I think that those home craftsmen who have a manual router, but do not have a table for a router, have more than once thought about buying or making a table for a router. Since using a milling cutter stationary, the ease of working with it greatly increases, especially when working with small elements. But for a home workshop, a table is often not justified, both for financial reasons, and, for example, in my apartment due to the space it takes up. Therefore, as an option, you can use a small homemade router table that is attached to universal workbench or even to a regular table.
The simplest milling table
You can make a table from an ordinary piece of chipboard or plywood by screwing a router to it. But you will need to take thick enough material so that it has the necessary rigidity, and thick material will reduce the output of the cutter and thereby reduce the depth of the grooves being machined. Therefore, it is still worth making a box for the tabletop that will provide rigidity and reduce the thickness of the tabletop.
In addition, it will be very useful if the table has a side support with adjustment and the ability to attach a vacuum cleaner. Removing shavings and sawdust with a vacuum cleaner is very important when working in an apartment, and order and cleanliness in the workshop will also not hurt.
This article describes how to make such a table for a router yourself.
Let's start with the box
First of all, the table box is made; for this you will need two pieces of thick plywood 18-21mm, which are glued together with PVA glue and tightened with clamps. In total we will need 4 blanks.
In one of the blanks, using a hacksaw, we cut two grooves for clamps. In this case, we make several cuts along the width of the groove with a hacksaw, and remove the remaining plywood between the cuts with a chisel and hammer.
We make a tabletop
You need to cut out the tabletop, apply markings (the location of the cutter and holes for fasteners) for a specific router. We mark the holes for the screws securing the tabletop to the frame.
When everything is marked, we drill all the holes with a drill, and you also need to countersink the holes for the screws, then the countersunk screw will be deepened, will not protrude beyond the surface of the tabletop and therefore will not interfere with moving workpieces along the surface milling table.
Assembling the table
For this we need screws and a screwdriver.
Here is the table base assembled.
When the table is assembled, you need to twist two rods into the box through the tabletop. A rod is used on one side of which there is a “thread like a screw”, and on the other there is a regular thread for a nut. In the future, a side stop for the router will be installed at these levels using the wings.
Let's start making the side support. For this we need two plywood blanks. One workpiece will be pressed against the table, and the part processed by the router will slide along the second.
We drill holes through which the two workpieces will be combined into a single whole. We countersink them. 
We use a Forstner drill to make cutouts for the cutter.
Using a hacksaw, we refine the cutouts for the cutter and make grooves for the side stop clamping mechanism. 
Using rectangular plywood blanks, we assemble two side support blanks at 90 degrees. We assemble the box for connecting the vacuum cleaner.
Now you need to build the nozzle into the dust removal box and screw the box itself to the side stop. 
All that remains is to press the side support to the table to hand router with the help of lambs.
This elegant and compact table for a router can be made by anyone who knows how to hold a tool in their hands.
And this is a router in the table in the process of removing a quarter with a straight groove cutter.
In the future it would be worth making a protective screen for the cutter and spot lighting working area and an emergency stop button for the router.
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 will be mounted and additional accessories. 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”.
With the help of milling tables you can special labor make shaped holes, cut grooves, securely connect parts, for example, drawer walls, etc., perform edge profiling and many other operations that are only available in specialized carpentry workshops that have milling machines.
Using milling tables for a manual router, you get the opportunity to process not only wooden 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 mass additional accessories to 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. It is convenient to use a 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 a sheet of chipboard 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 manufacturing a machine, it is advisable to perform it bottom part so that the person standing in front of him 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 would be to use a kitchen panel made of chipboard 26-26 cm thick as a tabletop for a milling table. Its depth of 60 cm will also be convenient 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 chipboards or MDF with a thickness of 1.6 cm.
Mounting plate
Because kitchen countertop It 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.
