How to make a router from a drill with your own hands. Do-it-yourself manual milling cutter from a drill Do-it-yourself manual milling cutter from a drill

In a home workshop, there is often a need to sharpen, smooth an edge, or perform some other operation with metal or wood. Having a milling machine solves these problems. But what to do if there is no place to put such large-sized equipment or nothing to buy for? Exit - a milling cutter from a drill. A do-it-yourself device will greatly facilitate the processing of various materials at home.

The milling device works like this:

the motor provides rotation and transfers it to a spindle made of durable and hard metal;
on the spindle there is a nozzle for working on metal or wood - a milling cutter;
it processes the material that is fixed on the work plane.

Attention! In the manual version of the router, the nozzle is attached to the cartridge.

A milling cutter from a drill can also work on ceramics, glass, and plastic. For each material - a separate nozzle with its own characteristics:

For wood - simple cutters, not high-strength and without a large number of turns.
For metal - reinforced nozzle. Brass is especially difficult to process with a milling cutter.
For glass and similar materials - cutters made of special alloys.

With the help of such a tool, you can wind the thread, carve grooves and cavities, smooth and give the desired shape to the edge, make holes. The drill will provide the manual machine with an electric motor of suitable power. When choosing it, consider the power and speed of rotation. The second parameter affects the quality of the cut: the more revolutions, the better.

The power depends on the material to be processed. For wood blanks, 0.5 kW is enough. But even in this case, the masters recommend looking for a more powerful device of 1-2 kW. Such a router will be versatile and convenient for working with various materials.

Assembling the base for a homemade drill-based router

To begin with, think over the device of the desktop and the layout of the router on it. You can not assemble the tabletop, but buy it in a specialized store, but it is quite expensive. For self-production, use the drawings. A good table will provide comfort and speed up the process of working with a router. The base is a sheet of durable plastic or chipboard with a thickness of at least 12 cm. Plastic is not afraid of moisture, but it is faster and easier to make a countertop from chipboard.

Attention! There are other options: MDF or phenolic plastic.

The tabletop is placed on guides. Provide the ability to adjust them to adjust the position of the table for your convenience. Also note that the space near the work surface should be protected. This is important in the process of working with a manual router. In addition, the parts need a clamping mechanism.

Adjustment lift installation:

Advice. Any holes in the countertop are cut out with an ordinary hand drill.

Making a mini-machine from a drill

This router does not require straps and pulleys: the cutter bits are put on directly on the motor shaft, as in the photo. But we need skids, carriages, a threaded axle. When the shaft rotates, the carriage moves up and down along it. Sliding skids - guides. After setting the height, the carriage is fixed. The entire apparatus is supported by a housing that is mounted below on the table top.

Attention! The motor and carriage must not wobble during operation. Otherwise, you will not be able to accurately process the material with a router.

The most difficult manipulation in the assembly is to fix the cartridge and the engine. You will have to buy a special adapter, and entrust its precise balanced installation to a locksmith with professional equipment. After assembly is completed, test the router:

install a light nozzle;
turn on the device in the network;
try to carry out the simplest operations;
with a positive result, perform more serious work;
if everything is in order again, proceed to full operation.

Advice. There are options for homemade milling cutters from a drill, where the rotary lever is moved sideways from above.

Sometimes masters additionally equip the device with gears for ease of control.

Features of the operation of a manual router

In addition to grinding, it is desirable to treat the wooden surfaces of the workbench with a special impregnation. This will increase the resistance of the coating to negative factors.
Think separately for yourself the location of the control systems of the device.
The milling cutter can be additionally equipped with a system for cleaning the working area from small chips. Come up with a pipe that will connect to the hose of a conventional vacuum cleaner.

Advice. The video will help to understand in more detail the manufacturing technology of a router from a drill.

There are many advantages of a home-made device over a purchased one:

availability of component parts for assembly;
low cost;
the possibility of dismantling the mini-machine and using the cutter in manual mode.

