Do-it-yourself horizontal milling machine for wood. Do-it-yourself wood milling machine: step-by-step manufacturing technology. DIY wood milling machine - description of important steps with instructions

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

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

Types of milling tables

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

Router tables are of several types:

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

Structural elements

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

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

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

The table top is made of chipboard, laminated chipboard, thick plywood or plastic. The optimum sheet thickness is 16 mm. The choice of material for the bed should be given the fact that wooden blanks will constantly move along its surface. Therefore, it should be smooth. Quite often the countertop is made of metals that do not corrode (for example, aluminum).

There is a mounting plate in the middle of the tabletop. Many people think that this detail can be dispensed with, but this is not the case. The mounting plate is the holder for all milling equipment.

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

Important: router models differ from each other, therefore, when making a table, it should be borne in mind that its height should ideally suit your height, and the router attachment and hole size should be exactly for your tool.

Stationary milling table

Consider the option of making a milling table with a metal frame and a Dutch plywood tabletop.

Materials and tools

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

• metal corner or pipe (for the frame)
• aluminum rail
• axles for mounting the router
• putty, primer and paint for metal
• self-tapping screws
• furniture bolts 6 x 60 mm
• adjusting hex bolts with nuts - 4 pcs.
• Finnish moisture-resistant laminated plywood, 18 mm thick (you can take another material)
• boards or plywood trimmings (for the manufacture of a parallel stop).

The following tools are also required:

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

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

You might also be interested in an article about DIY.

And how to make a table for a sewing machine yourself, you can learn from

Manufacturing steps

Step 1. To begin with, we make the table frame: the tabletop holder is welded from 4 profile pipes 25 x 25 mm, on one side of the table it is necessary to weld another pipe along which the parallel stop will move. Legs are welded to them.

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

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

In order to make the workplace more stable, we weld reinforcing jumpers between the table legs, at a distance of about 20 cm from the floor.

Step 2. For painting, you need to take oil paint (not suitable for aluminum and galvanized!). We clean the metal from dirt and degrease it using any solvent (alcohol, kerosene, etc.). If necessary, you can putty the surface with a special putty and prime it.

Note: all actions should be carried out in a respirator and ventilated area.

After application the last while standing it is necessary to wait for the full drying out and only then proceed with further actions.

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

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

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

Step 6. We remove the sole from the router and in the middle of the table top mark 4 holes for its fastening, we drill them. In the middle of the countertop we make a hole for. The hole size will be different for each tool! To the left and to the right of the hole, holes are drilled into which the bolts for fastening the clamps of the mill axes are inserted (they will not be removed anymore).

Step 7. On the reverse side, it is necessary to make a large groove with a milling cutter under sole milling cutter.

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

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

Step 9. Hex nuts and bolts are placed on both sides axles and are necessary in order to conduct plane adjustment milling cutter.

Step 10. We make a parallel stop. To do this, a groove is cut in a small piece of plywood for movement along a pipe specially welded for this. An electric jigsaw cuts three strips of plywood of the same size (strip length = table length + guide tube width) and 4 stiffeners for them.

In one plywood strip, a semicircular hole is made for the chip exit, which must correspond to the slot in the table top. In the second strip, a square hole is made in the same place.

The third plywood strip is cut in half. It is attached to the back of the strip with a square hole using bolts (then you need to make long grooves for their movement) or simple guides. The halves of the plywood should move apart in different directions. An aluminum track is installed at the very top edge of this strip.

Step 11. We fasten the first and second strips together with the sides with cutouts. We fasten stiffening ribs: two - along the edges of the resulting large hole at the junction of the plywood strips and one - on both sides (at a distance of 7-10 cm from the edge).

We cut out a small square from thin plywood (which would enter between the stiffeners located in the middle), closer to the middle we make a hole equal to the diameter of the vacuum cleaner pipe. Plywood is attached to the stiffeners to form a triangular box.

Step 12. The parallel stop for the milling table is fixed with clamps. This is done so that the milling table can be easily removed and repositioned. If it is entirely dedicated to the router, you can fix stop using brackets with grooves for its movement.

