The relevance of the question of how to make a router from a drill with your own hands is explained by the fact that not all home craftsmen can afford to purchase expensive serial models. Meanwhile, the usefulness of such a device and the need for its use in many situations (construction and repair work, manufacturing of all kinds of structures from wood, decorative design of products from various materials) are undeniable.
Using a router equipped with the appropriate working tool, you can successfully mill wood products, form edges of various configurations on them, prepare seats for door locks and hinges, create grooves on wooden parts, and also solve many other technological problems.
Components and assembly algorithm
It is possible to make a milling machine, which almost every home craftsman has, but it should be borne in mind that such a device cannot fully replace the serial model. This is explained by the fact that the chuck of a conventional hand drill is capable of rotating at a speed of 3000 rpm, while a serial milling cutter is able to ensure rotation of the tool used at a speed of up to 30,000 rpm. In addition, the gearbox of a household electric drill is not designed for intense loads, which will quickly cause it to fail.
Vertical router from a drill
Meanwhile, the simplest milling cutter, made from scrap materials at minimal financial cost, is capable of successfully coping with many technological tasks. To make your own router from an electric drill, you should find the following materials and tools:
- several pieces of chipboard or thick plywood;
- a clamp with which the drill will be fixed to the base of the device;
- bolts, screws and other fasteners;
- feather drill or drill bit with a diameter of 40 mm;
- standard set of locksmith tools.
The process of assembling a homemade router takes place according to the following algorithm.
- The base of the future router is assembled from sheets of chipboard or plywood, which includes a horizontal base and a vertical part on which the electric drill will be fixed. The dimensions of the sheets of chipboard or plywood from which such a structure will be made are calculated depending on the dimensions of the electric drill used as the basis of the homemade machine.
- A hole with a diameter of 40 mm is drilled in the horizontal base of the device, which is necessary to provide access for the tool to the processing area.
- A clamp is attached to the vertical stand of the device using a bolt, in which the electric drill is fixed. The drill should be positioned in such a way that the lower end of its chuck is a few millimeters from the horizontal base of the router.
- To make the position of the drill on a vertical stand more stable, you can fix a small wooden block in its upper part, which will act as a stop.
Adjusting the depth of cut when using such a router is carried out by changing the position of the electric drill in the clamp that secures it.
How to make a milling machine of the design described above more convenient and functional? To do this, it can be equipped with a simple microlift, which will be responsible for moving the electric drill in the vertical direction. To make such an elevator you will need the following consumables and components:
- two metal rods that will act as guide elements;
- a platform (carriage) for fixing an electric drill, made of chipboard or thick plywood;
- a threaded axis and a nut, which will be responsible for moving the electric drill in the vertical direction;
- elements that ensure the fixation of the electric drill in the required position.
The principle by which such a homemade router works is quite simple and is as follows.
- When the threaded axis rotates, the carriage with the drill attached to it moves in the vertical direction.
- After the electric drill and the tool secured in its chuck are set in the required position, the carriage is fixed using fasteners.
Naturally, the entire design of such a homemade router, the operation of which is well demonstrated in the video, must be fixed on a reliable basis. The latter can be the surface of a desktop or workbench.
Machine made from an old electric motor
With the help of which many technological operations are quite successfully performed, it can be manufactured without the use of an electric drill. In order to make such a device, you will need the following consumables and components:
- drive electric motor, which can be used as an electric motor from an old washing machine and other household appliances;
- a cartridge in which the cutting tool used will be fixed;
- an adapter with which the drive motor shaft will be connected to the cartridge;
- sheets of chipboard or thick plywood for making the base and vertical guide of a homemade router.
Fans of making various things at home appreciated the appearance on the market of such a tool as a hand router as an alternative to a milling machine, despite all the possibilities that the latter provides.
Keeping a large device at home is often inconvenient - it takes up too much space.
Manual
Small milling machines are now represented on the market in a fairly wide range by almost all companies producing power tools.
Worth considering: A ready-made milling machine costs quite a lot of money, so sometimes you want to buy a similar device, but there is no such opportunity.
However, this is not a problem that can really stop real masters of their craft, since a router can be easily made with your own hands.
There are enough instructions for carrying out such a small feat at home, along with photo and video materials, attached drawings and detailed recommendations on the Internet.
The manufacture of such an instrument is accessible to many people who will be willing to spend several hours of time studying the materials, drawings and the very process of creating the device.
