (balusters, etc.).

This machine is equipped with a carriage, a powerful 7.5-kilowatt motor and can work with tools with a diameter of up to 300 mm, which makes it extremely versatile.

1. Bed

The frame of the milling table is its support, and the support must first of all be stable.

2. Engine (milling cutter) and options for its installation

Types of motors or milling machines - There are two types of drives used in milling machines:

Directly permanently installed engines (or trimmers).

For example, the engine

Or hand cutters

For example, as in this photo, a manual router is used :

Functionally, the working surface must first be rigid - always maintain flatness and not sag. And secondly, ensure good sliding of the workpiece over the surface without damaging it (do not scratch).
Therefore, the working surface of a milling machine can be made of cast iron, steel, or aluminum.
For home workshops and mobile tables As a rule, countertops made of laminated chipboard, laminated MDF or plywood are used.

Options for installing and fastening the router in the work surface:

Option 1. Stationary version with fastening to a removable plate for convenient dismantling of the router.
A solid aluminum plate can be used, as in the original Festool CMS base:

as well as in homemade

Or compact aluminum / :

For this option use different designs elevator

ELEVATOR option with with a lever having a vertical axis:

ELEVATOR variant with a disk or lever having a horizontal axis:

These tables are compact in size, light weight and can be installed on any work surface.
For example: American .
Has a steel base, a table top made of

Or a steel base (as in milling machines) ):

With folded legs, the festul table turns into a tabletop version:

, and tires, ,.
For example, based on Kreg components:

Examples where a guide profile (combined rail) is used and clamping

You can also use the side surfaces of the table to attach them to outside tools or accessories necessary for work.

Admirers of the INCRA brand are also trying to improve beneficial features table.

Stationary table could just be a router table like the ones shown above.
But it can also be multifunctional, universal, combined with a workbench, editing table, stationary saw, etc.

INCRA and KREG accessories are actively used in the design of tables.
Eg:

The large working surface of such a universal table, on the one hand, expands possibilities, and on the other hand, saves both space and resources.

:

Tabletop router table:

Milling table with rotating table top:

Homemade elevator:

Another simpler option:

Side support:

Below is a typical sketch of a milling table with a large number of useful drawers.
All dimensions are in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm).
Table top:

Parallel stop:

Table stand:

and its frame:

We hope our photo review will be useful to you.
Agree, there are an incredible number of options for implementing a Milling Machine! There are as many solutions as there are Masters.

We work with pleasure!
Team "Arsenal Masters RU"

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