Make a milling table with your own hands. How to make a table for a router with your own hands with design drawings. Standard router table

Hand routers, due to their affordable price, are popular among home carpenters. However, working on a simple workbench according to the principle: a fixed workpiece, a movable tool, is inconvenient and dangerous.

The industry produces tables for carpentry, on which you can install a planer, circular saw, or milling cutter.

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 worktop is made of hard material (so that it does not wear out so quickly), on which the base plate of the router is attached. The instrument itself is placed upside down. A guide for the workpiece to be processed is fixed on the working surface.

Bench-type workbench

The simplest design that does not require free space. It can be stored at home unassembled, and installed on any table if you need to get the job done. The advantage is compactness. Disadvantages: low stability, and restrictions on the size of machined parts.

This is a complete workbench without legs. Dimensions allow you to process any workpiece with high accuracy. At the same time, it is convenient to store the table in an upright position. However, an installation site is required to bring it into working condition. The device cannot be installed on a regular table - the milling cutter suspended from below will interfere. Usually the workbench is temporarily placed on a sliding table, or the tabletop is removed and the panel is installed on a frame with legs.

To save space, another option is suitable: the workbench is attached to the wall with one side, folding supports are organized under it.

Separate router table

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

The advantages are obvious: versatility, stability, work safety. There is only one drawback: a permanently allocated space is required. Therefore, this option is only suitable for the workshop; you cannot place a workbench on the 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 manual 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 (fiberboard), or thin plywood for partitions.
• Two sheets of plywood 18-25 mm thick, or a finished kitchen worktop.
• Screws, bolts, confirmation, steel corners for assembly.
• Measuring tool: tape measure, ruler, angle.
• PVA glue.

Tools for woodworking: circular saw, drill, planer, wrenches, screwdrivers.

We are preparing the supporting structure of the bed. We coat all connections with glue before tightening the screws.

We assemble the bed 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 so that chips and sawdust are not scattered around the room. In the future, the socket of a construction vacuum cleaner can be adapted to it to remove debris.

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

You can use the finished surface for the kitchen (commercially available in furniture stores). The main thing is that the top layer is strong and smooth.

A steel plate is installed on the tabletop, flush with the surface, for attaching the base plate of the router. Also, it is desirable to insert profiles into the table to fix the guides.

It is advisable to fill all free niches with boxes in which equipment and fixtures for fixing workpieces will be stored. Some boxes are replaced by 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 protruding from the table is a serious danger. If the hand slips off the workpiece, you can get injured. Another way to ensure the safety of work is a foot switch-pedal. A simple circuit is being assembled: a socket is installed between the power cord of the electric milling cutter and the common network cable, which is turned off by the pedal. Approaching the workbench, you press the pedal - the motor turns on. After finishing work, or in an emergency, the foot is removed from the pedal, and the router stops.

The finished table looks aesthetically pleasing, and allows you to competently organize the work area, even in a limited space.

Elevator for manual router

In normal operation, the operator of a manual milling machine lowers the shaft with the cutter using the tool handles. We are talking about using the device without a machine. When the router is hung upside down from the tabletop, the router is in what is known as parking mode. A mechanism is needed to lift the machine into working position.

If multiple options:

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

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

• Screw trapezoid. Many masters use an ordinary car jack as an elevator. You raise the cutter exactly to the required height. It's comfortable, and the fixation of the position is quite accurate.

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

Everyone who is seriously involved in woodworking knows how important it is to have a good router. However, it is not at all necessary to pay exorbitant amounts for this tool - it is quite possible to make it yourself. How to do this will be discussed in this article.

A well-made milling table significantly increases the efficiency of working with a manual router. However, their purchase can cost a pretty penny, because it will be much easier to make such a table yourself, using special drawings for this. This will allow you to save a lot of money and, moreover, the process will not take too much time. There are several types of router tables: stationary, adaptive and portable. This article will focus on the stationary version, because it is the most difficult to implement. And, therefore, having learned how to make it, other types of milling cutters can be made without difficulty.

