Definition of a milling table, its design

A device that can be used to: grooves in the workpiece, grooves. making tenon joints, processing the edges of products, called a milling table. It is inconvenient to use a router separately; the master will have to concentrate on the workpiece and at the same time on processing. A milling table, assembled with your own hands, facilitates the work process; it can be mounted on a workbench or a special design can be made for it.

Important! When carrying out work on the manufacture of a specialized table, you must remember that the router is installed from below, and free space must be allocated for it. The stationary part of any table is the frame; it is a strong frame with a tabletop.

Material for the frame milling table can be:

1. Wooden beam.
2. Metal squares.
3. Plates: MDF, chipboard.

The requirement for the frame is to create stability for the tabletop and rigidity of the structure. When you make a milling table with your own hands, the overall parameters of the frame are determined from the materials that require processing.

How to make a bed for a milling machine

Despite the simplicity of making a frame for a tabletop, a homemade milling machine should proper operation Meet requirements:

The table design includes mounting plate. it is needed to mount the router.

How to make a mounting plate correctly

Place the mounting plate at the location where the router sole is attached. For its manufacture, a material is selected that meets the following criteria:

• Strength.
• Thickness - the thinner the better.

Experts recommend using sheet metal, fiberglass or textolite, to make your own mounting plate for a milling machine. Overall dimensions are rectangular, thickness within from 4 millimeters to 8 millimeters. It is necessary to make a hole in the center of the plate, the diameter of which matches the hole on the sole hand router.

The router is equipped with a plastic pad that is attached to threaded holes on the base; these holes are used to attach it to the mounting plate. If there are no such holes, they must be made in the sole of the router. Another method of attaching the router is proposed, using metal spring brackets. Mounting plate attaches to the tabletop at the corners .

DIY assembly instructions for a milling table

To assemble the clamping device, rollers or a ball bearing of the required diameter are used. It is mounted in a holding device, which is rigidly fixed at the required distance from the plane of the tabletop.

This device ensures that the dimensional workpiece is tightly pressed against the plane of the tabletop as it passes under the roller. This simple addition increases the accuracy of the work performed and improves labor safety.

You can assemble a functional milling table with your own hands when the master has information about the electric drive that will be used in the work. Let's consider the power parameter to select electric drive:

Important! Experts recommend that before assembling a milling machine, determine the power of the milling machine, it should not be less than 2 kW. This power allows the master to work with any wood. It is recommended to choose milling cutter models with variable speed control. The rotation speed of the router is very important for obtaining an even cut on the workpiece. If this parameter is high, the cut will be clean.

Safe use of the router table

When the milling table is assembled and the electric drive is installed, do not rush to immediately check its operation, make sure that the work was performed correctly. What experts recommend doing for safe work on the milling table:

• It is advisable to install a protective screen on the countertop; it can be of your own design or an industrial design.
• Be sure to check for an emergency stop button electrical equipment, it should be in the shape of a “mushroom” and located in the master’s area so that it can be pressed with the body’s body.
• Equip the work area with light illumination.
• When the router table is used to frequently change cutters for work, it is recommended to equip it with an automatic cutter lifting device.

Equipped with a homemade milling table no restrictions. there is only one requirement for them: increasing the safety and efficiency of the work performed.

How to make a table for a router with your own hands with design drawings

Using a router table, you can perform professional woodworking. Joints, end profiling, door and window frames, skirting boards, photo and painting frames are made neatly and conveniently on the table. A factory-made table can cost a pretty penny if its quality is dubious. Why not make it yourself? Moreover, the design is not at all complicated; further drawings will be analyzed in detail.

Main parts of the milling table

homemade milling table

There are many options for milling tables. As a rule, craftsmen create unique drawings to suit their needs. But the basic design is the same regardless of the size of the machine. Here is a table 90 x 48 x 30 cm, the table top and supports are made of plywood No. 27, the legs of the workbench are welded from angle steel.

The main elements of a table for a manual router, the quality and design of which will determine the ease of use and functionality.

First you need to decide on the type of future machine:

If you plan to work on location, a drawing of a small portable structure will do. For constant work in the workshop, a reliable and powerful stationary table will be convenient. It can be installed on wheels and moved around the room. And for a small workshop, the modular option is good; it is an extension of the tabletop of the sawing machine or its rotary version.

Cover material

The most practical tabletops are made of chipboard covered with thin plastic or MDF with a melamine layer. This material is very easy to cut with a jigsaw, and it will last a long time.

Pressed countertops are not suitable for working in damp rooms or outdoors! To prevent them from swelling, all edges will have to be carefully processed and sealed.

Homemade countertops made from plastic sheets are very good. They are smooth, even, and easy to process. This machine can be used in any conditions.

Metal countertops are more difficult to make and are heavy. And aluminum sheets must be additionally clad - covered with a layer that prevents contamination of parts.

Groove for stop

Typically, a milling table is used for processing longitudinal edges. To be able to process the transverse ends, when creating a homemade machine, you need to provide a movable stop that moves in the groove. The built-in groove is also used for attaching clamping devices.

Fixing the router

There are two options for attaching a manual router to the table:

• directly to the bottom surface of the tabletop;
• to the removable mounting platform.

When making a milling table with your own hands, they often use the first method, as it is simpler. But the mounting plate equipment has several advantages in operation:

• frees up to 1 cm of the processing depth of the part;
• The router is easier to remove to replace cutters.

