Making a table for a manual router. How to make a table for a router with your own hands, step-by-step instructions and drawings

Homemade table for a hand router

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 drifts towards the stop, especially when hitting a knot.

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

The proposed table for a manual router allows you to cut grooves anywhere on a block or board with great precision.

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.

A diagram of the appearance of the table and the terms used in the article are presented in the figure.

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

Name Type and dimensions, mm Quantity Scotch tape 1 Double-sided tape 1 PTFE plate 300x300x20 1 Plexiglas 500x500, thickness 6-8 Glue for plastic

Accessories

Name Type and dimensions, mm Quantity M8 countersunk head screw, length 30 6 M8 countersunk head screw, length 60 2 M8 furniture bolt, length 60 4 M8 nuts 6 M8 washers 6 M8 wing nuts 6

Tools

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

The process of making a homemade table

Cut a plate from plexiglass for the platform measuring 50x40 mm. Using a cutting knife, cut two lines lengthwise and crosswise down the center of the sheet.

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 errors.

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.

The grooves for fixing the table are marked and cut in the same way.

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.

Sequence of operations:

  • Polystyrene blanks are cut on a circular saw.
  • The grooves are milled.
  • Drill holes for fastening.
  • The workpiece is cut into 2 symmetrical parts. Insert a screw into the base for the stop and glue it to the table platform.

    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.

    The following operations are carried out in 3 steps:

  • Drill holes in the clamping bars.
  • The cutter is used to select a countersunk for the heads of furniture bolts.
  • 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

    To cut grooves, perform the following operations:

  • 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.
  • Using markings on the bars and a conical cutter, the limiters are set and fixed.
  • 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.

    To perform this work, carry out the following operations:

  • Make markings on the board with a pencil, glue tape to the board and press the platform to it in accordance with the markings.
  • Install and press the limiters.
  • 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

    DIY router table

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

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

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

    Types of homemade milling tables

    The general principle of the design is as follows: a smooth tabletop 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 being processed is fixed on the working surface.

    Bench-type workbench

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

    Portable table top

    This is a full-fledged workbench without legs. Dimensions allow processing of any workpieces with high accuracy. At the same time, the table is convenient to store in vertical position.

    However, an installation site is required to make it operational. The device cannot be installed on a regular table - the router suspended from below will interfere.

    Typically, the workbench is temporarily placed on an extendable table, or the tabletop is removed and the panel is placed on a frame with legs.

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

    Separate table for router

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

    You can use a ready-made kitchen surface (available in furniture stores). The main thing is that the top layer is durable and smooth.

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

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

    note

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

    A cutter sticking out of a table is a serious danger. If your hand slips from the workpiece, you may get injured. Another way to ensure safe work is a foot pedal switch.

    A simple circuit is assembled: between the power cord of the electric router and the general network cable A socket is installed that is turned off by a pedal. Approaching the workbench, you press the pedal and the motor turns on.

    After finishing the work, or in an emergency, the foot is removed from the pedal and the milling machine stops.

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

    Lift for hand router

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

    If there are several options:

    • Fixing screw rod. Using a threaded rod, the required penetration depth of the cutter is set. If necessary, it can be changed.
    • Lever mechanism. Allows you to more quickly change the height of the tool, even during operation. Expands the capabilities of the machine: in a sense, the router becomes three-dimensional.
    • Helical trapezoid. Many craftsmen use a regular car jack as a lift. You raise the cutter strictly to the required height. It is convenient, and the position fixation is quite accurate.

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

    How to make a milling table with your own hands?

    A milling machine is purchased for many carpentry jobs. But sometimes the scope of its application increases significantly, and there is a need to reconstruct the workplace.

    A do-it-yourself milling table for a manual router is an excellent opportunity to save money and create a high-quality work surface for yourself.

    Carpentry work is now in great demand, and this tool is quite useful in everyday life. And more convenient working conditions will make him simply irreplaceable.

    Features of the milling table

    An experienced carpenter can assemble a simple milling table with his own hands even without drawings, prepared dimensions and diagrams. There are many videos on the Internet on this topic and step-by-step explanations of the essence of the work.

    If you have decided to try yourself in this area for the first time, then do not despair; if you wish, you can make a table for a hand router in just one day. In addition, you will be completely confident in the strength of your product, and you will also be able to choose the ideal dimensions that are necessary specifically for your room.

    But, before making a circular milling table, you should understand what it is.

    A homemade milling table is in no way distinguishable from a store-bought version if it is made in compliance with the basic rules and requirements. Milling machines move along the surface of the material being processed, thereby leveling it. If this type of processing is made stationary, then the master will spend much less time and effort on the work.

    A DIY router table takes up a certain amount of space in the room. Therefore, before installation, decide what kind of table you want to see:

    • aggregate;
    • removable;
    • stationary.

