To everyone who has manual frezer, sooner or later the idea comes to mind to make a table for him in order to turn him into a full-fledged stationary machine, with which you can implement all the functions contained in it. I too once had this thought. I will not dwell on the details of making the table; there is plenty of information on this topic on the Internet for every taste and budget. I would like to bring to your attention my version of a lift for raising and lowering the router relative to the table surface. The design is as low-cost as possible, you don’t need to buy anything, everything you need for manufacturing is available in every home workshop.
So, what do we need:
- wooden slats capable of supporting the weight of the router
-bolt with a diameter of 10-12 mm
Metal rod with a diameter of 5-7mm and a length of 100-120mm
-any kind of hinge (door hinge) according to the size of the slats
- old hand drill
The tools you will need are a tap, a die, an angle grinder, a screwdriver, self-tapping screws, drills, etc.
First we will make a nut. Let's cut off the part from the bolt that doesn't have threads, and make the length to match the width of the rail. In the middle of this workpiece, on the side surface, we drill a hole slightly smaller in diameter than the size of the rod (taking into account the subsequent cutting of threads on the rod and in the hole).
We cut a thread along the entire length of the rod, and make a corresponding thread in the body of the workpiece cut off from the bolt. As a result, we got a homemade guide screw pair.
After this, we drill a hole in the rail for our homemade nut (the nut should move freely in the hole, but not dangle in it). Perpendicular to this hole, we drill another one, along the diameter of the rod (a little more is possible). At the other end of the rail we attach a suitable loop (hinge).
Now we insert our nut into the rail, screw a threaded rod into it, clamp the rod into the drill chuck, and fix the drill at the bottom of the table front side. We fix the other end of the rail with a hinge on the opposite side. As a result of all manipulations, a structure should be obtained that moves the router vertically when the drill handle is rotated. I don’t indicate any sizes, because... all this is fastened, as they say, “in place - as asked”
As illustrations, I provide photographs of how I did this. The dimensions can be any, I want to believe, the design principle is clear.
Thank you for your attention.
To get a professional result you need a router table and a lift, router, bit and they don't have to cost a fortune or weigh a ton. My version milling table- plywood 25 mm thick, which does not require a cabinet or cabinets below and is attached to the workbench with clamps. The project has an adjustable lift and a stop with a dust collector.
How to make a router table and a lift for a router.
Milling table and elevator, these are the first works on the milling table and they consist of preparing a place for the router and two metal rods under the elevator. 
Notice in the photos that instead of mounting the router on removable plates, I use the two metal guide rods that come standard with the tool. The base of the router is installed in a deep niche; the depth of the niche is equal to 3/4 of the thickness of the base. The grooves for the rods match the size
ASSEMBLY OF MILLER ELEVATOR.
The router lift consists of an open frame mounted on one of the mounting blocks. A nut is installed on the frame through which the threaded rod rotates using a round disk (Fig. 5,6). The manufacture of the elevator begins with the manufacture of the frame (positions 3, 4, 5, 6 and 10) (Fig. 4). In order to prevent rotation of the elevator clamping bar (Fig.7)
around the router (position 10) (Fig. 4), four screws are screwed into the upper part of the router and they are aligned with the holes in the elevator clamping bar.
CREATING STOP.
Making the stop is not difficult. Prepare the vertical and horizontal bases (positions 11 and 12) (Fig. 4). Using a drill, jigsaw or router, form slots in the bases (Fig. 9). Make four triangular strips (item 13) (Fig. 4) to stiffen the stop. You are ready to assemble the stop, connect the prepared parts together (Fig. 11). The ends of the auxiliary pads (item 14) (Fig. 4) for the stop, cut at an angle of 45°. Drill through holes for bolts in each trim. Install the pads on the vertical support base and secure with bolts, washers and nuts (item 17) (Fig. 4). And lastly, the dust collector (position 15) (Fig. 4) is needed or not - it’s up to you to decide. Cut it to size, bevel the ends for a tighter fit. Cut a hole in the dust collector bar that matches the diameter of the hose nozzle. Connect the dust collector bar and the stop using the curtain (position 16) (Fig. 4).
AT THE FINAL STAGE.