Step 14. We install the router: we pass our halved axles into the side holes of the router, put nuts on them and fix the router with pipe clamps.

Step 15. We turn the table over. Using a hex wrench, turn the bolt by lifting the router up (1 turn = 1 mm).

Can be installed with a jack so you do not need to use bolts all the time. To turn on the router, we attach a socket with a switch to one of the legs, which will act as an ON / OFF button.

Note: for convenience, you can provide a small tape for pressing the wire from the router during operation.

Workplace safety

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

• When working with the router, be careful not to turn away from it and do not push the workpieces close to the tool with your hands.
• Always use restraints, goggles and gloves.
• Keep children away from the running machine.
• In the event of a malfunction, immediately unplug the router and take it to a workshop.

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

One of the main assistants of a carpenter's work is a woodworking router. This hand tool is indispensable when you need to:

• cut a groove;
• make a groove;
• make a spike connection;
• process edges, etc.

However, when performing some carpentry work, it is not always convenient to use this tool due to the fact that it is required to simultaneously hold the workpiece and wield a milling cutter. Therefore, many craftsmen go to the trick, making a milling table for a hand router. With the help of a table, which is a reliable addition to a milling tool, it is possible to obtain wooden elements in quality and accuracy that are in no way inferior to joinery made in professional furniture workshops on milling machines.

A self-made table for a hand router significantly increases the productivity of the tool and makes it easier to work on processing wood products. It is not difficult to manufacture such equipment, moreover, unlike a standard milling table produced by various manufacturers, this table will have the dimensions, design and options chosen directly by the craftsman who makes it.

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

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

Materials for making a milling table

To build a milling table you will need:

• 4 square bars;
• trimming chipboard and plywood, the dimensions of which are determined when building the drawing of the table;
• hardware (nuts, bolts, screws, hinges, etc.);
• jack;
• metallic profile;
• 6mm steel plate;
• aluminum guides;
• movable carriage-stop (guide from the saw);
• manual frezer.

Drawing of a homemade milling table (option 1)

In any case, before starting to make any such table, the drawing must be completed with the designation of all sizes and the determination of the location of the working elements relative to each other.

Step by step assembly

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

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

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

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

4th step. The longitudinal stop is also made of chipboard and we make it movable to adjust the gaps around the cutter. To ensure mobility, we cut out perpendicular grooves in the upper part of the stop and attach the stop to the table top with clamps. In the middle we cut out a small groove for sucking out chips and other milling waste.

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

6th step... Take a 6mm steel plate and screw it to the table top flush with the surface. In the process of fastening, we make sure that its edges do not protrude above the tabletop, otherwise the processed parts will cling to them. A manual router will be attached to the plate from below.

7th step. We attach the router by the aluminum sole to the bottom of the plate using bolts, but do not forget to pre-drill the holes for the bolts in the sole. Attaching the hand tool to the removable plate rather than directly to the table saves milling depth and allows for easy bit replacement.

8th step. We build a router elevator. For this we use a car jack, which allows you to change the height of the cutter with maximum accuracy.

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

The design and video of a homemade milling table for a manual router

Before proceeding with the manufacture of a milling table, it is necessary to accurately determine its design features. This article provides instructions on how to make a simple milling table. For other first assembly options, see the video below for details.

We check the reliability of fastening of all elements - and the do-it-yourself milling table is ready!

We offer several more models of hand-made wood milling machines for your taste.

Option 2. Another milling table and other assembly features

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

Materials and tools.

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

• metal corner or pipe (for the frame);
• aluminum guide;
• axles for mounting the router;
• putty, primer and paint for metal;
• self-tapping screws; furniture bolts 6 x 60 mm;
• adjusting hex bolts with nuts - 4 pcs. ;
• Finnish moisture-resistant laminated plywood, 18 mm thick (you can take another material);
• boards or plywood trimmings (for the manufacture of a parallel stop).

The following tools are also required:

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

Basic Drawings

Design features of the milling table

An existing workbench can be adapted for the milling machine. But it is more expedient, in order to exclude the influence of strong vibration during the operation of the cutter, to make a separate structure that ensures the stability of the table.

