How to make a manual milling cutter from a drill. Do-it-yourself drill router: manufacturing workflow

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 counterpart. 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.

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.

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 for the possibility of their regulation in order 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 tabletop.

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 apparatus.
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 various things at home have appreciated the appearance on the market of such a tool as a hand mill as an alternative to a milling machine, despite all the possibilities that the latter gives.

Keeping a large-sized 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 extensive range by almost all companies producing power tools.

Worth considering: a finished milling machine costs quite a lot of money, so sometimes you want to buy such a device, but there is no such possibility.

However, this is not a problem that can really stop true masters of their craft, since a router can be easily made by hand.

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 available to many people who will be ready to spend several hours studying materials, drawings and the very process of creating an instrument.

Device and tasks

Simplified, the device of the milling device can be described as follows: the engine of the device transmits rotation to the spindle, on which the cutter is put on (special nozzle).

When arranging a hand tool, the cutter is inserted into a specialized chuck, collet or cam.

Do you know that: the main task of the tool is the processing of metal, wood, glass, ceramics, plexiglass or plastics.

A well-known example is the preparation of holes for door locks in a wooden sheet. It can also be threading or edging parts, milling grooves and cavities.

Rotation is provided by an AC motor. Nozzles can be used in a variety of ways, depending on the material to be milled.

The simplest material for milling is wood, therefore, as a rule, milling cutters for processing it will be the most common and cheapest.

For metals of varying degrees of hardness and viscosity, nozzles should 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 fixture will be the engine. The simplest solution would be to select an electric motor that runs on a conventional 220 volt network.

This can serve as an engine from household appliances available at home. For example, an electric motor suitable for power and speed from a drill, hammer drill or grinder

Note: engines from small devices like a drill, for example, will not work for the task.

First you need to decide on the 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: fastening is unlikely to be done independently due to the complexity of the design, so it makes sense to turn to the masters who are able to implement such a task.

Advantages and disadvantages

There are quite obvious advantages in making a homemade router compared to buying a similar tool in a store:

costs are significantly lower than when buying a finished tool;
ease of assembly of the entire structure;
the possibility of turning a manual mill 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 a preference for a home-made device remains with the master himself.

Watch the video in which an experienced craftsman tells how to make a milling machine from a drill:

When repairing and arranging an apartment, sometimes it is necessary to cut a groove or beautifully grind the end of the board. For this, it is not necessary to buy an expensive power tool. You can make a router from a drill with your own hands. The principle of torque transmission to the spindle is identical for the units. It is enough to make a milling table for the drill, and you can use it as a milling cutter. Options for fixing the tool body can be different. The main thing is that there are no distortions and backlashes.

Attention! An impact drill cannot be used as a milling cutter.

Materials and tools

Usually in any garage or home workshop it is easy to find the necessary tools. A screwdriver can be replaced with a Phillips screwdriver, a jigsaw with a hacksaw.

The design of the milling cutter from a drill

Given the power and number of revolutions, you can only make a light milling cutter from a drill. For high-quality processing of the board, the working tool must be fixed on the table, and the workpiece must be moved. The top-mounted tool design allows complex configurations to be made. Each craftsman comes up with his own design. They differ in the mounting and location of the electric drill.

Table with router

Facing and grooving for the tenon-groove connection is conveniently done using a milling table with a protruding tool. It has a simple design, drawings are easy to develop independently. A small workbench will do.

The lid flips over. A hole is cut into it. Its size is approximately 5 mm larger than the maximum diameter of the cutter to be used. A bar is mounted perpendicular to the table. It is installed parallel to the side at such a distance that the spindle axis of the attached electric drill coincides with the center of the hole.

The body of the power tool is attached to the bar with clamps and stops. In the normal state of the table, the chuck should be located under the cover, and the cutter inserted into it should protrude. During processing, the wooden part moves along the table, resting against the template, milling takes place.

The tool can be fixed in another way. The main thing is that the center of the hole coincides with the axis of the cutter. Switch and cartridge were available. All elements of the machine must be fixed rigidly, without distortions.

simple machine

The design of the machine for creating a router from a drill with your own hands consists of 3 main parts cut out of plywood:

sole;
rack;
scarf.