    AggregatePortableStationary

    Remember that most work can only be performed in a stationary mode. Also, consider how often you will use the machine, because for rare use a portable model is quite suitable, and for daily use - a stationary workstation.

    What parts does a milling table consist of?

    A homemade milling table can be made alone, without resorting to outside help. To do this, it is necessary to manufacture all the main parts of the structure for subsequent assembly. Without one of the parts, the milling table can become practically useless, since it will not perform its main duties. The DIY router consists of the following parts:

    • countertops;
    • beds;
    • hem stop;
    • pressing combs;
    • mounting plate.

    Structure of the milling table

    The tabletop for a hand router should be thick, durable and even. Kitchen countertops are great for this, or, if you don’t have one, regular plywood.

    Just remember that a universal milling table requires a thickness of at least 16 mm, so the plywood sheets should be glued together with wood glue.

    Additional means can be used to make the surface smoother for more convenient work. You need to make a hole in the center to install the router.

    Milling table drawings cannot do without a bed. It is responsible for the stability of the structure, absorbing all vibrations emanating from the instrument. For this you can use old bedside tables and tables, but provided that they are very durable. Some people choose metal models, which is quite practical.

    Milling table from an old bedside table

    The hem stop, fixed to the tabletop, is responsible for the correct supply of material. It can be made stationary, for permanent materials, or sliding, if the master will work with elements of different sizes. This is a very important element in the work, since the quality of the cutter’s work will depend on the evenness of all sides.

    Pressing combs on the table for a circular saw and a router are almost mandatory. They perfectly fix the material not only from the sides, but also from above. This comb can be installed at any height using fasteners. Its dimensions are set based on the personal wishes of the master and what he will encounter in his work.

    Assembly Rules

    Assembling a milling table with your own hands should be done in stages. First you need to decide on the tabletop and make a hole in it for the tool. Next, material supply control systems are attached.

    The milling machine itself must be firmly secured under the tabletop. It should not dangle or hang; any movements can lead to injury during operation or equipment breakdown. It is better to fix it with self-tapping screws, for your own peace of mind.

    Electronics at work

    It’s quite easy to make a circular and milling table with your own hands, but don’t forget that this tool runs on electric current.

    Since the start and stop buttons will be located in an inconvenient place for the master, care must be taken to use them.

    You can make an exit and install buttons to start and stop the mechanism in a convenient place, but this requires knowledge in electronics.

    A new milling table made by yourself must fully comply floor covering workplace. If the floors are uneven, you should make legs with a movable mechanism, otherwise the structure will quickly become unusable.

    In order for the service life of the router table to significantly exceed all expectations, its surface is coated with varnish or other woodworking liquid. This not only increases service life, but also additionally holds the elements together.

    Protect yourself from damage that may occur during operation. Install protective glass on the longitudinal support, which will be a barrier to flying chips, sawdust and other elements.

    Every person's workshop contains all the tools he needs. But at the same time, there may be an urgent need to arrange a workplace, and store prices may not suit you. And in general, not all people have the opportunity to visit stores with similar products.

    The milling table has drawings and diagrams, so making it yourself will not be difficult. Moreover, you yourself will know which model you need and what sizes will be convenient for you. The purchase option may not always be the way out. Don’t be afraid and waste time; even a beginner can figure out how to make a table.

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

    Using a milling table you can perform professional processing tree.

    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.

    Table type

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

    • stationary;
    • portable;
    • aggregate.

    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.

    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 homemade machine it is necessary 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 bottom surface countertops;
    • 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 homemade table for a router - this is a tabletop made of MDF, 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 a rotary one.

    Small router table

    neat and small table

    A tabletop model for a hand router that 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. It turns out very efficient system removal of chips, they practically do not fly around 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. The plastic platform from the router kit is first dismantled. 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.

    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, motion stoppers 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 to the right angle, when rotating, 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

    Design 2 with drawings

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

    A milling cutter is the most frequently used tool of a self-respecting craftsman. Thanks to it, we can make things we know with incredible ease. There are operations in carpentry, which cannot be performed without this tool.

    The milling cutter consists of a motor, a collet for attaching replaceable cutters, a speed controller, and a vertical rod. IN model range From any manufacturer there are many models with different capacities.

    note

    Hand router – quite versatile electrical appliance, which has wide potential and opportunities.

    It becomes possible to improve the router by installing it on a horizontal surface, which will allow you to process fairly large workpieces with minimal effort.

    Purpose of the milling table

    Installing a router in a table or workbench allows you to achieve good results in the manufacture of many products. This is an indispensable tool in furniture production. Since this process often requires trimming the edges of the canvases, making shaped grooves and recesses.

    Such tables can be found in large stores that sell tools. The cost of such equipment directly depends on the functionality and material from which they are made.