Therefore, we recommend that you tinker a little longer and equip the mounting plate. It must be flush with the surface of the countertop, otherwise the workpiece will touch the protrusions. Even more convenience is provided by a lift for the cutter, the design of which will be discussed in detail below.

Longitudinal stop

It serves as a guide for the part, so it must be level. You can make a stop with a T-slot into which clamping devices and other devices are inserted to make work easier.

Homemade table

The most primitive drawing of a homemade table for a router is an MDF table top, in which a hole is made for the router to pass through and a guide ruler is attached - an evenly planed board. This tabletop can be placed between two workbenches or installed on its own legs. Its advantages are the simplest and quickly manufactured design. Such a device is unlikely to allow you to carry out serious woodworking. Let's consider more functional options, including rotary.

Small router table

neat and small table

A tabletop model for a hand router, which you can make yourself in a few evenings. The design is light and mobile, fits on a shelf, takes up little space, and its drawings are simple.

• The working surface and side racks are made of thick laminated plywood No. 15. The size of the table top is 40 x 60 cm, the height without the corner stop is 35 cm, the height of the stop is 10 cm. Three grooves are selected in the surface of the work table for installing rails. Various auxiliary devices are installed here and moved along the tabletop.
• To make the structure stable, the legs are made of chipboard or MDF No. 22. The legs are placed with a slight indentation, leaving a little space for attaching templates and clamps using clamps.
• To cover the mechanism, a front panel made of plywood or chipboard is installed below.
• The side stop has grooves along which it moves. Locked in the right place using bolts and wing nuts. The emphasis can be dismantled and any convenient device can be installed in the free space.
• A pipe is connected to the stop to remove chips that are released in abundance during operation. The chip drains of the router and the table are connected through plastic corrugations from the sewer siphons by a splitter for the water supply. A hose from a household vacuum cleaner is attached to a clamp. The result is a very effective system for removing chips; they practically do not scatter throughout the room.
• Since the machine is designed for a manual milling machine, a special on/off switch is not required.
• The stop consists of two parts, which are moved closer or further depending on the diameter of the working body. A wing nut is provided to secure the sash. The good thing about the proposed model is that the tool can be easily removed from the frame to replace the cutters.
• The mounting platform for the router is made of textolite or plexiglass. Pre-dismantled plastic platform from the router kit. The recesses for the mounting area are selected with a router, and the hole is cut with a jigsaw. When the hole is ready, the plexiglass is adjusted to its size and shape. It should fit tightly and without protrusions into the window.

You can make several mounting platforms of the same size with holes for different cutter diameters.

This option is convenient for small hand tools. If a stationary table is being made for a large router, insert rings for different cutter diameters are attached to one mounting platform.

To ensure that the workpiece moves smoothly, movement stops are installed on the side stop. Clamps are also attached to the side stop, which hold the part near the cutter during operation. Additional convenience is provided by the slide, along which the workpiece moves at a right angle. And to make the work safe, pushers are manufactured.

The table is ready for use, its drawback is the lack of adjustment of the processing depth. This is done manually by pressing on the tool. It is impossible to “get” to the desired depth the first time. Therefore, we recommend equipping the table with a lift.

You need to make a hole in the frame into which an adjusting bolt with a wing nut is inserted. The depth of milling is smoothly changed by twisting the lamb.

Some craftsmen adapt old car jacks for a lift for a powerful router. The device is attached under the router; a hole is made in the side wall to bring the jack handle out. The jack handle can be bent at the desired angle; when rotated, the router smoothly moves up and down in 2 mm increments.

Another model of a homemade milling table for a router in the video:

Examples of milling table designs and their drawings

Design 1

At the time of buying milling machine It is not always possible to determine the exact tasks and scope of work performed. Therefore, the master, thinking about a purchase, tries to find a universal option, combining precision in processing on a machine and the compactness of a manual milling machine.

In this article we will look at a compromise option - a table for a manual router with your own hands; drawings of this device and structural elements are attached below.

To make a milling table with your own hands, drawings of which can be easily found on the Internet, or bought ready-made option, you need to have at least the slightest idea about their designs.

The working process of a hand milling cutter consists of moving the tool along the plane of the workpiece. If the router is permanently fixed and the workpiece is moved, then the manual machine becomes a milling machine. It takes up little more space than a manual or portable version, and has undeniable advantages over compact models.

It is preferable to perform a number of milling operations only in a stationary position - cutting out grooves and grooves, various methods of processing the edges of products and laying tenon joints.

The first thing we will do when making a table for a manual router with our own hands is to choose a location. It is necessary to understand in what design the table will be made: modular, removable or stationary.

Depending on the frequency of use of the milling table, its type is selected. If it is rarely used, then a portable option is suitable. If the master works every day, then we will make a free-standing stationary table with our own hands. The design of a portable milling machine allows you to remove a manual router from a structure, and remount it after the job is completed.

Basic elements of a milling table

Let's consider an option - a table for a manual router, which is easy to make with your own hands, without resorting to outside help.

It is difficult to imagine a full-fledged milling machine without the main elements of its design:

• bed;
• table top;
• mounting plate;
• longitudinal stop;
• pressing combs.

You can assemble a table for a hand router with your own hands from scrap materials (cut plywood sheets, chipboard, edged board, metal corners, pipes). We will put together a bed for the machine from boards or use an old table or bedside table.
Anything that will allow you to react firmly and steadily to the vibration of the milling machine and will serve as the supporting structure of the machine will do.