Selection of drawings and materials

Before starting any work, you should decide what kind of result you need to get. It will be easiest to make a milling table based on a conventional workbench, but it is still better to make a separate structure. And if for this purpose an ordinary table is nevertheless taken, then it must be very strong and stable. It is important to choose the right dimensions: for example, the optimal height is approximately 90-100 cm. An even more successful solution would be a table with adjustable height, because this will allow you to adjust the milling machine to the needs of the master. A general view of the elements of the milling table can be seen below.

As for the materials, there are also subtleties here. Often, the covers for such a table are made of MDF board. In general, this is justified: they are inexpensive, light and easy to use. Phenolic plastic is also a popular material - it is stronger and more durable than MDF. But also more expensive - about 20%. You can make a tabletop from a sheet of metal. One thing is important - the surface must be absolutely smooth, since the workpieces must easily move along the surface of the table, without clinging or getting stuck anywhere. The thickness of the cover must not exceed 35 mm.

From the tools for work you will need:

• Electric drill.
• Chisel.
• Sander. In principle, grinding can be done manually with sandpaper, but it will take much more time.
• Plane.
• Screwdriver.
• Jigsaw.

As you can see, both materials and tools for making a milling table are not so difficult to get. But it is extremely important that everything be of high quality, because the durability and reliability of the product directly depends on this.

Stages of making a table

When all the preparatory work is completed, you can proceed directly to the manufacture of the product. Everything is done in several stages. They will be listed below.

There are some nuances associated with the implementation of each of the points. However, anyone who has experience working with wood products will be able to make a milling table. It is important to pay close attention to the task at hand.

How to make a router with your own hands + (Video)

Most people prefer to buy ready-made tools, but some of them are completely do-it-yourself. Refers to those and manual milling cutter. Of course, we are not talking about building from scratch - it takes a lot of time. But the milling cutter can be made from another, simpler and cheaper tool. For example, from a drill. You can also make this tool from a grinder or a puncher. It is optimal to take a device with a power of 600 to 1000 W (it can be "Fiolent" or something like that). The whole structure will consist of a motor (that is, a drill itself) and a frame in which it will be fixed. How exactly the process will take place will be discussed below.

Milling process

First of all, a frame is made, in which then it will be necessary to install a drill. It is cut out of a chipboard, then a special iron clamp is installed on top for additional fixation. Parts of the structure are fastened together with self-tapping screws. A cutter is clamped into the drill chuck. In order for the structure to be sufficiently stable, the frame is attached to the table top with self-tapping screws. Of course, even with seemingly good fixation, the drill can stagger in the frame, which will lead to the fact that the wooden parts processed on such a router will look sloppy. A good solution would be to place the rotary lever on the side, and not on top - in this case, the motor will loosen less during operation.

Of course, this solution also has certain drawbacks. For example, such a home-made device is not suitable for long-term work: with constant use, it will quickly fail. And because of the low power with the help of such a tool, it is difficult to process hardwood. But a milling cutter made from a drill will be inexpensive, it is easy to use, and even a beginner can assemble it. Therefore, this design is used quite often.

In conclusion, it is worth noting that you should not be afraid to make woodworking tools yourself: expensive factory equipment will undoubtedly be better in some ways, but sometimes availability and low price play a much larger role. Especially when it comes to products where it is not necessary to adhere to high accuracy. Such a self-assembled product is ideal for those who are just learning to work with wood, but sometimes it can help out more experienced craftsmen.

A modern range of processing power tools will satisfy the needs of any craftsman. In this case, you can always turn a hand tool into a stationary machine.

The most sought-after woodworking tool is, of course, a milling cutter. Most of the work can be done with a manual milling cutter, but when large workpieces are processed, technical difficulties arise.

Buying a milling machine for home use is too expensive, so the craftsmen try to make a table for the router with their own hands.

A self-made table allows you to manipulate the workpiece being processed, while the router itself is rigidly fixed on the table top. The power tool is attached from below, protrudes above the level of the table.

Do-it-yourself homemade milling table from wooden bars

How to make a table for a manual router

The main condition is a massive structure that will be reliable during vibrations and withstand the weight of a workpiece of any size.

IMPORTANT! Because the router is dangerous, the table may fall and cause injury. To give stability to the structure, it is advisable to equip the table legs with height adjusters. Then you can set the machine on an uneven surface.