The question of how to make a milling table yourself is asked by many home craftsmen. This is understandable: equipment on which the milling cutter is fixed motionless and the workpiece moves on a work table specially equipped for this purpose is in many cases much more convenient to use. Often, when working with a manual router, the workpiece is fixed on a regular table, and all manipulations are carried out by the tool itself, which makes it impossible to maintain precision processing.
A router table significantly increases labor productivity and efficiency when working with a hand router. It is often unprofitable to purchase a serial model of such a table for your home. It is much more economical to make a milling table yourself. It won't take long and will require very little financial costs. Any home craftsman can cope with this task if desired.
Using homemade table for a manual milling machine when processing wood products, you can achieve results that can be obtained with professional milling machines. With the help of such a simple device, a whole list of technological operations is performed efficiently: cutting shaped holes and making various slots and grooves in the workpiece, manufacturing connecting elements, processing and profiling edges.
You can see the structure of a factory-made milling table in the video below. We will try to do no worse, and in some ways even better and, most importantly, cheaper.
A homemade milling table, which you will equip your home machine with, will give you the opportunity to process not only wooden workpieces, but also products made from chipboard, MDF, plastic, etc. With the help of such a homemade milling table, you will be able to make grooves and splines, process elements of tongue-and-groove joints and tongue-and-groove joints, chamfering and creating decorative profiles.
A homemade table for a router, the production of which does not require large financial expenditures, will allow you to equip your home workshop with a real woodworking machine. It will only be necessary to secure the tool itself - a manual milling cutter, for which you can use the stand of a drilling machine or a workbench. It is no coincidence that many manufacturing companies have started manufacturing milling tables and accessories for them, but you will have to pay a decent amount of money for such a device. A homemade table for equipping a milling machine, if made in accordance with the drawings that we will analyze in this article, is in no way inferior in functionality to models released in production conditions, and it will cost much less.
Milling table drawings: option No. 1
Milling table drawings with detailed analysis designs of main components and their dimensions.
Drawings of a homemade table for a manual router (click to enlarge)
Dimensions of parts Sectional table Double-layer table cover Cutout in the first layer of the table
Marking the cutout for the second layer of the table Gluing both layers Cutting out the cutout according to the markings of the second layer Drawing rip fence
Stop end plate Dust extraction pipe 
Plexiglas safety shield Comb clamp and locking block
Milling table design
If you wish, you can make a homemade milling table from a regular workbench, but it is better to make a special design. This is explained by the fact that a machine with a milling cutter creates strong vibration during operation, so the bed used to fix the milling cutter must be highly stable and reliable. It should also be taken into account that milling device attaches to the bottom of the router table top, so there should be enough free space underneath.
When attaching the device to the top of a homemade table for a manual router, a mounting plate is used, which must have high strength and rigidity, or special clamps for a milling machine. Such a plate can be made from metal sheet, textolite or durable plywood. The bases of most router models already have threaded holes; these are what are needed to connect such a device to the tabletop and mounting plate. If there are no such holes, you can drill them yourself and cut threads into them, or use special clamps for a milling machine.
The clamps for the milling machine or the mounting plate must be located at the same level as the tabletop; for this purpose, the latter is sampled with the appropriate dimensions. It is necessary to drill several holes in the plate, some of which are necessary to connect it to the tabletop using self-tapping screws, and others so that such a plate can be fixed to the base of the router. The screws and self-tapping screws that you will use must have a countersunk head.
To make turning on your device more convenient, you can place a regular button on the tabletop, as well as a mushroom button, which will make your device safer in operation. To improve your convenience home machine You can attach a long metal ruler to the surface of a milling table made for a manual router with your own hands.
Before you start designing a milling machine coordinate table with your own hands, you need to determine the place where it will be located, and also decide what type milling equipment you want to make. So, you can make an aggregate router with your own hands (the table will be located on the side of the sawing equipment, serving as its extension), compact table machine, free-standing stationary equipment.
You can opt for compact benchtop equipment for working with wood and other materials if you access it irregularly or often use it outside your workshop. This installation, which is distinguished small sizes, takes up very little space, and if desired, it can be hung on the wall.
