Homemade table for a router. Homemade table for a manual router Table for a router drawing

Professional woodworkers treat their router table with great respect. And not by chance. After all, a convenient and properly arranged workbench is the key to high productivity and increased efficiency of the work process. 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 analogues. With a little work, you will not only save a lot, but most importantly, in the end you will get your own table, working at which you will be able to produce exactly the carpentry that you require faster and with much better quality.

The manufacturer cannot predict the needs of each potential buyer and builds basic capabilities into its products. You may simply never need many of them, and some that you need may not be included in the design of the table.

For self-made A milling table will not require anything fancy or too expensive. All you need is an electric motor, a guide structure and the table itself, a stable frame on which the equipment and additional accessories will be fixed. And, of course, your own drawing of a milling table.

Why do you need a milling machine and what is its purpose?

The principle of working with a hand-held milling tool is that the milling cutter moves reliably across the surface fixed workpiece, which needs to be processed in a certain way. The problem is that this is often not very convenient. Therefore, they resort to a trick: they attach the router itself and move the part. The resulting design is called a “milling table”.

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

Using milling tables for hand router, you get the opportunity to process not only wooden crafts, but also chipboard, plastic, MDF, make joints on tenons and tongues, make grooves and splines, chamfer and decorate profiles.

In addition, milling tables can be used as woodworking machines. To do this, a tool is fixed in the 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 competently made table for a router with your own hands is in no way inferior to branded ones, and sometimes even surpasses them.

How do milling tables work?

To work with a hand router on a table, you can use a regular workbench or build a special table. This table is distinguished by a rigid design with good stability. This is necessary given the strong vibrations caused by the operating router. Since the tool is attached from below, there should be nothing under the tabletop that interferes with the work. Only the router itself for the milling table and, if necessary, a lift device that provides precise and smooth adjustment of the lift of the cutter.

The router is attached to the table using a mounting plate. The material for it must be of high quality and durable. It is best to use textolite, metal or plywood. The plastic trim mounts on the router base usually have threaded connections that can be used to secure the router to the router table top. On the surface of the future table, you should select a groove for the mounting plate so that the base of the router is flush. The plate must be secured with self-tapping screws with countersunk heads so that they do not interfere with the future movement of the workpieces being processed.

The router itself is also attached to the table using countersunk screws, attaching it to the mounting plate. If there are no such holes in the base of the tool, you must drill them yourself. As an alternative, it is possible to use clamping devices if there is no desire to drill into the base of the router.

On the milling table, be sure to install a button to turn the router on and off. It is also highly advisable to equip the table with an emergency mushroom button for the safety of the person working at it. To ensure reliable fastening of the workpieces, clamping devices are installed. Convenient to use milling Rotary table. To measure, a ruler is usually built into the surface of the table.

Types of milling tables

When starting to make 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 could be a side extension of the sawing machine, that is, an aggregate table.

If you only plan to work on the router table occasionally and use it outside the workshop, build a portable table. It can always be removed or hung on the wall, thereby 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 stowed away for periods of time, but still remain ready for specific tasks at all times. To do this, they are configured in advance.

Simple table design

If you want a device of a simple design, you can make it of small height and then attach it to an ordinary table. To do this, take chipboard sheet And simple board, which should be fixed on the sheet as a guide. The board should be thin and fastened with bolts.

After this you need to make a hole for the cutter. IN simple design You can finish here - the resulting design will allow you to perform simple milling operations. However, if you want to make a milling table for more thorough work, you will have to spend a little more time and effort.

Manufacturing of the bed

For any milling machine, the bed is its frame, onto which the tabletop is attached on top. 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.

When making a 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 frame is deepened (like ordinary furniture) by about 10-20 centimeters.

If you plan to process door trims, then it would 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 advisable to use adjustable supports in the table design, which allow you to level milling tables for a manual router in the presence of uneven floors or, if necessary, change the height.

Table top for a homemade table

Since the workpieces slide well on plastic, a good option will be used as a table top for a milling table kitchen panel made of chipboard with a thickness of 26-26 cm. Its depth of 60 cm will also be convenient for use, and chipboard material will perfectly dampen the vibrations produced by the router during operation.

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

Mounting plate

Since the kitchen countertop is quite thick, to maintain the amplitude of the cutter's reach, the router should be attached to the table using a mounting plate. Despite its small thickness, it is highly durable and will reliably hold the tool without losing the working stroke of the cutter.

Using a mounting plate made of textolite (fiberglass), you should cut out a rectangular blank 5-8 mm thick and sides from 15 to 30 cm. In the center of the plate, cut a hole corresponding to the hole in the base of the milling tool. The plate is attached to the surface of the table, and a router is installed on it.

