Milling patterns on wood. Possibilities of working with a wood router
Woodworking can be both a profession and a hobby. It will be interesting for novice craftsmen to learn how to choose a manual milling cutter, what are the techniques and rules for preparing and working with a tool, what equipment may be needed when making wood products. We'll talk about this.
Wood milling is the mechanical processing of a material that removes part of it to create grooves, grooves, edges, holes, figured patterns on the surface, and obtain parts of complex shape. A milling cutter is a hand-held power tool for woodworking with a working body - a milling cutter. A milling cutter is a single or multi-bladed tool that cuts wood while rotating. The possibilities of the work performed depend on the modification of the router, the number and type of cutters, as well as the density of the wood and the experience of the master.
Types of hand routers
Wood milling is used in the manufacture of furniture, the production and installation of doors, the laying of wooden flooring, for various kinds of crafts. The choice of tool depends on the prospects for its use: special and universal purposes.
Special cutters:
- submersible (for holes, grooves, grooves of any depth - the motor with the cutter moves along the vertical axis);
- edging (only for edges, chamfers - with a guide bearing);
- lamellar (for rounded linear grooves);
- dowel (for grooves, for dowels, tenon-groove assembly);
1 - submersible; 2 - edging; 3 - lamellar; 4 - dowel
The universal milling cutter is completed with two bases. In this case, the tool works as a plunge tool and processes the edges.
When choosing a tool, you need to pay attention to the parameters:
- power (0.8-1.3 kW is enough for a home master);
- cutter speed;
- compliance with power and "speed";
- type of clamp (the best is a conical collet);
- speed control (smooth, clock);
- maximum immersion depth;
- work accuracy;
- smooth start;
- security locks;
- the presence of a dust extractor.
By determining the level of importance of each parameter, you can find a router that matches the upcoming tasks and intensity of operation.
Types of cutting tool
Structurally, cutters can be monolithic, with replaceable blades, prefabricated, soldered. Materials: carbide or high-speed alloys, cermets, etc. The configuration of the tool corresponds to the recess or edge shape that must be obtained on the product.
Varieties of groove cutters:
- straight;
- fillet;
- structural;
- shaped;
- "dovetail";
- "mouse tooth", etc.
Varieties of edge cutters:
- straight;
- moulding;
- disk;
- curly;
- horizontal, etc.
Each cutter is produced in various standard sizes. The easiest way is to purchase a kit containing a set of cutting tools for a specific activity. The diameter of the part to be fixed must match the collet of the router.
The procedure for working with a manual milling cutter
The easiest way to start learning is on a plunge router. Visually, such a tool is the most cumbersome and complex, but it is easier to work with it, since the direction of the cutter is fixed by the design of the machine perpendicular to the surface being machined.
Step 1. Fix the cutter shank in the collet.
It is necessary to insert the shank into the chuck and tighten with the key intended for this. At this stage, it is important to correctly calculate the tightening torque. Constriction is undesirable and insufficient fixation too.
Attention! If deep cutting is planned, it is better to take a cutter with an extended shank.
Step 2 Depth setting
If the work is carried out according to the drawings and the groove is shallow, you just need to set the appropriate depth on the limiter and set the fine adjustment (if the model has fine tuning). If milling is performed "by eye", you need to evaluate the depth of immersion of the tool by attaching the milling cutter to the end face of the product. The depth can also be selected in stages - when working out more than 3-8 mm (depending on the diameter), precise work or at the training stage.
Step 3 Approbation of the work of the milling cutter
For those who have no experience in milling, have acquired a new tool or are working with an unfamiliar type of wood, it is advisable to use a “draft” - the same piece of wood as the future product. It is necessary to test the work of the cutter, changing the speed, direction (toward, away from you, turn clockwise and counterclockwise) and the depth of the recess, monitor the accuracy. Adjust settings.
Step 4 Determine RPM
When the cutter is working, an important indicator is the circumferential speed - the speed of rotation not of the shank, but of the surface of the cutting tool in its widest part. If rotated too fast, the cutter will pull out the fibers of the wood and leave gaps, if too fast, the material will burn. If the rotation is too slow, the surface of the product will be rough, as if covered with “ripples”.
When adjusting, the rule applies: the larger the diameter of the cutter, the lower the speed on the shank (shaft revolutions) should be. Some manufacturers supply tools with instructions: wood / diameter / speed. If there is no such data, you need to experiment.
1 - too low speed; 2 - too high speed; 3 - uneven movement of the cutter at high speeds; 4 - good result
Step 5 Product fixation
The processed wood should not wag. The result of the work will be spoiled, you can injure yourself. The workpiece must be laid on a reliable base and secured, for example, with clamps. When using a template, it is also fixed.
Step 6 General rules for preparing for work
You need to mark the workpiece (when working without a template). The movements of the milling machine should not be abrupt. Smooth start and smooth, uniform movement along the calculated trajectory, correctly selected number of revolutions - a recipe for an ideal and beautiful result.
When working, you should not lean with your whole body on the router or let it float freely. The clamp must be tight, confident, uniform throughout the entire stage.