    But even with the most minimal set of functions, but with high-quality coverage, the price for such a product is quite high. For a simple amateur who works out for his own pleasure in the garage, the price is unaffordable.

    The solution is a homemade table for a router.

    Before you start purchasing material for your future table, you should decide on its functionality. Let's consider the main capabilities of a manual milling cutter and its machine version.

    Operations with a hand router

    • Figured or straight processing of the ends or edges of workpieces.
    • Drilling holes various shapes for installation of furniture fittings.
    • Removing a quarter of the thickness.
    • Grinding and cutting of workpieces.
    • Drilling.
    • Finishing the cut area.
    • Removing grooves for splines and grooves.

    Milling table operations

    A DIY router table allows you to perform operations such as:

    • parallel finishing cutting;
    • trimming surfaces and long edges;
    • quarter sample;
    • finishing edges.

    From the list it becomes clear that all the same operations are performed on a milling table as with a conventional manual router, but only with greater accuracy and quality. In addition, the dimensions of the workpieces are already many times larger.

    Choosing a hand router

    For a tiny workshop, buying a separate router is an unaffordable luxury. Therefore, a router table will be required with a quick release router design. This means that it will work in two versions, both on the table and in manual mode. To do this you will need a quality power tool.

    There are two types of hand router:

    Their names speak volumes about their functionality. Since the cross-cut milling machine is highly specialized, its further consideration will not be of interest to the reader.

    According to power, electric tools are classified into:

    • low power - from 500 to 1100 Watts;
    • average power - from 1200 to 1800 Watts;
    • high power - from 1900 to 2500 watts.

    Professionals advise using low-power milling cutters to process small workpieces; this allows for maximum ease of use. In this case, you will have to make passes in several approaches, removing a small thickness, layer by layer. However, such routers cannot be installed on a special table. For these purposes, milling cutters with a power of about 2000 watts are suitable.

    Also, when choosing, you should pay attention to the following capabilities of the tool:

    • maximum depth of lowering the stand;
    • smooth start;
    • availability of spindle speed adjustment;
    • dynamic brake;
    • maintaining the number of revolutions under load.
    • chip removal system.

    All these parameters determine the quality of a manual router, which will be useful both in manual mode and in machine mode.

    Milling table device

    As a rule, a do-it-yourself router table is made from hand tools, which either ran out of resources on its platform or purchased the cheapest one specifically for this purpose.

    Due to the fact that in the table the motor with the collet is rigidly fixed in the carriage, it is possible to use a used electric tool.

    Any milling table consists of the following elements:

    • directly from the router itself;
    • countertops;
    • parallel stop;
    • chip removal systems;
    • boxes for storing spare parts and various cutters;
    • horizontal clamp.

    Depending on the functional tasks of the milling table, it can be manufactured in the following options:

    • side table top with router;
    • stationary tabletop;
    • stationary tabletop with parallel support;
    • stationary table top with parallel stop, with vertical router lift, cross feed of the router.

    Materials

    How to make a table for a router? What should a person who decides to do this business have in his arsenal? First, we need a drawing of a table for a manual router. It's not difficult to find. Therefore, making a table for a manual router is quite possible.

    There are also plenty of detailed tutorials and videos of local craftsmen showing off their creations.

    There are models that are so multifunctional that they combine, in addition to a milling table, a drilling, grinding and cutting table.

    Almost any material is suitable for production. They mainly use sheets of chipboard, laminated plywood or ordinary plywood with a thickness of at least 8 millimeters. You will also need countersunk wood screws, aluminum corners (for furniture), and PVA glue.

    Assembly

    Let's look at how to assemble the simplest table for a router with your own hands. We will make it from laminated plywood. Let's take the tabletop size to be 400 millimeters wide and 400 millimeters long. A laminated board is perfect for the countertop. It has a number of advantages compared to plywood:

    • wear-resistant surface;
    • low cost;
    • quick replacement.

    However, we decided to make the table for the hand router from laminated plywood. Carefully cut it to the intended size. The legs will be made of the same material. It retreats 20-30 centimeters from the edges and fastens the legs to the tabletop, pre-coats the joints with glue and makes two or three holes for tightening the screws.

    We make the following technological holes in the tabletop:

    • large round for exiting the collet with the cutter;
    • parallel groove for fastening the guide;
    • You can make a small groove for attaching a ruler.

    The rip fence can be made from the same materials as the table top. The stop consists of two parts, the interface runs exactly in the center of the installed cutter. They must move independently of each other.

    To increase milling capabilities, it is advisable that rip fence had two degrees of freedom. That is, it could tilt relative to the tabletop and turn parallel to it.

    This will allow you to make products with complex shapes.

    Among other things, a recess with a cover is made on the reverse side of the rip fence square shape, a vacuum cleaner pipe is inserted into one end. As a rule, the chip removal system is made on two sides, one on top behind the stop, the second directly next to the router collet.