Assembling the table for the router

After the frame is made, the tabletop is temporarily attached to it. A mounting plate is installed on a previously prepared place and its outline is traced with a pencil. Then, using a hand router with a cutter with a diameter of 5-9 mm, you should select a seat for it in the tabletop. The plate should fit flush into it and without distortion.

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 this, you should carry out through milling of the tabletop along the contours of the router sole. This does not require special precision, but you will probably still need to select additional material from the bottom of the tabletop for a dust collector and some other additional accessories.

All that remains is to connect all the parts together. Having started the router from below, we fix it on the mounting plate, then we fasten the plate to the tabletop. We finally screw the tabletop to the frame.

We arrange the upper pressure

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. This is especially true when working with door trims, as well as when making dimensional parts. The design of the upper clamp is simple.

A ball bearing of suitable size will perform the task of the roller. The bearing must be rigidly fixed at a certain distance from the tabletop so that it provides reliable clamping of the workpiece from above.

Milling machine drive

If your choice is to manufacture 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. To ensure that the machine does not stop constantly and meets your expectations, choose a motor with a power of 1100 W or more. Such a drive will allow you 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 is not to forget about safety and be sure to equip your machine with the means to ensure it.

Using a milling table you can perform professional processing tree. Connections, end profiling, door and window frames, baseboards, frames for photographs and paintings are placed on the table neatly and conveniently. 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 router table

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

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

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

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

Cover material

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

Pressed worktops are not suitable for work in damp areas and on the street! To prevent them from swelling, all edges will have to be carefully processed and sealed.

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

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

Groove for stop

Typically, a milling table is used for processing longitudinal edges. To be able to process the transverse ends when creating 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 of a homemade table for a router is an MDF table top, in which a hole is made for the router to pass through and a guide ruler is attached - an evenly planed board. This tabletop can be placed between two workbenches or installed on its own legs. Its advantages are the simplest and quickly manufactured design. Such a device is unlikely to allow you to carry out serious woodworking. Let's consider more functional options, including a rotary one.

Small router table

neat and small table

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

• The working surface and side racks are made of thick laminated plywood No. 15. The size of the table top is 40 x 60 cm, the height without the corner stop is 35 cm, the height of the stop is 10 cm. Three grooves are selected in the surface of the work table for installing rails. Various auxiliary devices are installed here and moved along the tabletop.
• To make the structure stable, the legs are made of chipboard or MDF No. 22. The legs are placed with a slight indentation, leaving a little space for attaching templates and clamps using clamps.
• To cover the mechanism, a front panel made of plywood or chipboard is installed below.
• The side stop has grooves along which it moves. Locked in the right place using bolts and wing nuts. The emphasis can be dismantled and any convenient device can be installed in the free space.
• A pipe is connected to the stop to remove chips that are released in abundance during operation. The chip drains of the router and the table are connected through plastic corrugations from the sewer siphons by a splitter for the water supply. A hose from the household vacuum cleaner. 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 brought closer or further apart 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.

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

This option is convenient for little ones 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

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Design 2 with drawings

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Accessories for hand router

Lift for a router made from a clamp

If you regularly use a router mounted on a router table, you know how difficult it is to adjust and adjust the height of the bit in the router. There are milling elevators for lifting the router, but they are usually quite expensive. So I created a simple homemade router lift from available materials. This lift saves a ton of time and I find that all adjustments with a router are much easier to make effortlessly using a lift mounted under the router table.

To make the elevator, I took a steel pipe with a diameter of 3/4? (nipple length will depend on the size of your router) then made a miter coupler and a second 3/4 nipple? connected to a flange (nipple length will also depend on the size of your router table) as shown in the drawing below.

Then I did wooden base to support the router. I drilled a 3/4 hole in the base. This hole allows the base to slide smoothly over the nipple. The clamp is screwed to the base and serves as an adjustment mechanism. I then installed the router lift under the router table (see photo).

To get maximum adjustment, be sure to set the router lift to its lowest position. The curved handle of the clamp makes it easy to adjust the router and move up and down the steel nipple. This makes it easy to adjust the router to any position you need.

Lift for a router from a spark plug key

A router lift is an extremely important and useful device. It's fast and convenient way adjust the cutting height of the cutter. Correct installation cutting depth will not only create cutting accuracy, but will also simplify the adjustment of product joints.

I made the lift for the router from a regular spark plug wrench for a car and a nut of a suitable size. The nut must match external size spark plug wrench, and inner diameter nuts - according to the size of the bolt used.