Attention! The instructions for the machine will indicate how to properly hold the router. Each model has handles that ensure safety during operation.
Step 7 Finished product milling
The beginning of work can be on the edge of the products (open groove) or in its array (deaf groove). In the first case, you must first install the router, and then turn it on. In the second - turn on, and then feed the cutter to the desired point. Upon completion of milling, turn off the tool after removing it from the wood.
When making deep grooves and stepped cuts, always turn off the tool for adjustment. The maximum one-time depth should correspond to the diameter and material of the cutter, the density of the wood. To obtain a smooth surface, the last removal should not be thicker than 1.5 mm.
It is important to correctly determine the speed of the router along the line being processed. Too slow will give overheating and burns. If the movement is too fast, sawdust will not have time to be removed, the work will be difficult, it may look sloppy.
The basic rule when choosing the direction of movement of the milling cutter: in the direction of the running of the cutter blades (cutting edges). This applies to both free milling and tooling.
To process edges, to obtain a certain edge configuration, sometimes the router is fixed under the table, and the cutter rises above the tabletop, and woodworking is performed by the movement of the workpiece relative to the cutter. Thus, from the category of a hand tool, it goes into the category of a mini-machine.
Equipment when working with a manual milling cutter
To facilitate and speed up the work, it is advisable to use simple devices, such as:
- guide rails;
- parallel stop;
- rod compass;
- copy sleeves;
- templates.
All fixtures can be purchased, and some can even be made by yourself and improved to match the author's idea.
The parallel stop provides rectilinear movement of the cutter relative to the workpiece, the edge of the workbench, the guide bar. This device is usually included in the instrument package.
The guide rail (bar) allows you to guide the tool not parallel to the edge, but at any given angle. It must be secured with clamps to the table. A homemade version is a fixed wooden plank limiter.
A rod compass is needed to perform circles, arcs, geometric curves. When working with a compass, the movement should be carried out in a counterclockwise direction.
The copy sleeve makes it easier to guide the tool along a complex path and ensures accuracy. In combination with templates, the best result is achieved.
There are two types of templates: internal and external. It all depends on whether the tool moves along the inner or outer edge. When moving along the inner contour of the template, the router must be driven clockwise, along the outer contour - against. The template must be thick enough so that the copy sleeve does not touch the workpiece.
It is also necessary to work with a router using equipment carefully, smoothly and equally, as with free milling. Perhaps the first time you get a not too outstanding milling result. This is the type of work where experience and attention to detail are very important.
- Basics at work
- Work rules
- Open groove
- deep groove
- narrow groove
- end surface
- Curved edges
- decorative trim
The purchase of a hand-held woodworking tool can give impetus to the development of a new and very exciting profession, which gathers more and more fans every year. Numerous video tutorials and photos containing the author's methods of working with a manual milling cutter are replicated on the Internet, which once again proves the popularization of the craft, which the Russian people have chosen for a long time. If you do not yet know all the basics of manual woodworking and are just getting acquainted with specialized household equipment, the following information will be useful to you.
What can be done with a hand mill?
Of course, we are unlikely to be able to list all those useful gizmos that can be made at home with a manual router, certain skills and desires due to the unlimited range of such crafts, but we will still mention the most common of them, and if necessary, you can easily find photos of such homemade products on the Internet.
So, armed with a manual milling cutter, even a novice master can easily cope with the manufacture of railings, all kinds of shelving and shelves, hangers and stools. Now it has become fashionable to breathe new life into old dilapidated furniture at home, and this process will definitely be within your power.
Also, a manual milling cutter will be indispensable where it is necessary to select grooves for future joints, insert a lock, and even create a fancy intricate pattern on the surface of the wood, which serves as a decorative ornament. Even if you do not plan to keep such a versatile tool in your hands around the clock, sooner or later it will certainly serve you well in everyday life.
Basics at work
The depth of cut here is regulated by a lifting mechanism that connects the two main parts of the router - the electric drive and the base. To be more precise, the parameters of the penetration of the cutter into the material being processed are set by setting a certain distance between the pin and the washer located next to the motor. In order for the milling machine to maintain the same distance relative to the edge of the workpiece when moving, it has a straight guide. Some models are equipped with a circular guide, with which it is possible to mill circles with a large radius. For small circles (radius less than 15 cm), technological holes are provided on the base of the equipment, into which a centering pin is inserted at a distance specified from the cutter.
The selection of grooves is carried out using an angular stop fixed on the machine body at a right angle. Before starting work, the carpenter must ensure that the workpiece of the future product has a fixed position, because the lack of a reliable support will inevitably lead to the fact that the edges of the groove will be crooked, and this will negatively affect the final result of the work. Please note that it is not recommended to remove a layer of wood exceeding 5 mm in one pass. Sufficiently deep grooves according to the technology are selected in several steps. Work with a hand mill on wood should be done smoothly, without haste and sudden movements, otherwise you will have to face such an unpleasant phenomenon as torn edges of the groove.