    This is the simplest DIY router table. In the future, you can modify and install a lift for convenient adjustment of the height and horizontal reach of the cutter.

    Additional accessories

    Since a manual router installed in a table is an electric tool, an external switch can be built into the table for safety. This will allow you to conveniently and safely turn the device on and off when necessary. Here you can install additional sockets for connecting a portable lamp or hand drill.

    If there is sufficient free space, milling tables measuring 1500 by 1500 millimeters and a height of one and a half meters are made. You get full-fledged workbenches.

    At the same time, they have pull-out shelves in which it is convenient to store various cutters and a key for changing the spindle. A large table allows you to process large sheets of plywood or other material so often used in the manufacture of furniture or doors.

    Such a table increases the accuracy of processed parts and reduces the percentage of defects during manufacturing.

    Safety

    It is worth remembering that tables for wood routers are sources of increased danger. The rotation speed of the cutter reaches 25,000 rpm. Any awkward movement will lead to irreparable consequences. Hands should be kept at the maximum safe distance from the rotating head; the cutter should be changed with the machine stopped and de-energized.

    When working, you need to wear special glasses that will protect your eyes from small chips. The noise level during operation is quite high; appropriate precautions should be taken. Keep children away from the router.

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

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

    A well-made router table significantly increases the efficiency of working with a hand router. However, buying them 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 milling tables: stationary, adaptive and portable. In this article we will talk about the stationary option, because it is the most difficult to implement.

    This means that 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 want to get. The easiest way would be to make a milling table based on a regular workbench, but it is better to make a separate structure.

    But if you do use an ordinary table for this purpose, 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 better solution would be a table with an adjustable height, because this will allow you to adjust the milling machine to the needs of the master. General form elements of the milling table can be seen below.

    note

    As for materials, there are also subtleties here. Often the covers for such a table are made from MDF board. In general, this is justified: they are inexpensive, lightweight and easy to use.

    Phenolic plastic is also a popular material - it is stronger and more durable than MDF. But also more expensive - by 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 move easily across the table surface without clinging or getting stuck anywhere. The thickness of the cover should not exceed 35 mm.

    Tools for work you will need:

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

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

    Table manufacturing stages

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

  • Assembly of the frame. This is the name of the table on which the remaining parts of the milling machine will be mounted. If a ready-made table is taken as a basis, then this point can be omitted. However, as already mentioned, it will be more convenient if the bed is made from scratch. For example, the following option can be considered quite successful:
  • Installing the mounting plate. It is necessary to install a not too thick board or textolite on the table cover. The thickness of this part should not exceed 8 mm. Again, you can take for this purpose metal plate- such a part will last a long time. A hole is made in it, the size corresponding to the router. 4 holes are also made along the edges, with the help of which the mounting plate is attached to the table top. It is important that the plate does not protrude beyond the edges of the tabletop, otherwise they will constantly cling to it. You can see what this device looks like in the picture below.
  • Manufacturing longitudinal stop. It is necessary for performing many milling jobs. The plate used as a guide must be perfectly flat and strictly perpendicular to the tabletop. A guide with a T-shaped slot will be convenient to use. The parallel stop is attached to the frame using a certain type of clamp. To ensure that the plate remains perpendicular to the tabletop, special support legs are used. This is what the guide bar looks like:

    Guide rail

  • Installing a groove for a movable stop. Usually, longitudinal edges are processed using a router, but sometimes you need to work with grooves located across the boards. It is for such cases that the rip fence is designed.
  • 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 router table. It is only important to pay close attention to the task at hand.

    How to make a router yourself + (Video)

    Most people prefer to buy ready-made tools, but some of them can be made with their own hands. A manual router is also one of these. Of course, we are not talking about assembling from scratch - this takes a lot of time. But the router 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 hammer drill. It is optimal to take a device with a power of 600 to 1000 W (it could be “Fiolent” or something like that). The entire structure will consist of a motor (that is, the drill itself) and a frame in which it will be fixed.

    Exactly how the process will take place will be discussed below.

    Milling cutter manufacturing process

    The first step is to make a frame into which you will then need to install a drill. It is cut out of a chipboard, then a special iron clamp is installed on top for additional fixation. The parts of the structure are fastened together with self-tapping screws. The cutter is clamped into the drill chuck.

    To make the structure sufficiently stable, the frame is attached to the tabletop using self-tapping screws. Of course, even with seemingly good fixation, the drill can wobble 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 be less loose during operation.

    Of course, this solution also has certain disadvantages. For example, this homemade device not suitable for long-term work: with constant use it will quickly fail.

    And due to the low power, it is difficult to process hard wood with such a tool. But a router made from a drill will be inexpensive, it is easy to use, and even a beginner can assemble it.

    That’s why 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 high precision is not necessary.