When making a machine bed with his own hands, the master must choose the right height for himself. Only by taking into account the operator’s characteristics (height, arm length, etc.) will the work process take place in comfortable conditions without harm to health.

Tabletop

Convenient to use on work surface kitchen countertop. But this option is relevant if you changed kitchen furniture and the old tabletop lies idle. Otherwise, it is easier to use plywood.

The recommended thickness for the table top is 16 mm, so 8 mm plywood sheets are glued together, which allows you to get a strong and reliable table for a manual router. To improve sliding, the surface of the tabletop is covered with a sheet of textolite, which will simplify the feeding of the workpiece to the working body of the milling machine.

The dimensions of the tabletop directly depend on the size of the workpieces being processed; the width of the tabletop changes, but the depth and thickness remain unchanged. The picture shows a table top with dimensions suitable for most jobs. Compliance with the dimensions is not mandatory; each master changes them to suit specific conditions and requirements.

A hole is cut in the center of the tabletop for attaching a milling machine. The dimensions of this hole are larger than the seat plate of the milling machine. The edges of the hole are folded to install the mounting plate, to which the cutter is mounted. The depth of the rebate is equal to the thickness of the mounting plate so that it is flush with the surface of the table.

For greater functionality of the machine and the ability to process parts of different sizes, grooves are selected in the tabletop. They install a guide profile for a standard carriage with a stop, which allows you to fix the longitudinal stop and the horizontal clamping ridge in the required position.

Mounting plate

The mounting plate is required to attach the router to the table. It is made from durable materials such as metal, plastic, textolite, plywood. Self-tapping screws with a countersunk head are used for fastening. To make it easier to control the dimensions of the workpiece, a ruler is attached to the plate.

The plate should fit tightly into its seat on the machine table top. Its thickness does not exceed 6 mm, and this is its advantage over attaching a router directly to the bottom of the tabletop. The small thickness of the plate increases the milling depth and allows you to easily dismantle the router yourself. The hole in the insert is larger than the cutter used. The diameter of the cutters varies from 3 mm to 76 mm, so it is recommended to use inserts with replaceable rings to change the hole for the cutter.

Longitudinal stop

When performing milling operations, a longitudinal stop is required that guides the workpiece along the table. The result of the work done with your own hands will be accurate if the stop is smooth in length and perpendicular to the surface of the tabletop. The stop can be solid and equipped with movable pads that allow you to adjust the gaps around the cutter.

A vertical clamping comb is placed on the longitudinal stop, which fixes the workpiece in the vertical direction. Equipped with a branch pipe, the stop allows you to connect the vacuum cleaner hose in close proximity to the working element, which allows you to remove sawdust and dust from the workplace.

Longitudinal stop (front view)

Longitudinal stop (rear view)

Pressing combs

To fix the workpiece to the working surface and the longitudinal stop, vertical and horizontal clamping ridges are installed.

The vertical ridge is placed on the stop structure. Due to the longitudinal hole in the wall of the stop, the ridge moves in a vertical plane and can be fixed at any height with fasteners.

The horizontal pressure stop is placed on the tabletop of the milling machine. Thanks to the longitudinal guide profile on the tabletop, the pressure comb moves lengthwise and crosswise in a horizontal plane.

1. If the floors in the workshop are uneven, it is recommended to make adjustable supports for the milling table yourself, with the help of which you can adjust the comfortable height for work.
2. To ensure durability of the equipment, the wooden parts of the milling table are coated with a protective layer (paint, varnish).
3. Mount the protective glass on the longitudinal support, which will protect your eyes from chips and dust.
4. Use gloves to protect your hands while operating the milling machine.
5. Do not wear loose-fitting clothes.
6. Use hand routers with a power rating greater than 1100 watts.
7. Install the cutter in the collet 3/4 the length of the shank.

Safety precautions when working with a milling machine:

• before starting work, it is necessary to check the fastening of the stop;
• do not apply much force when milling (too strong a feed will damage the tool);
• install the cutter in the collet 3/4 of the length of the shank, but not tightly, but leaving a gap of at least 3 mm;
• when using large diameter cutters, reduce the rotation speed;
• disconnect the tool from the power supply before performing adjustments and maintenance;
• Monitor the condition of the cutters and do not use damaged ones.

Reliable do-it-yourself milling table

Milling table: purpose, types

The convenience of using a router placed in a table lies in the optimization and safety of working with wood, as well as the speed of manufacturing parts. The principle of operation of this installation is quite simple, since it is not the milling cutter that moves along the surface being processed, but the part that moves relative to it.

A router fixed to the table provides greater possibilities for processing parts. As a result, product blanks are obtained as in professional furniture workshops with the appropriate equipment. Before making a milling table, you need to decide on the appearance and size. It is necessary to take into account the possibility of upgrading the table. It is important that the table is reliable and stable in use. The presence of drawers will create additional comfort in work

Compact homemade design will replace an industrial machine

1. There are three main types of router tables:
2. Stationary - a specialized design, usually bulky and non-movable.
3. Portable - has compact dimensions and relatively light weight. This table is easy to move.

Aggregate - the design provides for expansion of the surface of the saw table.

