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DEVICE FOR GROUP PROCESSING OF WORKPIECES INSTALLED IN A ROW (MILLING)

In the device (Fig. 15, a) it is possible to simultaneously process up to 40 workpieces of parts such as bolts, forks, studs, etc. The body 6 of the device is made with a longitudinal groove, the protrusions 7 of which serve as guides for replaceable inserts 5. At the right end of the body there are guides the protrusions are cut off, thereby creating a window for the replacement inserts to enter the body. Using brackets 2, the device is installed on the machine table.

Workpieces with a diameter of 10...40 mm are installed in replaceable liners and clamped with bolt 1. The supporting part of the liners is made in the form of an isosceles prism, which ensures sufficient accuracy of the location of the workpieces being processed, the axes of which are automatically installed parallel to the guides of the machine table and the device body. This is the advantage of this device over a number of other devices of a similar type.

The inserts are selected depending on the diameter of the workpiece being processed (the dimensions of the inserts are given in Table 3) and are inserted through the window in the housing onto its guides. The smaller the diameter of the workpiece, the more of them are installed for simultaneous processing. Blanks of parts that have a collar, for example pins, forks, bolts, are installed between the liners until the collar stops against the protrusion of the liner (Fig. 15, b, size a).

Rice. 15. Device for group processing of workpieces installed in a row

The cutter 3 is installed in a given position relative to the surfaces 4, for example the bolts being machined.

The table is given the feed movement S, and the spindle of the machine with the cutter is given rotation at a frequency of n.

Processing can be done with one, two or a set of cutters. It depends on the configuration

Details. The grooves of screws, bolts, forks and other parts are milled with one cutter. Cheeks or two flats of bolts, pins and other parts - with two cutters. Blanks of parts with a complex configuration, for example forks with grooves and cheeks, are processed by three or more cutters simultaneously.

Sometimes it is not possible to process a group of workpieces in one working stroke. For example, for forks it is necessary to process the groove and cheeks. First, the groove is milled, then the cheeks are milled either with two cutters in one working stroke, or with one cutter in two working strokes.

The device can be used for processing workpieces with several settings, for example, for milling pins that have a groove at one end and two flats on the head at the other. First, the groove is processed, while the workpiece is stopped so that the head of the pin rests against the liner from below, in this position the workpiece is secured. Then the pin blanks are installed into the fixture with three heads, during this milling the grooves should be parallel to the guides of the machine table. To orient the grooves, you can use a plate that fits into the grooves with a small gap. By moving the plate along the grooves of the pins, they are installed in one line, then the workpieces are secured and two flats are milled on them.

1 Make a sub table with zero clearance. The standard saw table insert can be replaced with a new one with zero clearance, but it is much easier to build a temporary table, which will take a few seconds to make (photo on the left). Set the rip fence of the machine as required for the cut. Then attach a 6 mm thick sheet of hardboard to the saw table with clamps or double-sided tape on a fabric backing. Press the hardboard against the table with a piece of board, turn on the machine and slowly raise the saw blade to the height required for cutting.

2 The two-stage stop sets the width of the groove. If you do not have a groove disk or need to cut a groove whose width is greater than the thickness of the disk, you can cut wide grooves sequentially using a double stop. The width of the groove is determined by the distance between the ends of the two stops. Subtract the thickness of the mortise saw blade from the required mortise width. With the workpiece resting against the first fence, make one cut, then press the workpiece against the second fence and make the next cut. If you are using a regular saw blade, you will need to remove any excess wood between the two cuts. For greater accuracy, we equipped the device with an anti-dust recess, attaching a spacer made of 6 mm plywood to it from below with a slight shift.

3 Trimming overhangs of edge trims. When trimming the exposed edges of veneer trims or wood strips, it is difficult to keep the router on the narrow edge of the plywood flange. To make the work easier, make an overlay 100-150 mm high for the parallel (longitudinal) stop and cut a fold in it, the width of which should be no less than the thickness of the saw blade. Attach the shim to the rip fence of the machine, aligning the side edge flush with the teeth of the saw blade. Check the correct installation by running along the ynoDa edge of the board: if the disc touches the trim, move the stop slightly towards the disc and check again. Holding the shelf edge down so that the protruding edge of the edge trim fits into the fold of the device (see photo), file it flush. For best results, use an 80-tooth carbide blade and a zero-clearance saw insert.