However, such a device does not reach the speed of professional devices and is only suitable for processing materials in small quantities. The milling cutter must be assembled in strict accordance with the technology. Only accuracy and precision in the performance of work will allow you to get a durable and reliable unit.

How to make a router from a drill with your own hands: video

Fans of making something at home often ask themselves the question: “Is it possible to assemble a router from a drill with your own hands?”. This idea has a fairly solid foundation in the form of the high cost of a professional profile tool. The price of a modern milling machine can seriously hit the home budget, and you will not have to use it so often. It turns out that it is quite possible to make such a device on your own.

Most often, such a tool is very useful when cottage house renovation or building a private cottage. With such a unit, complex woodworking 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;

A large number of advantages do not always outweigh the inflated price of the tool, which, at the end of the repair, will gather dust in the pantry. Therefore, a homemade manual router is gaining more and more popularity among homeowners.

Device manufacturing

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.

Get the right parts:

sheets of plywood or chipboard with a thickness of at least twelve millimeters;
four support bars;
clamp for fixing the drill on the table;

Let's start the assembly process. Make holes for the bolts in the main vertical wall and fix the guide clamp.

After that, make a round hole in the middle of the thrust sheet. Professionals advise using for these purposes electric jigsaw, but a simple hacksaw will do. The final stage is the connection of all 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.

Main elements of the device

At the heart of a good milling machine is electric drive. Its power should not be lower than 500 watts. Calculate this figure 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 best choice, in terms of price and reliability, is a drill.

When buying, 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 fixing.

The last part is connected to the drill by means of 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 must follow some guidelines that will help you avoid mistakes. Particular attention should be paid to lift to adjust- it is fixed on the table top to compensate for the force of revolutions. For the manufacture of this part, dense plywood is used.

It is very important to achieve solidity in the design, avoid the use of straps, cables, small nails and rails. The cutter itself is then mounted on the motor shaft. As a result, the elevator will include:

carriages;
body, which will bear the main load;
threaded axle;
fastening for fixing;
sliding type skids.

When the threaded axis rotates, the carriage moves along with the motor. It moves it up or down along the axis line. The skids are designed to limit and guide movement.

Height restrictions must be set in advance while the device is stationary. By fixing the fixing elements in the required position, you will protect yourself and your work.

It is extremely important to follow smooth movement of the carriage. Achieve the most stable position in order to exclude the occurrence of marriage and irregularities in the processing of wood. Experienced craftsmen make special gears and rotary levers, which are then included in the overall control system.

So, following simple tips, you can assemble a router from an ordinary drill. Carefully customize the details and use only high-quality materials. Do not try to save money on a drill, remember when the construction is over, you can disassemble the machine and use it for its intended purpose. Do not rush to throw away the table and the elevator after - they can be disassembled into separate elements and compactly packed in a box until the next repair. That is why professionals use only construction screws for connection.

The very high price of factory-made equipment is compensated by craftsmen through the creation of home-made equipment. An example of this is a wood milling device made from an electric drill with your own hands, which will cost almost nothing. To the machine you only need to purchase a set of cutters.

Structure and purpose

In simple words, the structure of the milling machine can be described as follows: the electric motor of the unit communicates rotation to the shaft on which the cutter is located (a specialized nozzle).

When arranging a manual fixture, the cutter is placed in a special chuck, cam or collet.

The key task of the fixture is the processing of plastic, iron, wood, glass, ceramics or organic glass.

An example is the preparation of technological holes for a door lock in a wooden sheet.

In addition, it can be the processing of the edges of parts or threading, milling cavities and grooves.

Rotation is provided by an electric motor operating from an alternating electric current. Nozzles can be used in a variety of ways based on the material to be processed.

The simplest material for milling is wood, therefore, in general, milling cutters for its processing will be especially common and inexpensive. For metals of different levels of strength and toughness, nozzles should be used that differ in their properties depending on the characteristics of the milled material itself.