Device and tasks
In a simplified way, the design of a milling device can be described as follows: the engine of the device transmits rotation to a spindle on which a milling cutter (special attachment) is mounted.
When constructing a hand tool, the cutter is inserted into a specialized chuck, collet or jaw.
Do you know that: The main task of the tool is to process metal, wood, glass, ceramics, plexiglass or plastics.
A well-known example is the preparation of holes for door locks in a wooden panel. This can also be cutting threads or processing the edges of parts, milling grooves and cavities.
Rotation is provided by an AC motor. A variety of attachments can be used, depending on the material that needs to be milled.
The easiest material for milling is wood, so, as a rule, cutters for processing it will be the most common and cheapest.
For metals of varying degrees of hardness and viscosity, nozzles must be used that differ in their characteristics depending on the properties of the material being processed.
Of course, cutters for wood or metals are not suitable for processing glass or ceramics; for such materials it is necessary to select cutters with other characteristics.
Manufacturing
Of course, the main element of the milling device will be the engine. The simplest solution would be to select an electric motor operating from a regular 220 Volt network.
An engine from household appliances available at home can serve as such. For example, an electric motor suitable for power and speed from a drill, hammer drill or grinder
Note: motors from small devices like a drill, for example, are not suitable for this task.
First you need to decide on a base for mounting the electric motor, which can be made of wood, plywood, chipboard or durable plastic. Since any engine is equipped with special fasteners for bolts, you can use them or special fasteners.
Expert advice: It is unlikely that you can do the fastening yourself due to the complexity of the design, so it makes sense to turn to craftsmen who can implement such a task.
Advantages and disadvantages
There are quite obvious advantages to making a homemade router compared to buying a similar tool in a store:
- costs are significantly lower than when purchasing a ready-made tool;
- ease of assembly of the entire structure;
- the ability to transform a manual milling cutter into a machine;
- processing of various types of surfaces.
Flaws:
- low processing speed;
- less strength compared to factory tools.
One way or another, the decision to buy a tool in a store or the preference for a homemade device remains with the master himself.
Watch the video in which an experienced master explains how to make a milling machine from a drill:
Those who like to make something at home often ask the question: “Is it possible to assemble a router from a drill with your own hands?” This idea has a fairly solid basis in the form of the high cost of a professional profile tool. The price of a modern milling machine can seriously hit your home budget, and you won’t have to use it very often. It turns out that making such a device yourself is quite possible.
Most often, such a tool is very useful when renovating a country house or construction of a private cottage. With such a unit, complex wood processing work can be carried out right at home. You will have access to:
- milling of wooden parts;
- edge formation;
- creation of special connecting parts;
- other woodworking;
The large number of advantages does not always outweigh the inflated price of the tool, which will gather dust in the closet after the repair is completed. Therefore, homemade hand routers are becoming increasingly popular among homeowners.
Manufacturing of the device
Before proceeding directly to the assembly procedure, you need to take care of a special stand - milling table. This element can be assembled from thick plywood or chipboard panels.
Obtain the appropriate parts:
- sheets of plywood or chipboard with a thickness of at least twelve millimeters;
- four support bars;
- clamp for securing the drill to the table;.
Let's start the assembly process. Make holes for the bolts in the main vertical wall and secure the guide clamp.
After this, make a round hole in the middle of the backing sheet. Professionals advise using for these purposes electric jigsaw, but a simple hacksaw will do. The final stage is to connect all the parts into a single structure using self-tapping screws or superglue. The table is ready, the most important thing left is to make the router itself.
Basic elements of the device
The basis of a good milling machine is electric drive. Its power should not be lower than 500 watts. Calculate this indicator depending on the thickness of the wooden parts that you plan to process. The most suitable option is a drill, hammer drill or grinder with a power of 500 to 1100 watts. The optimal choice, in terms of price and reliability, is a drill.
When purchasing, you should pay special attention to the quality characteristics of the drill, because later it can be used for its intended purpose.
To assemble the entire system you will need the following components:
- good electric drill;
- cutter - an element that is purchased separately in a specialized store;
- special cartridge for fastening.
The last part is connected to the drill via adapter, which will have to be selected separately, depending on the type of cutter. Installing such an adapter is problematic, but it is quite possible at home.