Setting up the tool and getting started
Wood router, like any other equipment, needs to be adjusted before starting the work process. First of all, the safety nut and the clamping collet are removed, after which the unit is started and a control cut is carried out. Next, check whether the screws and other threaded parts are well clamped and remove excess protective grease.
Beginners often make the mistake of not holding the milling machine firmly enough in their hands, or applying excessive force to the material being processed. At the corners of the workpiece, as well as when changing the direction of movement of the milling cutter, the speed of movement of the unit is not slowed down so as not to leave burns from overheating the machine.
Work rules
Depending on the nature of the work performed, the carpenter chooses the method of their implementation. For example, the processing of curved surfaces differs from decorating wood crafts with an openwork pattern, and here the main thing is to follow the rule for using a particular technique, taking into account the peculiarity of a particular process. We have selected the most common cutting techniques for you, accompanying each method with a thematic video.
Open groove
If you plan to process the workpiece by forming a groove from the very edge, install the tool so that the cutting element hangs over the edge of the wood. Then it is necessary to lower the knife to a predetermined depth and fix the position of the basket, after which the engine starts and the feed begins. When the edge is finished, the cutter rises and the lock is loosened, and only then the motor can be turned off. Blind grooves are formed in a similar way, with the only difference that they do not start from the edge of the part.
deep groove
In this case, after each pass of the processed area, it is necessary to adjust the new depth of immersion of the cutter into the wooden material, after turning off the cutter, and it is desirable that the depth does not exceed 5 mm. This rule applies especially to hard materials that require careful handling. The last layer should not exceed 1.5 mm, which will make it possible to create a clean surface.
narrow groove
In this case, for greater convenience in work, the wood is processed using an additional device. The process to be carried out consists in attaching a flat base to the sole of the unit. Guide rods are installed on both sides of the auxiliary plane, ensuring a straight trajectory of the router, the main thing is that their axes are located in line with the center of the knife. If the master will use an auxiliary device with a router, it must be guided so that the rods are evenly pressed against the sides of the workpiece.
end surface
Carpentry work on wood with a hand mill is often associated with the processing of the ends of the workpiece, and here it is very important to get a clean edge. A practice-tested rule will come to the aid of a novice master, stating that a fairly gentle cut is initially performed, while the tool is guided in the direction of rotation of the knife. With this design, the main part of the wood material will be selected evenly, after which you clean the end face in the usual way, leading the router against the direction of rotation of the cutting element, and the appearance of the workpiece will acquire the desired shape.
Curved edges
Milling curved edges with a hand router is done in a slightly different way, and here the master will need templates with a thrust ring. The ring itself is a round plate with a rim that moves along the template, giving the cutter the correct trajectory of movement. Such a part is fixed on the sole of the tool with the help of special fasteners, after which it can be used for its intended purpose.
Before starting the main process, the template must be fixed on the plane being processed, and this can be done using ordinary double-sided tape, after which the resulting structure is pressed with clamps to the desktop. The use of templates allows you to create exactly the same products from which you can make furniture or any other interior details.
decorative trim
Patterns on the tree are designed to decorate joinery, giving them a decorative "zest". Artistic milling is perhaps the most interesting method of processing natural material, because here the craftsmen can fully give free rein to their imagination, and a manual machine will help to cope with this task without any problems. Wood is very malleable in work, the main thing is to know how the processing is carried out correctly so that the result is really worthy.
In addition to the milling cutter, a vice, a jigsaw and a chisel will come in handy here, which you will have to use during the work. A wooden canvas with a pattern transferred from a picture or photo you like is fixed on a stable surface. A tool with a special cutting nozzle is smoothly driven along the contour of the pattern, carefully removing a layer of wood, thereby giving it volume. Using a cutter of different sizes will allow you to create a different ornament, depending on personal preferences. Now you know how to work with a manual milling tool and can try it out in practice.
In order to ensure the normal operation of the milling machine, it is necessary not only to properly handle the device used, but also to correctly use in other words - devices for this tool to be able to form the workpiece in accordance with the requirements of the master (that is, cutting off the edges and other places of the material where it is needed, and not where "it happened"). So, it is precisely to give the processed material a clear planned form in the economy that "adaptations" for a manual milling cutter are used.
The complexity of making homemade devices
Often, manufacturers themselves complete their products at the production stage, but, alas, not every company will be able to please consumers with a complete set of all the necessary tools. And why do this if at any time you can make a suitable tool with your own hands in a garage environment. You can do this even without a preliminary drawing: their design is so primitive that even a novice master can cope with such work. To make a parallel stop or any other detail, it is enough to have a drawing of this device and a minimum set of tools with you. But if you want to make a homemade table for a manual router, you definitely cannot do without a drawing. It is necessary to calculate everything correctly, designate the dimensions of the table, and then proceed to work.
How to work with a manual router?
Before performing wood milling work, you need to make sure of the following:
- Is the cutter clamped in the collet.
- Whether the additional device installed on the workbench corresponds to its power and speed.
- Whether the required milling depth is set (when working with immersion devices, this indicator is measured using a special immersion limiter).