Of course, cutters for metals or wood are not suitable for processing ceramics or glass, for such materials it is required to select a cutting tool with other parameters.

Materials and tools

To assemble the fixture, You will need the following materials and tools:

a motor operating from the mains;
electric jigsaw (in the absence of a hand saw);
drill;
screws, locknuts, self-tapping screws, clamp;
cutter;

cartridge;
4 bars of wood;
quick clamps;
Chipboard - for the base of the unit.

You don't need to be an expert to use these tools. Pre-check the performance of electrical tools and take care of compliance with safety regulations.

We collect the base

First of all, consider the structure of the desktop and the layout of the router on it. You can not get hung up on the lid, but purchase it in a special store, only this is relatively expensive. To make it yourself, use the drawings. A high-quality table guarantees comfort and will make it possible to speed up the process of working with a router. The basis is a plate of strong plastic or chipboard with a thickness of at least 12 centimeters. Dampness is not terrible for plastic, however, it is easier and faster to make a cover from chipboard.

The cover is arranged on guides. Provide the ability to adjust them to customize the position of the table for you. Also keep in mind that the area around the work area must be fenced off. This is of great importance when working with a manual router. In addition, a clamping device is required for workpieces.

We create an adjusting elevator and mount a drill

Cut out a small panel from chipboard and make 4 support bars for it. The materials used must be of high quality and durable. On the table top, cut a semicircular hole with an electric saw or a jigsaw. Make slots for the thrust sheet and clamps. Attach the panel to the motor using bolts or special fasteners. The milling cutter must be fixed on the table with the help of bearing assemblies. In order to increase the quality of fixing the electric drill in a vertical position, you need to grow a block of wood in the upper part of the rack. He will play the role of an emphasis for an electric drill. At the final stage of creating a router, sand all its wooden surfaces with sandpaper. The work platform must be on a solid and durable base.

Fixture work

Making a milling cutter from an electric drill is easy; nevertheless, you need to understand the principle of operation of such equipment. I must say that it is quite simple. The basic component is a motor that, while rotating, communicates this rotation to a shaft made of a strong material. A nozzle is put on this element - a cutter. It processes the parts laid on the frame of the device. It should be noted that when talking about a manual device, the workpiece will be fixed not to the shaft, but in the chuck. Based on the material being processed, the cutter also changes. Especially if you want to process brass. To work with glass, you will need to buy a cutter made of first-class and hard alloy.

Application features

Of course, just mounting a milling cutter from an electric drill is not enough - you need to properly care for it so that it functions for a long time. The experts make the following recommendations.

All wood surfaces must not only be well treated with sandpaper, but also treated with a protective coating in order to increase the ability to resist various adverse external influences.
The control system of the device should be carefully worked out so that it is extremely comfortable.
Certain additions can be made, such as a system for cleaning the work area from chips. For example, install a small pipe that you can attach to a hose from a simple vacuum cleaner.

Advantages and disadvantages of a milling cutter from an electric drill

The self-made design has obvious advantages, key among which are the following:

a home-made machine will cost an order of magnitude cheaper than a factory one;
a milling cutter from an electric drill makes it possible to work with surfaces of various types;
it is quite easy to assemble the device, apart from the moment of wiring;
ease of use;
ease of maintenance.

There are few significant shortcomings in home-made equipment. The main shortcomings include the following points.

A hand mill made from improvised materials is not durable.
The processing speed is too slow.
The resources of an electric motor taken from an old household appliance are not enough to operate with difficult materials and surfaces, in particular, with metal. This defect can be eliminated. To do this, it is desirable to take a high-speed electric motor from a rotary hammer. This will allow you to adjust the number of revolutions for different materials.

So, following simple tips, you can mount a router from an ordinary electric drill. Thoroughly customize the elements and use only high-quality materials. Do not try to profit on an electric drill, remember: when the device loses its relevance, you can dismantle the machine and use it for its true purpose. Do not rush to throw out the table and the elevator - they can also be dismantled and compactly placed in a box until the next time.