4 Trimming the ends of edge strips. A similar technique can be used to flush cut wood strips that cover the edges of a shelf. In this case, use a divider from a scrap board, in which you make a cut slightly wider than the thickness of the saw blade (photo). Reinstall the rip fence so that the outer edge of the divider is flush with the teeth of the saw blade and make a test cut. Then file off the exposed ends of the edge trim as shown in the photo.

5 Calibrate the miter gauge for 90° cutting. To make sure the miter gauge is perpendicular to the saw blade, try the following technique. Set the miter fence to a 90° angle and cut crosswise into pieces of board that are at least 150mm wide. Turn the board upside down, press it against the miter fence with the same edge as shown, and saw off the other end of the board. Now compare the length of both edges by measuring them with an accurate steel ruler. If dimensions A and B are exactly the same, the miter gauge is set at a right angle. If not, adjust the miter gauge and repeat test cuts until dimensions A and B are equal, then adjust the miter gauge scale indicator.

6 Quick identification of the “outermost” teeth. When using adjustable mortise discs (sometimes called a “drunk saw”), it is not easy to determine which teeth are furthest to the left and which are furthest to the right. You can find such an “outer” tooth (or teeth, if we are talking about a double adjustable groove disk, as in the photo) using a square. Mark this tooth with a marker. Now, when setting the cutting width, you can take measurements from this tooth, using it as a reference point.

7 Calibrate the miter fence for sawing at an angle of 45°.
Tip 5 is not suitable when you need to set the angle to 45°. In this case, place a proven carpenter's square on the saw table so that the edge of the groove for the miter gauge passes through the same divisions on both rulers of the square. (In the photo, these are 6-inch marks on the inside of the rulers.) After loosening the miter gauge, install it along one of the square's rulers and tighten the fastener again. Adjust the 45° angle lock if your miter gauge has one.

8 Leave accurate fingerprints. Cast iron is softer than we think, and an uneven floor could very well cause your machine's saw table to bend. Therefore, after finding a flat area of ​​floor for the machine in the workshop, cover the legs of the stand with masking tape and spray paint around them to mark their position (see photo). Now you can move the machine and return it to the same place again.

9 Move the receiving table out of the way. A small workshop does not have enough space for a permanently installed rear extension. The folding pick-up table shown in the photo will allow you to have an additional 900 mm of support behind the saw blade, and when folded it will only occupy a few centimeters behind the machine. At the same time, it is always ready for work, even if your machine is installed on a stand equipped with wheels.

10 Equip the machine with additional wing-shelves. How to place all the sawing accessories so that they are always at hand, but not in the way? Take two pieces of angle steel, 25mm wide and approximately 50mm shorter than the width of the saw table. Attach them with bolts from the front and back to the machine stand (photo). Cut shelves from plywood with a width equal to the distance from the ends of the corners to the stand, and attach them with bolts from above to the corners. To prevent items from falling off shelves, attach wooden slats to the edges. Now you have additional storage space for your accessories.

11 Make additional support for the workpieces. This simple T-shaped support, designed to fit into a folding workbench, can be made from scrap plywood or MDF. Having installed it at the height of the saw table, drill holes in the lower part of the support and insert dowels into them so as not to waste time adjusting the height each time. This universal support can also be used in conjunction with band saws and miter saws, you just need to drill additional holes to install it at the appropriate height.

12 Make a new base for the machine. It is not necessary to use a saw with a standard stand made of sheet metal. Replace it with a simple nightstand, like the one pictured, for extra storage space and a quieter saw. To see the details of this clever and versatile idea, check out woodmagazine.com/tsbase.

Four simple attachments will increase accuracy and productivity

13 How to improve the quality of cross cuts. Zero clearance crosscut sleds will prevent chipping when cutting plywood and are inexpensive to make. The slide shown in the illustration is equipped with an adjustable stop, but this is optional. The rear fence design will allow you to cut larger workpieces than with a fence that is closer to the operator. When assembling, attach the slider that fits into the groove of the saw table so that the stop of the device protrudes beyond the cut line by about 5 mm. Before using the jig, run it through the saw blade to remove this excess and create a zero-gap edge.

14 Confidently cut out the constrictions. You can purchase or make more sophisticated jigs for sawing joints, but the sophisticated jig shown here will also handle most of these jobs. It moves along the rip fence, so there is no need to attach slide rails to it that slide in the grooves of the saw table. To use the jig, measure its width and set the rip fence the same distance from the saw blade. Remove the top screw, loosen the center screw and set the guide at the desired angle, then tighten both screws. Press one edge of the workpiece against the guide and, resting the end of the workpiece against the dowel, cut out the narrowing.

