Do-it-yourself milling of wood and timber. Working with a hand router on wood Which cutter to cut plywood on a hand router

Laminated wood materials are a unique and indispensable invention for construction, decoration and in the manufacture of advertising products. Due to the versatility of their structure, they can be used for atypical interior fragments, since milling plywood and other glued products allows them to be given the most intricate shapes. We will now talk about some ways to perform such work and watch the video in this article regarding this topic.

Working with material

In order for plywood cutting with a router to be complete, that is, for the workpiece to be formed exclusively in accordance with your plan, and not at the behest of a random shift, you will need certain devices. This will allow you to position the tool relative to the workpiece in a strictly defined position.

Some of these devices you receive along with the purchase of the router itself, some can be found separately on the open market, and some you will have to make yourself.

Rip fence

1. Screw for rod stopper;
2. Hand router base;
3. Overlays;
4. Emphasis;
5. Barbell;
6. The carriage is movable;
7. Screw for the movable carriage stopper;
8. Screw for stop stop;
9. Screw for fine adjustment.

• In order to ensure straight-line movement of the cutter relative to the base surface of the material (plywood, chipboard, OSB, MDF), a parallel stop is most often used, which you see in the photo above. This configuration comes with, perhaps, every instrument of this type sold in retail. The instructions recommend using this stop for processing edges and milling grooves of the workpiece on which the device is attached.
• To install the device in its original position for work, push the rod into the hole in the frame in such a way as to ensure the required distance between the cutter, or rather, its axis and the stop on the surface of the workpiece, and then tighten them with a locking screw. To direct the cutter in the required direction or select the desired position, we lower the locking screw, and use the fine adjustment screw to set the mechanism to the position we require. There are models of parallel stop where the support pads are movable, which allows you to change the size of the supporting surface.

• In order for you to be able to process rounded workpieces, you need to add a simple part to the stop, as shown in the top photo. In this situation, it is important that the additional part should not at all repeat the shape of the surface being processed - it is enough to simply cut out a corner recess and such a block will fit freely to a circle of almost any diameter. You can object, arguing that the standard rip fence also has a notch in the center and can also be used to cut roundness, but the point is that the standard configuration does not create proper stability.

• The guide rail has a very similar function to the parallel stop; just like the stop when milling plywood, it ensures strictly linear movement. Their main difference is the ability for the tire to become at a different angle to the edge of the table and the part, which allows the router to move in any direction of a given horizontal plane. In addition, this device is sometimes provided with additional elements that simplify some operations, for example, in cases where it is necessary to mill holes with the same pitch.
• The guide rail is fastened to a part or table using a special clamp or clamp; such an auxiliary element is sometimes equipped with a shoe that connects two rods to the base of the router. Sliding along the tire profile helps the shoe move in a straight line. Some tools are equipped with extendable support legs to change the height of the router when it is in a different plane with the surface of the bar (this happens when they are too close to each other).

Advice. You can make your own milling table from plywood with such a device. To do this, you just need to attach a long block to the workpiece using clamps.

Circles

• Using a compass, you can mill plywood in a circle, and for this there is a fairly primitive device - this is a rod, one end of which is connected to the base of the machine, and the second is equipped with a screw with a pin, which is inserted into a hole made in advance in the center of the circle being processed (see also article). To change the radius, you simply move the base of the machine along the bar.

Advice. Pay attention to the device in the top photo, this is a homemade compass that you can easily make yourself, and its price will consist of only a pin for fastening in the center of the circle and a small strip for the rod. Exactly the same bar can be constructed from a metal plate.

Conclusion

When processing laminated wood materials with a milling cutter, the quality of the processed surface improves by an order of magnitude. Unlike a jigsaw, such a machine does not “tear” wood, because even a new (sharp) jigsaw file will leave burrs on the cut (read also the article). Also, a manual milling machine can completely replace a manual circular saw, increasing the quality of processing.

Similar materials

Milling plywood is the optimal method for curved cutting. This procedure is carried out using a woodworking milling machine to simplify and speed up the work process. This method helps to create custom products.

It is possible to cut with a hand tool for this operation, but it takes a lot of time and causes difficulties during the work.

Milling is carried out in the following cases:

• Construction and renovation work;
• Furniture manufacture;
• Interior and exterior design;
• Production of packaging, advertising structures, POS materials.