Many people write that for precision machining, each cutter must use a hole corresponding to the diameter of the cutter. Milling cutter used large diameter, which means she requires big hole at the base of the table. If desired, make insert rings of different diameters, although these rings are optional and you can work with one large hole drilled in the base of the table (Fig. 4). Basically, in a hole with a diameter of 32 mm. will accommodate cutters of different diameters. I note that during the processing of products without insert rings, no major flaws were noticed that could not be eliminated with the help of sandpaper. At the final stage, carefully sand the parts and apply several layers of durable coating.
In search of a worthy answer to the discomfort that arises when working with hand-held milling tools, owners of home carpentry eventually come to the need to purchase a convenient milling table.
VovroKsyu User FORUMHOUSE
I've been thinking about the table for a long time. Especially after manually performing the reservation 22 m of fence.
The purchase option can be expensive; the dimensions of a machine assembled in a production environment do not correspond to the size of a small home workshop. The optimal solution V in this case will self-assembly milling table.
Those who want to make their own milling machine will be found in the appropriate section of FORUMHOUSE.
How to make a milling table
A homemade milling table is the simplest. The main working unit in it is a manual milling machine. Working with hand-held power tools involves moving the working cutter along the surface of a stationary workpiece (which is not always convenient). Milling table for hand tools allows you to change the processing method and mill in a lightweight way: the hand tool is fixed on the work table, and the workpiece is easily fed to the cutter by hand.
A homemade milling table is the simplest wood processing. The main working unit in it is a manual milling machine. Working with hand-held power tools involves moving the working cutter along the surface of a stationary workpiece (which is not always convenient). A milling table for hand tools allows you to change the processing method and mill in a lightweight way: the hand tool is fixed on the work table, and the workpiece is easily fed to the cutter by hand.
A milling table for a manual router consists of basic and additional elements. Additional items are not required, but their use makes it possible to make the master’s heavy work as easy as possible, make the design of the device safer, and make the functionality closer to the capabilities of serial installations.
Universal milling table:main structural elements
The main elements of the milling table are indicated in the figure.
Aib User FORUMHOUSE, Moscow.
I really needed a mobile milling table. I welded the frame, painted and assembled the structure.
The dimensions of the milling table depend on the dimensions of the parts being processed, as well as on the height of the craftsman himself. The length and width should be slightly less than the tabletop, and the height of the bed is 850...900 mm, which corresponds to the most comfortable conditions for working while standing. The homemade legs can be made adjustable, which will allow you to compensate for uneven floors or change the height of the bed.
Tabletop for router
The dimensions of the tabletop depend on the size of the parts being processed.
dauto User FORUMHOUSE
In a home workshop, a small table of 500x500 mm is sufficient.
For processing relatively long parts (for profiling edges on door frames) you will need a tabletop of appropriate sizes. Let's look at the drawing:
For the manufacture of the frame, wood-based materials are most often used, which can effectively dampen vibrations. This could be a countertop made of chipboard, which is used in the manufacture kitchen furniture or a sheet of thick plywood. Here, for example, is a countertop made from chipboard scraps formed after installing a kitchen sink.
Krott64 User FORUMHOUSE
With this piece of tabletop, after some simple modifications, you can do some pretty decent things.
Some people make countertops from metal, others from edged boards, but, as practice shows, chipboard and plywood are always a priority.
Orfo74 User FORUMHOUSE
If I make it, it will be from laminated plywood (I have one like this on my trailer). I have already traveled hundreds of thousands of kilometers under the heat and below zero. Neither salt nor rain spoiled it. And it can still be used, but you need to assemble it either in 2 layers, or make the bottom out of simple plywood.
To make a countertop, you cannot use material that has defects on its surface (knotty boards, etc.).
Mounting plate for hand router
To the mounting plate using threaded connections a hand router is attached. Therefore, its production must be taken with full responsibility. The material from which the plate will be made must be strong enough so that the router does not tear out during operation (the consequences can be imagined). This can be a rectangle made of metal or plywood sheet (but metal is more reliable).
AlekX User FORUMHOUSE
A powerful car has a lot of dope. And if she gets thrown out of the table while working–it won't seem like much.
Dgusepe User FORUMHOUSE
The legs can be made of wood, but it is advisable to make the tabletop from 3 mm metal. For maximum cutter lift.