    Such a self-assembled product is ideal for those who are just learning to work with wood, but sometimes it can also help out more experienced craftsmen.

    DIY table for a router with drawings

    A device that can be used to: grooves in the workpiece, grooves. do tenon joints, processing the edges of products is 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:

  • Wooden beam.
  • Metal squares.
  • 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 must Meet requirements:

  • The bottom of the frame must be deepened from 100 millimeters to 200 millimeters in relation to the front of the tabletop. The dimensions of the bed are selected individually to facilitate the work and fastening of the hand router. Usually in private buildings for processing blanks for the facade of the house and processing door trims they make: a bed 1500 millimeters wide, a table height of 900 millimeters, a milling table depth of 500 millimeters.
  • The height of the milling table is a parameter that is important for comfortable work. It is generally accepted that the optimal height is from 850 millimeters to 900 millimeters. It is recommended to make the supports adjustable, then you can change the height of the table, as well as install it on an uneven floor surface.
  • The most affordable and simple material for a milling table top is a kitchen countertop, which is made from chipboard. It is recommended to use slabs with a thickness of 26 millimeters or more that have a plastic coating. Plastic allows the workpiece to slide on the tabletop, and the vibration effect from the router is dampened by the chipboard. When not kitchen table with the desired tabletop, you can use an MDF board with a thickness of at least 16 millimeters.
  • 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.

    Recommended by experts for self-made For the mounting plate of a milling machine, use sheet metal, fiberglass or textolite can be used. dimensions rectangular shape, 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 base of the 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

  • A frame (bed) is assembled onto which the tabletop is attached.
  • Place the mounting plate on the selected place on the tabletop and trace its outline. Then, using a router, we make a seat for it; the depth of the cut should correspond to the thickness of the plate.

    The requirement for this operation is to create a smooth surface of the table top and plate.

  • The seat of the plate must be rounded at the corners; this is achieved with a file.
  • When the mounting plate is adjusted, holes are made in the tabletop using a milling cutter for the base of the router.

    The lower part of the table top at the fastening point is subjected to sampling to install the dust collector casing. You can install additional devices for them, and a sample is made.

  • A homemade milling table is assembled. The router starts from the bottom and is attached to the mounting plate.

    The plate is attached to the tabletop using self-tapping screws. Important! Self-tapping screws must be recessed at the fastening points. We attach the tabletop to the frame.

  • This additional device is useful for processing large workpieces.

    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:

    • The power of the electric motor for small household chores can be from 500 W. It has been noted that it is sufficient for processing small workpieces when there is no need to make deep cuts.
    • An electric drive with a 1.1 kW motor is considered optimal for a home milling machine.
    • An electric drive with a power of 1-2 kW makes it possible to process any workpiece using different cutters. Used in home milling machines electric motors: hand drill, grinder.

    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 the presence of an emergency stop button for electrical equipment; it must be in the shape of a “mushroom” and located in the area where the technician is located so that it can be pressed with the 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.

    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. Everything you need for efficient work- this 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 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 a computer or, order from a furniture company. Last option the most reliable. Since the specialists will make a competent calculation of all the details, with an accuracy of one millimeter.

    Tools

    For the manufacture of homemade design router table 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 accuracy 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 tabletop with the router installed can simply be secured between two tables.

    How to make and install a plate yourself

    Since the table top 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: plate with minimum thickness must 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

    Compared to hand tools, a DIY milling table allows you to obtain a more precise degree of processing of the material. A rigidly mounted router confidently cuts various types of wood, plastic, and coated chipboards. It is possible not only to chamfer, but also to make a groove, a spline, a slot, a tenon, a groove, and a profile cut.

    How to choose a practical option

    Eat different ways make a homemade milling table, but the design principles of most models are the same.

    First, choose one of 3 types of milling installation, which determines the dimensions and location of this equipment in the carpentry workshop:

    • Mounted. A separate aggregate unit, which is attached to the sawing machine on the side using clamps. Allows you to use the working surface of other equipment, can be easily removed, and put aside with your own hands when not needed.
    • Portable. A desktop modification that is sought to be made with the minimum required dimensions of the bed and milling table. An efficient machine to use when frequently moving around construction sites.
    • Stationary. The main type of table for established production, provided there is sufficient space in the room. This is no longer just a milling cutter, but an equipped workplace.

    You need to develop a drawing of the future table with your own hands, already knowing the installation dimensions and the weight of the milling part (with motor). The cross-section and location of the load-bearing elements must combine strength and easy access for installation and maintenance.

    DIY materials

    The working plane of the table ensures smooth sliding of the workpiece in one plane. They do this task well laminated chipboard sheets, MDF. To prevent the tabletop from bending under the weight of the router, take a slab with a cross section of 2.6/3.6 cm. For the side parts, a sheet of chipboard with a thickness of 1.6 cm or more is sufficient.