Device

To fully cut plywood using a router, you should acquire a special device. Thanks to him, the blanks are formed clearly according to the intended idea without distortion. This allows the tool to be positioned precisely to match the workpiece. Attention! Some such devices can be obtained by purchasing a router directly. There is also the option of purchasing this equipment for sale separately; a method of manufacturing it yourself is possible.

Milling plywood with a hand router is carried out using a parallel stop. To do this you must have:

• Screw for rod stopper;
• Hand tool base;
• Overlays;
• Upora;
• Barbells;
• The carriage is movable;
• Screw for stopping movable carriages;
• Screw for stop stop;
• Screw for fine adjustments.

Features of using the tool:

• To ensure straight-line movement of the cutter in relation to the base surface of the plywood, a rip fence should be used. This configuration can be seen with almost every tool on sale at the best price. According to the instructions, it is recommended to use such a stop when processing edges and milling grooves on workpieces on which fixtures are attached.
• To install the device in the desired position to begin the work process, it is recommended to push the rod into the holes of the frame so that the required distance is formed between the cutter, i.e. between its axis and the stop point on the top of the workpiece. It is then clamped using a locking screw.

Attention! There are stop models in which the pads are movable and can allow you to change the size of the surface.

• To make it possible to process round workpieces, a special element is added to the stop part. It does not need to follow the shape of the surface being treated. It is enough to cut a recess in an angular shape, and it will fit to any diameter.
• During the milling process, it is worth paying attention to the fact that glue when joining veneer sheets can quickly damage the cutting tool and also dull it. To avoid such a situation, high hardness requirements are imposed on the instruments for this process.

Using plywood can save money and make furniture easier to make, but there are issues that need to be addressed with greater care. For example, the difficulty of sawing sheets into blanks without chipping, masking visible ends, etc. However, these problems can be solved, which will be discussed in the article.

Sawing to size

It's best to start with the largest pieces and consider the grain direction of the outer layer. Drawing up a cutting diagram ( photo A) will not take much time (especially for large products), but it will help you get rid of the purchase of additional material. In addition, by looking at the diagram, you can understand which cuts should be made first.

When drawing the cutting diagram, put down the dimensions and make sure that the parts fit on the sheet. Also allow sufficient finishing allowance.

To prevent chipping on both faces of the plywood, score the bottom face with a disc raised approximately 1.5 mm. Then raise it to its full height and make a gash.

You can make any cuts on a table saw as long as the plywood is face up. In this case, the lower side tends to chip. If both sides must be free of chips, then first make a scoring pass ( photo B And rice. 1a).

Although the factory edge of a sheet of plywood is fairly straight, it needs to be filed using a straight edge to remove any possible defects. Therefore, when you first cut, give a small allowance, and then come back and saw off the factory rib ( rice. 1).

When working with a manual circular saw, the plywood should be laid face down. Place a full sheet of plywood on a sheet of foam (Fig. 2) - due to it, it is more convenient to handle plywood, the sawn piece does not fall and at the end of the cut does not tear out the face veneer.

There are times when it is necessary to use a stationary circular. To avoid chipping at the end of the cut, use the two-pass method. After feeding the part into the machine by 50-75 mm, expand the panel ( rice. 3) and make a full pass.

Grooves

Depending on the size of the part, grooves are selected using a tabletop circular saw or a router with a guide ruler

Aligned slots. Clamp the two panels to the workbench. The faces on which the grooves are to be selected face each other. Use a router to select both grooves in one pass.

In this template, a series of grooves of increasing width are selected and each one is marked with which disk it was cut with. Now it is easy to set the groove disc according to the thickness of the plywood.

Gauge for selecting a disk for grooves for a table circular saw ( photo B) consists of two glued blocks of 20 mm plywood with a number of cut grooves of different widths.

Guides with double rulers. The groove on the plywood is selected using two guide rulers ( rice. 4). The exact distance between the guides is determined by cutting plywood ( rice. 4a), To rout a groove, move the router along one fence guide and then back along the other fence.

Masking the ends

Typically, hardwood strips 6-20 mm wide are used for edging the ends. Make edging strips slightly thicker than plywood ( photo G), and after gluing, trim them flush.

To help hold the trim on the edge of the plywood, you can cut a mortise and tenon (top photo) or use a fiberboard dowel (bottom photo).