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

It must be taken into account that the router itself is attached to the table top from below, which means that empty space must be provided there.

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

On the base of the router there are threaded mounting holes for fastening. In the absence of threaded holes, cutting is performed independently. If the task is not feasible, fix the milling device using special clamps.

Start the work by making a cutout according to the shape and thickness of the mounting plate. For simplicity, straight corners on the mounting plate should be rounded off with a file. A recess in the table top ensures that the plate is flush with the table top.

In the center of the plate, make a hole for the tool to exit, drill holes for fixing the plate to the table. The next step is to drill holes for attaching the milling device, keep in mind that the fasteners must be sweaty.

How to make a countertop and base

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

A Soviet-era kitchen countertop will be useful as a working surface for the future machine. Most often it is made from a 36 mm chipboard sheet covered with plastic. The wood-based material will reduce the vibration generated during the milling process, and the plastic coating will provide excellent movement on the surface of the workpiece. In the absence of an old countertop, use MDF or chipboard boards with a minimum thickness of 16 mm.

Choose a place for the future milling machine in your workshop, the dimensions and type of future design depend on this. It can be a modular machine located on the side of the circular saw, a tabletop version, or it can be a free-standing stationary machine.

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

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

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

Option 3. Cheap homemade router table

The sketch is ready. Materials purchased. The instrument, laid out in its place in the workshop, is waiting for the moment to serve its master. The master is also serious and is not going to grab onto everything at once. He will put everything on the shelves and do everything in stages.

Stage 1.

Start by making the frame of the future machine. The following method of making the bed can be applied. Using a grinder, cut the profile pipe 25 × 25 to size, then weld the workpieces intended for the frame on which the working surface will be located. Weld a pipe on one side, along which the rip fence will subsequently move. Weld 4 supports to the frame.

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

Use the second method for making the frame. It implies additional supports for the work surface. In the middle of the table, weld the stops for the milling equipment. The size between them should correspond to the convenient fastening of the router.

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

Stage 2.

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

Stage 3.

Cut the work surface according to the inner size of the frame, set it tightly in the corners. Then drill holes in the upper frame for fastening the table top. Mark the worktop itself, drill and securely connect to the bed using furniture bolts. Table dimensions 850 × 600 × 900.

Stage 4.

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

Stage 5.

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

Stage 6.

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

Stage 7.

On the underside of the tabletop, make a groove for the sole of the router.

Make grooves on both sides of the drilled through hole in the recess to accommodate the router axes. The size of the groove and the axis must match.

Along the edges of the grooves with a Faustner drill (picture above), drill holes for the adjusting bolts for the hexagon.

Stage number 8.

Cut two pieces of pipe to fit the width of the large slot and drill through the center holes for the fixed bolts. They will serve as clamps for the milling tool axes. Screw the nuts onto the bolts.

Stage number 9.

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

Stage 10.

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

On lane 1, make a semicircular hole to remove wood waste. It should line up with the slot in the table top. In strip # 2, cut a square hole at the same location.

Cut strip number 3 of plywood into equal parts. Attach one to the back of the square-hole strip with bolts or rails. The plywood halves should slide in opposite directions. Place an aluminum guide along the top edge of this strip.

Stage 11.

Fasten plates # 1 and # 2 together with the half-hole sides. Fasten two stiffeners along the edge of the hole formed and two on the sides at a distance of 70-100 mm from the edge.

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

Stage 12.

Secure the rip fence with clamps. This is done for the mobility of permutation of the stop. If it is intended for a milling machine only, then fix it with brackets with slots for movement.

Stage 13.

Weld a bolt to the 6mm thick metal strip. The clamps are made of wood with two grooves for bolts in the amount of two pieces.

Stage 14.

Install the milling equipment: pass the cut axles into the side holes of the device, put nuts on them and fix the device with pipe clamps.

Stage 15.

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

For the convenience of raising the router, it is advisable to install a lift based on a jack.

Option 4. Milling machine based on writing table

A milling machine based on a writing table is considered an economical and convenient solution. In the list of photo drawings, there is a table with a specification of parts by size and recommended material.