Design diagram

To make your own countertops, you usually use MDF boards covered with various plastic coatings, thick plywood or boards. These materials are easy to process, lightweight and durable. Wooden structure

easy to process and use

The covers of the milling tables must be smooth. They are often made of plastic or metal. These tables have a perfectly flat surface that is impervious to moisture. Phenolic plastics are easy to process. This is very convenient when making grooves for an aluminum profile or when drilling holes for fastening a longitudinal stop. Like MDF, plywood and boards, these materials have reasonable prices.

Branded countertops made of steel or aluminum already have holes for a specific model of router. If the manufactured countertop models are made of MDF boards or plastic, then the companies prepare only holes for the plates. Although this does not always happen.

There are holes in the base of the plate through which the router is attached with screws to its base. These plates can be made of metal, plastic, polycarbonate or aluminum. The router plate must be installed flush with the surface of the countertop. If any part of the plate protrudes above the surface, the workpieces will catch on it.

The table cover is equipped with adjusting screws or other devices for leveling the plate. It is better to choose a plate with replaceable rings. This is necessary to select the holes of the rings according to the diameter of the cutter. This makes it easier to remove chips and other debris from the working surface of the milling table.

Creates convenience when selecting cutter diameter

When performing milling operations, a longitudinal stop is often needed to guide the workpiece at the desired angle. In order for the work to be done accurately, it must be level along its entire length, positioned strictly perpendicular to the table surface and be easy to adjust for various processes. The front parts of the stop can be made either solid or in the form of several overlays. To prevent chips and debris from accumulating, the side stop is equipped with a pipe. The vacuum cleaner hose is connected to it.

The front parts of the stop are in the form of several fastened overlays

The milling table can be upgraded with a frame into which the grinder will be attached. Read more about self-production You can read this design here.

Required tools and materials

1. Carpenter's glue.
2. Bolts with nuts.
3. Screws.
4. MDF board and birch plywood sheet
5. Jigsaw.
6. Spanners.
7. Sandpaper.
8. Ruler.
9. Pencil

Drawings and calculations

To make a table for a router, you can use a separate surface, which is fixed in wooden supports or between two cabinets. Most in a simple way To create a table top, support part and parts for a milling table, you will use MDF board or birch plywood with a thickness of 16 to 25 mm. If the plate is covered with plastic, then there will be less resistance during operation. The board, laminated on both sides, will not warp during use. In our case, in the manufacture of the milling table we used:

1. 1 MDF panel, size 19x1000x1800 mm.
2. 1 plywood sheet, size 19x1000x1650 mm.
3. 1 plate, size 4x30x30 mm.
4. Aluminum guides - 2.3 m.
5. Wheel support with brake - 4 pcs.

Photo gallery: Milling table diagrams

Step-by-step instruction

The structure of the upper part of the table will consist of wooden parts that are cut from a solid 19 mm MDF board. As a replacement for this material, you can use birch plywood.

• Saw sheet material into fragments according to the specified sizes.

1 - working surface; 2 - support base; 3 - its support wall; 4 - gusset (4 pcs. sizes for 19 mm plywood); 5 - drawer (2 pcs.); 6 - side bar; 7 - connecting strip (4 pcs.)

Before sawing into parts, it is necessary to check the thickness of the MDF board, as often it may not coincide with the specified parameters or be defective.

• It is necessary to remove the plastic cover from the base of the router. In the future, it will serve as a template for marking cutters on the surface of the countertop.

The plastic pad will serve as a template for marking

• On the largest sawn part No. 1, measuring 90x70 cm, make markings for the cutter. To do this, you need to draw a line at a distance of 235 mm from the edge in the middle and put a mark. Then place the pad so that the router's adjustment mechanisms are closer to the edge of the table. Having positioned the trim evenly, mark the places for drilling holes that will be secured with screws.

The mounting holes must line up with the trim

• Measure the diameter of the pad and the distance from the outer edge to the cut of the sole, as shown in the image.

Determining its diameter

• From the middle of the cut part of the sole, draw a line perpendicularly to its center, where: S = D/2-(D-H).

Measurements are taken from the cut of the sole of the lining

• Using the holes in the sole of the lining, mark future holes for the mounting screws.

Using an overlay as a template

• In parts No. 2 and 3, drill holes for fasteners and cutters. At the base and front of the stop, make markings for semicircular cutouts, as shown in the image. Using a jigsaw, cut semicircular cutouts. Sand the surfaces.

There are no semicircular cutouts in the diagram.

• Attach four planks (parts No. 7) to the underside of the tabletop using screws.

Use wood glue or epoxy as glue.

• Glue the remaining pieces together and secure them with screws. Install a router at the bottom of the tabletop.

1 - side bar for fixing 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

• Now you need to make the table support structure. In our case, its height will be 820 mm. For this, a sheet of birch plywood 19x1000x1650 mm was used.

1 - outer side pillar; 2 - internal stand; 3 - rear pillar; 4 - base

• Cut the plywood into pieces according to size.
• Assemble the table structure, securing its parts with self-tapping screws, screws, and glue. The result is a frame with free space in the cabinets, which are convenient for storing tools and consumables.

1 - side stand; 2 - support on wheels; 3 - bottom of the structure; 4 - internal panel; 5 - rear pillar

• Then it is necessary to make a mounting plate, which will contribute to a greater overhang of the cutter due to the tool attached to it. To make the plate, you need duralumin, getinax or polycarbonate with a thickness of 4 to 6 mm. Cut a square from the specified material, the sides of which are 300 mm. Glue the router sole onto it (using double-sided tape). In this case, the overlay will serve as a template. Drill the plate through the holes in the cover. After this, remove the cover and use a large drill to make indentations for the caps in the plate.