The worktop should be made of a smooth, wear-resistant material, such as a kitchen worktop coating. The legs and frame of the table can be made from a bar with a thickness of at least 40 mm, or from plywood 10-12 mm. The space under the tabletop should allow easy access to the router for maintenance and changing the router bit. Or the upper part is made hinged, like a piano cover.

Since a home-made milling table is a critical piece of equipment, it is necessary to draw a detailed drawing before starting work.

Security:

1. The cutter start button is made remote. It is advisable to close it with a lid to prevent spontaneous switching on. But the emergency de-energization button, on the contrary, should be easily accessible;
2. It is desirable to close the cutter with an automatic folding shield, as on circular saws;
3. There should not be any objects, protruding parts of the interior, steps and wires around the table. During operation, you can trip and get injured;
4. The electrical wiring is laid in the corrugation, and securely fastened to the inner surface of the table;

IMPORTANT! There should not be any sagging power wires inside the structure.

5. The replacement of cutters is carried out only on a de-energized electrical appliance, with a complete disconnection from the network;
6. It is desirable to provide for the possibility of removing chips from the working area.

In addition to clogging the workplace, sawdust can get into the ventilation of the router (because it is under the table) or between the tabletop and the workpiece. This can lead to slippage of the workpiece.

How to install a plate for a router in a table

The most important part of the design that affects the quality of work is the plate (or sole) of the hand mill. Since, when installed in a table, it is no longer a support unit, it is necessary to consider a reliable fastening and controlled movement of the cutter vertically.

Plate for fastening the router

Mounting the power tool to a plate instead of a table makes it easy to dismantle it for maintenance or changing attachments.

Masters of the past made decorative processing of wood manually. We admire their creations to this day. But it took years to learn fine woodwork, and not every apprentice managed to create a masterpiece for the title of master. And to raise money for tools and accessories for the highest craftsmanship. What is relevant today: sets of shaped planers, pieces of iron for them and cutters for manual finishing of the product will cost more than a good manual wood milling machine. Which will also reduce the learning process and increase labor productivity at times. If you make a milling table for it with your own hands, then the quality of the products will become much more stable. True, the functionality of the router will be reduced (the number of types of work operations), but the remaining sections will not be so difficult to finish with the same router without a table or even manually, without the risk of “screwing up” the entire workpiece. This material will be about the essential points of self-manufacturing of a milling table.

Note: Masterpiece was originally a technical term for trial work that an apprentice who claims to be a master must do on his own. Since in the old workshops the corporate spirit and nepotism dominated everything and everything, a new apprentice, in order to break into the masters, had to make a thing really outstanding, even exceptional. Hence the use of the word "masterpiece" for a creation created on a creative take-off.

Table or machine?

However, a hand router tool is not cheap. There seems to be no fundamental difference in the design of it and the milling head of a vertical milling machine. A suitable motor for a homemade milling machine in terms of power and speed, perhaps, is waiting in the pantry for some use. So what is better to do for milling woodwork: the entire machine from improvised materials, or buy a manual router and a table for it?

Note: factory-made tables for manual milling machines are sold in the same way as drill stands that turn them into a drill or lathe.

It's about vibrations. The trembling of the machine with the workpiece is the worst enemy of material cutting. In milling work, the influence of vibration on the quality of processing is especially strong. If a drill or cutter (except for a chisel in a slotting machine) bites into the workpiece once and then moves more or less smoothly in the material, then the cutter hits the workpiece at least twice at each revolution. Shape cutters with cutting edges curvilinear in 3 planes reduce this disadvantage, but do not eliminate it completely - a cutter that does not hit the workpiece will not cut anything from it.

A homemade milling machine with a motor made of trash is shaking in general as it can. Vibration dampening measures available in the home workshop provide a quality of work more suitable for simple carpentry work. In manual milling machines for wood, vibration damping is already provided constructively. Installing the router in the table further reduces the “shaking”, and the entire unit becomes suitable for fairly thin carpentry work, incl. above the facade parts of furniture, decorative details and other critical parts. So there is still a fundamental difference between a home-made milling machine and a table to an existing manual milling cutter.