- When working with, make sure that a guide ring or bearing is installed that provides the desired trajectory of the device (in this case, the thickness of the cutter should be no more than three millimeters).
We pay attention to the supports for parts when performing work
When considering the question "how to work with a hand router" it should also be noted that the part you are processing must always have some kind of support. For example, before turning on the engine, the edge of the sole or the bearing is pressed against the guide piece or template. Only then the master turns on the machine and starts milling.
Below we will consider what are the devices for the router, and why they are special.
Parallel stop
The rip fence is one of the few devices that comes with every router. Therefore, there is simply no need for their independent development and manufacture. With regard to functions, with the help of the mentioned element, it is possible to make a reliable stop for the material being processed, thereby ensuring a rectilinear movement of the cutter relative to the base surface. The latter can act as a straight edge of a part, a guide rail or a table.
With this attachment for a handheld router, you can quickly edge and mill various grooves while holding the material almost in the “dead center” position.
Guide bar
This tool has similar functions to the previous one. Like the rip fence, the rail provides exceptionally smooth straight-line movement of the device. Working with a manual wood router using a guide rail can significantly reduce the time spent on processing a particular part. In addition, with the help of the specified equipment, it is possible to install the mechanism at almost any angle relative to the edge of the table.
In some cases, the design of the tools in question provides for the presence of special elements that facilitate certain operations (for example, it can be a function of cutting holes at the same distance opposite each other).
Copy rings and templates
Hand router fixtures such as copying rings are a round plate with a raised shoulder that can slide across the surface along the template, thereby providing an accurate path for the cutter. Often this element is attached to the sole of the workbench. There are several ways to install it:
- Screwing a ring into a threaded hole.
- Installation of special antennae of the device in the holes on the sole.
With a hand router attachment such as a template, you can also achieve more accurate and efficient work. The signified
element directly on the workpiece itself, after which both parts of the device are pressed against the machine using clamps. Upon completion of the work, experts recommend checking the condition of the ring - to see if it is securely pressed against the edge of the template or not.
Another feature of the tool under consideration is the possibility of processing not the entire edge, but only its corners. At the same time, some devices for a manual milling cutter allow you to make roundings of four different radii at once. Thus, the pattern-machining process is an excellent way to cut grooves for a part.
compasses
These home-made devices for a manual milling cutter are designed to move the entire machine along a certain circle. The design of this tool includes the main part (a compass consisting of one rod), attached with its end to the base of the router, and a secondary one - a screw with a pin inserted into the hole of the machine. The value and is set directly by the displacement of the machine relative to the design of the device. Before starting work, it is necessary to carefully fix the tool to the base and make sure that the router is in good condition and functioning properly. It is worth noting that the most effective and easy to use is the compass, which has not one, but two rods at once.
Most often, this tool is made of transparent plexiglass. A small metric scale is additionally applied to its surface. It is worth noting that some models of compasses can have a circumference up to 150 centimeters long. With the help of such a device, you can easily make a round tabletop for several people.
However, back to the principle of operation. By means of the angular lever with an exact scale copying on preparation is carried out. Here you have the opportunity to center the ring directly under the cutter. The angle arm, which is complemented by a special support plate, also ensures precise edge milling.
The whole structure of this fixture consists of a base plate, a set of probes and a chip protection device.
Devices for copying identical devices and parts
This characteristic refers to a set of tools, consisting of an angle lever and special copy probes, which are needed to manufacture a batch of identical parts. Most often, such equipment is used in cases where there is a need to replicate small wooden devices. But before starting work with such a router, it is necessary to prepare in advance the scale of the angle lever (scale division - 1/10 mm).
After the scale is set, you will be 100 percent sure that the thrust ring is correctly centered under the cutter, the location of which depends on the values set on the angle arm. Also, this adjusting element can be equipped with a base plate and a special mechanism that protects the surface of the device from chips. The use of such parts will significantly speed up and secure the processing of the edges of products.
In the tool kit of many home craftsmen, a milling cutter takes pride of place. A universal router is an electrical device designed to process the surface of wood or metal products. The milling machine simplifies the work of manufacturing a variety of products, creating recesses for loops, various grooves.
For these works, expensive and professional equipment is not necessary at all: a simple universal tool is enough.
With the help of a milling cutter, you can make a lot of household items and carry out any operations with wood or metal. Milling cutters are needed for processing flat and shaped surfaces. These tools create technological recesses, grooves for various connections, and even complex patterns that serve as decorations.
Milling cutters differ in the installation method - these are stationary machines and manual milling cutters. Machine tools, in turn, differ in the type of operations performed.
Stationary devices are placed in large factories or factories - where it is necessary to manufacture a large number of parts of the same type. The cutting nozzle in them is fixed motionless, and the part that is being processed moves.
The most versatile and suitable for a wide range of tasks are hand-held electric mills. When using a hand tool, the workpiece is fixed rigidly, and the tool itself moves. In milling cutters, there is a constructive ability to fix the tool, so manual devices are recognized as more versatile.