Using nylon or other soft material, drive the nut into the bottom of the key. I made a handle on the back of the spark plug wrench for ease of adjustment. A nylon retaining ring between the nut and the base of the router will help prevent spontaneous free rotation during operation.

This router lift can be used on various hand routers such as Hitachi, Festos, Mafells, Dewalt, as well as small Bosch models.

An essential requirement is that you need to consider the location of the bolt on the base of the hand router, its length and easy access while working.

Note: The easiest way is to use a nut with a nylon insert inside the key.

Make a lift for the router yourself, or buy a ready-made one? Let's answer this question.

When using a manual router installed in a stationary table, two questions arise:

1. How to adjust the depth of immersion (extension) of a cutter.
2. How to quickly change replacement tips.

Unscrewing the tool from the plate every time is too troublesome. In addition, a statically mounted router works in the workpiece only at a fixed depth.

This problem is solved by installing a height-adjustable suspension on the router. And once you were able to make a full-fledged milling table, installing an elevator of your own design is not difficult at all. In addition, a self-made device is developed taking into account all the requirements of the master, even those that are not provided for by the factory device.

Why do you need a lift on the milling table, and is it possible to do without it?

This useful device is called the third hand of the master. Those who have tried a milling cutter with a microlift are finding new applications for it:

• Maintaining a power tool is not difficult, as is quickly changing cutters.
• You can change the cutter reach height in a matter of seconds, and most importantly – safely.
• You can change the immersion depth “dynamically”, simultaneously with the movement of the workpiece on the table. This expands creativity.
• Due to the fact that you no longer regularly dismantle the tool for maintenance, the plate and its fasteners are subject to less wear.

Buy or make it yourself?

There is a wide choice of offers on the power tool market. Industrial microlifts look good and work without failures, but their cost is the same as that of a new router. True, the device is quite well equipped. The kit includes rings for the copy sleeves, and a very high quality mounting plate.

Industrial microlift for a router with a set of copy rings

All that remains is to electrify the device - and you can get a CNC machine. There is only one drawback, but it outweighs all the advantages - the price itself. Therefore, for periodic home use this is an unaffordable luxury. So our Kulibins make whatever they can. However, there is a lot to learn from them.

There are quite primitive lever-type designs

Homemade elevator design with a lever mechanism

This technique even allows the use of a “foot” drive. For precise settings it does not have a reach, but with the help of such a mechanism you can raise the router to the working position in one movement, and just as easily lower it to change the attachment or service. This elevator has a fairly long stroke; it does not allow for adjustable milling. Materials for manufacturing are literally lying underfoot, the cost tends to zero.

Using a Screw Adjuster

Another example of a homemade elevator for a router

The design is more advanced and allows relatively precise adjustment of the reach. However, using such a microlift is inconvenient; to rotate the handle, you need to crawl under the table, and then make a control measurement of the height of the cutter. But the reliability is high, and production does not require expensive materials. Such an elevator can be made “by eye” without using drawings.

The following flywheel design not only makes it possible to precisely adjust the reach in small increments within 50 mm, but is also quite convenient.

Lifting design with flywheel

It will take more time to make, but the result is worth it. The flywheel allows you to adjust the height of the cutter, while simultaneously visually monitoring it above the working surface. In principle, it is already possible to dynamically change the cutter offset.

The main advantage is the still low cost of components for manufacturing, with increased functionality. Instead of a flywheel, you can install a gear and a motor with a gearbox. But this will require additional costs.

Option with car jack

Quite expensive, since at a minimum you need to purchase a jack. Diamond-shaped designs are ideal.

Application screw jack as a lift for a router, also possible

This microlift lift is reliable, and thanks to the handle located parallel to the tabletop, it is convenient and quite accurate. Positioning the mount is quite simple. It is enough to install a strong shelf parallel to the tabletop.
An electric drive option is available.

Then, in general, you can install a foot pedal and free both hands. And if you add a programmer to all this, you have a homemade CNC router.
However, this goes beyond the concept of an economy class device.

Option from an advanced master

Since the possibilities of a craftsman are limitless, you can come across completely unexpected designs. This microlift is made using the very same router for which it is intended.

Original elevator design made by hand

The design involves not only precise adjustment of the reach, but also changing the angle of inclination of the router axis. With this potential, you can significantly expand your woodworking tasks.
The drive of the worm gear of the stud – the height regulator – was originally designed.