The more clamps are used to press the edging, the less chance there is for cracks to form. Ideally, clamps are installed in increments of 100-150 mm, but on large products, for example, cabinets, this is not always possible. In this case, use a wide clamping block ( rice. 5). The wider the block, the further the clamps can be spaced. In addition, the pressure block protects the front side of the edging.

When there are not enough clamps even when using wide blocks, there are several options for screeding. One of them is to modify the clamping block by making one edge slightly convex ( rice. 6) - the force is first applied in the middle between the clamps, and then distributed to the sides. Another way is to insert oppositely directed wedges between the pressure block and the edging ( rice. 7).

If there is a local gap, additional force can be applied using a C-clamp and wedge.

If the edging does not want to be pressed in a certain place, use a C-shaped clamp with spacers (so as not to damage the edging) and a wedge ( photo D).

Sometimes the problem is not the number of clamps, but that they are too short. In this case, press the support bar across the panel and attach the main clamps to it ( rice. 8).

Most tube and rack clamps apply force too high, causing the frame to twist out ( rice. 9a). Use a pressure block with rounded edges ( rice. 9) - this will redistribute the force so that it is applied in the middle of the edging.

Sometimes you have to attach the trim after assembling the case. It must exactly match the thickness of the plywood and be level. In this case, use guide blocks and packing tape to align and secure the edging ( rice. 10).

When planing or sanding flush edging, apply tape to the plywood to avoid damaging the veneer.

Trimming the edging. Trimming is performed with a stripping block ( photo E) or with a hand plane ( photo F). To avoid damaging the veneer, use a strip of adhesive tape.

Sometimes the edging is trimmed using a router with a flush cutter. The cutter bearing tracks the face of the plywood. A stable position of the router base on the edge of the plywood is necessary. To do this, press a 50x100 mm board flush with the top edge of the edging strip ( rice. eleven). On the board you need to select a fold ( rice. 11 a).
When processing identical panels, for example the side walls of a cabinet, press them together using a 50x100mm spacer ( rice. 12) to provide good support for the router. Move the router counterclockwise, and if there are grooves in the panel, temporarily seal them with inserts ( rice. 12a).

Device ( see fig. and photo) is a wide base to which a ruler is attached with glue and screws. To cut the base to size, a hand-held circular saw is run along one edge of the ruler, and a router along the other. (Note: A ø10mm straight bit was used for this guide.)

When the base is trimmed, a auxiliary ruler is obtained that will show exactly where the cut should be made. Simply press the ruler into place and align its edge with the marking line,

If you need to mill a groove wider than the diameter of the cutter used to cut plywood, you cannot simply replace the cutter - you will have to change the position of the auxiliary ruler. Instead, make a second identical guide straight edge and rout the groove in two passes ( rice. 4).

Assembling parts made from plywood is not much different from assemblies made from solid wood - you need to tighten the parts tightly across their entire width. But when you sandwich a row of shelves between two side walls, you can't pull most of the panels together in the middle.

To hold a large assembly of plywood in place when installing clamps, use a square block with grooves cut in the middle.

To tighten the assembly tightly, use 50x100 mm boards with a convex edge ( rice. 13) - the bend directs the clamping force first to the middle of the panel, and then, when tightening the clamps, distributes it to the sides.

Another problem arises when inserting slightly curved panels. The solution is to press the thick stiffener and straighten the curved panel during assembly ( rice. 13a). When the glue hardens, the panel will remain straight even after removing the stiffener.

Milling plywood is a processing method that allows you to obtain parts of the exact size with smooth edges. Smooth lines and compliance with all the details of the project are the distinctive features of this type of cutting. Modern woodworking devices with numerical control are becoming more sophisticated every day, but their cost for the average person does not allow them to do the work at home. There are models of portable milling machines that do not take up much space in the workshop, are easy to operate and make it possible to create unsurpassed plywood products with your own hands.

Working with a hand router

There are some special features when working with a hand router. Modern industry provides the home craftsman with a wide selection of hand tools that allow him to mill wooden parts with his own hands. The undisputed industry leaders are Makita, Bosh, and domestic manufacturers - Energomash, Rostec, Fiolent, etc. The choice of tool depends not only on the size of your budget, but also on the requirements for the device.

There are two main types of milling machines:

• vertical submersible;
• edge;
• combined.

The first type has great functionality and prevails among all device models. It is equipped with a collet clamp for cutters of different diameters and has a wide range of settings, including for repetitive operations.