Lenght and width mounting plate must correspond to the dimensions of the sole of the hand router with which the power tool will be attached to the table.
Longitudinal workpiece stop
The longitudinal stop can be made from ordinary chipboard sheet or from edged boards. The stop must be made movable to ensure the possibility of adjusting the horizontal reach of the cutter. For more precise adjustment, you can attach measuring rulers to the sides of the tabletop.
The design of the locking mechanism, which allows you to secure the longitudinal stop in the required position, is extremely simple. It can consist of two slats with through longitudinal grooves and from two threaded fasteners with wings.
Instead of slats, you can use two metal corner, which will last longer and will not be deformed under the action of clamps.
To prevent dust and chips from interfering with work, it is advisable to equip the longitudinal stop with a dust collector, to which a chip extractor or a small carpenter's vacuum cleaner is connected.
The longitudinal stop can be made double, which significantly expands the functionality of the milling table.
Superkuzen User FORUMHOUSE
The monolithic stop makes it impossible to carry out a lot of operations performed on the milling table, that is, it makes the table of little functionality.
The milling table can serve as a small jointer, if an adjustable difference between the working planes is organized between the two halves of the longitudinal stop. This design allows you to move one half of the stop relative to the other, setting one stop flush with the cutter using thin wooden plates. Adjustment plates are placed under the non-working surface of the stop.
Manual milling machine
From technical characteristics hand tools (power, number of revolutions per minute, etc.) will directly depend on the performance of the milling table. You should choose a router for a milling table based on the expected load. The additional functionality of the machine will be an additional advantage for the master. If you don’t yet have a manual milling cutter, then choose a tool with an adjustable cutter rotation speed and the ability to set the processing depth (plunge-beam milling machines). Very easy to use machines with spindle lock (for easy replacement cutting tool), as well as devices with soft start and quick stop of the spindle.
We looked at the main elements of a milling table, which will allow the owner to perform the simplest milling operations. In order to expand the functionality of the device, make it universal and increase operational safety, it is necessary to ensure that additional accessories. Let's look at the most common of them.
Longitudinal guide for movable milling carriage
Using a longitudinal guide built into the surface of the table top, you can attach a variety of devices to the milling table: an angular stop with a protractor, a perpendicular stop, etc.
The longitudinal guide may have different designs, but most often it is an aluminum C-shaped profile into which bolts and wing nuts are inserted. This design allows you to quickly install the device you need at the moment on the milling table.
By the way, with the help C-profile You can also attach a longitudinal adjustable stop to the tabletop.
Vertical clamp
The upper clamp increases safety when working with a homemade router and increases processing accuracy. Its fastening can be implemented using the type of clamps for a movable carriage.
If you are planning to make a milling table with your own hands, a video about setting up a universal carpentry workshop for personal use will help you with this.
Lift for router
The vertical reach of the cutter very often has to be adjusted. To perform this adjustment, a milling lift is provided - an adjustable stop that allows you to maintain the milling machine at a given height and, if necessary, quickly change this height.
Milling elevator It is advisable to use it in conjunction with submersible milling machines. Their design initially has guides for adjusting the reach of the cutter (unlike machines with a fixed motor).
Lift lift for homemade router may have different designs.
Car jack lift
You can use an old car jack to create a lifting mechanism.
leon42 User FORUMHOUSE
The elevator can be made from a car jack: there is a shelf under the router, and we attach the jack to the shelf. We turn the jack - the router rises or lowers.
For convenience, the jack handle can be moved out of the side wall of the bed. This will make adjustments much easier.
Threaded rod lift
Blackk User FORUMHOUSE
The angle with the threaded rod is screwed to the protrusion on the router, to which the measuring pin is normally attached. The corner for the threaded rod is threaded. By rotating the pin, we seem to screw into the corner and pull the entire router up along the guides. Accordingly, when rotating backwards, we lower the router.
The mechanism consists of a wooden wedge (item 1), in which a through hole under the screw (item 2). Thanks to metal plates (item 3), attached to the sides of the wedge and having threaded holes, the wedge moves in a horizontal plane, raising or lowering the milling machine. The handle of the lifting mechanism is brought to lateral surface beds. To reduce the load during lifting, the router is equipped with a homemade roller (item 4).