15 Precise fitting with special slides. For perfect miter joints, it is much more important that the total angle is exactly 90° than the accuracy of each 45° bevel. The 45° miter saw slide shown ensures a consistent right angle to the joint. To install guide rails on the underside of the slide, insert them into the grooves of the saw table, place them on top of the slide, and attach them to the slides with screws. Then make a cut for the saw blade. The length of the cut should be approximately equal to half the length of the slide. Using a combination square, mark the position of the right miter fence at an angle of 45° to the cut and install the fence along the marked line. Applying an accurate carpenter's square to the right stop, determine the position of the left stop. Press the left fence against the straight edge of the square and secure it in place with screws. Make a test cut and, if necessary, remove the screw farthest from the saw blade, adjust the position of the fence, and then secure it again by screwing in a new screw.

16 Carriage for sawing tenons. If sawing tenons on the ends of parts using a saw makes you nervous, this rip fence will put your mind at ease. It holds the entire workpiece from the side and from the back at the same time. All you have to do is secure the workpiece with a clamp and guide the device along the parallel stop. Apply a little wax to the parts of the jig that touch the rip fence to help it move more smoothly.

17 Keep the machine clean.
Before you start sawing, clear the saw table of scraps, tools, fasteners and other foreign objects (assuming you are not using the rip fence as a tool tray). Such objects not only distract attention, but can also suddenly turn into a projectile.

18 Protect your eyes. Without tight-fitting safety glasses, dust and sawdust in the eyes can cause blurred vision (not a pleasant sensation, especially when it happens in the middle of a cut) and, in the worst case, serious eye damage. Good safety glasses will cost much less than a visit to an ophthalmologist and subsequent treatment.

19 Set the rim height correctly. There are different opinions as to what the optimal saw blade height should be. Freud's Jim Brewer recommends setting the blade so that the topmost tooth extends about half its length above the workpiece (see photo). He emphasized that in any case, the disc should protrude above the workpiece by no more than the length of the tooth.

20 Be on the lookout!
Stories about injuries sustained while working on a sawing machine often begin with the words: “I had one last cut to make today...”. Fatigue leads to errors in assessing the situation, which can result not only in damaged workpieces, but also in more serious consequences. The monotony of operations also dulls attention, so take frequent breaks.

21 Don't take risks. Every time your hand comes within 6 inches of the saw blade, an alarm should go off inside you. Keep push rods on hand and always use them to finish a cut if there is a risk that your fingers might be in the danger zone.

22 Always use a rip fence or a miter gauge, but not both at the same time. Never do two things: don't attempt to cut by hand guiding the workpiece without using a rip fence or miter fence, and don't use both fences at the same time. In both cases, there is a high chance that the saw blade will get stuck in the workpiece and send it flying towards you.

23 Use clamps. The spring-loaded comb clamp plates keep the workpiece securely pressed against the rip fence, allowing you to focus on ensuring a uniform feed rate. Install the clamp so that its working end is in front of the saw blade, as shown in the photo. This will prevent the cut piece from being caught and thrown away.

THE SIMPLE DEVICES FOR SECURING WORKPIECES

The workpiece installed on the milling machine must occupy a certain position in relation to the cutter. The accuracy of processing and the relative position of the machined surfaces depend primarily on the installation of the workpiece. In addition, the workpiece must be firmly and securely fastened.
It should be remembered that when milling, the cutter tooth presses on the workpiece and squeezes it out. In some cases, the cutter may pick up the workpiece, as a result of which the teeth of the cutter may break, and sometimes an accident may occur to the worker. Inaccuracy, negligence and incorrect installation often lead to defects.
In the simplest case, the workpiece is fixed directly on the machine table. This is possible when the workpiece has a good supporting surface. When properly secured, the workpiece should be in close contact with the plane of the table with its supporting surface. The machine table usually has three longitudinal grooves into which the mounting bolts are inserted. To fasten the workpiece to the table, use clamps that are pressed with bolts.
Round workpieces are installed and secured in prisms, which in turn are bolted to the machine table.
In toolmaking (in the manufacture of taps, reamers, end mills), the workpiece is secured between the centers of the dividing head and the tailstock. Often the workpiece is secured in the dividing head spindle itself. They also use fastening in a chuck, which is placed on the spindle of the dividing head.
A widely used method of securing a workpiece is clamping it in a machine vice. This type of fastening is found in many milling applications. When it is necessary to mill identical workpieces in large quantities, special milling devices are used that provide greater accuracy of installation and processing, as well as reducing the time for installation and clamping of workpieces.