The edge router is characterized by smaller dimensions and power. The main purpose of the device is to give the side planes of plywood sheets a neat appearance, and to cut the edges of solid wood and MDF.

Combined routers consist of a vertical base, after dismantling the device from which a compact edging tool is obtained.

A router not only makes it easier to work with wood, but also allows you to do things that are almost impossible when using other tools, for example, make a tenon to connect two wooden parts, quickly drill a hole for a lock, cut a part of a complex configuration from a sheet of plywood, or decorate its surface beautifully pattern. The main features of such automatic tools are as follows:

• profiling of cornices, platbands, skirting boards, glazing beads;
• cutting wood along a complex, curved contour;
• creating grooves, shaped recesses;
• surface decoration;
• drilling holes.

The ability to set precise settings for the cutting depth allows you to practically automate the process; you only need to manually set the router’s trajectory.

The power of a portable milling machine can range from 600 to 2300 W; the most powerful models process not only hard wood, but also some types of plastic.

The router can work with both hard and soft wood.

Particular attention should be paid to the choice of cutters, since not all of them can cope equally well with different materials.

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How to choose the right cutter

Depending on the type of work to be done and the type of material, it is important to choose a cutter that would cope with the processing in the best possible way. The cutters differ from each other not only in design, but also in the diameter of the shank, material, size, and shape of the cutters. Their main types are as follows:

• cone-shaped cutters - designed for processing sheets of material at an angle;
• profile cutters - for creating longitudinal grooves and other linear elements;
• V-shaped - for applying inscriptions and creating holes whose walls are inclined at an angle;
• edging - indispensable when processing the edges of wood sheets;
• disc cutters - help in creating grooves in horizontal planes;
• cutter of the “swallow’s nest” type - for cutting out connecting tenons;
• fillet cutters - for profiling skirting boards, cornices, glazing beads.

In addition to classification according to the shape of the cutters, cutters are divided into bearing and bearingless. The first type is intended for stationary milling installations, so when purchasing consumables it is important not to make a mistake.

Special requirements are put forward for the storage of cutters. Due to the fact that modern cutting devices are made of very hard but rather fragile materials, the cutter should be stored separately from other tools. The ideal option is a special wooden box, in which sets of cutters are often sold. When purchasing such a set, you can pay attention to how tightly each attachment sits in its socket: sometimes you have to remove them using pliers. This is done so that during transportation the cutters are not damaged by hitting each other.

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Sequence of work with a milling cutter

The first step to get started is to install the cutter in the chuck. After installation, the cartridge is tightened until a characteristic click is heard, after which the nut is tightened with a wrench.

Subsequent actions are aimed at adjusting the depth of penetration of the cutter into the material being processed. This parameter is adjusted using the depth limiter knob. After selecting the parameter that suits your needs, you should test the router on an unnecessary piece of material, and if necessary, adjust the settings.

The key parameters for working with a milling cutter are the rotation speed and direction of movement of the tool. The first indicator is selected depending on several factors. For example, a large-diameter cutter should be operated at low speeds, while a tool covering a small area of ​​​​material can rotate at speeds of up to 20,000 rpm. The optimal rotation speed of the router is indicated by the manufacturer in the product instructions; it is not recommended to deviate from these parameters during operation.

The direction of movement of the tool during operation should be opposite to the movement of the cutter. Otherwise, the cutters will often slip, and the tool may unexpectedly be pulled out of your hands.

All work is carried out without haste, your position should be stable and allow you to maintain balance, while holding the tool securely and correctly with both hands.

For ease of work, it is recommended to equip a table or workbench with the most commonly used templates, rulers and accessories. Although devices such as a rip fence, a guide rail and a recess for processing round surfaces are present in the basic configuration of most routers, over time their functionality becomes insufficient for specific work.

Plywood cutting on CNC machines – processing of plywood blanks on machine tools with numerical control. CNC machines allow the production of parts in automatic or semi-automatic mode. The advantage of this type of manufacturing is the high precision of the actions. CNC processing of plywood can be performed both in private production and in factory conditions.

Peculiarities

Computer numerical control equipment allows operator intervention to be kept to a minimum. After manufacturing, the part does not require additional processing.

Using machine tools, several types of processing can be performed:

• laser;
• milling;
• waterjet.

There is also plasma treatment. But it is used less frequently than other types. Depending on the type of processing, there are both advantages and disadvantages. It is necessary to pay special attention to their consideration if you do not know which machine is better to choose.