Assembly sequence
When making a milling machine, you need to follow some guidelines that will help you avoid mistakes. Particular attention should be paid to elevator for adjustment— it is fixed on the table top to compensate for the speed of rotation. To make this part, thick plywood is used.
It is very important to achieve solidity in the design; avoid using straps, cables, small nails and slats. The cutter itself is then installed on the motor shaft. As a result, the elevator will include:
- carriages;
- the body that will bear the main load;
- threaded axle;
- fastening for fixing;
- sliding type runners.
When the threaded axis rotates, the carriage moves along with the motor. It moves it up or down along the axis line. Skids are designed to limit and guide movement.
Height restrictions must be set in advance while the device is stationary. By securing the fixing elements in the required position, you will protect yourself and your work.
It is extremely important to monitor smooth movement of the carriage. Achieve the most stable position possible to avoid defects and unevenness when processing wood. Experienced craftsmen make special gears and swing arms, which are then included in the overall control system.
This is how, following simple tips, you can assemble a router from a regular drill. Customize parts carefully and use only quality materials. Don’t try to save money on a drill; remember, when the construction is finished, you can disassemble the machine and use it for its intended purpose. Don’t rush to throw away the table and the elevator afterward - they can be disassembled into individual elements and compactly packed in a box until the next repair. That is why professionals use only construction screws for connections.
Many people who like to make various products are often interested in how to assemble a router from a drill with their own hands.
Not everyone has the opportunity to keep a large milling machine at home.
But if the premises are being renovated, then your own manual router may often be needed.
This device can mill wood elements, form edges and perform other work.
Tasks and features of manufacturing a milling device
A household milling device works as follows. The engine of the device rotates the spindle with a special attachment put on it - a milling cutter.
The cutter is inserted into a collet or jaw chuck. The motor that provides rotation is powered by electricity.
A self-made milling device is capable of processing wood, metal, glass, plastic and ceramics.
For example, making holes for door locks or processing the edges of parts and cavities.
Which attachment will be used for the job depends on the material being milled and can be completely different.
The most accessible wood for processing is wood, so cutters for it are affordable and often found on sale.
Metals have varying degrees of viscosity and hardness. For their milling, attachments differing in their qualities are used.
When selecting them, you should take into account the properties inherent in the metal being processed.
Before making a router for home use, you need to design a table on which the device will be installed.
The tabletop can be prepared using a regular sheet of plywood 1.2 cm thick. Four wooden beams are suitable as support for it.
A hole corresponding to the size of the router is marked on the surface of the plywood, after which a guide is added.
The groove hole for the router is made in a semicircular shape and cut out with an electric or manual jigsaw. After preparing the tabletop, begin assembling the milling device.
The router is made from a drill with your own hands, using an electric drive, the power of which should be from 500 to 1100 W, depending on the width of the material being processed.
The most suitable options are a drill, grinder or hammer drill.
The drill is considered the cheapest and most accessible tool for making a router.
To assemble the device, you will need the following tools, parts and materials:
- motor powered by electrical network;
- hand saw or jigsaw;
- drill;
- clamp, self-tapping screws, locknuts, screws;
- cutter;
- cartridge;
- four wooden blocks;
- clamps that can be quickly clamped;
- Chipboard – for the base of the device.
You don't have to be a professional to work with this list of tools.
Make sure to check the functionality of power tools and compliance with safety regulations in advance.
Router assembly procedure
Assembling the router is much easier if you use the drawings. The process of constructing a milling machine using a drill as a motor is conventionally divided into stages.
Construction assembly stages:
- making a base-stand;
- preparing the clamp;
- clamp fastening;
- emphasis;
- assembly.
The production of the milling machine does not end there, but it can be used in this state.
It is enough to securely fix the drill with a clamp, tighten the cutter into a chuck of a suitable parameter, secure the entire structure and start milling.
To make the work more accurate and safe, the equipment can be supplemented with certain elements.
For added accuracy and safety, a guide must be used.
As a result of its use, the processing of materials will be of higher quality, since there is no need to visually assess the distance.
Self-tapping screws are used to attach the assembled structure to the working surface. If you are going to process a stack of planks or slats, then you need to make the fasteners as reliable as possible.
Quick-release clamps are ideal for securing a guide that controls the movement of material.
A hand-assembled router has several advantages. It is not difficult to make, and the labor costs are low.
To make a device, it is enough to use the tools and materials available to every tinkerer.