How to make a router from a drill with your own hands, see the following video.

Reading 6 min. Published on 04.12.2018

During the construction or renovation of a house, sometimes it becomes necessary to beautifully grind the edge of the board. It is not advisable to buy an expensive milling cutter for this, because you can make a good working model with your own hands. An electric drill is suitable for creating a structure, since it has the same principle of transmitting torque to the spindle.

Design and assembly algorithm

Due to the low power and number of revolutions of the drill, it will only be possible to make a light wood router. For efficient work, you should securely fix the tool on the table, and move the workpiece along it. If you create a structure where the milling cutter is located on top, you will be able to make objects with a complex shape. It is more convenient for each master to work with a tool that has its own design features, so there is no ideal hand-made option for everyone. All models differ in mountings, as well as the location of the electric drill.

Milling table

It is most convenient to process the ends of the workpiece and create grooves for connecting parts using a milling table on which the tool protrudes.

It has a simple shape, it is easy to assemble with your own hands.

It is most convenient to use a workbench as a base.

To create this model of a router, you will need the following materials and tools:

Bench table;
Electric jigsaw;
Wooden plank;
Clamps;
Stops;
Screwdriver;
metal corners;
Drill.

It is necessary to assemble the structure using a special technology. To make a tool with your own hands, follow the step-by-step instructions:

You need to turn the lid of the workbench and cut a large hole in it with a jigsaw. Its size should be 5 mm larger than the diameter of the intended cutter.
Now you need to set the bar perpendicular to the table. It should be placed in the very center of the hole parallel to the side of the table. In this case, the axis of the drill spindle, which will be mounted on top, must coincide with the center of the hole. You can fix it with a screwdriver and corners.
With the help of clamps and stops, the body of the drill is attached to the bar. In the initial position, the drill chuck should be under the cover, and the cutter, which is fixed in it, protrudes.

During operation, wood blanks move along the table, and when they rest on the template, milling begins. The drill can be attached in any other convenient way. The main thing is to make sure that the center of the hole is under the axis of the cutter, and the chuck and switch are conveniently located. Also, before work, you need to check that all structural elements are securely and evenly fixed.

Simple milling machine

Making a milling machine for woodworking is not difficult. The design includes three main parts - sole, stand, scarf. They can be cut out of plywood with your own hands. In addition to these items for assembly, you will need the following items:

Electric jigsaw;
Core or pen drill;
Clamps;
Bolts, screws, other fasteners;
Drill;
A piece of thin rubber (linoleum).

Instructions for assembling the machine:

To create a sole, a square is drawn on plywood, the sides of which are equal to the width of the drill. Then, from two adjacent sides, strips equal to the thickness of the plywood are added to it. The center of the tool is marked, and then a hole is made with a core or pen drill.
The sole is cut out along the marked line. Then the corner is rounded, which is opposite to the junction of the rack and the scarf. Holes (4 mm) are drilled on the reverse side of the plywood under the rack attachment point. They are needed for recesses under the heads of self-tapping screws using an 8 mm drill. This is necessary so that the screw heads do not protrude and scratch the table, forming a warp.
Plywood elements should be placed exactly perpendicular to each other and fixed. The sole is installed horizontally, a stand is attached to it vertically with screws, and the kerchief is adjacent to the sole on one side, and to the stand on the other. It is necessary to ensure the rigidity of the structure.
A hole is made in the sole for the exit of the tool.
The stand is made the same width as the drill, and its length should be increased by 20 mm.
A drill is attached to the stand with a clamp (you should drag it just above the cartridge). Additionally, it is fixed with an emphasis on the back of the device (or with a second clamp located under the handle).
A piece of thin rubber is glued under the sole for a smooth glide.
The position of the drill is noted with the tool, which is lowered below the sole.