How the milling table works

The main differences between a milling table with a finished machine and a homemade machine for the same purpose are as follows:

• The table is made according to the design scheme of a vertical milling machine with a lower drive, while a home-made machine can be both vertical and horizontal. However, the latter at home does not give any tangible advantages over the vertical one.
• The milling table is quite simply equipped with a lift with its own hands - a device for smooth and, possibly, operational adjustment of the cutter protrusion above the desktop.
• The workpiece stop system of the milling table can be improved compared to a home-made machine to improve the accuracy and cleanliness of processing.
• The tabletop milling machine is reversibly modified (see below) so that it can be removed for manual operation.

How a simple milling table for woodworking is arranged is shown in fig. Cabinet (bed) - any sufficiently strong and stable design, tk. the main damping is carried out, except with the router itself, by the base plate. Therefore, the pedestal in this case is actually not a frame, because. is just a support structure.

On a simple table, it is difficult to achieve high-quality processing of workpieces with a large ratio of width to height. A completely flat board on an exactly the same flat table suddenly jerks for no reason, the cut turns out to be uneven, or even the workpiece is bitten by a cutter. The reason is longitudinal, i.e. propagating horizontally, elastic waves in the workpiece material. The comb vertical stop (see below) does not have time to absorb them, antinodes (foci) of vibrations appear on the workpiece, spoiling the whole thing.

The horizontal stop is intended for such a situation, see next. rice. It is always performed comb, because. is predominantly a vibration absorber. For the same purpose, a second vertical comb stop is added.

On fig. shows a table with 2-sided stops designed to feed the workpiece back and forth, see below. For a home-made table for ordinary carpentry work, it is better to make one-sided stops (see below): they are technologically simpler and can be made from ordinary solid small-layer wood (oak, beech, walnut). In any case, the most important structural components of a homemade milling table are:

1. Base (desktop) and mounting (mounting) plates;
2. Stops - comb and deaf (simple);
3. Elevator milling machine.

Plates

The base and mounting plates of the milling table are structurally identical to those of the same machine. An example of the construction of a milling table base plate made of 2 layers of 19 mm plywood is shown in the figure:

Its main drawback is its high cost: birch plywood (bakelite is even better) grade is not lower than Ib. Meanwhile, having spent a little more time and labor on plywood plywood “pie”, it, and even better quality, can be made, like for a milling machine, from cheap 4 mm construction (grade II) or packaging (non-grade) plywood. At the same time, the necessary wear resistance and strength are provided by impregnation of the sheet before cutting with a water-polymer emulsion (a full-fledged substitute is the construction primer ECO Soil), and vibration-absorbing properties are provided by layers of PVA glue. The dried mounting (reinforced) PVA gives a viscous elastic film that perfectly dampens vibrations, but even without that, the height space in which the elastic wave can gain strength is reduced by five times.

Note: plywood is glued from veneer sheets with cheap casein or similar synthetic glue, which has vibration damping properties only to a small extent (its layer is hard and brittle). PVA glued plywood would be completely unprofitable.

The installation unit with increased vibration damping for the milling table is shown in fig. and exactly the same as for a milling machine ().

And the procedure for manufacturing the base plate is the same: the plywood sheet is impregnated 2-3 times on each side, then cut (immediately with cutouts for the router). It is better to make a car window round or with rounded corners. The package is glued according to the instructions for the glue and dried for at least 2 days under a dispersed oppression of approx. 100 kg/sq. m plate; very good weight - stacks of books and/or magazine binders.

Plate for the milling cutter and its refinement

The mounting (mounting) plate of the router is made of fibrous-layered vibration-absorbing thermosetting plastic: textolite, fiberglass. Somewhat worse are vibration-absorbing massive thermoplastic materials - hardboard, etc. Thermoplastic plastic from heating during operation can lead and the machine will lose accuracy. Massive (ebonite, bakelite) or layered thermosetting plastics (getinaks) are unsuitable - they delaminate and crack very quickly from vibrations and heating.