Parts sizes and materials

1. Drill milling cutter
2. Stationary machine

Making a milling machine for a home workshop is easy. It is only necessary to take into account that all machines (professional, student and home-made) have a certain number of methods of wood processing due to the position of the wooden blank relative to the cutting tool. The sample to be processed can be stationary or make translational movements. Therefore, homemade milling cutters are made from various cutting electric tools.

Drill milling cutter

This is the simplest wood milling machine that you can assemble with your own hands. In any hardware store there are cutters made according to the type of a conventional drill: in their design there is a shank that exactly fits the dimensions of the inner diameter.

But working with such a hand router, you need to firmly fix the workpiece. She should not move, hesitate. Most often, the workpiece is fixed clamps ... The more clamps are used, the more secure the workpiece is.... Sometimes ordinary vices are also used. They are used when it is necessary to process the end face.

The problem of using a homemade milling cutter from a drill is the difficulty of maintaining the required processing size. The slightest tremor in the hands will nullify all efforts.

It is necessary to make devices for a milling machine from a drill that will hold the electric tool in a certain position.

If you want to make a groove in a piece of wood:

1. A cutter is selected and installed, similar in appearance to a drill. Feature - the working edges are located in the front (like the drill) and longitudinal position.
2. The workpiece is well clamped.
3. Clamps are attached to the drill, attached to a chipboard, plywood or board stopper. Resting the stop on the workpiece, you can move the homemade router along the line, determine the position of the future groove.

The photo shows a drill with a wooden stop.

Stationary machine

What is required for manufacturing:

• Milling cutter - a drill, a grinder, several devices in the form of a small electric motor and a spindle for a woodworking machine.
• Table top.
• Stanina. It must be strong and reliable: this is the supporting part of the machine on which the table top and cutter will be mounted.

The most difficult option is making the machine from a separate electric motor and spindle... Making equipment out of ready-made electrical tools is easier.

The milling machine performs processing in a vertical or horizontal plane, the installation position of the working body depends on the choice of the processing method.

The cutter of a homemade machine from a grinder is located vertically, processing is carried out in a horizontal plane.

The bed can be of any design (drawings are optional). It is better to make it in the form of a frame made of metal corners. Attach a chipboard sheet to it with bolts. Then:

1. Determine the place where the working shaft will come out.
2. Make a hole with a diameter greater than the diameter of the shaft.
3. Attach the grinder with two clamps, which are attached to the tabletop with screws and nuts.

The screw head is positioned on the side of the countertop surface where the workpiece will move. Fastening nuts - from the side of the grinder. The screw heads are flush-mounted.

For a home-made machine, cutters are needed that resemble cutting discs when they fit on a shaft. They have no keyways. They, like the discs, are attached to the grinder with a clamping nut. If there is a need to use key type cutters, then an adapter is made:

• One end of it has a threaded connection. With this side, it is screwed onto the grinder shaft at the seat of the clamping nut.
• The second end is made to fit the cutter on the key. Usually, a bolt and a washer are used for fastening (they press the working tool against the adapter), therefore, a threaded hole is made from the end for the diameter of the bolt used.

Guides are installed along the tabletop along which the workpiece will move... Pieces of plywood and chipboard are most often used: with their help, you can create guides of various configurations, which allows you to mill the workpiece in different directions. Guides are removable products that are attached to the frame with self-tapping screws.

With the help of a stationary mill, the accuracy of the processes produced is determined, regardless of the number of revolutions. The quality of the structures obtained is higher than when using hand tools. Although the latter is easier to do on your own.

Wood is the most ancient material from the point of view of its processing and introduction into human life. It was from wood that people assembled their first dwellings, tools, etc.

Such attention to wood from ancient times is completely justified, because it combines excellent strength qualities, as well as good durability and ability to work without powerful tools.

However, now woodworking is still carried out using specialized equipment, since it can significantly reduce the time of work processes. Now we will consider perhaps the most popular unit that performs woodworking functions - a milling machine.

1 General information

Woodworking machines do not have to be milling machines. It can also be mini-machines, vertical drilling machines, etc.

1.1 CNC milling machines

Separately, we note the CNC milling machines for wood. CNC is a numerical control module.