Important! For ease of use, the sole can be cut from plexiglass.

Vertical milling machine

Example

This simple tool, made with your own hands from improvised materials, will successfully cope with many tasks. For its manufacture, the following materials and tools will be required:

Several sheets of thick plywood or chipboard;
Clamp for fixing the drill;
Bolts, self-tapping screws;
Feather drill or drill bit 40 mm;
metal corners;
A set of locksmith tools.

For the manufacture of a router, you can use any plywood scraps, pieces of slats, thin boards. The procedure for recreating a router is as follows:

From plywood or chipboard sheets, a base for a router is assembled, which includes a base (it is located horizontally) and a vertical part. The drill itself is attached to it. The dimensions of the base should be calculated individually in each case. They depend on the dimensions of the electric drill.
In the middle of the horizontal base, a hole should be drilled, the diameter of which is 40 mm. It will be used to gain tool access to workpieces.
A clamp should be attached to the vertical rack with a bolt. After that, the drill is fixed in the clamp. This should be done so that the tip of her cartridge does not reach a few mm to the horizontal sole.
To create a more stable position of the drill, it is fixed on top with a wooden bar. It works as an additional emphasis.

Important! In such a device, to change the depth of cut, the position of the drill is adjusted using a clamp.

Advantages and disadvantages of a homemade tool

The main advantage of a do-it-yourself router is the absence of the need to buy an expensive professional machine. After all, even with the help of the simplest device, it will be possible to cut grooves or process the edge of a wooden blank.

To use a drill as a router, you will have to purchase special cutters in the store. They are cylindrical, end, end, angular, disk and curly. With the help of a shank, they are easy to fix in the chuck. Changing nozzles is also not difficult, but the cartridge can unscrew from long-term work and strong vibrations. Therefore, when working with a do-it-yourself tool, you will have to constantly check and tighten it.

As the main disadvantage of a homemade router, one can single out the impossibility of long-term work under heavy loads. Also, it does not have a large number of revolutions. The maximum number of revolutions for a drill reaches 3000, while for a router the minimum is 4000 revolutions per minute. This greatly affects the cleanliness of processing. After all, the faster the cutter spins, the more beautiful and accurate the edge of the material will turn out. Therefore, after milling with a home-made machine, the workpieces will have to be sanded.

The engine of the drill is also much weaker than that of the router. It is designed for short-term operation, therefore, under heavy loads, it starts to heat up. Each time you have to wait for it to cool completely.

It is possible to make a milling machine with your own hands, but in some situations it will be much more convenient to purchase a professional model in a store. A homemade router will not be powerful enough, you will have to work intermittently. But for a one-time use, this is a great option.

Many craftsmen are faced with a situation where making a router from a drill with their own hands is an urgent need. Sometimes it is necessary to smooth the end of an unevenly cut part or make a groove for edging in a chipboard. This will require a special tool. It is not difficult to find it on sale, a phrase can be bought in specialized stores, but not everyone can afford such an acquisition because of its high cost. Another option is to look for a Chinese equivalent. But much faster you can make a manual milling cutter from a drill.

A drill cutter is made quickly, but is used to a limited extent.

A router is a tool for edging, joining and milling wood elements, as well as other functions. This is a fairly versatile tool that allows you to use it to perform different types of work.

The mechanism has a fairly simple structure. There are only three main components:

cutter;
engine;
spindle.

The principle of operation is not particularly difficult. A working cutter is put on the spindle. The whole structure is driven by an engine.

For the manufacture of a milling cutter, three-phase motors are usually used; models operating from a single-phase network are less common. Some craftsmen can make a router from small DC motors. But when creating a mechanism, it is better to follow the standard method: this will eliminate the difficulties with power supply.

When choosing an engine, two indicators must be taken into account: the number of revolutions and power.

The quality of the cut depends on the number of revolutions. It will not be difficult to connect a conventional 220 V motor. A three-phase asynchronous motor is connected according to a completely different scheme: star-delta. This can provide the most power to the device.