Allows the cutter to process parts as much as possible

• As shown in the image, you need to place the plate and trace its outline. Draw and cut a cutout on the tabletop, the edges of which are sanded.

A pre-drilled hole will make the process easier

• Drill holes at the place where the cutter is attached and widen them on the back side of the tabletop with an 11 mm drill. Place the mounting plate on the prepared hole in the tabletop, aligning them for fastening with bolts. Attach the part to the router base. Insert the tool into the tabletop and secure it with screws.

The holes of the table top and the plate must match

• For ease of operation of the machine, it is necessary to modify the side stop and equip it with a rotary one. This will help in the future to process the ends of narrow parts. To do this, you need to embed guides from a T-shaped profile into the surface of the slab.

Rotary and side stop will make the process convenient

• Install a guide profile in the front stop bar for attaching clamps, pads and protective devices.
• To connect the vacuum cleaner to the machine, it is necessary to make a pipe for dust removal. To do this, you need to cut a part measuring 140x178 mm from plywood. In the center of the part we make a round hole for attaching an adapter fitting for a vacuum cleaner.

The part is made of plywood

• For support, add a safety shield made of plywood and plexiglass.

Wing nuts are used for convenience

• To mill small fragments, make clamps and clamps. To do this, we cut out parts from plywood in accordance with the dimensions in the image. When making a comb clamp, it is better to use maple wood. To cut out a part, you need to choose an area with a straight direction of the wood fibers. It is better to make the cracks of the ridges with a circular saw on a machine.

Allows you to fix parts when processing small fragments

• Secure the guide with clamps. Sand all surfaces of the table, especially in places where milling work will be carried out. Clear everything wooden elements from dust and cover with oil.

Safety precautions

When working on a milling machine, accidents and injuries are possible from contact with the rotating mechanisms of the cutter and particles of workpieces flying off from it. Before starting the router, you need to remove all the tools from the surface of the tabletop, clean its surface from debris and small particles. You can also equip the milling table with a protective screen that will prevent particles from flying away.

While working at the table, cleaning and lubricating parts, removing the protective screen and measuring workpieces is prohibited. To avoid flying particles from getting into your eyes, you must use safety glasses. This is especially true when high-speed milling or processing bronze, cast iron or silumin elements.

It is necessary to cut the cutter into the part gradually. The mechanical feed must be turned on until the part comes into contact with the cutter drill. During rotation of the milling mechanism, it is unacceptable to keep your hands close to the tool rotation zone. Before installing drills, you must ensure their reliability and strength, as well as their integrity and correct sharpening. Drills should not contain metal chips or cracks. If such defects are detected, they must be replaced.

Video: Making a milling table with your own hands

Thanks to relatively inexpensive materials and your skill, you can build a compact milling table design. This will allow you to produce parts with high-precision cutouts and high-quality processing at home.

Do-it-yourself wood milling machine - how to make it

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

There are several types of router tables:

1. Stationary
   Free-standing, full-fledged desktop.
2. Portable
   Tabletop design, which can be installed if necessary.
3. 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 unnecessary table, which can easily be converted into a milling table, is quite suitable as a bed.

The tabletop is made of chipboard, laminated chipboard, thick plywood or plastic. The optimal sheet thickness is 16 mm. The material for the frame should be selected taking into account the fact that wooden pieces will constantly move along its surface. 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.

You might also be interested in an article on how to make a jigsaw table with your own hands.

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

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 painting 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 the metal frame so that it fits firmly into the corners. For greater strength, you can drill holes (with a metal drill) 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 for the router. The hole size will be different for each tool! Holes are drilled to the left and right of the hole into which the bolts for 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 the back of the strip 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 fasten the stiffening ribs: two - along the edges of the resulting large hole at the junction of the plywood strips and one - on both sides (at a distance of 7-10 cm from the edge).

We cut out a small square of thin plywood (which would fit between the stiffening ribs located in the middle), closer to the middle we make a hole equal to the diameter of the vacuum cleaner pipe. 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.

The milling 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 manual router, the workpiece is fixed on a regular table, and all manipulations are carried out by the tool itself, which makes it impossible to maintain precision processing.

Using a hand router table 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 performed efficiently: cutting shaped holes and making various slots and grooves in the workpiece, manufacturing connecting elements, processing and profiling edges.

You can see the structure of a factory-made milling table 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 manufacture of which does not require large financial costs, 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. To make such a plate, you can use a metal sheet, textolite or durable plywood. The soles of most router models already have threaded holes, and they 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.

The mounting plate must be located on the same level as 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), a compact desktop machine, or 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

The bed of a homemade milling installation must be highly stable and reliable, 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 the significant characteristics of 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.

You can make an inexpensive but very reliable working surface for a homemade milling device from the tabletop of an old 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 Top corner of the frame Bottom corner of the frame Drawer slide Sliding diagram Table top Stop drawing Large drawer Small drawer Front of the small drawer Side panels of the table

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 a drawing of it, on which you must indicate the overall dimensions of this part, the diameters and location of all holes on it. If desired, you can fix it on the table surface using clamp brackets.