    The mounting plate on which a massive router is attached, by definition, has high strength, rigidity. From sheet materials Metal, textolite, and hardwood plywood are suitable for it. The thickness of the plate does not exceed 0.8 cm.

    The load-bearing support of the table is made with your own hands from a metal profile or sheet chipboard. Sometimes these are just legs with elements of rigidity, in other cases the table includes front-mounted drawers for tools, small equipment, and utility devices.

    The main part - the milling cutter - is purchased from industrial production.

    Electric motor power for woodworking starts at 500 W. Full milling of hardwood requires power in excess of 1 kW (up to 2 kW). Voltage 230/380 V. Most models have speed control.

    Additional devices

    The creative use of additional equipment in the design of a homemade milling table can significantly expand its functionality. You can achieve smooth adjustment of the height of the cutting part above the plate if you make a lift for the working tool with your own hands. For this purpose, the vertical axis of the assembly rests on a screw with a fine rectangular thread passing through a fixed nut. Rotating the flywheel on the rod regulates the feed of the cutter. The mechanism is equipped with side stops to prevent bending and a lock nut to hold it in a given position during vibration. If possible, they install more complex elevators - a car jack, tailstock from a lathe.

    Another addition is a steel ruler along the longitudinal axis of the guides of the workpiece. Practical, convenient, allows you to control the sample size, frees your hands for other operations.

    Tool

    To make all the details of the milling table with your own hands you will need:

    • hacksaw, electric jigsaw;
    • emery, grinding machine;
    • electric planer;
    • drill;
    • chisel;
    • screwdriver, screwdriver.

    The use of electro-mechanical tools speeds up work on the manufacture of table tops, guides, oblique stops, but, if necessary, operations can be performed with your own hands and hand tools.

    Machine components

    A necessary quality that a table for a do-it-yourself hand router must have is resistance to vibration. Using used workbenches does not always solve this problem.

    bed

    The legs on the side where the carpenter is located are placed a little further from the edge of the table (0.1-0.2 m) for stable placement of the legs. The control panel is also located here.

    The height above the floor is set with adjustable supports in the range of 0.85 - 0.9 m.

    The size of the upper working plane will largely determine the size of the intended raw material. On average, it is enough to make 1.5 × 0.5 m. Based on this, set the distance between the supporting places of the frame.

    Attachment of the working element

    The router is brought to the tabletop from below, a mounting plate is placed on top, and they are tightened with 4 screws with countersunk heads. The upper plane of the table should be without protrusions and depressions. To do this, the plate must fit into a pre-cut recess, which must be made exactly along its outer contour. Drill 4 through holes for the bolts. Additional fastening to wood is provided with self-tapping screws.

    The shape of the plate is transferred from the lining of the router sole. Inner part cut out in the form of a square frame with sufficient margins to accommodate holes for fastening bolts.

    On the table board you need to do round hole, sufficient for the cutter to pass through. An opening that is too wide is covered with additional rings - liners to prevent material scuffing during milling.

    Work area equipment

    The following devices on the milling table are designed to maintain the accuracy of milling processing and the direction of feed of the workpiece:

    1. Guides. They are located along the lumber supply line to support the board at the established size of the offset of the milling knives. They can be made from the same chipboard as the body. 3 strips are cut along the length of the table. In 2 of them, an opening is cut out for the cutter: the first is semicircular (the board will lie horizontally), the second is rectangular in its height (it will lie vertically). The guides are placed at right angles and secured with 4 oblique stops. In the horizontal one, slots are made for bolts to adjust the output of the cutter. The third strip is cut in half and placed on the front side of the corner. By moving apart, it maintains a minimum gap between the rotating knives and the fixed stop. It is fixed with self-tapping screws and an overhead plate in the upper part.
    2. Clamps. It can be made in the form of a wooden comb (maple plate with uniform cuts of 2×50 mm with a step of 5 mm along the grain) or a ball bearing of the required weight and size.
    • Lid. On the back side of the guides, the rotating head must be closed for safety reasons.

    An additional option may be a pipe for connecting a vacuum cleaner, placed under the cutter cover.

    Finishing touch

    After assembly, all parts are ground and working surfaces are polished. The sides and bottom are painted and varnished. The electrical part is covered with a metal sleeve.

    You may also be interested in the following articles:

    How to make a coordinate table with your own hands How to do planer DIY woodworking How to make a manual router from a grinder with your own hands How to make a guillotine for cutting metal with your own hands?

    In search of a worthy answer to the discomfort that arises when working with hand-held milling tools, owners of home carpentry eventually come to the need to purchase a convenient milling table.

    VovroKsyu User FORUMHOUSE

    I've been thinking about the table for a long time. Especially after manually performing the reservation 22 m of fence.