The most suitable materials for work are sheet type materials. Of the listed types of manufacturing, the most popular is milling. on the machine ensures the production of parts with precise dimensions and smooth edges. Laser cutting is more suitable for cutting plywood.

When cutting, you must adhere to the rules for using the unit.

Using milling you can create almost all types of parts. Modern models are compact, so they can be placed in a room with a small area. Numerical control ensures easy operation. Thanks to this, you can handle plywood processing without any experience. When purchasing a machine, you will receive instructions that describe how to operate it.

Types of milling devices

The most common and functional is the milling type. The design of the machine assumes the presence of a collet clamp. With its help, you can use cutters with different diameters with the machine.

They are small in size. But at the same time they have a lower power rating. Most often, such units are used for additional processing of parts in order to ensure higher accuracy.

Waterjet machines are also available. The third type of devices is represented by a vertical base. It has wide functionality and is large in size. Because of this, the device can only be placed in a room with a large area.

Purpose

Giving preference, it is easier to process plywood with a milling cutter than when using other types of units. The milling device allows the production of parts with complex shapes.

Thanks to milling, the following is possible:

• profiling of cornices, platbands, baseboards;
• cutting along a contour with a curved line;
• creating grooves, shaped recesses;
• surface decoration;
• drilling holes.

The cutting depth can be adjusted on a CNC router. This feature provides automatic processing. The operator is required to specify the trajectory along which the cutter will move. If you cut sloppily, the control program will help solve this problem.

Advantages

Milling plywood allows you to obtain parts with a clean and smooth surface. When using a laser, the edges will be charred and the edge will suffer burns. Additional steps will be required to process the ends.

Other benefits include:

• the ability to work with material that has a large thickness (thanks to milling cutting, you can process a thickness of ten centimeters, while laser cutting allows you to cope with a thickness of no more than one centimeter);
• creation of curved CNC cutting of three-dimensional products and panels;
• chamfering, rounding, groove milling.

There are special cutters designed for cutting plywood. Using such a cutter, you can make parts, after which lint and other defects will not form on the cut.

But laser processing of plywood also has a number of advantages. Using a laser cutting machine, you can produce small parts that have precise shapes and fragile elements. By performing CNC laser cutting of plywood, there is no mechanical load on the workpiece.

Preparation

Before production, it is necessary to prepare the CNC machine for operation. Setting up the unit involves two stages. The first is represented by setting up tool blocks, and the second - by working mechanisms.

Setup is carried out step by step:

• securing base and fastening elements;
• warming up the mechanisms of the machine tool to ensure stable operation;
• running the control program idle.

Additionally you need to check:

• how clean the system mechanisms are;
• Do the drawings and workpieces correspond?
• Is there sufficient coolant and lubricant?

When serial processing with cutters, you should carefully monitor the processing of the first workpiece. With its help, you can determine whether there are errors after adjustment. If there are inaccuracies, additional corrections must be made. If there are several elements, the layout on the sheet saves plywood. After setup, there is no need to check the control program - it will produce parts according to similar parameters.

cutting

Before you start cutting plywood, you need to make sure that the cutters are securely installed in the chuck. To do this, make sure that the cartridge is tightened and the nut is tightened. The check is performed using a wrench.

Then you need to adjust the depth to which the cutter will penetrate. The limiter knob allows for simple and quick adjustment of this indicator if necessary. To test milling, it is recommended to use an unnecessary piece of plywood.

Many inexperienced users believe that the larger the cutter I cut, the better. But the principle of “cutting with a large tool for better work” will not work here. If the cutters have a large diameter, the machine tool should be set to a low speed. When purchasing a machine, it comes with instructions in which you can see which parameters are optimal for processing.

The dimensions of the plywood blank should not be more than ten centimeters. For the production of larger parts, special CNC machines are used. Professional units allow you to perform three-axis processing and cut thicker plywood. If previously the operator cut the part himself, now the production is carried out automatically. One is required to monitor the work. You can control production remotely.

Scope of use

Cutting plywood using milling machines is used in the construction industry. Thanks to it, floors, wall formwork, and foundations are made. Plywood is also used in:

• shipbuilding;
• roofing works;
• laying the floor;
• interior design;
• furniture production.

Using milling on CNC machines, figured cutting is created. Thanks to cutting, advertising structures are produced. Plywood has high performance characteristics. The material can be used to make small three-dimensional letters for signs.