Gears (gears) are made using the tenon method " dovetail" This allows the gears to be moved outside the mechanism, eliminating the need for lubrication, and making adjustment smooth.
The material used is moisture-resistant plywood 20-25 mm thick. The microlift is executed with such high quality - that I would like to suggest that the author organize industrial production.
Of course, such a design requires a preliminary drawing.

Assembly drawing in 3D for a microlift

Moreover, it was made using a three-dimensional modeling program. Making such a device is painstaking work. But the financial side of the issue is the cost of a sheet of plywood and a screw stud. When performing custom work, this design will quickly pay for itself.

The verdict on this topic is as follows: when using a homemade milling table, you cannot do without a microlift. Other designs, such as a quick-release plate for a router or a hinged table cover, are only suitable for servicing power tools. And for precise positioning of the cutter above the table, you need a microlift.

Elevator for a router: several DIY options

A lift for a router, which can be purchased in a serial version or made by hand, is a device that allows you to improve both the quality and accuracy of processing performed with hand-held power tools. The results of the latter strongly depend on how accurately and confidently the user manipulates such a device. In order to minimize the influence of the human factor on the results of processing performed with a manual milling cutter, special devices were developed.

Homemade elevator for a manual router, made of plywood and timber

One of them is mechanized lifting device for milling power tools, which, in full accordance with its functionality, is called an elevator. As mentioned above, such a device can be purchased in a serial version, but it will not be cheap, so many home craftsmen successfully make it with their own hands.

Why is such a device needed?

A lift for the router, which ensures precise movement of the machine mounted on it. hand power tools in the vertical plane, necessary in many situations. Situations in which the quality and precision of processing of wood products are of no small importance include decorative finishing of furniture panels, making technological grooves and lugs on elements of furniture structures. The quality of processing in such cases will not depend on the experience of the master performing it and the firmness of his hands, but only on the accuracy of the device settings and the degree of its stability.

Even a person with good physical fitness gets tired when working with a hand router, the weight of which can be 5 kg or even more. This directly affects the accuracy and quality of work. In addition, the precision of processing that a manual milling machine mounted on an elevator can provide cannot be achieved when manipulating a power tool manually.

For most routers, standard adjustment when installing the tool in the table becomes simply inconvenient

To the necessity of inventing such useful device, what is a lift for a router, led to the fact that the variety of types decorative finishing wood products have expanded significantly, processing techniques have become more complex of this material, and the requirements for the accuracy of its implementation have also increased. All of the above factors require that manual milling electrical equipment combine high mobility of its working body, as well as the accuracy of the movements it makes. It is precisely these requirements that are fully met by a router lift, with the help of which the power tool used is quickly raised and lowered to required height above the desktop, and is also held at a given level for the required amount of time.

The convenience of using a milling elevator also lies in the fact that it is not necessary to install a power tool on such a device each time. This helps to both simplify the production process and increase its productivity.

On what principle does the lift for a router work?

In order to raise or lower a manual router using a router lift, you can use a crank, lever, or any other lifting mechanism of a suitable design. Such functionality, which the lift for the router has, is ensured by:

• quick and accurate setting of the dimensions of grooves and other relief elements cut on the surface of a wooden workpiece;
• Possibility of quickly replacing tools in the milling cutter chuck.

To summarize the options design the most used models of milling elevators, then the principle of operation of such a device can be described as follows:

1. A support plate for the router, which is made of a sheet of metal or textolite, is mounted on a work table or workbench.
2. Two racks arranged in parallel are fixed to the support plate.
3. The manual router itself is mounted on a special carriage, which has the ability to move freely up and down along the racks installed on the support plate.
4. The carriage with the milling power tool installed on it and the entire elevator move to the required distance due to the fact that they are acted upon by a special pushing device.

The use of metal parts in the design will significantly increase the accuracy of the homemade milling elevator

Let's consider the basic requirements that should be followed when planning to upgrade the router with your own hands using a lift.

• The frame for placing the router and all other structural elements of such a device must have high rigidity. Compliance this requirement will not only improve processing accuracy, but also make the user’s work safer.
• The lifting system with which such a device is equipped must be designed in such a way that it can ensure not only the quick removal and installation of the router used, but also the prompt replacement of the milling heads on it.
• The working stroke of the milling elevator should not be made too large; it is quite enough if the working head of the power tool moves within 50 mm. This is quite enough for high-quality performance of most technological operations.
• When developing drawings, it should be ensured that the working head of the power tool used can be rigidly fixed in a given spatial position.