§ 13. SECURING WORKPIECES ON THE MACHINE TABLE

Fastening devices

To secure the workpiece directly on the machine table, use clamps with bolts and clamps.
In Fig. 60 shows different types of clamps. Sticking I is the most common. Hole 1 for the bolt it is made oblong, which makes it possible to move the clamp relative to the workpiece being fixed. Such holes are made for all clamps shown in Fig. 60. Screw 2 at the clamp II Serves instead of a lining for the grip. Ledge 3 at the clamp III, as well as a ledge 5 at the clamp IV make it possible to use grips without linings. Ledge 4 sticking III falls on the part. At the clamp IV chamfered 6 so that it does not interfere with the operation of the cutter when processing the corresponding workpiece surfaces.

It is often necessary to use a clamp with an extended end (clamps V, VI And VII). ends 7, 8 And 9 Such clamps are usually inserted into cavities or rested on the protrusions of the workpiece. Sticking VIII can be used without pads.
Sticking IX convenient in cases where the workpiece has depressions or recesses into which a clamp is inserted with the protrusion 10. Very convenient, easy-to-make clamp X. To remove it, you do not need to completely unscrew the nut, but simply loosen it and move the clamp to the side.
In Fig. 60, XI shown securing the workpiece 15 sticking 12 , which at one end rests on the workpiece 15 , and others - on the lining 11 . Bolt 14 , the flat head of which fits into the T-shaped groove of the table, passes through the clamp. Tightening the nut with a wrench 13 , press the clamp to the lining and thus secure the workpiece.
Various bars and other parts suitable in height are used as supports for the clamps.
The height-adjustable clamp shown in Fig. is very convenient to use. 60, XII. Rearranging the arc-shaped clamp 16 , which has an oblong hole in the center, is used to press workpieces of varying heights.
The same height-adjustable clamp is shown in Fig. 60, XIII. The clamp lining is made in the form of a round disk 17 , rotating on an eccentrically located axis 18 , passing through the clamp slot 19 . On disk 17 six holes drilled. Depending on the required installation height, a pin is installed in one or another hole 21 , on which the clamp rests 19 . Thus, the clamp has three supports: an axis 18 , pin 21 and the clamped part 20 . In Fig. 60, XIV The clamp is shown in the lowest fastening position. The workpiece is clamped using a bolt similar to the clamp in Fig. 60, XI.
Some workpieces can be securely secured using clamps. In Fig. 61 shows the clamp 4 , the lower end of which 6 fits into the T-shaped slot of the machine table. Support jaw 1 has the same bottom end 6 , included in the groove of the table. Clamped workpieces 2 clamped with a bolt 5 , pressing the movable sponge 3 . Bolt 5 has an inclination for better securing of the workpiece.

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 will not take much time and will require very little financial investment. Any home craftsman can cope with this task if desired.

Using a homemade table for a manual router 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 produced in production conditions, and it will cost much less.

Milling table drawings: option No. 1

Drawings of a milling table with a detailed analysis of the design of the 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 of the second layer of the table Gluing both layers Cutting the cutout according to the markings of the second layer Drawing of the 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 the milling device itself is attached to the bottom of the tabletop for the milling table, so there must be enough free space under it.

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 of 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 increase the convenience of your 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 constructing a milling coordinate table with your own hands, you need to determine the place where it will be located, and also decide what type of 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), a compact desktop machine, or 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 by its small size, 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 on 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 tabletop using bolted joints, is suitable. 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

The bed of a homemade milling installation must be highly stable and reliable, 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 the significant characteristics of 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. To make a turntable with your own hands, just fix special wheels on its legs.

The assembly of approximately such a table is discussed in option No. 2

You can make a low-price, highly reliable milling table from the top 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
Large drawer Small drawer Small drawer front 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 maximum use of the cutting tool reach. It is clear that such a plate, with a minimum thickness, should 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 base 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 a drawing of it, on which you must indicate the overall dimensions of 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 gain useful ideas when creating their 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 what 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 its 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

A compact tabletop milling table and a detailed analysis of its creation in the photo below.