How the machine is being finalized for installation in the milling table is shown in the figure:

The lock of the standard sliding desktop (shown by the arrow on the left in the figure) is released (pressed out). The staff table is then removed and placed on the compression springs (center) with a total force of approx. 1.5 machine weight. The sole of the regular table (shown by the arrow in the center) is removed, and an installation plate is attached instead of it (on the right in the figure). Restoring a machine for manual use is done in reverse order.

Stops

Since a home-made milling table is able to provide better accuracy and cleanliness of processing than the same machine, it is advisable to modify the stop system for it. Stops, as in the machine or in fig. above with the image of a simple table, suitable for the manufacture of non-facade (decorative) parts, because a straight L-shaped blind stop still strongly gives vibrations back to the workpiece and makes it difficult to feed it (a workpiece made from ordinary commercial wood can jam).

Drawings of oblique comb and blind vertical stops for a home-made milling table for wood are shown in fig. Structurally, the comb stop for the table is somewhat different from that for the machine (all teeth are the same), because. the whole unit is shaking not so much. Maple is one of the best vibration absorbers, but seasoned, without defects, knots, streaks and slant, commercial maple wood is an expensive and scarce material. It will be completely replaced by oak, beech, hornbeam, walnut.

Note: an even better vibration damper is elm wood. But defect-free seasoned business elm is practically non-existent in the general market, because all goes to blocks for sewing expensive leather shoes and critical parts of cars.

Comb and blind stops are installed in pairs (the blind one is the first along the workpiece), see the inset in the center in fig. They are fixed with a locking block (stopper), highlighted in red in fig. on right. However, putting a comb with a “grouse” before the cutter along the workpiece when it is fed, as shown in the same place, is still wrong: the main “shaking” occurs behind the cutter. But putting 2 pairs of comb-grouse, before and after the cutter, is not forbidden and is useful for processing accuracy.

Push back and forth

Workpieces made of homogeneous materials of high quality (MDF, post-forming for kitchen worktops, fine-grained fine wood) are often milled back and forth: the part is pushed onto the cutter and immediately, without turning off the cutter, is pulled back. The combination of up and down milling in one pass (see the article about the milling machine) gives the cleanest surface.

Note: parts milled back and forth are quite suitable for veneering and lamination.

However, it is impossible to put a pair of oblique combs turned in opposite directions for milling back and forth: the workpiece will jam on the incoming comb. For back and forth milling, the workpiece is supported by pairs of vertical and horizontal straight combs (see figure above): their combs (and grooves between them) are perpendicular to the working surface, and the working parts of the combs are trapezoidal in plan with bevels of 60 degrees from the perpendicular (30 degrees from the sole of the comb). Unfortunately, the choice of materials for self-production of straight 2-sided combs is limited: defect-free seasoned commercial maple, elm, teak.

Note: on sale there are straight combs for wood routers, cast from polypropylene. I don't know how it works, I haven't tried it.

Elevator

The simplest designs of elevators for a milling table for wood are rigid cam (pos. A in the figure) and wedge (pos. B).

Their common advantage is the ability to make the base plate folding for easy access to the router. But a common huge drawback is instability, the machine slides down from vibration. In fact, after 1.5-2 m of cut, the elevator has to be reinstalled. The cam lift, in addition, is not much better in terms of ease of use than the lift of a homemade milling machine adjustable with rubber washers.

The optimal design of the milling machine elevator in the table is screw, see next. rice. If the lower flange nut is additionally fixed with a lock nut (or a self-tightening flange nut is installed), the cutter extension is held iron. And its really operational adjustment is possible, literally on the go of the workpiece.

Precise mini table

For artistic woodworking and / or facade carpentry, an indispensable thing is a milling and copying machine. It is possible to make it with your own hands, but it is difficult, and it makes sense to acquire a factory one only if there is a stable flow of orders for work of this kind and solid skills in their implementation.

However, shaped grooves in the facade details of furniture, milled in a straight line, can give an excellent aesthetic effect. Direct milling is widely used in the manufacture of furniture and decorative wood products in any style, see fig. It is independently performed by low-power manual milling machines for wood with increased accuracy (on the right in the figure); installing a mini hand router in a table increases the quality of work and productivity in the same way as a "big" one.