The simplest milling lift can be made from a jack or a tubular clamp

What is needed to make a milling elevator

In order to make your own milling lift, you must prepare the following kit Supplies, tools and technical devices:

1. directly the manual router itself, from which it is necessary to remove the handles;
2. electric drill;
3. standard car jack (if lifting mechanism the device will be of the jack type);
4. sheet of metal or textolite;
5. wooden blocks of square section;
6. aluminum profile;
7. sheets of plywood and chipboard;
8. guides made of metal;
9. threaded rod;
10. Screwdriver Set various types and size, spanners and pliers;
11. drills of various diameters;
12. bolts, screws, nuts and washers of various sizes;
13. epoxy adhesive;
14. square, ruler, measuring tape.

In general, only the motor and stands can be used from the router, especially if the tool is no different high accuracy travel along telescopic guides

Possible design options for the device

Today, home craftsmen have developed many designs of milling elevators, but the most popular and, accordingly, worthy of attention are two options for manufacturing such a device:

• a lift for a hand router, driven by a car jack;
• a device whose structural elements are a support disk, a threaded rod and a flywheel disk.

Option one. Elevator from a jack

The operating principle of a jack milling elevator is based on the fact that the working head of a manual router mounted on a support plate is raised and lowered by controlling the jack built into the structure.

Milling table with jack lift

A do-it-yourself jacking router is made as follows:

• A box made of 15 mm plywood or chipboard is attached to the bottom of the desktop, which will simultaneously serve as a supporting device and a protective casing for the entire device.
• In inner part Such a box, the dimensions of which must be pre-calculated, accommodates both a jack and a hand router connected to its moving part. The jack, when placed in the box, is screwed with its sole to the lower side of the support casing, and the manual milling cutter is connected with its upper part through a special metal sole inner surface workbench table tops. At the same time, in the tabletop it is carried out through hole, through which the working head of the milling cutter with the tool fixed in it should freely pass.
• A sheet of textolite or metal of the appropriate size is used as a support plate for installing the router, which, under the influence of force from the jack, moves in the vertical direction along two fixed racks.

Option two. Threaded rod lift

The manufacturing diagram of the device using a support disk, a threaded rod and a flywheel is as follows:

• A circle is cut out of a board 18–20 mm thick, which will act as a support platform for a hand router.
• A hole with a diameter of 10 mm is drilled in the central part of the support disk, into which a threaded rod of the same diameter is inserted. The length of the pin, which is connected to the support platform using two nuts and washers, must be selected in such a way as to provide the router with a working stroke of at least 50 mm.
• The lower part of the pin, passed through the plywood bottom, fixed between the legs of the work table, is connected to the disc flywheel. Keep in mind that the hole in the bottom through which the bottom of the stud will pass must have a flange nut built into it. It will ensure the operation of the lifting mechanism.

Elevator diagram for a router using a threaded rod

Option for a homemade elevator with a threaded rod

Using milling elevators in conjunction with mechanisms that will additionally provide lateral movement of power tools, you can make an even more functional device that will turn your hand-held equipment into a full-fledged 3D milling machine.

Option three. Chain drive elevator

Making this milling elevator will take much more time, but as a result you will get a clearly working system for raising and lowering the tool.

Chain Drive Milling Elevator

PCB sprocket Mounting plate Chain drive
Chain tensioner Standard switch pusher Power button lever

The design of this version of the milling elevator is discussed in detail in the video review below.

A milling table can significantly increase work efficiency and productivity. There are many models available for sale for a wide variety of hand routers. However the price finished products very overpriced. It is much more profitable and interesting to assemble the table with your own hands. You don’t need any expensive materials or difficult-to-use tools for this.

General information about the design of the milling table

The milling table can be installed on a workbench or on a specially assembled separate table. The product must have a rigid structure and good stability, because During operation, a very noticeable vibration will be created. Be sure to take into account the fact that the router will be installed from below the countertop and absolutely nothing should interfere with it. None additional elements are not installed there.

The design of a homemade table includes a mounting plate, due to which the router will be attached directly to the table. Use durable material to create the plate High Quality: plywood, textolite, sheet metal, etc.

A recess is created on top of the tabletop for the plate. The plate itself is fixed using self-tapping screws with a hidden head. The router is secured with screws with the same hidden head. Additional fixation of the plate can be done using clamps.

To conveniently turn on the router, a button is attached to the table. Additionally, it is recommended to install an emergency shutdown button of the mushroom type. If you have to work with large workpieces, equip the table with upper clamping devices. For even greater convenience and accuracy, the table is equipped with a ruler.