If the size of your workshop allows, then it is better to adapt the base of a stationary milling machine for the milling machine, which is much more convenient to work with than on desktop equipment. To make such a device more mobile, it can be placed on wheels, with which you can easily change its location.
A simple homemade milling table. There are questions about the overall strength, but it’s cheap and cheerful.
A simple milling table or table for a drilling machine can be made very quickly. To make such a structure, which can easily be placed on a regular desktop, you will need a sheet of chipboard on which the guide elements are fixed. As such a guide, which can be used as a parallel stop for a milling table, an ordinary board of small thickness, which is attached to the table top using bolted connections. If necessary, you can attach a second such board in parallel, which will serve as a limiting stop.
To insert a router into a table, you will need to make a hole in a sheet of chipboard to accommodate it, and it will be fixed to the tabletop using two clamps. After this, the manufacture of the milling table can be considered complete. To make the use of this design more convenient, you can place simple clamps for a milling machine on the tabletop.
Manufacturing of bed and table top
Homemade bed milling installation must have high stability and reliability, since it will bear the main loads. Structurally, it consists of a frame with supports on which the tabletop is fixed. As a material for the manufacture of the frame of the bed, you can use metal profiles connected by welding, chipboard, MDF, wood. It is advisable to first prepare drawings of such a device. They must indicate all structural elements and their dimensions, depending on the dimensions of the parts that are planned to be processed on such milling equipment.
The lower part of the bed from the front side must be deepened by 100–200 mm so that nothing interferes with the feet of the milling machine operator. If you are going to process linings for doors and the ends of facades for them on your homemade machine, then the dimensions of the frame can be as follows: 900x500x1500 (height, depth, width).
One of significant characteristics The bed for a homemade milling machine is its height, on which the ease of working on such equipment depends. According to ergonomic requirements, the most suitable height for equipment used while standing is 850–900 mm. It is advisable to make the lower parts of the frame supports adjustable. This will make it possible not only to compensate for uneven floors, but also, if necessary, to change the height of the milling table. For the manufacture of turntable With your own hands it is enough to fix special wheels on its legs.
The assembly of approximately such a table is discussed in option No. 2
You can make a milling table, characterized by a low price and high reliability, from the tabletop of an old kitchen table. Such countertops are usually made of chipboard sheets 26 or 36 mm thick, coated with wear-resistant plastic. Their surface ensures good sliding of the workpiece, and the chipboard base perfectly dampens vibrations that occur during operation of the equipment. If you make a desktop for a machine with your own hands, then MDF and chipboard (LDSP) boards with a thickness of 16 mm or more are suitable for these purposes.
Milling table drawings: option No. 2
Detailed drawings of a milling table with additional retractable drawers, which can be made from timber and plywood (or MDF). A list of parts with dimensions and recommended materials of manufacture is presented in the table.
Table of table parts and their dimensions Frame Upper corner of the frame Lower corner of the frame
Guide for sliding drawers Guide layout diagram Table top Stop drawing
Big drawer Small Drawer Front of Small Drawer Table Side Panels
How to make a mounting plate
Since the tabletop of a homemade milling machine is quite thick, the mounting plate for attaching the router must have a minimum thickness. This will allow you to make maximum use of the reach cutting tool. It is clear that such a plate minimum thickness must have high strength and rigidity.
The plate can be made of metal or of a material that is not inferior to it in strength - textolite. The thickness of the textolite sheet should be in the range of 4–8 mm. Using previously prepared drawings, a rectangular part is cut out of such a sheet, in the center of which a hole is made. The dimensions of the latter correspond to the diameter of the hole in the milling cutter sole.
The connection of the plate with the base of the router and the table itself, as mentioned above, is ensured by the holes made in it and the corresponding threaded holes in the sole of the router. Holes for fixing the plates to the table surface, which are used as clamps for the milling machine, are made in their four corners.