    The purchase option can be expensive; the dimensions of a machine assembled in a production environment do not correspond to the size of a small home workshop. The optimal solution in this case would be to assemble the milling table yourself.

    Those who want to make a homemade milling machine will find it in the corresponding section of FORUMHOUSE.

    How to make a milling table

    A homemade milling table is the simplest. The main working unit in it is a manual milling machine. Work with hand power tools involves moving the working cutter along the surface of a stationary workpiece (which is not always convenient). A milling table for hand tools allows you to change the processing method and mill in a lightweight way: the hand tool is fixed on the work table, and the workpiece is easily fed to the cutter by hand.

    A homemade milling table is the simplest wood processing. The main working unit in it is a manual milling machine. Working with hand-held power tools involves moving the working cutter along the surface of a stationary workpiece (which is not always convenient). A milling table for hand tools allows you to change the processing method and mill in a lightweight way: the hand tool is fixed on the work table, and the workpiece is easily fed to the cutter by hand.

    A milling table for a manual router consists of basic and additional elements. Additional elements are not required, but their use makes it possible to make the technician’s heavy work as easy as possible, make the design of the device safer, and make the functionality closer to the capabilities of serial installations.

    Universal milling table:main structural elements

    The main elements of the milling table are indicated in the figure.

    Aib User FORUMHOUSE, Moscow.

    I really needed a mobile milling table. I welded the frame, painted and assembled the structure.

    The dimensions of the milling table depend on the dimensions of the parts being processed, as well as on the height of the craftsman himself. The length and width should be slightly smaller than the tabletop, and the height of the bed is 850...900 mm, which corresponds to the most comfortable conditions for standing work. The homemade legs can be made adjustable, which will allow you to compensate for uneven floors or change the height of the bed.

    Tabletop for router

    The dimensions of the tabletop depend on the size of the parts being processed.

    dauto User FORUMHOUSE

    In the home workshop there is enough small table 500x500 mm.

    For processing relatively long parts (for profiling edges on door frames) you will need a tabletop of appropriate sizes. Let's look at the drawing:

    For the manufacture of the frame, wood-based materials are most often used, which can effectively dampen vibrations. This could be a countertop made of chipboard, which is used in the manufacture of kitchen furniture, or a sheet of thick plywood. Here, for example, is a countertop made from chipboard scraps formed after installing a kitchen sink.

    Krott64 User FORUMHOUSE

    With this tabletop scrap, after some simple modifications, you can do some pretty decent things.

    Some people make countertops from metal, others from edged boards, but, as practice shows, chipboard and plywood are always a priority.

    Orfo74 User FORUMHOUSE

    If I make it, it will be from laminated plywood (I have one like this on my trailer). I have already traveled hundreds of thousands of kilometers under the heat and below zero. Neither salt nor rain spoiled it. And it can still be used, but you need to assemble it either in 2 layers, or make the bottom out of simple plywood.

    To make a countertop, you cannot use material that has defects on its surface (knotty boards, etc.).

    Mounting plate for hand router

    To the mounting plate using threaded connections a hand router is attached. Therefore, its production must be taken with full responsibility. The material from which the plate will be made must be strong enough so that the router does not tear out during operation (the consequences can be imagined). This can be a rectangle made of metal or plywood sheet (but metal is more reliable).

    AlekX User FORUMHOUSE

    A powerful car has a lot of dope. And if she gets thrown out of the table while workingit won't seem like much.

    Dgusepe User FORUMHOUSE

    The legs can be made of wood, but it is advisable to make the tabletop from 3 mm metal. For maximum cutter lift.

    The length and width of the mounting plate must correspond to the dimensions of the base of the hand router, with which the power tool will be attached to the table.

    Longitudinal workpiece stop

    The longitudinal stop can be made from a regular sheet of chipboard or from an edged board. The stop must be made movable to ensure the possibility of adjusting the horizontal reach of the cutter. For more precise adjustment, you can attach measuring rulers to the sides of the tabletop.

    The design of the locking mechanism, which allows you to secure the longitudinal stop in the required position, is extremely simple. It can consist of two slats with through longitudinal grooves and two threaded fasteners with wings.

    Instead of slats, you can use two metal corners, which will last longer and will not deform under the action of clamps.

    To prevent dust and chips from interfering with work, it is advisable to equip the longitudinal stop with a dust collector, to which a chip extractor or a small carpenter's vacuum cleaner is connected.

    The longitudinal stop can be made double, which significantly expands the functionality of the milling table.

    Superkuzen User FORUMHOUSE

    The monolithic stop makes it impossible to carry out a lot of operations performed on the milling table, that is, it makes the table of little functionality.

    A milling table can perform the functions of a small jointing machine if an adjustable difference between the working planes is arranged between the two halves of the longitudinal stop. This design allows you to move one half of the stop relative to the other, setting one stop flush with the cutter using thin wooden plates. Adjustment plates are placed under the non-working surface of the stop.