For self-assembly For a router table you will need the following tools:

1. Electric jigsaw. If you don't have one, you can get by with a hacksaw.
2. Plane. Preferably electric.
3. Chisel.
4. Sander. If you don’t have it, you can get by with a block of sandpaper, but processing with them will require more time and effort.
5. A screwdriver or drill with a screwdriver function.
6. Electric drill with a set of drills.

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Initial stage of table assembly

Explore your workshop and choose a location to install your future router table. Determine the most suitable design products. Tables are:

1. Aggregate. At their core, they are a side extension of a standard saw table.
2. Portable. A very convenient and ergonomic desktop option.
3. Stationary. It is installed separately and assembled specifically for the router.

If your router table will be used infrequently, or you have to work outside the workshop, opt for a portable option. If you have enough space, create a separate table. For greater convenience, it can be equipped with wheels, which will allow you to “move” to another place if necessary.

You can assemble a small structure and install it on an ordinary table. You can take chipboard suitable size and install a guide on it. The guide in this case is a board of relatively small thickness, secured with bolts.

Take 2 clamps. Make a hole for the cutter. This will complete the main work. However, if the machine is your main working tool, you need to approach the process more thoroughly and create a comfortable and reliable table at which you will feel comfortable spending time.

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Preparing the bed and tabletop

The bed is the stationary part of any milling table. At its core, it is a frame on supports with a table top on top. The material of the frame is not particularly important. Suitable for wood, metal, chipboard, MDF. The main thing is to ensure the required rigidity and maximum stability. The dimensions of the bed are also not critical. Select them taking into account the size of materials you most often have to process.

The lower part of the bed should be deepened by 10-20 cm in relation to the front overhang of the tabletop. Dimensions, as already noted, select to suit your needs. For example, to process the ends of facade blanks and door trims, you can make a bed 150 cm wide, 90 cm high, 50 cm deep.

Very important characteristic in this case is the height. The optimal value is 85-90 cm. It’s good if you can equip the bed with adjustable supports. They will allow you to compensate for uneven floor surfaces and change the height of the milling table if the need arises.

To make a homemade table, you can take an ordinary kitchen countertop from chipboard. A 26 or 36 mm thick plate with a wear-resistant plastic coating is used. Thanks to the plastic, the workpiece will slide well on the tabletop, and the chipboard will take on the task of dampening vibration. As a last resort, you can use laminated chipboard or MDF with a thickness of at least 16 mm.

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What do you need to know about the mounting plate?

A mounting plate must be fixed near the place where the router sole is attached. The best material is considered to be durable and at the same time thin. Most often used sheet metal. A more convenient and equally durable option is textolite (fiberglass). Usually this is a rectangular plate 4-8 mm thick. It is necessary to prepare a hole in the center of such a plate. Its diameter should be the same as the diameter of the hole in the base of the router.

The base of the router is usually equipped with standard threaded holes necessary for attaching the plastic cover. Thanks to these holes, the router is fixed to the mounting plate. If there are no holes initially, make them yourself. You can use another method of attaching the router, for example, with metal clamps. Holes for securing the plate are created closer to its corners.

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Step-by-step instructions for assembling the table

First you need to secure the tabletop to the finished frame. A plate is placed on a pre-selected place on the tabletop. Take a pencil and trace its contours. Next, you need to take a hand router with a 6-10 mm cutter and select a seat for the mounting plate in the countertop. It should lie flush, i.e. create a perfectly flat surface with the tabletop, as if it were a single whole.

The seat should have slightly rounded corners. You can round them using a file. After adding the mounting plate, take a cutter with a thickness slightly greater than the thickness of the tabletop, and make through holes in the tabletop exactly according to the shape of the router sole. You don’t have to try too hard; perfect accuracy is not required at this stage. At the bottom of the tabletop you need to make an additional cut for the dust collector casing and other accessories that you plan to equip your milling table with.

The work is almost complete, you just need to assemble everything into a single product. Place the router from underneath and screw it to the plate. Secure the plate to the tabletop with self-tapping screws. The screw caps must be recessed, otherwise they will interfere with the work process. Finally screw the tabletop to the frame.

In order to increase convenience and safety, you can equip the design with an upper pressure roller device. This addition will be especially useful when processing large workpieces, such as door trims. The design of the clamp does not have any complex elements, so you can make and install it yourself without any problems.

A ball bearing can be used as a roller the right size. The bearing is installed in a holding fixture. The device itself must be firmly fixed at the required distance from the surface of your countertop. This way you will ensure constant tight pressure of the workpiece being processed to the surface of the tabletop as the product passes under the roller. Thanks to this, the accuracy and safety of the work performed will be increased.