It was specially conceived for arrangement on machine tools. Moreover, first of all, it is installed not on woodworking machines, but on machines for working with metal.

The CNC is a small mini-unit in which the simplest reading processor or computer is installed.

A person working with a CNC machine simply needs to enter the desired coordinates into the device. This can be done by measuring the table and mounting work piece in the correct position. Coordinates can be entered sequentially.

Of course, it is possible to install and configure the CNC, and a person can cope with this task with his own hands. But the work will take much more time, effort, money, and you will also need experience of interacting with machine-tool computing mechanisms.

2 Self-assembly of the milling machine

As we noted above, you can make a mini milling machine for wood with your own hands. Moreover, the process is very entertaining, interesting and can give you a lot of pleasure.

In addition, it will not take much time and effort to create a homemade wood milling machine. Although it all depends on specific decisions.

As a rule, two schemes for creating machine tools are used in the work:

• scheme using a ready-made manual router;
• diagram with the assembly of the milling unit from individual elements.

Both the one and the other scheme provides for the use of a table as a basis for a milling machine. They mount it on the table, connect it and stabilize it. This allows the use of fairly cheap hand cutters in the work.

Note that the first type of self-made unit assembly is more preferable for beginners. Indeed, in fact, all you need to do is assemble a special table-stand for the mechanism, and also equip it with several additional elements.

Assembling a milling unit from available tools is already a much more complicated process. Here you will need to separately get a powerful asynchronous motor, combine its shaft with adapters and create something like a homemade spindle.

The engine itself will need to be assembled in a separate structure, connected to a power supply, stabilizers, etc. Moreover, most of these parts will still have to be bought, although their cost in any case will be lower than the cost of the finished cutter.

But it's up to you to decide. We only note that the complete assembly of the milling unit from available tools requires not only basic carpentry skills (which will completely satisfy you in the first case), but also an understanding of electrical engineering, the ability to work with mechanisms and equipment.

2.1 General principles of the design of a homemade machine

It is actually very easy to describe the general design of a homemade milling unit.

It consists of several simple elements:

• table;
• coasters;
• fasteners;
• working mechanism (in our case, a manual vertical cheap mini milling machine);
• bars for regulating working movement;
• element for manipulating the cutter;
• additional parts, consumables, etc.

The table is made of wood. You can use ready-made solutions, only adapt them to work, or you can assemble yourself from plywood, fiberboard and boards. Stands, mounts, etc. are assembled in the same way.

From this article you can learn how to make a do-it-yourself wood milling machine at home to perform basic operations with blanks. The text sets out a step-by-step technology for creating a tool: an analysis of the design features of the device and all the components necessary for its installation, dimensional drawings and detailed descriptions that will help create each of these elements and put them together.

Wood milling machines can have various purposes. Some devices are designed for just one operation, others are multifunctional. Buying a professional tool is an expensive pleasure, so many craftsmen resort to making a wood machine with their own hands. Most often, such a router is used in small furniture workshops.

Routers are usually used for processing wood along a straight or curved contour. The knife head acts as a working element in the structure, which carries out rotational movements. In most cases, this part is positioned vertically. There are many varieties of routers, each with its own design features.

The most popular types of devices:

• standard single-spindle (vertical spindle);
• single-spindle designs where the spindle or homemade milling table tilts;
• copy milling cutters with a spindle with top placement;
• copying structures with a spindle having a horizontal placement (the tool is designed for processing wood propellers).

Note! In all of the above structures, except for the last one, the material is fed manually.

Milling machine device: single-spindle structures

The design of the single-spindle machine includes a horizontal table with a pair of tongue-and-groove nests for fixing the guide rulers. It is mounted on a cast iron bed. Under the table there are sleds that move along the guides. They have a spindle on a thrust bearing and a pair of bearings. In the upper part of this element there is another spindle - a plug-in. It is designed for mounting cutting parts.

The spindle slide can be lifted if necessary. For this, a bevel gear with a handwheel or a screw is used. The belt drive allows the spindle to be driven. Moreover, for this, a counter drive, a motor or a motor shaft can be used.