The power of the engine of the device for working with wooden blanks can be up to 500 watts. But such a device will not live up to expectations, and it will also work unstably. Therefore, the savings will not pay off. The optimal power for a manual router from a drill is more than 1000 watts. A drive with a power of 1-2 kW will allow you to use any cutters and work in normal mode.

Working cutters can be used different: the choice depends on what material you have to work with and the type of operation. Simple milling cutters are suitable for processing wood, which does not require high speed and material strength. It is more difficult to process metal, brass is especially difficult. For processing materials such as glass, milling cutters from various alloys are suitable.

The spindle must be made of hard and durable metal. The requirements for these indicators are increased.

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Making the base for the router

When making a cutter with your own hands, you need to perform work in several stages. To do this, you need a cutter, an engine and a chuck.

At the first stage, you need to decide which network the tool's engine will work from. For domestic work, you need to make a tool that can operate on a 220 V power supply. In this case, you can take the engine from almost any household appliance that can be found at home.

If the motor is powered from a three-phase voltage network, finding a suitable unit will be much more difficult. Most likely, you will have to contact a specialized store or workshop, ask at the factory.

Before proceeding with the manufacture of the instrument itself, it is worth preparing the base on which it will be installed. Assembling the table will allow you to process larger parts with much less effort. For the base, some simple material, such as a chipboard sheet, or durable plastic, is suitable. The thickness of the sheet should be about 12 cm.

In the manufacture of a table or base for a router, it is necessary to take into account the quality of the selected material. It is more convenient and faster to make a table from chipboard. During operation, it will partly absorb vibrations, but at the same time the material is afraid of moisture. It is better to make a cover from a more durable material: phenolic plastic or MDF boards.

Part guides can also be made from chipboard or plywood so that it remains possible to adjust their position.

When working with a hand router, the unused space around the working cutter must be covered. To fix the pushed part, it is not superfluous to install a clamping mechanism.

A small panel is cut out of the material for the base. For support, you need to prepare 4 wooden bars.

On the surface of the base, you need to cut a semicircular hole with an electric hacksaw or jigsaw. Then make holes for the thrust sheet and fasteners.

The finished panel is attached to the engine using a bolted connection or special fasteners.

The milling table is an indispensable part. If it is not possible to assemble the base with your own hands, you can buy a table.

You can buy it in large specialized stores. The price will depend on the functionality, but even the simplest table with good coverage will cost a lot.

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Making a manual router

When making a router from a drill with your own hands, you need to remember some rules. First of all, it is important to remember that the adjustment lift is made of solid wood and is installed on the table surface. For this reason, the rotation force must be large enough.

A machine of this type is made without the use of pulleys and straps. In this case, the cutters are mounted on the motor shaft. To make an elevator, you will need a main body, carriages, sliding skids, a threaded axle and a fixing mount.

When the axis rotates, the carriage moves up or down along it. Skids act as guides. Then the height is set, and the carriage is installed with the help of fasteners. The entire structure is held by the supporting body, it is fixed from below on the cover of the workbench.

It is important to ensure that the carriage and the motor do not stagger, otherwise this will affect the operation of the router: the sample will be uneven. Such a device allows you to set the overhang of the cutter above the surface of the table.

Some craftsmen advise additionally making gears and equipping them with a home-made design, as well as changing the position of the swing arm by installing it on the side, and not on top.

Then the most difficult thing remains - to fix the cartridge and the engine. To do this, you can use a special adapter. You can buy it in the store. But with the installation it will be more difficult: it is very difficult to do this work on your own, it is better to entrust it to specialists.

After installing the adapter, we can assume that the hand router is ready for work, you can carry out the first test. First, a simple, lightweight cutter is installed. The tool is connected to the mains. If after that the router works correctly, you can proceed to its permanent operation. Now you can use it to wind threads, drill holes in wooden parts or process an edge.