The dimensions and location of the holes for connecting the plate to the router must fully correspond to the holes located on the tool base. In order not to make a mistake when manufacturing a plate, you must first prepare its drawing, on which you need to indicate dimensions this part, the diameters and location of all holes on it. If desired, you can fix it on the table surface using clamp brackets.
A video with a detailed story about the construction of a milling table, the functionality and convenience of which are very high, but the complexity of manufacturing is also very serious. For most craftsmen, such a table will be unnecessarily complex, but perhaps someone will learn useful ideas when creating your own equipment.
Milling table assembly
A universal milling table or begin to assemble by attaching the table top to the finished frame. The mounting plate is applied to the place on the tabletop where it should be placed according to the drawing, and its outline is traced with a pencil. This is necessary in order to select a recess for the plate along the marked contour, for which a manual milling cutter with a tool with a diameter of 6–10 mm is used. The size of this recess should be such that the plate fits into it at the same level as the surface of the tabletop.
It will not be possible to make a recess with right angles using a round cutter, so the corners on the plate itself must also be rounded using a file. After fixing it in the tabletop, it is necessary to make a hole in the mounting plate with dimensions corresponding to the diameter of the router base. It is done using a straight cutter, the thickness of which should be greater than that of the tabletop itself.
When the requirements for equipment are small and there is no desire to mess with homemade products, you can buy something similar to that, which is shown in the photo below.
PROMA, priced at about 6 thousand rubles, is one of the cheapest factory milling tables
To perform such an operation you do not need a drawing, since it does not require high precision. On the back side of the tabletop, it is also necessary to select a certain amount of material, since the dust collector casing and other devices will need to be placed at the bottom of the table. To quickly perform all the operations described above, you can rely on the drawings or photos posted in this article.
The final stage of assembling a homemade milling table is connecting all of it structural elements. First, the router is started from the bottom of the tabletop, its base is screwed to the mounting plate. Then the plate itself is attached to the upper surface of the tabletop using self-tapping screws with countersunk heads, which must be completely recessed into the prepared holes. Only after performing these operations is the tabletop itself securely fixed to the frame.
Milling table drawings: option No. 3
Compact benchtop router table and detailed analysis its creation in the photo below.
Computer model Assembly view Rear view Front view
The cutter is raised, the doors are moved apart The cutter is lowered, the doors are moved Hand-held router A hose from a vacuum cleaner for removing dust and chips
Attaching the router and removing chips Adjusting the lift of the cutter Lifting the cutter is carried out by rotating the screw Adjusting the lift of the cutter
Setting the extension of the cutter Plexiglas platform before installing the router The glass is precisely adjusted to the tabletop The router is screwed to the support platform
Making the top clamp
When wondering how to make a home-made machine safer to use and ensure ease of processing large workpieces on it, you can equip such equipment with an upper clamp. To create this device, made on the basis of a roller, it is also necessary to prepare drawings.
A ball bearing of a suitable size is often used as a roller for the pressing device. Such a roller is mounted on a holding device that allows it to be fixed at any distance from the tabletop. With this simple universal device the workpiece of any thickness will be securely fixed when moving along the surface of the work table.
In the video below, a man shows his homemade milling table, which he assembled right on the balcony of his own house.
Drive for a homemade milling machine
In order for the homemade wood router you made to be highly productive and functional, you need to equip it with an electric drive of sufficient power. If you plan to use your machine to process wood parts with shallow recesses, a 500 W electric motor will be sufficient for it. However, equipment with a low-power drive will often shut down, which will negate any savings from purchasing a weak electric motor.
The optimal choice for such machines are electric motors, the power of which starts from 1100 W. Such an electric motor with a power varying between 1–2 kW will allow you to use your homemade device like a real milling machine for processing wood products. In addition, you can use any type of cutter on this machine. To equip the machine drive, you can use electric motors that are installed on stationary equipment(for example, on drilling machines), as well as on hand tools(drills, grinders, hand routers).