To change the type of work, it is enough to change or position the nozzle in a different way.
In particular, what can be done with a manual wood router, which has the right equipment:
The wide possibilities of this tool allow it to be used by both professional construction or repair teams, and novice home craftsmen.
It is indispensable in the manufacture of interior decorations, the production of furniture or the creation of various crafts.
Universal router device
To maximize the use of a manual device, the master must be guided in the design of the device and the purpose of its main parts.
The main part is an electric motor hidden in the body. Holders with collets are inserted into the body. Collets are adapters for the use of milling cutters of various sizes.
The cutter is inserted into the collet and fixed with a special button or clamping bolt.
The body is placed on the platform with two rods. The platform is made of metal and is quite massive and stable. Attached to the bottom of the platform is a smooth sliding plate that allows the tool to move smoothly over the part.
The case also houses the "Start" button and the tool lock button. The operating mode is selected using:
- Knobs and setting scales that can be used to adjust the depth of milling. They allow you to adjust the depth with an accuracy of 1/10 mm.
- Speed switch. For those who are just starting to get acquainted with the tool, it is recommended to work at medium and even low speeds.
In some modifications, there is a parallel stop that allows you to move the cutting part to the left or right. This is very convenient for some types of wood milling.
According to their purpose, hand-held devices are conditionally divided into the following types:
- Upper.
- Kromochny.
- Lamella.
Top-type milling cutters are fixed or submersible. In stationary devices, the cutting part cannot move along the body. Therefore, to adjust the depth of processing, the master is forced to move the entire tool, which requires certain skills and experience.
When choosing a unit, preference is often given to plunge cutters. In them, the motor is located on guides along which it can move along with the cutting part. In addition, in the submersible type of devices there is a spring responsible for raising the nozzle at the end of work.
Milling wood with a manual edge-type router is the chamfering and processing of the edges of workpieces. When using different nozzles, it is possible to process not only straight, but also curly surfaces: for example, to make skirting boards or process curly door panels.
The lamellar type is used to create various grooves. Of all types of hand routers, it is the most highly specialized.
Tool selection rules
The choice of a suitable type of electric cutter depends on the technological tasks set. Based on them, a device with optimal functionality and suitable technical characteristics is selected. In addition, the need and availability of additional devices is taken into account. These are clamps, different stops, templates, with the help of which the workpiece is processed more accurately and safely.
First of all, a device with suitable power is selected. The mass of the tool depends on this characteristic. Therefore, manual routers are divided into light, medium and heavy.
Lightweight devices with a minimum mass have a power of no more than seven hundred and fifty watts. The middle category has a power of up to one thousand one hundred watts. For heavy devices, this value is more than one thousand two hundred watts.
In the case of simple and non-intensive tasks, or if the processing material is exclusively wood, the acquisition of a high-power device is not justified. Very powerful tools have a low shaft speed.
The speed of rotation of the router is also one of the important characteristics of the tool. The speed indicator ranges from 7,000 to 24,000 rpm. Different materials and types of work for processing require different rotation speeds.
Brittle and hard materials and large cutting depth require a low-speed powerful tool. High speed devices are suitable for polishing, grinding, engraving or for processing wooden parts.
When choosing a device, the location of the on / off button is important. The convenience for the hands, and hence the speed of processing the workpieces, depends on this.
Collets differ in material, workmanship and their design. The best collets are cone-shaped and made of hardened steel. Such elements wear out less and last much longer than collets, which are made of ordinary steel.
Modern routers are often equipped with a built-in dust removal element during cutting. An effective vacuum cleaner can be located directly in the housing.
The sole of the tool can be cast or stamped (in inexpensive models). The quality and speed of performing production tasks depend on the density and uniformity of the fit of the sole to the material being processed.
The base support has holes for accommodating rails.
The size of the hole diameter of the lining affects the maximum diameter of the cutter that can be installed on this device.
Distinctive features of a professional class router:
- The presence of a whole set of various additional elements for the device.
- The presence of metal bushings instead of polymer ones.
- The strength of metal sleeves with bearing assemblies. They guarantee the absence of backlash after repeated overheating and cooling.
Professional models are able to actively work for several hours without a break. Simpler devices require a fifteen-minute break after working for a comparable length of time.
The issue of choosing a tool is difficult to overestimate, but you need to learn how to manage it. It is necessary not only to read the user manual, but also watch a video tutorial on how to work with a wood router.
Basics of working on an electric mill
Before starting practical use, like any equipment, the electric cutter needs to be set up. First unscrew the safety nut and remove the clamping collet. Be sure to check that all threaded connections are tightened to the end and that all threaded connections are reliable. Then remove the dense protective grease.
The cutter is inserted into the collet chuck. If necessary, the cartridge is changed to a suitable diameter. The shank is tightened with a special key so that the cutter does not hang out. Then there is the clamping of the spindle.
The position of the cutter is fixed and the required depth of milling is set with the help of the limiter regulator. The correct speed of the device is determined based on the data of the table of correspondences between the parameters of the material and the size of the cutter. Turn on the device with the "Start" button and make a control cut.