Drawings of a mini milling table for wood for a domestic manual milling machine are given on the next. rice. Its distinguishing features are the cam side clamp of the workpiece and the vertical comb with wide teeth. The solution for working with high-quality materials is quite justified: small frequent combs themselves “win back” a little on the workpiece, which is minimized in this design.

And the extractor?

When milling wood, many times more sawdust, shavings and wood dust are generated than during sawing operations. Dust spoils the accuracy of processing on the table and the health of its operator just like a dusty machine. Therefore, a dust collector, a dust outlet and a dust collector are just as necessary for a milling table; their design is the same for both the table and the machine, see acc. article.

Professional carpenters treat their router table with great respect. And not by accident. After all, a convenient and properly arranged workbench is a guarantee of high productivity and an increase in the efficiency of the workflow. On sale you can find models of tables for every taste, but often their cost is so high that not every craftsman can afford such a purchase.

However, everyone can make a suitable milling table on their own, adjusting it to their personal needs and habits. And it is not necessary to buy expensive branded products or their Chinese counterparts. Having worked a little, you will not only save significantly, but most importantly - in the end you will get your own table, working at which you can quickly and much better produce exactly the joinery that you need.

The manufacturer cannot predict the needs of each potential buyer and puts basic features into its products. Many of them may simply never be needed for you, and some that you need may not be in the design of the table.

For the independent manufacture of a milling table, nothing supernatural and too expensive is required. All that is needed is an electric motor, a guide structure and the table itself, a stable bed on which equipment and accessories will be fixed. And, of course, your own drawing of the milling table.

What is a milling machine and what is its purpose

The principle of working with a manual milling tool is that the milling cutter moves along the surface of a securely fixed workpiece that needs to be processed in a certain way. The problem is that this is often not very convenient. Therefore, they resort to tricks: they fix the milling cutter itself, and move the part. The resulting design is called the "milling table".

With the help of milling tables, you can easily make figured holes, cut grooves, securely connect parts, for example, drawer walls, etc., perform edge profiling and many other operations that are only available in specialized carpentry workshops that have milling machines.

Using milling tables for a manual router, you get the opportunity to process not only wooden products, but also chipboard, plastic, MDF, make joints on spikes and tongues, make grooves and slots, chamfer and decorate profiles.

In addition, milling tables can be used as woodworking machines. To do this, a tool is fixed in a drill stand or on a workbench - and the machine is ready. Therefore, many companies began to produce milling tables in a wide range with a lot of additional accessories for them. However, a well-made table for a router is in no way inferior to branded ones, and sometimes even surpasses them.

How are milling tables arranged?

To work with a manual router on the table, you can use a regular workbench or build a special table. This table features a sturdy construction with good stability. This is necessary given the strong vibrations caused by the running router. Since the tool is attached from below, there should not be anything interfering with work under the table top. Only the router itself for the milling table and, if necessary, an elevator device that provides precise and smooth adjustment of the rise of the cutter.

The router is attached to the table with a mounting plate. The material for it must be of high quality and durable. It is best to use textolite, metal or plywood. There are usually threaded connections on the fasteners of the plastic pad on the sole of the router, which can be used to attach the router to the table top of the router table. On the surface of the future table, select the groove for the mounting plate so that the sole of the router is flush. The plate must be fixed with self-tapping screws with countersunk heads so that they do not interfere with the movement of the workpieces to be processed in the future.

The router itself is also attached to the table with countersunk screws, attaching it to the mounting plate. If there are no such holes in the sole of the tool, they must be drilled by yourself. Alternatively, clamping devices can be used if there is no desire to drill the router sole.

On the milling table, be sure to install a button to turn the router on and off. It is also highly desirable to equip the table with an emergency fungus button for the safety of the person working behind it. In order for the fastening of the workpieces to be reliable, clamping devices are arranged. It is convenient to use a milling rotary table. For measurement, a ruler is usually built into the surface of the table.

Types of milling tables

When starting to manufacture a milling table, you should, first of all, decide on a place for it in your workshop. It depends on what features you plan to use. This may be a lateral extension of the saw machine, that is, an aggregate table.

If you plan to only occasionally work on the router table and use it outside of the workshop, build a portable table. It can always be removed or hung on the wall, saving space.