More serious factory equipment costs significantly more. For example, the price of such a Kreg table starts at 22 thousand rubles
You should pay attention not only to the power, but also to the speed of the electric motor. The higher this indicator, the best quality will result in res. Electric motors, as you know, can be designed for power from an electrical network with a voltage of 220 and 380 V. There will be no problems connecting the former, but three-phase asynchronous motors will have to be powered using a special star-delta circuit. Connecting according to this scheme will make it possible to use an electric motor on its maximum power and will ensure a smooth launch. And if you directly connect such an electric motor to a 220 V network, you will lose 30–50% of its power.
Milling table drawings: option No. 4
Analysis of another design of a self-made milling table, supplemented by a video from the author.
The elevator is organized using a jack. A steel plate for attaching the router.
Safety when working on a homemade milling table
When making a wood router with your own hands, ensure the safety of working on such equipment. First of all, you need to equip your homemade machine with a protective screen. Photos and drawings illustrate how such screens are constructed. professional equipment. A mandatory element of your homemade equipment should be an emergency stop button, the so-called mushroom. It should be placed in an easily accessible place, and the start button should be secured in a place where it will not be accidentally pressed.
Make sure that the treatment area is well illuminated, as this is the most dangerous place any equipment. If during work you need to frequently change the offset of the cutter, it is worth making a manual or automatic device for raising and lowering the tool (elevator). By creating a lift for a router with your own hands, you will be able to use your homemade milling equipment more efficiently and make working on it comfortable and safe. Various designs such elevators can also be found on the Internet.
Milling machine– a professional woodworking tool that requires special installation. For installation, a milling table can be used, which is rarely found on sale, and those that are on the market cost big money. Therefore, it is much easier to make a milling table with your own hands. It is the presence of a special machine that allows you to optimize the work as much as possible, make it safe and process workpieces more quickly. This is due to the fact that it is not the tool (milling cutter) that moves along the material being processed, but the part that moves along the resulting machine. Below we will describe how to make a homemade milling table.
The quality of work largely depends on the choice of table for a milling machine.
Selecting material and type of table
Professional carpenters always try to make themselves a specialized milling machine. It not only simplifies the work, but also allows you to make more accurate and accurate cuts that will not differ from factory ones. Many foreign companies offer some models of specialized machines for milling, but these models are either not well thought out (not ergonomic and inconvenient) or cost a lot of money, which will take a long time to pay off. Homemade machine, made for yourself, will save money and will be convenient during operation. To make a machine for yourself, you must first decide on the type of its design.
Typically used as a tabletop for a milling table. MDF boards or wood of different species.
In principle, all types of machines can be divided into 3 types:
- free-standing (personal, non-portable);
- portable (small portable);
- expandable (stand - wing to table).
Deciding on the type is quite simple, for which you need to know the operating time on the machine. For continuous and long-term work, you should choose a separate machine. In case of rare use tool will fit and portable. An attachment or wing to the table is suitable if there is not enough free space. To the advantages separately standing desk it is worth mentioning that when long work With the tool, you don’t have to turn it off.
For the manufacture of machines, you can use MDF boards (for the table top), pine boards(relatively cheap material) or boards made of any other material. It is much easier to use MDF. This is the cheapest material for furniture production and is easy to process. If financial opportunity allows, then preference should be given to natural wood.
Special mention must be made about metal. Some people consider metal to be the most durable material, and they are right. Metal is much stronger than wood, but it has significant shortcomings. For example, it is an ideal conductor, so it is not recommended to mount an electrical device on such a surface. Another drawback is the weight. You should be concerned about the strength of the legs, which must withstand not only the surface of the table, but also the sum of the masses of the tool, parts and workpieces, and the weight of a person. Moreover, in winter unheated room the metal will be cold and create discomfort for the working master; the metal may rust. Therefore, it is strongly recommended to avoid metal.
Design details
To make a good multifunctional table, you should know the operating principle of the router.
In order to do good machine, you need to know how the router works and how best to process workpieces with it.