Before real work, you need to check what stroke of the router, the value of the spindle speed and select the depth of penetration of the drill. This is done in draft form. If the product undergoes circular processing, then tool should move counterclockwise and away from you when moving on a flat base.
Beginners in carpentry work often make a common mistake: they change the speed of movement of the device with a figured processing contour. In this case, the machine overheats and burns appear on the workpiece.
Before working with a wood router, it is advisable to read application lessons in good sources.
Grooving
If the groove starts from the very edge, then the cutter should hang over the edge of the part. Then the required depth is set and the tool is started. When the edge is completely processed, the latch is loosened. The cutter is raised and the tool is switched off.
A blind groove is made in the same way, except that the cutting does not start from the edge of the part.
When the groove is very deep, it is cut in several passes. With each new pass, a new depth of no more than five millimeters is established. The depth of the last layer should be no more than one and a half millimeters.
End surface treatment
Creating a clean edge is one of the most common types of work with a hand router.
First, a shallow cut is made. The electric cutter moves in the direction of rotation, then in the opposite direction. After this action, the correct outlines appear at the end.
Working with Curly Templates
Templates allow you to make copies of parts and are used to create curly edges.
With the help of fasteners, the stop ring of the template is attached to the sole. The thrust ring is a plate that moves along the template and forms the necessary trajectory of the cutter.
decorative trim
Decorative patterns are often made to decorate wooden products. The manual machine perfectly copes with the task of artistic milling. You just need to learn how to properly process a pliable tree - and you can mill.
When working on a pattern, in addition to the router itself, you will need a vice, a chisel and a jigsaw. A wooden blank with a pattern on the surface is firmly fixed, and a special cutting nozzle walks along the contour, removing layer after layer of the blank. Gradually, the pattern becomes voluminous.
If you use a cutter of different diameters, you get an individual ornament.
Details of universal hand routers are described in the work of Jackson Day "Working with routers".
Work with a manual router
By purchasing a manual router, most likely, you certainly will not become YouTube stars, like some professionals who draw on wood with them (with a manual router), like artists with pencils or markers on paper and show their master classes on video there, although who is stopping you from doing this do or at least try to give them a little "rest" or "nervous smoke".
In any case, you can make a lot of useful and beautiful things at home or in the country, for example, instill a new breath in old bedside tables, shelves, tables, railings, make beautiful wooden window sills, hangers, decorate the house and yard with all kinds of wooden elements, themes more recently, we are often convinced that new store furniture is initially inferior in quality to the old one, and after restoration (of old furniture) it is often even more beautiful!
Besides, manual frezer makes it possible to perform such operations as: selection of grooves and slots, create various kinds of figured cutouts. A manual router is indispensable when installing interior doors. Very handy for cutting locks and awnings. With its help, you can put the lock in the door so that there is not even the smallest gap between the wood and the lock bar. So in the house it will not interfere, even if you do not use it so often!
What can be done with a manual router
Router selection
–
What should you pay attention to.
To begin with, we determine the type of work performed. If you will use manual frezer only for inserting locks and sheds, then a lightweight DIY is suitable–
model, but if we are talking about the production of cabinet furniture, then you better stop at a heavier model of a router.
Power manual router on wood must comply with the conditions of work in which the milling cutter will be used. It makes no sense to purchase a lightweight, low-power apparatus if you will use it on weight (there will be no rigid support under the workpiece).
The ability to switch the speed of rotation of the cutter, of course, expands the possibilities manual router,
but again, with a narrowly focused activity, such a function will be superfluous.
When choosing a router, pay attention to the start button (switch). It's better to buy one manual frezer, the shutdown button of which is equipped with a fixation and blocking of accidental activation. This is safety and ease of use.
Now about clamping the tool. The best tool holder is a cone collet. A cheaper option for holding the tool is collets made from cone-shaped pieces of steel, they are too small and are not able to fully secure the cutter. But the worst thing about them is that they quickly fail.
Suction of dust from the working surface is produced in several versions. Either it is built into the machine itself, or installed on the sole manual router as an additional feature. The latter is not very convenient, the visibility of the product is reduced.
Manual frezer should have a sole that gives good visibility of the workpiece, a simple and reliable height adjustment system (this system should provide not only easy adjustment of the depth of cut, but also the accuracy of adjustment of the depth of cut).
Working with a milling cutter and its device
The milling cutter consists of two main units (base and electric motor), fastened together by an adjustable lifting mechanism (regulates the depth of cut). An adjusting pin and a washer are located next to the engine, the distance between them sets the depth of cut.
The straight rail allows you to move manual frezer at the same distance from the edge of the part. Some manual routers are equipped with a circular guide, it allows you to mill circles with a large radius (from 15 cm).
If it is required to mill the circle smaller, then for this purpose there are holes on the base of the manual router, into which a centering pin is placed at the required distance from the cutter.
To select a groove, a corner stop is used. It attaches to the base of the router at a 90° angle.