To make such a wood router with your own hands, you need to take into account some of the nuances. In some cases, additional spindle reinforcement is indispensable. Such a need arises when it is required to process workpieces of great height or the part is subjected to serious loads. To do this, you need to install and fix the upper stop on the machine table. This element is fixed to the bracket. To control the movement of the workpiece during milling, it is advisable to use a guide ring or ruler.

Machines in which the spindle or table tilts allow you to do a wider range of DIY woodwork. In addition to standard operations, such designs allow obtaining a higher quality of processing, obtaining a clean and uniform surface. This can be achieved by cutting the wood at an angle using very small diameter cutters. A tilting spindle device is much safer and more comfortable.

The device of a homemade copying machine for wood with an upper spindle

These devices are used to perform copying works. This does not require high power. Such designs allow for milling and drilling to create openwork products.

The copier can replace three tools at once:

1. Fraser.
2. Drilling machine.
3. Jigsaw.

Wood processing is carried out using cutting mills. The spindle develops a large number of revolutions, due to which the machined surface is very clean.

A homemade woodworking machine can be used for various purposes:

• calibration of bosses;
• production of openwork frames;
• study of the walls of the ribs, etc.

A base made of cast iron is used as the basis for this design. Its upper part is curved in the shape of a sickle. This area is used for mounting an electric motor.

Note! The bed serves as a connecting link on which all the elements of a homemade wood milling machine are installed. The stronger and more reliable its design, the better.

The motor is mounted on rails. Due to the system of levers, it can move along these elements down and up. This section is set in motion by pressing the pedal, which is equipped with a special stopper. The rotor shaft of the motor is connected to the spindle, where the chuck with the tool is fixed. This cartridge can be self-centering or American.

In the lower area of ​​the bed, a table is mounted on a movable arm. This design can move vertically along the guides using a handwheel. There are other options for making a homemade wood milling machine with your own hands, a drawing of such a design assumes vertical movement of the table even in the process of work by pressing the pedal. In these models, the electric motor and spindle remain stationary.

How to make a wood lathe with your own hands: drawings and technology

The easiest way to make a tool with your own hands at home is to construct a lathe or milling cutter from a drill or an electric motor removed from another tool. This process is not so difficult, so every master is able to cope with its implementation. This will require an electric motor, the power of which does not exceed 500 W, and materials at hand. A drill can also be used as a drive. Of course, it will take some skill to make a lathe.

For the construction of the machine, the following elements are required:

• metal bed;
• electric motor;
• handyman;
• tailstock.

It does not hurt to acquire a drawing that will help you navigate in size and correctly make all the structural elements for its subsequent assembly.

How to make a homemade drilling machine with your own hands with a motor

First you need to prepare the motor shaft. To do this, a faceplate is installed on it, a steel center with a thread is also suitable. Installation of the second center is carried out in the tailstock tube. To make the bed, you will need a pair of corners measuring 5x3 cm, their length is 15 cm. A motor is attached to the bed using a bolted connection.

Note! The central part of the tailstock must necessarily coincide with the middle of the motor shaft.

At the next stage of making a homemade machine with your own hands, the headstock is assembled. This element is formed from a pair of horizontal and a pair of vertical corners. A pipe for the spindle is attached to it. You need to insert a bolt into it, the diameter of which is 1.2 cm. Previously, its head is sharpened at a right angle. Thus, the center of the spindle is designated. After that, the headstock is installed on the bed. On the upper rack, which is connected to the horizontal corners, it is necessary to fix the tube by welding.

For the manufacture of a handcuff, you need to take a steel rod with a chamfer. Also, this element must have a hole that will be used to secure the reference ruler. It is necessary to weld the tube vertically with the locking screw to the long elbow. Then the rod of the handyman is inserted into it.

The rotor of the motor, on which the faceplate is fixed, will be used as the spindle of the headstock. Several holes need to be made in it. The plug will be inserted in the central part. The holes in the edges are for fixing the part with screws.

How to make a wood lathe with your own hands from a drill

Operating instructions. Completing parts. Recommendations for the selection of designs and an overview of the best models.

The router design consists of the following elements:

• countertops;
• bed;
• spindle;
• parallel stop;
• feed slide;
• vacuum cleaner.