Thus, a milling cutter is primarily used for processing longitudinal edge details. If it is necessary to mill grooves across the workpiece, it is recommended to provide a special groove in the design for the stop-carriage. In addition to the above-described function, additional clamps can be attached to the groove for better processing blanks.
A stop placed longitudinally, which will serve as a guide for the materials being processed, will significantly simplify the work. This stop must be perfectly flat and even, the working plane of the stop must be perpendicular to the plane of the table surface, and the stop itself must be movable. The latter is required to adjust to the dimensions of the parts being processed. With proper manufacturing of such a stop, the machine will be able not only to mill, but also to joint (plane) materials. A groove should be provided in the stop that will allow installation auxiliary tools. It can also be equipped with mounts for a vacuum cleaner hose, which, when working as a blower, will allow you to quickly clean the surface being treated from shavings and sawdust, improving visibility.
A properly made milling table with metal plates will allow you to quickly change the cutter if necessary.
But the most important thing is the method of attaching the router. To fasten tools, metal tabletops are usually used, which are in the form of a small plate that is attached to the tabletop. The router is attached to this plate with screws or bolts in specially made holes. Using such a mini-surface will save up to 1 cm in milling depth, you can quickly dismantle (install) the tool and fix the tool more smoothly to the metal tabletop.
The speed of removing the router from such a plate will allow you to very quickly replace the cutter on it. There is also a gain in terms of fastening. So, if to attach a tool to wooden tabletop very careful leveling of the surface is required, it is necessary to drill holes in the right places, which for another model of the tool may not be suitable both in diameter and in terms of attachment points, but in the case of a metal mini-surface, the surface of the boards is leveled only at the place where the metal sheet is attached, points The mounts will always be static, which will allow you to quickly change the tool if necessary. Each router has its own mounting points, so before installing it, it is recommended that you familiarize yourself with its drawings.
Installing the router using the drawings is not difficult - just drill holes, maintaining the dimensions (distances between them).
Table manufacturing procedure
A properly assembled milling table allows you to process a variety of surfaces.
A primitive homemade table may look like this: a tabletop made of MDF, fixed on 4 legs, on (under) which a tool is installed, a board is fixed on the tabletop - a guide, which can be fixed to the table with clamps. This is the simplest option. However, it is irrational, because part of the table top (at least 50%) will not be used during the work; in addition, there is a high probability of uneven installation of the router, which will cut uneven grooves. It is more rational to use this design on the folding wing of the table. This will significantly save space in the workshop and rationally use the work surface.
The next option differs from the previous one in its advanced capabilities. So, a hole is made in the middle of the table for mounting the tool, a guide board is made with a groove for processing thin workpieces, and fixed with self-tapping screws. Next, a groove is made (at some distance from the router), which will allow the workpiece to be milled at an angle.
The portable machine is very easy to iron. Small legs are attached to the tabletop (the size is equal to the length of the router +5-7 cm). The dimensions of the tabletop itself are minimal, allowing you to install only a router +15-20 cm. This option will be mobile (portable), but it will be inconvenient to work on it for a long time. This mini-machine is suitable for extremely rare tool use.
Individual workplace
Let's consider making a “serious” table for a router.
First, it’s worth talking about the sizes. On average, the size can be 1 x 1 or 1 x 0.7 (0.8) m. This will not only allow you to work comfortably on the table, but also place other auxiliary items on it. A frame (legs, which should be attached not only to the tabletop, but also have an additional tie) is knocked under the tabletop.
Then they work on the tabletop. To make it, you need to knock down boards (under right size), carefully plan them with a plane and sand them sandpaper so that there is an almost smooth surface. Then plywood is glued onto the tabletop. This will make the surface almost perfectly flat. To prevent the plywood from peeling off under the influence of vibrations, it should be additionally secured with self-tapping screws. When the glue dries and the plywood is secured to the tabletop with self-tapping screws, a hole is cut in the middle of the tabletop for mounting the router. The hole should be rectangular in shape and have dimensions equal to the size of the router + 50-100 mm in length and width.