Currently milling equipment is especially popular. The essence of this type of material processing is that the cutter processes a workpiece that is fixed motionless, that is, the tool itself rotates, but the workpiece does not. However, this is not always convenient if we're talking about about a hand router. A hand router table is an excellent solution to this problem. You can make a structure that will allow you to move the workpiece, and the hand router itself will be fixed permanently. The question arises, how to make a table for a hand router with your own hands.

Of course, you can try to search already ready-made solution, but this will be quite difficult to do, since a hand router is a specific tool. You can make such a table with your own hands quite simply. However, first you need to decide on its design.

Selecting the type of table to be mounted

You can make a table for a manual router with your own hands in three types:

• portable;
• stationary;
• aggregate.

If we talk about the portable version, then it is ideal for a manual router. Such a table can be used not only directly in the workshop, but also dragged to any other convenient place.

When it comes to working in confined spaces, as well as in permanent place, then the stationary option looks preferable. It will be possible to perform not only operations using a manual milling cutter, but also a lot of other actions. For example, sawing workpieces.

Drawing of a milling table with a milling lift.

If the first two options are not suitable, you need to choose the third.

Before you make a table for a hand router with your own hands, you need to clearly understand what main parts it consists of. There must be a bed, a tabletop, a mounting plate, and stops. These are the parts that are included in any table for a manual router. The easiest option is to use a ready-made table. You just need to attach additional parts to it. Here you will have to make stops, clamps and think over the fastening method.

However, it is worth taking a closer look at the process from the very beginning so that there are no questions about how to make a table for a manual router with your own hands.

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Bed and its features

The bed is an integral part of any router table. Moreover, this applies not only to the manual version, but also to the ordinary one. The bed consists of two parts - a frame and a tabletop.

For work you will need MDF or chipboard, as well as metal profiles and wood.

It is the metal profile that ensures simple assembly of the entire structure. Here, all joints are not welded to each other, but are fastened with bolted connections. In this case, the connections are reliable and, if necessary, easy to disassemble.

As for the dimensions of the bed, they are selected depending on the size of the parts that will most often be processed on it. In order to avoid mistakes, it is worth acquiring a drawing. All overall and geometric dimensions should be indicated on it.

List of materials and parts for making a milling table.

As for the height of the bed, it should be optimal for the work. It is best to choose a height from 0.8 to 1 m. However, everything depends mainly on the height of the person who will have to work with a hand router. To avoid your feet touching the bottom of the table while working, you should make it recessed in relation to the top. In this case, all problems of this kind disappear.

Chipboard should be used to make the lid. This material perfectly resists various types of vibrations. In addition, such a surface will be hard and smooth, which means that the workpiece will easily slide and move along it.

You can also use thick plastic. Such a surface is quite easy to process using any tools. In addition, plastic is a smooth material on which the workpiece will glide perfectly. You won't even need it here additional processing. Plastic is easy to cut and process. This allows you to make excellent grooves on its surface and fasteners.

An aluminum countertop is also an excellent option. This material is easy to process and is not exposed to external aggressive factors. First of all, we are talking about moisture. Aluminum is not subject to corrosion. The tabletop will last for many years.

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Mounting plate: nuances

The mounting plate is one of the main parts of the machine. It is simply necessary to install it. Mounting plate allows you to save design features milling machine. This is done if the height of the frame exceeds 25 mm. This size occurs because the frame is made 1 m high.

Very often, to make such a plate, it is used a metal sheet. He must have minimum thickness. You can use a sheet of PCB.

This material is different highest strength, which in this case is a necessity.

The mounting plate may have various sizes, but they must fully match the size of the tabletop. It shouldn't be too thick. Its optimal thickness is approximately 6-8 mm.

It is necessary to make a hole in the center of the workpiece, the diameter of which will be equal to the corresponding characteristic in the milling sole. Most models have special holes to which the plate is attached. If there are none, then you should do them yourself. For these purposes, a drill is used, into which a metal drill is installed. You can do without extra holes.

Any hand router can be secured using brackets with springs.

This fastening method is also quite effective, but it is worth remembering that the staples must be made of durable material, since as a result of work numerous loads arise that cause vibration of the machine. It can harm both the router itself and cause an accident.

All parts for the table are now ready. It is very important that they are all done according to these instructions. Otherwise, there is a high probability that the work will be done poorly.

The milling machine is designed to perform various work on surface treatment of materials and parts. When working with large machines that are mounted on a work surface, it is necessary to use special tables. In this case, it is possible to achieve a better result, the work itself will be safer, since it is not the machine in the form of a simple manual milling cutter that is moving, but the workpiece.