A video with a detailed story about the construction of 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 a manual milling cutter with a tool with a diameter of 6–10 mm is used. 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. On the back side of the tabletop, it is also necessary to select a certain amount of material, since the 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 its 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 External view 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 A 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 lifting of the cutter Adjusting the overhang of the cutter Platform from plexiglass before installing the router The glass is precisely adjusted to the tabletop The router is screwed to the support platform

Making the top clamp

To do homemade machine safer to use and to ensure the convenience of processing large workpieces on it, it is possible to 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 pressure device. Such a roller is mounted on a holding device that allows it to be fixed at any distance from the tabletop. With 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 highly productive and functional, it is necessary to equip it with an electric drive of sufficient power. If you plan to use your machine for shallow woodworking, a 500W electric motor will be sufficient. 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 as 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, 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 best quality will result in res. Electric motors, as you know, can be designed to be powered from an electrical network with a voltage 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 the electric motor at its maximum power and provide it with a smooth start. 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-stop Parallel stop with wings Box for connecting a vacuum cleaner (dust and chip removal) Steel plate for attaching the router Attaching the router sole to the plate How the elevator works

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 with a protective screen. How such screens are constructed is illustrated by photographs and drawings of 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 pressed accidentally.

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, it is worth making a manual or automatic device for raising and lowering the tool (elevator). 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 presence of a milling machine will greatly simplify the process and accuracy of product processing. It can be purchased ready-made in a specialized store, or you can save your own savings and make a table with your own hands.

With this device you can cut not only different types of trees, but also plastic and wood boards. You can also use it to independently make profile cuts, grooves, tenons and slots.

With a DIY router table, you can equip your workshop with a practical woodworking machine. All that is required for effective work is to attach the manual router itself to the product.

Type designs, the milling table can be:

• mounted. This option is quite practical and easy to use. To do this, a separate block of the unit is attached to the sawing machine with clamps on the side. This design allows you to save space. If necessary, it can be easily and quickly removed and left aside;
• portable. This option is in great demand, especially if the workshop is small. Also, this type of design is suitable for those who often change their place of residence or take a router with them to construction sites;
• stationary. This option is suitable for a spacious workshop. This is a very convenient model. Since with a stationary product you can equip a well-thought-out workplace.

Material

To make a milling table, you can use various materials:

Each individual option has its own advantages. Wood is characterized by high strength, reliability and durability. But you need to be able to work with this material. It is more difficult to process manually, unlike DPP or MDF. And natural wood is much more expensive.

As for chipboard and MDF, these materials are more affordable in terms of price. They can be easily processed with hand and electric tools and have good technical characteristics.

Drawing of a homemade wood milling table

Before you start making a milling table, you need to make a drawing. It indicates the exact dimensions of each individual element and materials of manufacture. As for making the drawing, you can make it yourself, you can use special programs on the computer or, order from a furniture company. The last option is the most reliable. Since the specialists will make a competent calculation of all the details, with an accuracy of one millimeter.

Tools

To make a homemade milling table design you will need the following tools:

• hacksaw;
• electric jigsaw;
• sanding machine or sandpaper;
• drill;
• chisel;
• screwdriver or screwdriver.

Advice: Using power tools will greatly speed up the process of making and assembling the product.

From materials you will need:

• Chipboard or MDF. To avoid sagging during work, you should choose lumber with a cross-section of 3.6 cm. For the side parts, chipboard with a thickness of 1.6 cm is suitable;
• plywood, textolite, metal (production of mounting plate);
• The router is purchased at a specialized store.

An easy way to make a table for a hand router

Making a countertop

First you need to prepare the parts for the table. They are cut with a jigsaw from selected lumber, according to the drawing.

Advice: detailing can be ordered from a specialized furniture company. Here they will help you immediately create a competent drawing and select lumber. The cost of the furniture company's services is fully justified by the quality and precision of the work. All you need next is to simply assemble the product according to the diagram in your workshop.

The manufacturing process of a milling table is carried out in the following sequence:

Important: whether to design a table or not is a personal matter for everyone. The table top with the router installed can be simply secured between two tables.

How to make and install a plate yourself

Since the tabletop of a homemade milling table is quite thick, the mounting plate should have a small thickness. Then you can make maximum use of the cutting tool reach.

Attention: a plate with a minimum thickness should be as strong and rigid as possible.

It can be made of metal or of a material that is in no way inferior in strength, for example, PCB. The thickness of the PCB should vary between 4-8 mm.

The plate manufacturing process is as follows:

1. After checking the drawing, cut out a rectangular piece from a sheet of textolite.
2. In the center of a rectangular piece make a hole. Its dimensions must correspond to the diameter of the hole in the router sole.
3. We connect the plate with the router base and the table.
4. For fixing plates to the tabletop making clamps for the machine, which are located at the four corners. These dimensions must strictly correspond to the holes located on the tool itself.

Work area equipment

After manufacturing and assembling the milling table, it is recommended to think over a competent working area. To maintain the accuracy of milling processing, it is worth installing on the tabletop:

• guides. They can be made from chipboard or from the same materials as the countertop. The guides are installed at right angles and fastened with four oblique stops.
• clamps. They can be made in the form of a wooden comb or from a ball bearing of the required size and weight.

Finishing

After constructing a milling table with your own hands, to give the product an aesthetic appearance and to extend its service life, you need all the working surfaces:

• polish;
• polish;
• bottom and sides - paint;
• open with varnish.

The electrical part of the product must be covered with a metal sleeve.

Photo

The result of your work may be a table that looks like one of the following

Useful video

A detailed description of the manufacturing process can be seen in the following video:

Conclusion

In conclusion, it is worth noting that the process of manufacturing a milling table is a rather responsible process. If you are confident that you can handle this task, you can save your own savings and make the product yourself. To do this you will need: stock up on a well-designed drawing, necessary materials and tools and free time.