Work with a milling cutter should be carried out under the condition of a well-fixed workpiece. Reliable support-
this is a guarantee that the edge of the groove will turn out to be even.
In one pass, you need to remove no more than 5-6mm. Deep grooves and grooves must be selected in several passes. So that the edges of the groove are not torn, manual frezer you need to move slowly and smoothly.
Getting started with the router and setting it up
Like all woodworking tools, manual frezer must be carefully tuned, checked and adjusted to ensure its quality work in the future. Without some simple adjustments, you will not be able to achieve a clean and precise work surface. Undoubtedly, over time, the additional costs of acquiring a better milling cutter that provides increased accuracy in work will pay off. Cheap hand routers are not always assembled with sufficient care and often they are not very reliable. Therefore, all attempts to fine-tune such a router will often end in nothing.Checking a new router
First unscrew the collet and lock nut. After that turn on router and check for engine vibrations. Insert the cutter and make a test cut on a test piece of wood.
Clamping screws and accessories
Check whether all clamping screws and other threaded elements can be tightened and loosened without problems and that there are no chips on the thread. Check that all parts and accessories fit together well and that the controls are easy to handle milling cutter.
Cleaning and lubrication
If necessary, wipe off protective grease from the collet, spindle and guide posts. Lubricate the metal surfaces of the router with a light machine oil to prevent rust and keep the moving parts moving smoothly.
Router guidance
Inexperienced users often keep manual frezer not tight enough and pressed too hard against the workpiece. This makes it difficult to guide the router along the side rail and it easily gets knocked off. Hold manual frezer tightly, but without tension, by both handles and evenly, without stopping, guide it along the workpiece. Do not slow down at workpiece corners or other changes in direction, otherwise the cutter may overheat and leave pierces on the surface of the workpiece.
Side guide
Some plunge routers and most fixed routers have handles set low enough to make it easier to guide the router. However, when free-roaming, it is better to hold the router by the base itself or, for safety reasons, by the side handles of the optional board attached to the base. In this case, the milling cutter receives additional stability and it is much more difficult to overturn it.
Cutter overhang setting
All milling cutters have cutter overhang adjustment and its control mechanism. Often this is a simple metal rod with a flag-pointer and a clamping screw for fixing in a certain position; on more complex models, a precision stop with a magnifying glass for reading the scale readings and a micrometer screw is installed instead. Using the stop, you can pre-set the overhang of the cutter and mill grooves and recesses of the same depth.
Stop with rod and depth scale
The simplest version of the stop for setting the overhang of the cutter is a rod that is adjusted using a scale printed on the engine housing. The required depth of immersion of the cutter into the material is set by the distance between the end of this rod and the stop platform (in more complex models - the turret) on the basis of the hand mill.
Stop setting
Before you start setting the fence, unplug the router from the socket!. Insert the desired cutter into the collet and tighten the nut. Place the router on a flat surface and, pressing from above, lower the top of the router until the router bit touches the surface. Lock the top in this position with the lock. Loosen the clamping screw, lower the rod until it touches the stop pad. Based on the position of the flag, raise the rod to a distance corresponding to the required depth of immersion of the cutter and fix it in this position by tightening the locking screw again. Release the latch and slowly return the router basket to its original position (motor raised to its highest position).
Adjusting the overhang of the cutter on an inverted router
Can also be flipped manual frezer and, making constant measurements, using the immersion mechanism, change the overhang of the cutter until the required value is reached. At this point, you should fix the immersion mechanism and move the rod up until it comes into contact with the thrust pad.
Fine adjustment of cutter overhang
Some handheld routers have a device for fine-tuning the overhang of the cutter. It is either placed on the shaft of the cutter overhang setting device or replaces the device itself. When using this fine-tuning device, the cutter does not lower, the depth of cut can be fine-tuned with the adjusting screw. Such fine-tuning devices are especially useful for table-mounted routers that do not lower the basket.
For fine tuning, lay the router on its side (unless it is secured to a table or stand) and release the depth lock. Screw in or out the fine adjustment screw until the cutter is in the desired position relative to the sole. Fix the current position of the basket with a latch so that the resulting setting does not go astray during operation.
Milling to a certain depth
If you are milling a groove, starting from the very edge of the part, that is, making an open groove, place the router in front of you with the sole on the part so that most of it - including the cutter - hangs over the edge of the part. Lower the cutter to the set depth and lock the basket in that position. Then turn on the router and start feeding.
Once the slot is fully milled, loosen the lock and raise the bit before turning off the router and removing it from the part. When making blind grooves, turn on manual frezer and plunge the cutter into the part to the set depth. After fixing the basket in this position, start moving the router along the part.
Deep slot milling
In order to make a deep groove in several passes, after each pass, adjust the new insertion depth of the cutter. In this case, every time before making a new setting, turn off the router. With each new pass, make sure that it goes exactly on the rip fence or on the guide. Make successive passes until you get the desired groove depth. To obtain a clean surface, remove a layer of material no more than 1.5 mm thick during the last pass.