Computer model External view assembled 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 the help of 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 as 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, drilling machines), as well as on hand tools (drills, grinders, hand routers).

If you've ever crosscut oak-veneered plywood, you know that multiple grain chips can ruin the edges of the piece. If this happens, then you are forced to either putty these defects or come to terms with the shortcomings of your project.

But you can avoid chipping by making a homemade anti-splinter insert that will replace the factory saw table insert (and its wide groove, which does not provide the necessary support to the fibers during cutting) and will completely support the fibers.

It would be a good idea to make inserts to work with all the saw blades you have. Are you cutting grooves 19mm wide? Do you need 12mm wide folds? 30° bevel? Let's make new liners. All of them are easy and simple to make, so cut a dozen blanks and store them close to the saw machine so as not to waste time when changing saw blades or cutting angles. Once you use an insert for a specific task, mark it with a note of the settings (and saw blade) so you can save them the next time you make the same cuts.

How to quickly make earbuds

You can purchase expensive ready-made inserts from textolite, but we prefer to make them ourselves from birch plywood 10 or 12 mm thick. This material is quite durable and, as a rule, does not have unglued areas between the veneer layers. Good liners are made from MDF, but their strength is lower than that of plywood. Hardwood inserts, although very durable, are prone to swelling and shrinking with changes in humidity, and therefore are also worse than plywood.

To make duplicates of a factory saw insert, use a router table with a copy bit installed. On the back end of some liners there is a small tab (photo A) to keep them from being ejected, or screws for lateral adjustment. To make liners, you will need to make a special template. To do this, trace the factory liner with a pencil on a piece of plywood or MDF and mark with shading the tongue and the installation locations of the adjusting screws. Using a bandsaw, cut the piece along the outline next to the line, and then sand the template so that it fits snugly into the saw table opening. If you want the homemade insert to also have an anti-kick-out tab, make a tongue on the underside and glue a thin strip of hardwood into it to act as a hook that extends from the bottom of the saw table.
Cut out rectangular blanks for the liners slightly larger than the template. Using double-sided tape on a fabric base, glue the workpiece to the template and saw it along the contour with a band saw, leaving an allowance of no more than 3 mm. Then, on the router table, use a tracing cutter to remove the allowance, bringing the workpiece to its final shape.

Fitting the inserts to the saw table opening

When the blanks are cut and milled to shape, use a drill with a diameter of 19 mm to make a hole in each for a finger (to remove the liner). Place it at a distance of at least 25 mm from the area where the saw blade will be located. On many machines, a disk with a diameter of 250 mm drops below the surface of the saw table by 6 mm or a little more (photo C), so an insert that does not have a cut cannot be installed in the opening flush with the saw table. There are three adjustment methods:

■ use a smaller diameter saw blade (for example, from a circular saw or one of the outer blades from a mortise kit) to cut a narrow groove into which a regular 250mm saw blade can be inserted. (If the smaller diameter disc has the same thickness as the di-
250 mm in diameter, do not lift it too high so as not to cut through the liner.);

■ Glue the piece on top to the factory metal insert, press it in place with clamps, and then slowly lift the rotating 250mm saw blade until a faint mark appears on the top side of the insert (photo D). Then separate the two plates and insert a homemade insert into the opening of the saw table;

■ mill on the underside
a groove 6 mm wide and deep enough to obtain a small clearance above the saw blade (photo E) when installing the liner in the opening. Mill a groove with a depth of no more than half the thickness of the workpiece, since anything deeper will weaken the liner and pose a potential threat to your safety.

It is also necessary to make a cut to install a protective casing or riving knife. To do this, you can use a saw with a regular 250mm blade and a factory insert, if the cut extends to the rear edge of the insert. Make a closed cut with a jigsaw. If necessary, select recesses on the underside for the flanges and spindle assembly or for the original insert parts (photo G). The easiest way to do this is using a router or drilling machine with a Forster drill.

Align the insert with the surface of the saw table

If the liner protrudes too high above the saw table, rout or drill out areas on the underside that rest on the bosses or rebates of the opening. If the insert is located below the surface of the table, add screws that will help you achieve precise alignment. (Use hex socket adjustment screws or regular countersunk screws.) To do this, mark the centers of the threaded holes using a factory insert or regular push pins (Photo H). Drill holes and countersink them from the top side. Install the screws (Photo I) and use them to raise or lower the insert until it is flush with the saw table surface (Photo J).

Based on materials from the magazine "Wood-Master"