If there is enough space in the workshop, then a stationary table for a milling machine will be most convenient. It can be equipped with wheels and moved as needed.

Both portable and stationary desks can be tucked away for a while, yet keep them always ready for certain operations. To do this, they are pre-configured.

Simple table design

If desired, a device of a simple design can be made of a small height, then fixed on an ordinary table. To do this, take a chipboard sheet and a simple board, which should be fixed on the sheet as a guide. The board should be of small thickness and fastened with bolts.

After that, you need to make a hole for the cutter. In a simple version, this can be finished - the resulting design will allow you to perform simple milling operations. However, if you want to make a router table for more thorough work, you will have to spend a little more time and effort.

Bed manufacturing

For any milling machine, the bed is its frame, on which the tabletop is attached from above. The base can be made of any material, the main thing is that it is strong and stable. The size of the bed is selected individually, based on the dimensions of the parts that are planned to be processed on the machine.

In the manufacture of the machine, it is desirable to make its lower part in such a way that the person standing in front of it does not rest his feet on the frame. To do this, the lowest part of the bed is deepened (like ordinary furniture) by about 10-20 centimeters.

If you plan to process door linings, then it will be appropriate to make a table 85-90 cm high, 50-55 cm deep and 150 cm wide.

For convenience, when working while standing, the height of the table is taken to be about 85-90 cm. In this case, it is desirable to use adjustable supports in the design of the table, which allow you to level the milling tables for a manual router in the presence of uneven floors or, if necessary, change the height.

Tabletop for a homemade table

Since the workpieces glide well over plastic, it would be a good option to use a kitchen panel made of chipboard 26-26 cm thick as a tabletop for a milling table. Its depth of 60 cm will also be convenient during operation, and the chipboard material itself will perfectly dampen the vibrations produced by the router during operation .

As a last resort, when making tables of milling machines, you can use chipboard or MDF boards with a thickness of 1.6 cm or more.

Mounting plate

Since the kitchen worktop has a rather large thickness, in order to maintain the amplitude of the overhang of the cutter, the router should be fastened to the table using a mounting plate. With its small thickness, it is highly durable and securely holds the tool without losing the cutter's working stroke.

Using a textolite (fiberglass) mounting plate, cut out a rectangular blank 5-8 mm thick and with sides from 15 to 30 cm. Cut a hole in the center of the plate corresponding to the hole in the sole of the milling tool. The plate is attached to the surface of the table, and a milling cutter is already installed on it.

We assemble a table for a milling cutter

After the bed is made, a countertop is temporarily attached to it. A mounting plate is installed on a pre-prepared place and its outline is drawn with a pencil. Then, using a manual milling cutter with a cutter with a diameter of 5-9 mm in the tabletop, you should choose a seat for it. The plate should lie flush in it and without distortions.

The corners of the seat must be rounded with a file. The same operation must be carried out with the mounting plate - process its corners with the same radius as in the seat.

After that, through milling of the tabletop along the contours of the sole of the router should be carried out. This does not require special accuracy, but you will probably still need to select additional material from the bottom of the countertop for the dust collector and some other additional devices.

It remains to connect all the details together. Having started the router from below, we fix it on the mounting plate, then we attach the plate to the tabletop. We fasten the tabletop to the bed already completely.

Setting up the top clamp

As an additional safety measure and for convenience, the milling table is equipped with an upper clamp - a roller-based device made according to the drawings. When working with door linings, this is especially true, as well as when dressing overall parts. The design of the top clamp is simple.

A properly sized ball bearing will do the job of the roller. The bearing must be firmly fixed at a certain distance from the tabletop so that it provides a reliable clamping of the workpiece from above.

Milling machine drive

If your choice is to make a simple machine, pay attention to the electric motor for it. Power is the main factor of choice. If the tree sampling is planned to be shallow, then a power of 500 W will be enough for you. So that the machine does not constantly stop and justifies your expectations, choose a motor with a power of 1100 W or more. Such a drive will allow not only to safely process any wood, but also to use various cutters.

A homemade milling table can be improved indefinitely, depending on your requirements and desires. But the most important thing at the same time is not to forget about safety and be sure to equip your machine with the means to ensure it.