Helpful advice! The recommended motor power for the machine is 2 kW or more. A tool with less performance will not be able to process hardwood blanks.

Selection of materials for making a woodworking machine with your own hands

In order for the bed to be able to withstand high dynamic loads, it is desirable to use metal as the material for its manufacture. The most suitable option is a pipe with a square or rectangular cross section. The use of a massive metal corner is allowed.

The choice of such materials allows you to create a structure without using a welding machine. All elements are connected by bolts. The design is collapsible, which makes it easier to carry and transport. In addition, using the corresponding drawing of the milling table, you can create adjustable legs with your own hands. Movable supports will allow you to adjust the machine horizontally.

For the manufacture of countertops, the following materials are suitable:

• multilayer plywood sheets;
• planed board;
• MDF, OSB or chipboard.

The table top must have a smooth surface. Any irregularities will affect the quality of work. In addition, it is necessary to exclude all factors that can cause scratches during the processing of workpieces.

When making a table for a router with your own hands, a flat surface can be achieved in several ways:

• finishing with plastic;
• careful fitting and grinding of planed boards;
• metal finishing.

To make a router with your own hands, you can use an asynchronous or collector motor. The first option is quite unpretentious in operation and does not impose restrictions on the size of the cutters used. Among the disadvantages is the high noise level. The brushed motor is more affordable, but its brushes wear out faster.

How to make accessories for a router with your own hands

Homemade wood cutters are capable of efficiently processing wood, however, when in contact with hard materials, the cutting elements quickly become dull. Therefore, the range of application of such parts is significantly limited.

To make a wood cutter with your own hands, you need to take a cylindrical blank and cut off half of its diameter in the area where the cutting zone will be located. After that, it is necessary to smooth out the resulting transition. Another 1/4 of the diameter must be removed from the cut part of the workpiece and a similar operation must be performed. Then you should give the processed section of the cutter a rectangular shape. To do this, you need to cut off its lower part. The thickness of the resulting working area should be 2-5 mm.

Helpful advice! To cut a metal workpiece for a cutter, you can use a drill or grinder, adapting this tool for this task. The cutting edge can be made with.

1. It is advisable to sharpen the cutting part at an angle of 7-10 °. A sharper edge will cut much worse and will lose sharpening quickly.
2. With the help of an angle grinder, complete with metal discs, you can give the cutting part of the cutter the required configuration. For these purposes, diamond-coated needle files are also suitable.
3. If the cutter has a complex configuration, you can flatten or bend it.

How to make a do-it-yourself milling machine

The simplest milling machine can be made according to the same principle as the turning tool described earlier. There are several ways to design the leading center of a structure.

In the first case, a steel tube with thin walls is pushed onto the shaft. This method is considered the simplest, but it is not without its drawbacks. The operator will not be able to process workpieces whose diameter is less than the inner section of the pipe. In addition, such a structure cannot be quickly dismantled if the need arises.

In the second case, the workpiece will be attached to the faceplate. To do this, you can use screws for which you first need to make holes. This method also has disadvantages. The diameter of the workpieces to be processed is limited by the size of the faceplate. To simplify this process, a special cartridge can be made, although in this case some limitations cannot be avoided.

The back center, which will be used for fixing long workpieces, must be installed on the tailstock. The electric motor is mounted on the frame. In general, the simplest designs of turning and milling tools are similar in many ways. If you want to get a more functional device, you can make a CNC milling machine with your own hands, but this will require additional technical knowledge.

Do-it-yourself table making technology for a router with drawings

There are several design options that can be used to mount a desktop CNC router. Tables can be stationary or portable. In addition, there is also an aggregate variety. This design allows you to expand the surface of the table to use the router.

Most often, craftsmen prefer stationary structures with a metal frame. Dutch plywood is suitable as a material for the countertop.

Note! When making a table for a hand router with your own hands, it is imperative to take into account the height of the person who will work behind it.