Optimum milling depth
During the milling process, the friction of the cutter against the wood causes the cutting edges to heat up. Excessively high temperatures adversely affect the hardness of the steel and dull the cutter. All this can easily lead to burns on the surface of the tree. This can be avoided by making deep grooves in several passes.
Constantly check that the overhang of the cutter is set correctly. For this purpose, make a trial cut on unnecessary wood trimming.
With hand-held routers of small and medium power with a shank diameter of 6 mm, no more than 3 mm should be removed in one pass. A little more - 4-6 mm - can be removed with a 900-watt router using cutters with an 8 mm shank. With heavy milling cutters, using cutters with 12 mm shanks, 6-8 mm can be removed in one pass without much difficulty.
These data refer to straight cutters with carbide tips. When using HSS cutters, it is necessary to slightly reduce the thickness of material removal in one pass. The same applies to the processing of hard materials.
Turret setting
To avoid having to readjust the cutter reach too often when making multiple passes, many routers are equipped with a turret that can be used to set three or more cut depths. To adjust the individual turret stop, loosen the lock nut and use a screwdriver to tighten (unscrew) the screw to the desired height. Using a steel ruler, measure the height of the individual stop screws and if everything is in order, tighten the locknuts.
Cutter guidance
As a rule, the milling cutter is guided along the part in the direction of the cutting edges of the cutter. In this case, the milling cutter not only removes material more efficiently, in addition, the rotational movement of the cutter attracts the milling cutter to the workpiece edge. If you move the router in the opposite direction, it may spontaneously move away from the guide.
1 Edge milling
When milling edges, rebates or profiles, as a rule, the router should be guided in the direction of the cutting edges of the cutter.
2 Milling with rip fence
If you are working with a parallel stop, then manual frezer it is also necessary to lead in the direction of the cutting edges of the cutter, so that the forces arising during milling press the tool against the edge. This is especially important when processing visible surfaces.
3 Milling using the guide bar
If you are routing a part along the guide bar, you generally need to guide the router in the direction of the cutter's cutting edges so that the base plate is pressed against the guide bar.
free milling
When free milling, guide the tool while taking it into account to the left of the direction of travel. This will compensate for the different resistance to movement of the milling cutter in the soft and hard zones of the part. If possible, keep the router moving in one direction. If you drive the router from left to right, the router will skew away from you - this is the safest direction to move the router.
4 Milling with internal template
Guide the router along the inner edge of the template in a clockwise direction.
5 Milling using an external template
Guide the router along the outer edge of the template in a counterclockwise direction.
6 Milling with a compass
In this case, the router must be guided in a counterclockwise direction so that the router aims at the center of the circle, and does not deviate from it.
Milling along the cutter
There are no rules without exceptions! If the part is fixed vertically, then when the router is driven in the usual direction - that is, against the direction of rotation of the cutter - the fibers on the underside of the groove being made are damaged. In the case of sharp cutters, this is almost imperceptible, however, in the case of cross milling of the face, this problem is more than noticeable. When processing workpieces covered with veneer or other material, a rough or split surface may remain behind the cutter.
Milling the end surface of the part
When milling the end face of a part, a really clean edge can be achieved if you first make a very shallow first cut while guiding the router in the direction of the cutter's rotation. This will allow you to evenly remove the main part of the wood fibers before you begin to remove the remaining layer, driving the router as usual - against the direction of rotation of the cutter.
Milling heavy wood
When processing wood prone to cracking, you can correct the situation by milling along the cutter. However, you should first try to remove the material in thin layers in several passes, feeding the router as usual - along the cutter.
Hold the cutter on the leading edge
When milling along the cutter, it is important to maintain absolute control of the feed rate so that there is no possibility of the fence or guide deviating from the leading edge. When using templates, always make sure that in case of errors in the guidance of the router, there is a retreat into the removed wood.
Edge trimming with a router
Milling in the direction of the cutter also prevents the glued edge from chipping off when cutting off protruding parts with the end of the cutter. For such machining, a cutter with end cutting edges and a guide plate should be used to ensure reliable guidance of the cutter over the machined edge.
Feed rate
Although the speed of the cutter is fine-tuned, the speed at which the cutter moves through the material being cut is entirely up to you. Although the feed rate depends on the hardness or density of the material to be milled and on the type of cutter, determining it correctly is a matter of experience.
The following is important - the milling cutter should not move so slowly that it leads to overheating of the cutter from friction, but also not so fast that the sawdust does not have time to be removed.
Sawdust removal
Machining with dovetail, T-slot or ball groove cutters can only be done in one pass. Working with such cutters requires special care, since removing sawdust from the resulting narrow grooves can be problematic. If the slot width allows, a narrow slot should be pre-milled so that as little sawdust as possible needs to be removed during the final pass.
Milling of plastics and aluminum
When milling plastics manual router it is necessary to choose low revolutions of the cutter, as far as possible avoiding the melting of the material. Otherwise, sticking of the material or clogging of the groove may occur immediately behind the cutter. The same problem exists when processing aluminum - the resulting sawdust can clog the groove.