It is the milling table, on which the equipment will be permanently mounted, that allows you to obtain a high-quality result. You can assemble the table with your own hands; it will be convenient to make shaped holes, groove connections with preliminary cutting, and edge profiling on it different types. The work becomes simple, safe and accurate, requiring much less time. The machine can be securely mounted on the work surface; only the workpiece will move.

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

To make a milling table, you need to prepare the following tools and materials:

• frame, i.e. bed, it can be assembled from wooden board or steel pipes;
• welding machine for welding pipes on the frame;
• the tabletop can be used from the kitchen table; chipboard is also suitable;
• overlays for the end parts of the tabletop;
• self-tapping screws;
• special mounting plate made of metal or textolite;
• manual milling machine;
• drive for the machine (its power is determined according to the planned work).

The milling table has two important parts - the bed and the tabletop. The bed is a permanently reinforced element, i.e. a frame on special supports. The main working surface, the tabletop, is attached to the top of this frame. The base is best made from chipboard, steel pipes, wooden beams. When using steel pipes, individual structural elements must be welded, so at home many people prefer to work with wood.

When fastening the tabletop, it must be installed securely and firmly, since various loads will be placed on it when processing parts. Overlays are used for the end part; they make it possible to give the structure additional rigidity and strength. The height of the resulting table should be approximately 850-900 mm; this value is optimal and convenient for work. For the tabletop, you can provide a special mechanism that will allow you to raise or lower the work surface to the required level. The countertop itself can be made from chipboard or an old kitchen base of the required dimensions.

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Installation of the structure

When installing, attention must be paid to the special mounting plate. The thickness of the tabletop will be approximately 26 mm. The plate is used to prevent the cutter from flying out during operation. It is attached to the place where after final assembly The milling machine base will be installed. The thickness of the plate is not too large, but its strength is at the proper level.

It is best to make a mounting plate from metal or textolite. Its thickness should be 4-8 mm. A hole is made in the center of the mounting plate, the diameter of which is equal to the hole in the base of the machine. To secure the machine to the surface of the plate, it is necessary to provide special threaded connections on the back side of the sole. If there are no such holes, then you need to make them yourself. Total quantity - 4.

The milling table is assembled in this way:

1. First you need to attach the tabletop to the frame, and do this temporarily to determine the position.
2. You need to place the mounting plate on the pre-calculated place, and then mark the outline with a pencil.
3. Using a conventional manual milling machine, you need to select a hole along the marked contour. After this, the plate will be laid flush, evenly and clearly.
4. The corners of the seat should be rounded; this is achieved using a file. After seating the prepared plate, it is necessary to use a straight cutter (its thickness should be greater than that of the future working surface) to make a through hole in the shape of the sole of the machine.

During work, care and precision must be observed so that the table after assembly becomes comfortable and durable, and the machine’s fastening is reliable. It is immediately necessary to provide that the milling table will have protective covers and dust collectors. If all the preparatory work has been completed, it is necessary to connect the individual parts together. The milling machine is started when mounted from below; the mounting plate is secured to the tabletop with self-tapping screws. The caps of the screws must be recessed into the material, otherwise they will interfere with the processing of workpieces, clinging to their surface.

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Installing the top clamp and drive

When assembling a milling table with your own hands, it is necessary to mount a structure with upper clamping devices to ensure additional safety. Such safety measures are used when work is carried out with large workpieces, for example, in the manufacture of various door trims.

The clamp itself has a simple device. This is a ball bearing, it acts as a roller that is mounted in a special holding device. After this, the roller is rigidly fixed on the surface of the working milling table at the required distance. As a result, sufficiently tight clamping of the workpiece to the working surface during processing is guaranteed.

If a homemade milling machine is being made, then utmost attention is paid to the electric drive design. An important criterion is the drive power that will guarantee the execution of certain types of processing. For example, if you need to make a shallow excavation in wooden blank, then you can use a motor whose power is 500 V. But such a machine is not suitable for performing more complex work. Therefore, it is not worth taking a low-power motor if intensive work is planned; it will constantly stall.

It is best to install the drive at 1100 V, it is optimal for any machine, not just household ones

The difference in cost is fully justified, since with the help of this router you can perform various jobs. A drive with a power of up to 2 kW makes it possible to work with any type of wood using various cutters. Drives can be stationary or manual; a special fastening system must be provided on the table.

When choosing a drive for a milling table, you need to pay attention to the number of revolutions. For a three-phase motor, a special connection diagram should be provided to ensure smooth starting and smooth operation. If a single-phase network is used for such a motor, the efficiency will drop by about 40-50%.