The list of required tools and materials includes:

• metal parts for the frame (pipe or corner);
• aluminum guides;
• axes for fixing the router;
• putty, as well as priming and coloring compositions;
• self-tapping screws;
• furniture bolts (60x6 mm);
• hex adjusting bolts with nuts (4 pcs.);
• Finnish film faced plywood with moisture resistant properties (sheet thickness 1.8 cm);
• material for the manufacture of a parallel stop (plywood or boards);
• drill and drill set;
• screwdriver and electric jigsaw;
• welding machine;
• auxiliary devices (brushes, rags, spatula).

Having everything you need, you can easily make the design of a milling table with your own hands, video reviews of the technology, of which there are many on the network, will help you visually familiarize yourself with this process.

DIY CNC machine manufacturing technology: drawings and assembly

A CNC router differs from a conventional tool in the presence of a program that controls its operation. In many videos, homemade machines are made on the basis of a rectangular beam, which is fixed on guides. The CNC router is no exception. During the installation of the supporting structure, it is advisable not to use welded joints; it is better to fix it with bolts.

The fact is that the welds are vulnerable to vibration, which will cause the frame to gradually deteriorate over time. As a result of a change in geometric dimensions, the equipment will lose its accuracy and processing quality. It is desirable that the drawing of the table provides for the ability to move the tool vertically. A helical gear is suitable for these purposes. The rotational motion will be transmitted by the toothed belt.

The vertical axis is the most important structural element. For its manufacture, you can use an aluminum plate. In this case, it is very important that the dimensional parameters of the axis correspond to the dimensions of the future machine.

Helpful advice! Using a muffle furnace, the vertical axis can be cast from aluminum, taking into account the dimensions shown in the drawing.

The assembly of the machine should begin with the installation of two electric motors of the stepping type. They are installed behind the vertical axis directly on the body. One motor will control the horizontal movement of the milling head, the other vertically. Then you need to proceed to the installation of the remaining structural units.

The rotary motion will be transmitted to the nodal elements of the tool by means of belt drives. Before connecting the software control to the finished router, it is imperative to check its operability and, if there are any deficiencies, eliminate them. Many craftsmen use video reviews to assemble the machine with their own hands, where this process is discussed in detail.

Do-it-yourself equipment for creating a CNC milling machine for wood

To create a CNC milling machine at home, it is imperative to use stepper motors. They provide the ability to move the tool in 3 planes. To create a homemade machine tool, the electric motors present in a dot matrix printer are ideal. Make sure that the motors have sufficient power. In addition to motors, steel rods are required.

A dot matrix printer has only a couple of motors, but it takes three to create a router. Therefore, several old printing devices will be required. It is desirable that the motors have 5 control wires. This increases the functionality of the tool.

Other engine parameters are also important:

• degree of rotation in one step;
• winding resistance;
• voltage level.

You will need a stud and nut to assemble the drive. The size of these parts is selected taking into account the drawing. To secure the motor shaft and stud, you can use a thick rubber wrap from the electrical cable. A nylon bushing will work as a retainer, and a screw must be inserted into it. A drill and file can be used as an auxiliary tool.

The tool will be controlled by software. An indispensable element of the machine is the LPT port, which provides connection of the control system to the milling cutter through electric motors. The quality of the components used to assemble the machine determines its service life and the quality of the technological operations performed. Therefore, the choice of parts should be approached thoroughly. When all the electronic components of the machine are installed and connected, all that remains is to download the drivers and software.

How much will it cost to buy a CNC milling machine: tool prices

If almost any craftsman can handle the manufacture of a hand router and a stationary table, then assembling a CNC machine for many will seem an impossible task. Moreover, homemade designs do not have the capabilities that a factory-made tool can offer.

Helpful advice! If you intend to use a router for complex woodworking, it is better to give preference to factory designs that are precisely calibrated and have many functions.

The prices for them vary depending on the functionality, table size, power, manufacturer and other parameters.

Average prices for factory-made CNC milling machines:

Assembling a machine tool with software is a rather complicated process that requires certain skills and knowledge. This work cannot be done without a suitable drawing and the necessary parts. Items such as signal loops, stepper motors, and microprocessor boards can be removed from legacy equipment or purchased online. Many online stores offer ready-made kits for assembling milling machines for home workshops.

Making a wood milling machine with your own hands: video instruction