They must be strictly perpendicular. A hole is made in the sole for the exit of the tool. The stand is equal in width to the size of the body of the electric drill and 20 mm longer. A drill is attached to it using a clamp located above the cartridge. It is additionally fixed with a stop pressing the back side of the body on the back side of the spindle, or with a second clamp below the handle. The gusset provides structural rigidity. One side is adjacent to the sole, the second to the counter.

When cutting the sole - the base of the structure, it is necessary to draw a square on plywood, with sides equal to the width of the body of the electric drill. On the two adjacent sides, add strips equal to the thickness of the plywood to it. Mark the center of the tool and make a hole with a core or pen drill.

Cut out the sole along the outline. The corner opposite to the connection of the rack and the scarf must be rounded. On the reverse side, drill holes of 4 mm and make recesses - hidden under the heads of self-tapping screws, with an 8 mm drill. Otherwise, the screw heads will protrude and scratch the table, break the fit of the sole. A distortion is formed.

From below, thin rubber or a piece of linoleum can be glued onto the sole. This will ensure smooth sliding when the router is working.

Using a square, install the rack in place and screw it on with screws. The kerchief is attached with one side to the base, the second to the stand, providing structural rigidity. The position of the electric drill is noted when the tool falls below the sole. The clamp and stop are screwed on. For convenience, the sole can be made of plexiglass.

Machine with vertical movement of the cutter

The disadvantage of a simple machine is the inability to make blind keyways and selections. The tool can enter the board only from the side of the butt. A small addition will allow the drill to completely replace a lightweight router.

The sole is made longer. A massive board with a vertically fixed U-shaped profile is screwed to it - 2 pieces. These are guides. A drill is installed on the bar on one side, and 2 rails are screwed on the other, which are inserted into metal profiles. From below, a screw is installed in the sole, which serves as a stop when moving the body of the electric drill down.

Having the experience of a locksmith and the necessary set of parts, you can install a home-made router on the side cylindrical racks. From below, springs are put on them, lifting the drill up.

Fastening is carried out with metal corners, brackets and self-tapping screws. Depth of milling is regulated by screws stops.

Assembly algorithm

Before you make a router from a drill, you should prepare all the necessary materials and a drawing, indicating the dimensions and how the drill will be attached, replacing the manual router.

Mark the center of the spindle axis on the table or sole.
Cut a hole for the tool exit.
Put the electric drill on the stand and mark the position of the clamp and stop, fix them.
Screw the stand and kerchief strictly at a right angle.
Fix the tool body on the base.

A do-it-yourself machine must be durable, without backlash and distortion. Then it will be possible to work on it, like a milling cutter.

Advantages and disadvantages of the router

The main advantage of the machine for milling with an electric drill is that it is not necessary to buy an expensive milling cutter to perform single operations. On a homemade fixture, it is easy to make several grooves, process the edge of the shelf.

In an electric drill, the drill is inserted into the chuck. When working on a homemade milling cutter, you need to use a cutter for a drill. The stores have a large selection:

cylindrical;
terminal;
end;
corner;
curly;
disk.

All of them have a shank and are easily mounted in the chuck. Tool change is fast. The disadvantage of the chuck is that it can loosen during operation, especially if the tool vibrates. It is necessary to constantly check and tighten the fastening.

Before you make a milling cutter from a drill, you should decide on the amount of work. A homemade milling cutter is suitable for performing home repair work with an electric drill, individual operations for processing wooden parts. It is impossible to mill with a drill for a long time and with heavy loads.

The main disadvantage of a milling machine from a drill is a low number of revolutions. When drilling, cutting occurs over a small area. Cleanliness is not needed, the wood is processed into shavings. On a drilling tool, the maximum rotation reaches 3000 rpm. While the lightest router has a minimum value of 4000 rpm. Every specialist knows that the cleanliness of processing depends on the speed of rotation of the tool. The faster the cutter rotates, the more beautiful the edge and end face of the key. After processing on a homemade machine, the treated areas will have to be sanded for a long time.

The engine on a drilling tool is much weaker than a milling tool. It is designed for short duration. He will not be able to work at maximum power for a long time. During milling with a drill, it must be constantly turned off, let it cool.

A homemade machine is suitable for one-time work. For permanent it is better to purchase a milling cutter.