In contact with

In a private household, a milling machine is always useful. The equipment is indispensable in the manufacture of various wooden products- from window frames to various small crafts. The milling machine consists of a support table and the router itself. If the owner already has a manual router, then you can make a router table with your own hands.

The table is the main base of the machine. Milling cutters are its working parts. With the help of these parts, many operations are performed when processing wood blanks. On a machine, longitudinal grooves, channels, vertical recesses, oval bevels and much more are made in wood. A table is necessary for precise placement of the cutter - both horizontally and vertically.

Milling table design

The machine desktop must meet the following requirements:

• The standard working surface height ranges from 800 to 900 mm. The height of the table can be different - at the request of the owner of the workshop.
• The surface of the table should ensure unhindered sliding of the wooden workpiece.
• The milling cutter must be equipped with an elevator that will easily move the cutter vertically.
• IN work area you need to install chip and dust suction.
• The mounting plate must provide reliable fastening milling cutter. The thickness of the plate should allow the cutting element to extend upward as much as possible.
• The clamping parts must be such that the worker’s hands cannot accidentally get under the cutter.
• The machine bed must be stable, and at the same time allow the machine to be easily moved to the desired location.

Manufacturing of bed and table top

In a home workshop, inexpensive auxiliary materials are often used to make the supporting part of the machine. To do this, take pieces of MDF, construction plywood, a metal corner, hardware (bolts, screws, washers and nuts) and so on.

bed

The supporting structure for the machine is made from wooden beam or welded metal profile. Some craftsmen adapt an old table or workbench under the bed. The most important thing in the design of the frame is stability. During operation of the milling cutter, various vibration loads may occur.

If old furniture is loose, it is worth installing additional fasteners. To do this, use a metal corner, which is attached to questionable parts of the structure through drilled holes screws.

Most reliable design there will be a frame made of steel angle 40x40 mm. To do this, you need a welding machine and experience in handling it.

Tabletop

The organization of the desktop can be “seen” in videos about the operation of milling machines published on the Internet. When making a tabletop, it is necessary to follow the requirements that ensure easy movement of the wooden workpiece and the cutting part of the cutter, as well as reliable fixation of the workpiece relative to the cutter.

DIY machine assembly option

Install on both side ends of the table aluminum profile T-shaped section for fastening and free movement of the parallel stop in the form of a bar. The plank on the sides is equipped with aluminum fasteners that fit into the grooves of the side profiles.

A rectangular cutout is made in the plank for the exit of the cutter. A guide profile is attached to the part, along which the vertical and angular clamps move. Clamps fix the passage of the wooden workpiece through the milling zone.

A parallel groove is cut in the tabletop to move the miter gauge slider. On one of the supports under the tabletop there are switches with an emergency stop button for the router.

The work platform is often made of MDF and construction plywood. The surface of such material wears out quickly. A more reliable tabletop is made of textolite. The textolite surface has high wear resistance and a low coefficient of friction.

The ideal option for a tabletop would be a steel sheet or an aluminum alloy plane. Since the platform must have technological grooves and holes, making such a part with your own hands will be quite difficult, and sometimes impossible. A solution can be found in using parts of old equipment.

Router plate

An opening is cut out in the center of the tabletop to install the work plate. It is better to make the plate from the same PCB. A round hole is made in the slab. Round inserts are made under the hole. By combining inserts, select the through hole in diameter for the desired cutter.

The ring inserts, like the plate itself, must be flush with the entire surface of the work table. The rings ensure that the cutter fits tightly into the working area.

Fraser

The power plant functions like an ordinary drill. The milling chuck clamps the cutter axis and imparts rotational movement to it. The unit is attached from below to the working plate. When designing a table, it is necessary to take into account the preservation of space for placing the device under the tabletop.

A compact electric motor is used as a milling cutter. You can make a homemade power tool to an experienced master. In some cases, an electric drill is used. To get rid of this problem, purchase a ready-made manual router. The retail chain offers customers a wide range of hand-held power tools of this type.

Manual milling machines from different manufacturers have approximately the same set of options and overall dimensions. The tool is mainly intended for processing wooden workpieces.

A milling machine allows a worker to control the processing process with two hands, and when working with hand tools, the hands are busy holding the unit itself. It is advantageous to place a manual milling cutter in a homemade machine design.

Mounting plate

The polymer sole of the router is removed and a mounting plate is cut along its contour. The mounting plate is made from metal sheet, thickness no more than 6 mm. Mounting holes are drilled in the working area along the screws securing the router through the mounting plate.

The holes are made from the side of the working surface with a countersunk so that the screw heads do not protrude above the plane of the table.

Elevator

An elevator is a device for moving something vertically. In this case, this concerns the milling unit. The manual router is equipped with a lift. The problem of installing an elevator becomes relevant when home-made devices are used as a power plant.

You can purchase a ready-made factory-made elevator. There are many options for making homemade lifting devices published on the Internet. The main task of the lift is to accurately fix the cutter vertically. The protrusion of the conical cutting surface of the cutter determines the depth and width of the wood sample in the workpiece.

One of the most popular options for a homemade elevator is to move the router on a vertical threaded metal rod.