The surface of the milling table top should be flat and smooth.
The next step is to prepare a metal plate to which the router will be attached. It should have a size equal to the size of the hole + 2.5-3 cm in length and width. Tool mounting points are determined locally.
Next, you should install a guide board or stop. The latter is preferable. It is better to make the stop movable (as described above) and double so that it can be used to clamp the material. Mobility is ensured by grooves along the entire length of the table into which metal guides are inserted. An anchor is made on the stops themselves, which will fit into the guides. It can be cut out of wood or wheels can be attached to a stop.
For ease of work, grooves are cut into the tabletop, which will allow you to process workpieces at an angle. Their width and distance between them is determined by the master. Several drawers for tools can be attached to the bed. So that the table has a pleasant appearance, you should make slopes on the table top and legs. and also varnish all surfaces.
Such a table will allow you to quickly process workpieces without straining, which will make the time of wood processing enjoyable.
When processing a surface with a hand router, it often becomes 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 done will depend on which version of the table you need.
There are several types of router tables:
- Stationary
Free-standing, full-fledged desktop. - Portable
Tabletop design, which is installed if necessary. - Aggregate
An option when, in order to work with a router, the surface of the saw table is expanded (pictured).
Design elements
In this article we will look at a stationary milling table. Having made it, you can independently cope with any other type of design.
The most important part of the table is the bed. It consists of a frame (legs, frame, etc.) and a table top (including a metal plate and other table components). The height of the bed varies from 75 cm to 1 meter and can be adjusted individually.
An old unnecessary table, which can easily be converted into a milling table, is quite suitable as a bed.
The tabletop is made of chipboard, laminated chipboard, thick plywood or plastic. Optimal thickness sheet – 16 mm. The material for the frame should be selected taking into account the fact that wooden pieces will constantly move along its surface. Therefore, it should be smooth. Often the countertop is made of metals that are not subject to corrosion (for example, aluminum).
There is a mounting plate in the middle of the tabletop. Many people think that they can do without this detail, but this is not true. The mounting plate is a holder for all milling equipment.
The thickness of the plate should be no more than 8 mm. The material used depends on desire and capabilities. It can be metal, textolite, durable plywood or other sheet material. A hole is cut in the center of the plate to fit the size of the router sole.
Important: Models of milling cutters differ from each other, so when making a table you should take into account that its height should be ideal for your height, and the mounting of the router and the size of the hole should be exactly for your tool.
Stationary milling table
Let's consider the option of making a milling table with a metal frame and a tabletop made of Dutch plywood.
Materials and tools
In order to make a table for a manual router with your own hands, you will need the following materials:
- metal corner or pipe (for frame)
- aluminum guide
- axles for mounting the router
- putty, primer and paint for metal
- self-tapping screws
- furniture bolts 6 x 60 mm
- Hexagonal adjusting bolts with nuts – 4 pcs.
- Finnish moisture-resistant laminated plywood, 18 mm thick (you can use another material)
- boards or plywood scraps (for making a rip fence).
The following tools are also required:
- welding machine (for metal table frame)
- drill and bits
- screwdriver
- jigsaw
- milling cutter
- spatula, brushes, rags.
How to make and assemble a transforming table with your own hands:
You might also be interested in the DIY article.
And about how to make a table for yourself sewing machine, you can find out from
Manufacturing stages
Step 1. First, we make the table frame: the tabletop holder is welded from 4 profile pipes 25 x 25 mm, on one side of the table it is necessary to weld another pipe along which the parallel fence will move. The legs are welded to them.
You can weld on each side of the frame (along the perimeter where the tabletop will be located) a corner as long as a pipe, so that the tabletop sits on these corners in the recess.
Another option, which we will use, will be to install additional supports for the tabletop: we weld two more pipes onto the long sides, which will serve not only as a support for the plywood, but also as a limiter for the router (the distance between them should be such that you can safely cut out a hole for mounting the device).