    Manual milling machine

    From technical characteristics hand tools (power, number of revolutions per minute, etc.) will directly depend on the performance of the milling table. You should choose a router for a milling table based on the expected load. The additional functionality of the machine will be an additional advantage for the master. If you don’t yet have a manual milling cutter, then choose a tool with an adjustable cutter rotation speed and the ability to set the processing depth (plunge-beam milling machines). Very easy to use machines with a spindle lock (for easy replacement of cutting tools), as well as devices with soft start and quick stop of the spindle.

    We looked at the main elements of a milling table, which will allow the owner to perform the simplest milling operations. In order to expand the functionality of the device, make it universal and increase operational safety, it is necessary to ensure the availability of additional accessories. Let's look at the most common of them.

    Longitudinal guide for movable milling carriage

    Using a longitudinal guide built into the surface of the table top, you can attach a variety of devices to the milling table: an angular stop with a protractor, a perpendicular stop, etc.

    The longitudinal guide may have different designs, but most often it is an aluminum C-shaped profile into which bolts and wing nuts are inserted. This design allows you to quickly install the device you need at the moment on the milling table.

    By the way, using the C-shaped profile, you can also attach a longitudinal adjustable stop to the tabletop.

    Vertical clamp

    The upper clamp increases safety when working with a homemade router and increases processing accuracy. Its fastening can be implemented using the type of clamps for a movable carriage.

    If you are planning to make a milling table with your own hands, a video about setting up a universal carpentry workshop for personal use will help you with this.

    Lift for router

    The vertical reach of the cutter very often has to be adjusted. To perform this adjustment, a milling lift is provided - an adjustable stop that allows you to maintain the milling machine at a given height and, if necessary, quickly change this height.

    It is advisable to use a milling elevator in conjunction with submersible milling machines. Their design initially has guides for adjusting the reach of the cutter (unlike machines with a fixed motor).

    A lift for a homemade router can have different designs.

    Car jack lift

    You can use an old car jack to create a lifting mechanism.

    leon42 User FORUMHOUSE

    The elevator can be made from a car jack: there is a shelf under the router, and we attach the jack to the shelf. We turn the jack - the router rises or lowers.

    For convenience, the jack handle can be pulled out behind side wall beds. This will make adjustments much easier.

    Threaded rod lift

    Blackk User FORUMHOUSE

    The angle with the threaded rod is screwed to the protrusion on the router, to which the measuring pin is normally attached. The corner for the threaded rod is threaded. By rotating the pin, we seem to screw into the corner and pull the entire router up along the guides. Accordingly, when rotating backwards, we lower the router.

    The mechanism consists of a wooden wedge (item 1), in which a through hole under the screw (item 2). Thanks to metal plates (item 3), attached to the sides of the wedge and having threaded holes, the wedge moves in a horizontal plane, raising or lowering the milling machine. The handle of the lifting mechanism is brought to lateral surface beds. To reduce the load during lifting, the router is equipped with a homemade roller (item 4).

    Turning the router table on and off

    All necessary equipment for the electrical part of the milling table is already provided in the design milling machine. The only thing that can be added to an existing electrical circuit is a remote switch and an emergency shutdown button (after all, no one has yet canceled the safety rules during operation).

    You can use a very ordinary switch for the router. As for the possibility of quick shutdown: it can be realized by installing an emergency button with a locking mechanism on the table (in which the unlocking is carried out by turning).

    Table assembly

    We have listed the main and auxiliary elements of the milling table. Each master can determine the order of assembling the device for himself. The only point to pay attention to is the manufacture and installation of the mounting plate.

    After a plate is cut from a steel (or plywood) sheet suitable size, it is necessary to drill holes in it for attaching the milling machine, a hole for the cutter (its diameter must correspond to the diameter of the hole in the base of the router) and mounting holes (for attaching the plate to the tabletop).

    What tools should you have in your carpentry or furniture workshop? And a video about the design of a homemade milling table and the features of power carpentry tools will help you find answers to questions regarding equipment that is extremely rarely used in a small home workshop.

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

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

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

    The general principle of the design is as follows: a smooth tabletop 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 being processed is fixed on the working surface.

    Bench-type workbench

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

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

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

    Separate table for router

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

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

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

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

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

    Woodworking tools: circular saw, drill, plane, wrenches, screwdrivers.

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

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

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

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

    You can use a ready-made kitchen surface (available in furniture stores). The main thing is that the top layer is durable and smooth.

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

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

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

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

    The finished table looks aesthetically pleasing and allows you to properly organize your work area, even in limited space.

    Lift for hand 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 suspended upside down from the tabletop, the router is in what is called parking mode. A mechanism is required to lift the machine into the working position.

    If there are several options:

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

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

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

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



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