You will only need to buy a clamp and cutters.
But a manual router has significantly more serious disadvantages. All tools assembled by hand and having elements that rotate at high speeds require strict adherence to safety regulations.
You should not neglect installing a special shield on the device, because during work in a home workshop it is difficult to predict the occurrence of situations hazardous to health.
You need to know that the drill has a low speed to mill. Therefore, processing hard materials and performing voluminous work with a milling cutter from a drill is difficult.
Incorrect use of the device will gradually render the drill unusable.
You should use a device assembled by yourself only when you do not need to maintain great accuracy.
Even the use of a guide cannot ensure the most accurate milling.
But if you need a device for processing a small amount of non-solid material, that is, the requirements for the milling cutter are low, then you can build the device with your own hands.
When assembling and using the router, you must always follow safety rules - caution will help avoid injury.
- Milling cutter from a drill
- Stationary machine
Making a milling machine for your home workshop is easy. You just need to take into account that all machines (professional, student and homemade) have a certain number of wood processing techniques due to the position of the wooden workpiece relative to the cutting tool. The sample being processed can be stationary or undergo translational movements. Therefore, homemade milling cutters are made from various electric cutting tools.
Milling cutter from a drill
This is the simplest wood milling machine that you can assemble with your own hands. In any hardware store there are cutters made like a regular drill: their design includes a shank that exactly fits the dimensions of the internal diameter.
But when working with such a manual router, you need to firmly secure the workpiece. It should not move or hesitate. Most often, the workpiece is fixed clamps . The more clamps are used, the more firmly the workpiece is secured.. Sometimes a regular vice is used. They are used when it is necessary to carry out end processing.
The problem with using a homemade milling cutter from a drill is the difficulty of maintaining the required processing size. The slightest trembling in your hands will ruin all your efforts.
It is necessary to make devices for the milling machine from a drill that will hold the electric tool in a certain position.
If you need to make a groove in a wooden piece:
- A cutter is selected and installed, similar in appearance to a drill. Feature - the working edges are located in the front part (like the drill) and in the longitudinal position.
- The workpiece is clamped well.
- Clamps are attached to the drill, attached to a stop made of chipboard, plywood or board. By resting the stop against the workpiece, you can move the homemade router along the line and determine the position of the future groove.
The photo shows a drill with a wooden stop.
Stationary machine
What you will need for production:
- Milling cutter - drill, grinder, several devices in the form of a small electric motor and a spindle for a wood cutting machine.
- Tabletop.
- Bed. It must be strong and reliable: this is the load-bearing part of the machine on which the tabletop and cutter will be attached.
The most difficult option is to manufacture a machine from a separate electric motor and spindle. It is easier to make equipment from ready-made electrical tools.
A milling machine performs processing in a vertical or horizontal plane; the installation position of the working element depends on the choice of processing method.
The cutter of a homemade grinder machine is located vertically, processing is carried out in a horizontal plane.
The bed can be of any design (drawings are optional). It is better to make it in the form of a frame from metal corners. Attach a sheet of chipboard to it with bolts. Then:
- Determine the place from where the working shaft will come out.
- Make a hole with a diameter larger than the diameter of the shaft.
- Attach the grinder with two clamps, which are attached to the tabletop with screws and nuts.
The screw head is placed on the side of the tabletop surface where the workpiece will move. The fastening nuts are from the angle grinder side. The screw heads are installed flush.
For a homemade machine, you need cutters that resemble cutting discs in their fit on the shaft. They do not have grooves for keys. They, like the discs, are attached to the angle grinder with a clamping nut. If there is a need to use key-type cutters, then an adapter is made:
- One end has a threaded connection. With this side it is screwed onto the angle grinder shaft at the place where the clamping nut fits.
- The second end is made for fitting the cutter onto the key. Usually a bolt and a washer are used for fastening (they press the working tool against the adapter), so a threaded hole is made at the end to match the diameter of the bolt used.
Guides are installed along the tabletop along which the workpiece will move.. Most often, pieces of plywood and chipboard are used: with their help, you can create guides of various configurations, which allows you to mill the workpiece in different directions. Guides are removable products attached to the frame with self-tapping screws.
Using a stationary milling cutter, the accuracy of the processes performed is determined, regardless of the number of revolutions. The quality of the resulting structures is higher than when using hand tools. Although the latter is easier to do yourself.
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