Diagram of a homemade router lift

A shelf is installed under the table into which a rod with a flange nut is inserted. A flywheel is installed higher on the rod. By rotating it, you achieve the desired height of the cutter above the surface of the work table.

Rotary milling table

The rotary model of the machine is a complex structure that ensures the tilt of the wooden workpiece in relation to the cutter. Thanks to this feature of the machine, wooden blanks of complex shapes are produced. It is almost impossible to assemble such tables at home.

Safety when working on a homemade machine

For safe work milling machine, you should follow several safety rules:

1. The metal frame must be grounded.
2. The machine is installed in a dry, ventilated area.
3. If the machine is made entirely of wood, then the milling cutter body itself is grounded.

Conclusion

A DIY milling table will save cash owner of the workshop. Homemade design takes into account all the individual needs of the machine owner, which compares favorably with ready-made options.

It can be very difficult to cut grooves accurately and to size. For the manufacture of table and chair legs, milling, jointing or drilling machines with special devices and moving tables. In the absence of stationary machines, the grooves are cut with a manual milling cutter using a stop.

To cut a groove, you need to adjust the entire system of tables and clamping devices by eye, and the first time you almost always get an error. After additional adjustments, the error is eliminated and parts can be completed. It is difficult to hold a hand router with your own hands, and sometimes vibrations cause mistakes and drift towards the stop, especially when hitting a knot.

The problem becomes even more complicated if the part is single, or the groove is located on long distance from the edge of the board.

Original idea

The table recommended in the article is light in weight and small in size. It is quickly transferred, rebuilt and allows you to select grooves with great accuracy, high quality and without errors. Working with a manual router using the proposed table becomes simple and safe.

Important! The advantage and peculiarity of the idea is that using transparent plexiglass material it is very quick and convenient to install the structure, aligning it with the marks on the blanks.

The table presented in the article for a manual router is easy to make with your own hands.

Preparing for work

In order to make a table structure for a manual router, you must have the following materials and components available:

Materials

Accessories

Tools

List of tools used in the manufacture of a homemade device:

• ruler;
• cutting knife;
• thick felt-tip pen;
• pencil;
• finger cutters 10 mm, 16 mm;
• conical cutter;
• manual frezer;
• carpenter's square;
• clamps;
• 8 mm;
• head for chamfering on a drill;

The process of making a homemade table

Advice! To protect against chipping, tape is placed in the slots. For this purpose, they also protect the places where holes are drilled in plexiglass, using a drill with a chamfer head.

After this, the tape is removed. Using a simple felt-tip pen, draw the line of the slot so that it appears clearly.

Two strips measuring 500x50 mm are cut from plexiglass to make guides for the milling table. The edges of the guides are ground to reduce friction.

Next, in the lower side of the plate for the platform, 3 holes are drilled on both sides. This operation is performed with a drill with a chamfer head. Countersunk head screws will be inserted into these holes from below. 3 holes are cut accordingly on one of the plexiglass guide strips. Then connect one guide to the platform and attach nuts and washers.

A conical cutter is installed on a hand router. The router is pressed against the platform, the end of the cutter is aligned with the line in the center of the platform, and the bolt is clamped on the guide. Repeat this operation at the other end of the guide, and tighten all the bolts. Screw the second guide in the same way.

Thus, the manual router slides along the plexiglass platform along the guides, which rigidly fix it on both sides, preventing errors and mistakes.

Then, using a milling machine, a groove for the cutter is cut, having previously marked its dimensions on the platform with a felt-tip pen. Since its width should be 1 mm larger than the largest available finger cutter, the groove is made in 3 passes.

At the next stage, it is necessary to make equipment from polystyrene for attaching the limiters. The stoppers move and are fixed on the stopper base, which is mounted on the table platform.

1. Cut polystyrene blanks on a circular saw.
2. The grooves are milled.
3. Drill holes for fastening.

Grooves are milled into the blanks of the stops and inserted into the bases by threading the screws into the holes of the grooves. If necessary, protruding screws are cut off with a grinder and the burrs are smoothed with a file.

1. Drill holes in the clamping bars.
2. A milling cutter is used to select a countersunk for the heads of furniture bolts.
3. Insert bolts into holes.

On the back side of the platform, bars are inserted so that the bolts fit into the grooves for fixing the table. Wings are screwed onto furniture bolts and limiter screws.

The design of the milling table is made by hand and is ready for use.

The procedure for using a homemade table

Milling of bars

1. The workpiece is installed from below, covered on both sides with pressure bars and clamped. Using markings on the plexiglass of the platform and marks on the block, the structure is oriented so that the center of the block is in the center of the platform. The wings of the pressure bars are clamped. After this, the structure with the workpiece is clamped in a carpenter's vice.
2. Using markings on the bars and a conical cutter, the limiters are set and fixed.
3. Moving a hand router along the guides from one stop to another, changing the depth several times, select the grooves.

Milling grooves on a board

To carry out this operation you will need double-sided tape. The clamping bars are removed from the device.

1. Make markings on the board with a pencil, glue tape to the board and press the platform to it in accordance with the markings.
2. Install and press the limiters.
3. The groove is milled.

The following figure shows work done with a hand router on bars and boards. The result of assembly on tenons is also shown. All dimensions were perfectly accurate, and the process lasted for an hour.

Conclusion

A homemade table for a manual router is simple to make and has a low cost. Along with this, it is quickly installed on the part and easily and accurately performs manual milling work. Using this device in the workshop, you can significantly increase the productivity of a carpenter.

Video