Turning the router table on and off
All necessary equipment for the electrical part of the milling table is already provided in the design milling machine. The only thing you can add to what you already have is electrical diagram– this is a remote switch and an emergency shutdown button (after all, no one has yet canceled the safety rules during operation).
You can use a very ordinary switch for the router. As for the possibility of quick shutdown: it can be realized by installing an emergency button with a locking mechanism on the table (in which the unlocking is carried out by turning).
Table assembly
Basic and auxiliary elements milling table we have listed. Each master can determine the order of assembling the device for himself. The only point to pay attention to is the manufacture and installation of the mounting plate.
After a plate of a suitable size is cut from a steel (or plywood) sheet, it is necessary to drill holes in it for attaching the milling machine, a hole for the cutter (its diameter must correspond to the diameter of the hole in the base of the router) and mounting holes (for attaching the plate to the tabletop) .
What tools should you have in your carpentry or furniture workshop? And a video about the design of a homemade milling table and the features of power carpentry tools will help you find answers to questions regarding equipment that is extremely rarely used in a small home workshop.
A lift for a router, which can be purchased in a serial version or made by hand, is a device that allows you to improve both the quality and accuracy of processing performed with hand-held power tools. The results of the latter strongly depend on how accurately and confidently the user manipulates such a device. In order to minimize the influence of the human factor on the results of processing performed with a manual milling cutter, special devices were developed.
Homemade elevator for a manual router, made of plywood and timber
One of them is mechanized lifting device for milling power tools, which, in full accordance with its functionality, is called an elevator. As mentioned above, such a device can be purchased in a serial version, but it will not be cheap, so many home craftsmen successfully make it with their own hands.
Why is such a device needed?
A lift for the router, which ensures precise movement of the machine mounted on it. hand power tools in the vertical plane, necessary in many situations. Situations in which the quality and precision of processing of wood products are of no small importance include decorative finishing. furniture panels, making technological grooves and lugs on elements of furniture structures. The quality of processing in such cases will not depend on the experience of the master performing it and the firmness of his hands, but only on the accuracy of the device settings and the degree of its stability.
Even a person with good physical fitness gets tired when working with a hand router, the weight of which can be 5 kg or even more. This directly affects the accuracy and quality of work. In addition, the precision of processing that a manual milling machine mounted on an elevator can provide cannot be achieved when manipulating a power tool manually.
To the necessity of inventing such useful device, what is a lift for a router, led to the fact that the variety of types decorative finishing wood products have expanded significantly, processing techniques have become more complex of this material, and the requirements for the accuracy of its implementation have also increased. All of the above factors require that manual milling electrical equipment combine high mobility of its working body, as well as the accuracy of the movements it makes. It is precisely these requirements that are fully met by a router lift, with the help of which the power tool used is quickly raised and lowered to required height above the desktop, and is also held at a given level for the required amount of time.
The convenience of using a milling elevator also lies in the fact that it is not necessary to install a power tool on such a device each time. This contributes to both simplification production process, and increase its productivity.
On what principle does the lift for a router work?
In order to raise or lower a manual router using a router lift, you can use a crank, lever, or any other lifting mechanism of a suitable design. Such functionality, which the lift for the router has, is ensured by:
- quick and accurate setting of the dimensions of grooves and other relief elements cut on the surface of a wooden workpiece;
- Possibility of quickly replacing tools in the milling cutter chuck.
To summarize the options design the most used models of milling elevators, then the principle of operation of such a device can be described as follows:
- A support plate for the router, which is made of a sheet of metal or textolite, is mounted on a work table or workbench.
- Two racks arranged in parallel are fixed to the support plate.
- The manual router itself is mounted on a special carriage, which has the ability to move freely up and down along the racks installed on the support plate.
- The carriage with the milling power tool installed on it and the entire elevator move to the required distance due to the fact that they are acted upon by a special pushing device.
Let's consider the basic requirements that should be followed when planning to upgrade the router with your own hands using a lift.
- The frame for placing the router and all other structural elements of such a device must have high rigidity. Compliance with this requirement will not only improve processing accuracy, but also make the user’s work safer.
- The lifting system with which such a device is equipped must be designed in such a way that it can provide not only quick withdrawal and installation of the router used, but also prompt replacement milling heads On him.
- The working stroke of the milling elevator should not be made too large; it is quite enough if the working head of the power tool moves within 50 mm. This is quite enough for high-quality performance of most technological operations.
- When developing drawings, it should be ensured that the working head of the power tool used can be rigidly fixed in a given spatial position.
What is needed to make a milling elevator
In order to make your own milling lift, you must prepare the following kit Supplies, tools and technical devices:
- directly the manual router itself, from which it is necessary to remove the handles;
- electric drill;
- standard car jack (if lifting mechanism the device will be of the jack type);
- sheet of metal or textolite;
- wooden blocks square section;
- aluminum profile;
- sheets of plywood and chipboard;
- guides made of metal;
- threaded rod;
- Screwdriver Set various types and size, spanners and pliers;
- drills of various diameters;
- bolts, screws, nuts and washers of various sizes;
- epoxy adhesive;
- square, ruler, measuring tape.
Possible design options for the device
Today, home craftsmen have developed many designs of milling elevators, but the most popular and, accordingly, worthy of attention are two options for manufacturing such a device:
- a lift for a hand router, driven by a car jack;
- device, structural elements which consists of a support disk, a threaded rod and a flywheel disk.
Option one. Elevator from a jack
The operating principle of a jack milling elevator is based on the fact that the working head of a manual router mounted on a support plate is raised and lowered by controlling the jack built into the structure.
A do-it-yourself jacking router is made as follows:
- A box made of 15 mm plywood or chipboard is attached to the bottom of the desktop, which will simultaneously serve as a support device and protective casing for the entire device.
- In the inner part of such a box, the dimensions of which should be pre-calculated, both a jack and a hand router connected to its moving part are placed. The jack, when placed in the box, is screwed with its sole to bottom side casing-support, and the manual router through a special metal sole is connected by its upper part to the inner surface of the workbench table top. In this case, a through hole is made in the tabletop, through which the working head of the router with the tool fixed in it should freely pass.
- A sheet of textolite or metal of the appropriate size is used as a support plate for installing the router, which, under the influence of force from the jack, moves in the vertical direction along two fixed racks.
Option two. Threaded rod lift
The manufacturing diagram of the device using a support disk, a threaded rod and a flywheel is as follows:
- A circle is cut out of a board 18–20 mm thick, which will act as a support platform for a hand router.
- A hole with a diameter of 10 mm is drilled in the central part of the support disk, into which a threaded rod of the same diameter is inserted. The length of the pin that connects to support platform using two nuts and washers, must be selected in such a way as to provide the router with a working stroke of at least 50 mm.
- The lower part of the pin, passed through the plywood bottom, fixed between the legs of the work table, is connected to the disc flywheel. Keep in mind that the hole in the bottom through which the bottom of the stud will pass must have a flange nut built into it. It will ensure the operation of the lifting mechanism.
Using milling elevators in conjunction with mechanisms that will additionally provide lateral movement of power tools, you can make an even more functional device that will turn your hand-held equipment into a full-fledged 3D milling machine.
Option three. Chain drive elevator
Making this milling elevator will take much more time, but as a result you will get a clearly working system for raising and lowering the tool.
Any craftsman who constantly deals with carpentry knows how useful a milling table can be in this matter. It allows you to use a hand router to perform many operations that were previously only possible with stationary woodworking machines.
However, purchasing a factory-made milling table requires considerable financial costs, therefore, making such equipment with your own hands continues to enjoy steady popularity. This is not particularly difficult for people who frequently do woodworking. There are many options for how to make it.
One of the most difficult, but also the most useful devices there is a lift on the milling table. It allows you to accurately mill products without having to adjust the milling depth again each time, and reliably fixes the router in a given position. However, it is quite possible to make a lift for a milling table yourself, with your own hands. Most of its dimensions are determined by the individual contours of the specific model of the router that will be installed in it. The material for its manufacture can be wood or thick plywood, which is the easiest, but if the amount of work ahead is quite serious, then it is better to spend time and effort and make an elevator from metal parts. This will greatly extend its service life and reduce the time required for repairs.
Attaching the elevator to the surface of the milling table
First of all, take a manual milling cutter with a power of 850 W or another fairly powerful one. It has in its design a thrust steel plate 3 mm thick, which is attached to it with 4 screws at the working end. It is easily removed, and in its place is placed a wider one of the same thickness, which will be attached to the surface of the milling table itself. This plate must be pre-drilled round hole, the diameter of which corresponds to the largest cutter used, and flare its edges to remove burrs. In it, 4 holes are drilled in the corners for attaching the cutter and 4 of the same in the corners for installation on the table surface. This is done in order to maintain the maximum possible milling depth, because the thickness of the table top is at least 15 mm, which already limits it quite enough.
The lift for the milling table is placed at its left edge and is pressed by a guide ruler along which the wooden workpiece moves. To prevent any interference from its movement, a 3 mm deep recess is made in the surface, corresponding in size to the steel plate to which the router is attached. Its surface lies flush with the surface of the table, and all the heads of the mounting screws are hidden in secret recesses. This will allow movement wooden blanks along the line completely unobstructed.
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Assembling the mounting frame for the router
From steel square profile pipe with a cross section of 25 mm and a wall thickness of 2 mm, a welded frame is assembled in the shape of the letter “H”. It can also be made of wood, but it will last a much shorter period of time, since the loads will be quite significant. Two square steel plates with holes in the corners are welded to the upper ends. They rest against a plate fixed on the table on both sides of the hole, for which holes with secret recesses are also drilled into it. A thread is cut into them with a tap, preferably M 4. This allows, if necessary, to remove the elevator frame along with the router without disturbing the plane of the surface of the entire milling table.
There are two handles on the sides of the router, directed at an angle to its central axis. They are removed and two screws are screwed into their place, preferably M 6. In the side surfaces of the frame, cuts are made on the inner and external surfaces longitudinal holes, the width of which is equal to the thickness of the screws. The screws are attached to the pusher through these holes, which allows you to securely fix the router in the frame. To prevent the mount from loosening during vibration, the screws are secured with locknuts. A hole is drilled in the crossbar through which the pushing screw will pass. The length of the holes must correspond to the lifting height of the entire elevator. The restriction is necessary to avoid damage to the tool itself during operation.
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Elevator pusher design
A movable frame in the shape of the letter “P”, which is an elevator pusher, is inserted into the fixed frame in which the tool is secured. It is welded from square metal pipe with a diameter of 20 mm, which has the ability to move freely inside a fixed frame. Two holes are drilled at an angle in the sides of the movable frame, through which screws are inserted, passing through the holes in the fixed frame to the tool itself. A hole is drilled in the center of the cross member for the pusher screw.
The elevator push screw itself is a steel pin with threads cut along its entire length. The thread pitch should be 1.5, this allows you to calculate the lift height of the elevator without resorting to measuring instruments. 15 full turns will raise it by 2.5mm. To more securely fasten the push screw above the hole in the movable frame, as well as on the opposite side, it is necessary to weld 2-3 nuts through which the pin will pass. When the elevator is operating, the main load will fall on them, and if the length of the threaded connection is insufficient, the thread may simply break off. One nut will obviously not be enough for this purpose; the pressure resistance should be maximum.
The push pin must pass freely through the crossbar of the fixed elevator frame. It is secured on both sides with a nut and a locknut with a brass washer between them, which allows it to simply rotate around its axis. As a rotation handle, you can take a metal plate 4-5 mm thick with two holes at the ends. A pin passes through one of them, secured with two nuts on both sides, and a vertical handle is attached to the other, which is also secured with a nut and a locknut. A wooden or plastic attachment is placed on the shaft of the handle, which rotates freely around its axis.
The entire system is as collapsible as possible, which radically facilitates its maintenance and repair.
At the same time, the maximum use of threaded connections makes it possible to replace failed elevator parts without dismantling its entire structure. In addition, the design of the router itself allows it to be detached from the support plate, which is attached to the table surface, by unscrewing only 2 screws.
So the only inconvenience of the whole system is the need to bend under the table to operate the elevator. But this can also be solved if you use an electric drive for this, the switch of which can be placed on the inner surface of the table lid. This design will significantly expand the capabilities of its owner.