In order to workplace was more stable, we weld reinforcing bridges between the table legs, at a distance of about 20 cm from the floor.
Step 2. For coloring you need to take oil paint(not suitable for aluminum and galvanized steel!). We clean the metal from dirt and degrease it using any solvent (alcohol, kerosene, etc.). If necessary, you can fill the surface with a special putty and prime it.
Note: all actions should be carried out in a respirator and a ventilated area.
For primers You can use the same paint that will be used for further painting, but diluted with a solvent. More long term and qualitative the result is obtained during processing specialized compositions for metal.
After application last standing you need to wait until it's full drying out and only then proceed to further actions.
Step 3. We cut the tabletop exactly to fit metal carcass 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 tabletop is 84 x 59 cm, table height is 90 cm.
Step 4. At a distance of 20-25 cm from the edge we cut aluminum guide along the entire length of the tabletop.
Step 5. Cut the axes for the router in half. This will help increase the space between the sole and the guide axle to 11mm (if using uncut axles, this distance will be only 6mm).
Step 6. We remove the sole from the router and mark 4 holes in the middle of the tabletop for its fastening, and drill them. We make a hole in the middle of the tabletop. The hole size will be different for each tool! Holes are drilled to the left and right of the hole into which the bolts securing the clamps of the router axes are inserted (they will no longer be removed).
Step 7 On the reverse side, you need to use a router to make a large groove for sole milling cutter.
In the groove itself, at the top and bottom of the through hole, cut small grooves (with a router) equal in length to the axes. At the ends of the grooves, use a Forstner drill to make small recesses for adjusting bolts with hexagonal hole.
Step 8 We cut out two pieces of pipe equal to the width of the large groove. We drill holes in them for bolts that cannot be removed. We have obtained clamps for the router axes. Nuts are screwed onto the bolts.
Step 9 Hex nuts and bolts are placed on both sides axes and are necessary in order to carry out plane adjustment milling cutter.
Step 10 We make a parallel stop. To do this, a groove is cut in a small piece of plywood for movement along a pipe specially welded for this purpose. Using a jigsaw, three equal-sized strips of plywood are cut out (length of the strip = table length + width of the guide pipe) and 4 stiffening ribs for them.
A semicircular hole is made in one strip of plywood for the release of chips, which should correspond to the slot in the tabletop. A square hole is made in the second strip in the same place.
The third strip of plywood is sawn in half. It is attached to the back of the strip with a square hole using bolts (then you need to make long grooves for their movement) or simple guides. The plywood halves should move apart in different directions. An aluminum guide is installed at the very top edge of this strip.
Step 11 We fasten the first and second strips together with the sides with cutouts. We fasten the stiffening ribs: two - along the edges of the resulting large hole at the junction of the plywood strips and one - on both sides (at a distance of 7-10 cm from the edge).
We cut out a small square of thin plywood (which would fit between the stiffening ribs located in the middle), closer to the middle we make a hole equal to the diameter of the vacuum cleaner pipe. The plywood is attached to the stiffeners, forming a triangular box.
Step 12 The parallel stop for the milling table is fixed with clamps. This is done so that the milling table can be easily removed and rearranged. If it is completely intended for the router, you can fix emphasis using brackets with grooves for its movement.
Step 13 For convenience, we weld a 6-mm metal plate to a regular bolt. The clamps are made of wood, with two grooves for such bolts. It is necessary to have two such clamps.
Step 14 We install the router: we thread our half-cut axles into the side holes of the router, put nuts on them and secure the router with pipe clamps.
Step 15 We turn the table over. Using a hex wrench, turn the bolt, lifting the router up (1 turn = 1 mm).
Can be installed with a jack so you don't have 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 to hold the wire from the router while working.
Workplace safety
When working with power tools, do not forget about the safety rules:
- When working with a router, be careful not to turn away from it or move workpieces near the tool with your hands.
- Always use restraints, safety glasses and gloves.
- Keep children away from the operating machine.
- If a malfunction occurs, 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: