Those who love carpentry, that is, woodwork, must definitely know how to handle a hand router. With the help of such a device, you can create real masterpieces without any effort at all. However, this will require skills in work and knowledge of what this tool consists of, how to assemble and disassemble it. With the help of a manual wood router, you can create a beautiful door, decorative furniture or other original items. You can even open your own business, making a variety of wood products.
Types of milling work
The milling cutter is a unique device that performs a large number of rotations per second, while creating holes of the required diameter and shape. Work in progress divided into several categories. The holes that are created by the router are almost always part of a detachable or one-piece design that decorates the product.
It is necessary to consider in more detail the work carried out with the help of a milling cutter.
- Profiling of such products as cornices, platbands, plinths, glazing beads, etc., is carried out with an edge. Such works are suitable for furniture manufacturers. This is a wonderful solution for decorating wood products.
- Decorating the edges of complex products with a router helps to create an exclusive product. A professional can even create a masterpiece. For beginners, the video will help in this case. Such a process is necessarily carried out using templates. They contribute to the creation of identical patterns over large areas.
- With the help of a wood router, simple everyday problems are solved. For example, it is necessary to make recesses for locks or under awnings. For this, a special milling cutter is used, however, for homework, you can also use a hand tool.
All woodwork is done with special cutters. They are chosen, focusing on the type of work that will need to be carried out, and the type of wood that is milled. On the Internet you can find a large number of videos that explain in detail and clearly show what the cutter looks like and how to choose the right one.
The milling cutter is a component of the milling cutter and is shank and working element with cutting edge. They are distinguished by:
- the shape of the cutting edge;
- the type of material from which they are made;
- size;
- designs.
Thus, for working on soft wood, light materials for the cutter are needed. And for the manufacture of an object from solid wood, preference is given to "hard" cutters.
Cutters are:
- conical;
- V-shaped;
- disk;
- cutters "swallow's nest";
- profile;
- rectangular groove;
- molding;
- folded;
- fillet.
In addition, cutters are divided into those that direct the movement, have bearings and those that do not. With the help of a manual milling cutter without bearings in the cutters, work is carried out anywhere in the workpiece.
Installing the cutter
Once the required template has been found, further woodwork should be carried out with a hand router. To do this, select set the correct cut. This is done in the following sequence:
How to do the job with a manual router
A large number of electrical appliances for construction and repair carry out their work by rotating the shaft. A hand mill makes a large number of revolutions per second. It is generally accepted that woodworking will be done cleaner by a milling cutter if there are as many revolutions as possible. In fact, this is an erroneous opinion. The object may char and break if the speed control is not set correctly and when working with a large diameter cutter.
That is why for each type of work and material it is necessary to select and set a certain number of revolutions per second. The work will be much cleaner if the ratio of the speed of the cutter to the wood being cut is correctly selected.
Work with a manual milling cutter is carried out by installing it on a special table or simply holding it in your hands. Small items are usually milling on a stationary table. This contributes to the performance of work without any defects. On such a table, the router is installed with the spindle up.
In order for milling on the table to be performed without errors, it is necessary:
- set the rulers on the surface of the table, under the shape that will need to be cut;
- narrow rulers with an oval end are necessary for working with parts of a variable profile and are attached to the surface of the table perpendicular to the workpiece.
It should be remembered that when working with a manual router, it must be moved in the opposite direction relative to the movement of the cutter. Otherwise, the tool often breaks out of the hands and causes injury.
Safety Compliance
Manual wood router required requires safety precautions so as not to cause harm to health:
Conclusion
It is not easy to learn how to make wood products with a hand router. Best to explore video tutorials with necessary instructions. Do not forget that this is a rather dangerous tool that can cause serious injury. That is why it is important to observe safety precautions, to be attentive and careful.
If you are interested in carving, do-it-yourself woodcarving with a router will interest you even more. Carving is an ancient art that was known even in Russia. The peculiarity of art lies in working with tools and wood blanks.
A few words about the main
Frazier is a universal tool that is used for wood processing. Often, specialists use it during repairs. For example, drill holes, install locks on the door, etc. In carving, the tool is designed for processing edges, edges of products.
It is not difficult to work with a manual milling cutter. It is enough to know the basics of work. There are always many working heads in the kit, each of them performs a specific function.
Not all masters manage to work with a milling cutter. Very often in educational books you can find a quote: “Learn to work with a jigsaw, chisels. Try to do the work by hand. After gaining experience, it will be easier to cope with the router. When choosing, it is worth consulting with experts, so as not to buy a low-quality tool.
To get started with the tool, you can sign up for courses. Unfortunately, they can be expensive or not everyone will want to visit them. It's pretty easy to find tutorials these days. There are video tutorials that will help you learn the basics of working with a router. Examples of some of them are listed below.
The milling cutter is not an easy tool, so before watching the video, you need to read the instructions for using the tool. Many sites and books offer the basics of assembly, settings, and talk about the purpose of each cutter. In specialized stores you can find additional nozzles for the router.
The scheme of the router for beginners is painted in the photo:
Material component
To create a beautiful product, you need to stock up on the right materials. For starters, pencils. They exist in different softness, so you need to treat them with special frugality.
When the master makes sketches of his work, he uses various stationery - pencils, erasers, rulers and compasses. Thanks to them, the work will be flawless.
The success of the work depends on the wood. Not every tree is suitable for carving. Masters advise using linden, pine, fir and birch. There are no notches on them, the work goes easily.
Don't forget the tools. In addition to the router, there are chisels, jigsaws, etc. If the router performs more rough work, then they are suitable for small items - caskets, sculptures, platbands, animal figurines.
Photo examples:
Where to begin
In order to "make friends" with a router, you need to practice on simple products. Working on a template will help to "fill your hand." Take a pre-prepared blank, apply a drawing, trying to keep the proportions. Finding templates is easy. On the Internet, there are options that are easy to transfer with a pencil.
Do not forget about the master classes. The advantage is that you can compare your result with the result of the work of an online mentor.
Drawings for inspiration:
Product patterns may vary. It all depends on the imagination of the creator, because the one who creates sees the work in his own way. Beginners, having mastered the elementary rules, proceed to the complex. You can learn to adjust the depth of the cut by adding patterns with different cutters. For the originality of the work, the masters add champlevé carving to the products.
Effective work
Using a manual electric router is suitable for artistic carved furniture. Artistic carving looks especially beautiful on furniture. Milling cutters of different sizes and profiles easily perform various tasks. Unfortunately, it is impossible to make trihedral-notched work with a milling cutter. This task is suitable for chisels or knives. Bas-relief, contour cutting on wood - all this is within the power of a manual milling cutter.
We can say that the functionality of the tool depends on the configuration. Various devices can work wonders, improve the product and facilitate the work of the master.
Stencils are suitable not only for conventional tools, but also for a manual router. Examples can be seen below:
What else can you use a hand router for? Masters can transform the interior of the house with the help of this tool. Often attract attention designer things, interesting items. If you want to change something in the house, then the router is especially for this! He is able to revive old things. A beautiful pattern has never worsened the look of a tree!
To accomplish this kind of task, there is a curly carving that embodies unusual solutions in interior design. It can decorate furniture, parquet, make new decorations. This carving is predominant in the Slavic style. Nowadays, it is returning to fashion and products of a manual milling cutter are highly valued in the market.
The modern market offers many technical devices with which the user can express himself in various types of creativity. We are even talking about the independent manufacture of furniture. To make it durable, solid, and most importantly, indistinguishable in appearance from production samples, a special tool is used - a wood router.
A milling cutter is an apparatus for processing wood, less commonly used for metal. There are two main types of such equipment:
- stationary milling machine, in which the cutter is fixed motionless, and the workpiece is moved by the efforts of the operator;
- manual frezer, which is manually moved along a fixed workpiece.
Manual frezer
The first type of devices, as a rule, is used in production. In everyday life, a manual version of the tool is used.
By the way, if necessary, a manual milling cutter can be fixed using various devices and turned into a milling machine.
In addition to the task of working with flat surfaces, a wood router cuts out technological excavations(for example, a notch for hinges, a comb, a groove, and so on). All these works can be done with a manual router, and the result will look much neater, and the work itself will be faster than without the use of a tool.
With the help of such an “assistant”, people with little physical strength (women, teenagers, the elderly) can also show interest in carpentry. This is understandable - when working with the tool, you do not need to apply almost any effort. However, before making plans for this activity, it is necessary to understand the structure of the apparatus and the features of its functioning.
How does a manual router work?
The device of a manual wood router is quite simple. The device has a body in which key components and elements are located. The most important of these is the driving force - the motor. The holder protrudes directly from the case - it will be collet. These are special adapters into which you can insert and fix cutters of various diameters.
Special mention should be made of platform which is usually made of metal. It can be attached with rods to the body separately. The lower part has a sliding plate made of smooth material - this will help the tool to move smoothly from point to point. An important parameter is platform stability. It is better if it is made of cast (for expensive models) or stamped (for budget options) material. This will provide a better fit to the surface. The lower part of the platform is covered with a plastic overlay, often removable, so that it is convenient to replace.
There are buttons on the case to turn it on and off. It's good if they keep company lock button. When working, it is convenient to use the parallel stop.
For a manual router, the following settings are used:
- depth of work (step from 1 to 10 mm);
- regulation of the number of revolutions (that is, the speed of rotation of the cutter).
All parts and assemblies require proper care. In a newly purchased product, this role is played by factory grease. However, in the future, this responsibility lies with the user himself: it will be necessary to clean the dust and manually lubricate the moving parts.
Types of cutters used
Each type of processed material requires the use of the appropriate nozzle. Externally, the cutter consists of two parts: the cutting edge (working part) and the shank. It is important to know that pliable softwoods are processed with nozzles made of light materials, and an appropriate hard cutter is needed for hardwoods.
There is another classification of nozzles:
- profile - simple processing of wood products;
- conical - processing at an angle;
- rectangular - work with grooves;
- V-shaped for obtaining holes with a 45-degree inclination;
- disk - you can create different grooves in width and depth;
- molding will help to round the edge edge;
- rebate for quarter milling;
- "swallow's nest" - spiked joints;
- fillet to create the same details on the edges.
Worth knowing: for a manual household router, you should use bearingless nozzles - this will help in processing tools in any convenient place.
Instrument Capabilities
With the help of a milling cutter, many wood operations are performed: the use of this device is limited only by the user's imagination. He is irreplaceable in carpentry and furniture workshops, will help with the finishing and repair work. Among the most common possibilities are:
- milling of quarters, grooves, grooves, both as a structural element and decor;
- profiling when using an edge (manufacturing of skirting boards, platbands, cornices, glazing beads);
- solving everyday problems - for example, recesses for locks in the door;
- creation of holes (through or blind);
- processing of ends and edges;
- cutting patterns, details, drawings.
For beginners, it is better to start with the simplest details. Later, users gain experience and dexterity - then you can make real masterpieces. By learning how to work well on a milling cutter, you can even create your own in-demand business.
How to use a hand tool
The principle of operation is to drill certain holes with cutters selected for this purpose, immersed to a depth specified by the user.
- The nozzle selected according to the diameter is selected.
- The shank snaps into the chuck no more than 2 cm.
- The milling cutter is set to the desired depth.
- The adjustment knob is moved to the middle position (between minus and plus).
It is important to know: the larger the cutter, the lower the speed should be. For a cutter diameter of 1 cm, the speed is 20,000 rpm, and for a 4-cm nozzle, you need to set 10,000 rpm.
Usually the requirements are specified in the attached manual. While working, the tool can be both held in hands and fixed on the table- the latter option should be used when processing small parts. When fixing on the table, the router should look with the spindle up.
The milling cutter is fixed on the bed
After turning on the tool, it is important to adhere to the following rules. On the work surface, it is recommended to install ruler-guide(or an arched pattern, if you are working on a semicircle). This will help create straight lines. If we are talking about working on a router with various parts in a variable profile, they will come in handy narrow end rulers. They can be attached perpendicular to the workpiece.
The router should be used without neglecting safety precautions in order to eliminate the risk of injury.
- On the product, the device must be moved in the opposite direction from the movement of the cutter. Otherwise, you can not hold the device.
- It is important to take a stable position - this will help not to lose balance. All parts should also be firmly fixed.
- The tool must be held very tightly - contact with the material "gives" a small blow. Otherwise, the device may fly out of your hands and create an injury hazard.
- The user should wear special protective suit, tucked without the ability to wind on plywood. For respiratory protection (fine dust may go), it is recommended to wear a respirator.
- After completion of work or during a break, turn off the device from the network.
A milling cutter is a tool for processing lumber that makes many rotations at high speed. There is both professional equipment, such as milling and engraving machines, and for self-processing, requiring certain skills and knowledge. Detailed instructions with a training video on the site will help to carry out high-quality wood processing operations with a manual electric milling cutter.
Working with a manual wood router helps to carry out the following carpentry operations:
- Processing of flat and shaped surfaces, edge profiling of platbands, skirting boards, cornices, glazing beads.
- Formation of technological and figured recesses (grooves, ridges, etc.).
- Production of through and blind holes.
- Cutting complex parts from wood, copying them.
- Drawing inscriptions, drawings, patterns on the surface (engraving).
- Insert locks and hinges on the door.
- Manufacturing of spiked joints. This is a complex process that requires special skills, resulting in a high-strength assembly of wooden products.
Depending on the type of work performed by a manual wood router, the video tutorials of which can be viewed at the end of the article, you will need the following tools:
- cutter
- Electric jigsaw
- Electric drill and drills
- Templates
- File
- Protective clothing and respirator.
With the help of such a tool, a novice master can bring old furniture back to life, carry out small carpentry and decorative work with wood around the house.
Choice of electric milling machine
In order to mill at home, it is recommended to choose a universal tool, which is an electric router with an interchangeable base - submersible and edge, thanks to which it performs any kind of woodwork, depending on the type of cutter chosen. It is better if it has speed control, work with a cutter with a diameter of at least 8 mm, the optimal power should be 800-1300 watts. When choosing a tool, you should pay attention to the actual depth of immersion of the cutter, on which the maximum depth of the resulting groove will depend.
The best option for clamping the cutter is a cone collet, and for the switch, a locking button. The smoother the operation of the rod mechanism, the more durable the tool.
An important point in the operation of an electric mill is the correct choice of a cutter, which consists of a cylindrical shank of various diameters (6.8 or 12 mm) and a part with a cutting edge.
By design, cutters are divided into the following types:
- Monolithic
- prefabricated
- With replaceable blades.
Depending on the type of processing performed by the cutter, it also comes in several varieties:
- A groove cutter is used to form grooves.
- Profile - to give the edge a decorative profile.
- The edge cutter and seam cutter are used to process the edges of the product.
- Fillet - for cutting a "U"-shaped notch on the product.
- The conical cutter bevels the edge of the product at an angle of 45 degrees.
- Moulder - forms a rounded edge.
Work with a manual router: instructions for beginners
Working with a manual router, the video tutorials of which will help the novice master, may seem difficult only at the beginning of the process. With the acquisition of the first skills in woodworking with your own hands, it will be possible to proceed more boldly.
- Work with a manual router begins with the assembly of the tool. A cutter suitable for the diameter of the collet chuck is inserted into it. If necessary, the cartridge itself is replaced by another in diameter. Then the shank is tightened in the chuck with a special key with a clamping force sufficient so that the cutter does not hang out in it. After that, the spindle mechanism is clamped, the tool is ready for work.
- The required cutting depth is then set. To do this, you need to fix the position of the cutter by pressing on it. The exact depth is set using the limiter regulator, which has several degrees.
- The speed of the router is set based on the table data from the instructions and material parameters, as well as the size of the cutter itself. Work with a manual wood router should first be done on a draft version in order to test the tool travel, milling depth and work speed. The correct milling stroke is to move the tool away from you on a flat basis, and counterclockwise when turning the workpiece. More details on how to work with a manual milling cutter are described in the training video.
Manual milling cutter: ways of working
Depending on the type of processing performed, the choice of working methods with a manual router depends. The following is the work on a manual router (training video), methods and techniques.
Methods of work with a manual milling cutter: the formation of grooves
When forming a groove from the very edge, the tool should be installed so that the cutter hangs over the edge of the product. Further, it descends to the required depth and is fixed, after which the tool is put into operation. After processing the edge to the end, you need to loosen the lock, raise the cutter, the tool motor can be turned off. The formation of a blind groove is carried out in exactly the same way, only it does not start from the edge of the product.
A deep groove is formed by setting a new depth of the cutter with each approach of the processed area, with a depth of no more than 5 mm, when processing the last layer - no deeper than 1.5 mm.
Additional ways to form grooves and lessons on how to work with a manual router (video in Russian) are presented below.
End surface treatment
Working with a manual wood router (video below) is often accompanied by end surface processing, which requires a clean edge. To do this, a shallow cut is first made, while the electric milling cutter moves in the direction of rotation of the knife, and then against its rotation. After that, the butt will acquire a clear outline.
Processing with templates
To form curved edges, templates with a stop ring are used, which is a plastic plate that moves along the template for the correct path of the cutter. The thrust ring is attached to the sole of the router using special fasteners. Using templates, you can copy wooden parts in the right quantity.
Work with a manual router: video of decorative processing
For artistic milling, in addition to the cutter, you will need a jigsaw, a vice, a chisel, a canvas made of wood with a pattern. It is fixed on a well-stable surface, and an electric mill equipped with a special cutting nozzle is carried out according to the pattern, gradually removing the layer of wood until the required volume of the ornament is reached.
Processing lumber, inserting loops, making technological holes and recesses, wood carving - all this can be done by such a device as a milling cutter. Moreover, this can be done not only by professional equipment, but also by relatively inexpensive manual specimens. But working with a manual wood router requires knowledge of some techniques and rules. All this is in the article.
What is a cutter and what is it for?
A milling cutter is a device for processing wood or metal. They process flat and shaped surfaces, and also forms technological recesses - a groove, a comb, recesses for installing hinges, etc. According to the installation method, there are stationary machines (there are different types for performing different operations), and there are manual milling machines. Manual electric milling cutters are a universal tool that allows you to carry out any operation. To change the operation, you just need to change the nozzle - the cutter and / or its location on the part.
Machine tools are mainly used in mass production. In them, the cutter is installed motionless, and the workpiece moves along a certain trajectory. When working with a manual milling cutter, the situation is the opposite - the workpiece is fixed motionlessly, the milling cutter is moved. When processing large volumes of identical parts, it is more convenient to fix a hand router on a horizontal surface, making something similar to a milling machine.
Homemade milling machine - a horizontal plane with a hole in the middle, to which a manual router is attached from below
There are many different types of milling machines, but for the home DIYer or for semi-professional use, universal ones are more suitable. They are equipped with various cutters and special devices, which allows you to perform any operation. It just takes more time and skill to complete them than on a specialized machine.
What can be done with a manual milling cutter:
Similar operations are used in carpentry, in the manufacture and assembly of furniture. Even embed a lock or hinges on the door - this can also be done by a manual milling cutter. Moreover, it will do it much faster and more elegantly than similar operations, but performed with a hand tool.
Preparation for work and care
To understand the principles of working with a manual router, it is desirable to have at least a general idea of its structure and the purpose of the parts.
The structure and purpose of the main nodes
The manual electric milling cutter consists of a housing in which the motor is hidden. A holder protrudes from the body, where the collets are inserted. Collets are small adapters that allow the use of cutters with different shanks. A cutter is already inserted into the collet and tightened with a clamping bolt (on some models it is fixed with a button).
Another important detail of a hand router is the platform, which is connected to the body with two rods. The platform is usually made of metal. There is a sliding plate on the underside of the platform. It is made of a smooth material that ensures the tool runs smoothly as it moves through the part.
Setting the parameters of the milling cutter is done using:
- Handles and jackals for setting the depth of milling. The tuning step is 1/10 mm.
- Adjustment of the number of revolutions. Changes the rotation speed of the cutter. For starters, it’s worth trying to work at low or medium speeds - it’s easier to drive the tool at first.
Also, be sure to have an on / off button on the case, there may also be a lock button. Here, in a nutshell, are all the nodes. In addition, there is also a parallel stop that is quite convenient to use. It can be simple or adjustable - you can move the cutting part slightly to the right or left.
Care
From the factory, the equipment is lubricated, so in principle, no additional operations are required. But it is necessary to keep the equipment clean - it is necessary to clean the dust more often, change the lubricant if necessary. Lubrication is needed for moving parts - guides. You can use liquid aerosol lubricants (preferably), but you can also use ordinary grease-type "Litol". But, when using thick lubricants, they will have to be removed periodically, as chips and dust stick, it becomes difficult to work. When using light aerosol formulations, there is practically no sticking.
In order for the sole to slide easily, you can lubricate it with silicone grease. This is especially useful when working with templates. Then the tool literally glides, goes smoothly and without jerks.
Rotational speed
Work with a manual milling cutter on wood, composite, plywood, etc. starts with setting the basic parameters. First you need to set the rotation speed. It is selected depending on the selected cutter and the rigidity of the material and the characteristics of the router, so exact recommendations should be sought in the instruction manual.
Fixing the cutter
Next, a cutter is installed. Most branded cutters have marks that you can navigate. If they are not available, then the minimum must be clamped at least 3/4 of the length of the shank (cylindrical part). Insert the cutter to the required depth (if necessary, having previously installed a collet - an adapter chuck for different cutter diameters), fix the shaft, tighten it with an open-end wrench until it stops (but do not overtighten).
If the model is simple, two keys are needed. They do not provide a mechanism for blocking the shaft, the second key will need to hold it. Middle-class devices have a lock button. Clamping it, tighten the cutter with an open-end wrench. In expensive models, in addition to blocking, there is a ratchet by which you can navigate.
Setting the milling depth
Each model of a manual router has a certain overhang - this is the maximum depth to which this unit is able to process the material. The maximum depth of milling is not always required, then its adjustment is required. Even if it is necessary to mill to a great depth, so as not to overload the cutter and the unit too much, it can be divided into several levels. There is a revolver for this. This is a small disk under the bar with a number of stops of different heights - legs. The number of legs is from three to seven, and more does not mean better. It is much more convenient if it is possible to adjust the height of each leg. This shows the class of the equipment. To fix the turret in the desired position, there is a latch, usually made in the form of a flag.
Setting the milling depth on a manual router takes place in several stages:
- The tool is placed on a flat surface, the clamps are released, the hand is pressed so that the cutter rests on the surface.
- The turret stop is released by unscrewing its lock.
- Depending on what depth of milling is needed, choose the leg of the turret stop. The disc with legs is rotated to the desired position.
- The screw is not fixed, but the bar is held with a finger, the movable pointer is moved so that it coincides with zero (in the photo above).
- The bar is raised to the milling depth mark, after which the turret lock is lowered (pictured below).
Now, when installed on the workpiece and pressing on the upper part, the cutter will enter the part at the set distance.
On good routers there is a wheel for fine adjustment of the depth of milling. It allows you to adjust the depth without knocking down the settings (you do not need to repeat the entire operation), albeit within small limits (in the photo above this is a green wheel).
Milling cutters for manual router
Milling cutters are cutting tools that process and shape the surface. They consist of a cylindrical part, which is clamped by collets in the unit holder, and a cutting part. The cylindrical part can be of different diameters. Choose one that has a collet for which your machine has. The shape and location of the blades of the cutting part determines the look that the wood receives after processing. Some cutters (for edges) have a thrust roller. It sets the distance from the cutting surface to the workpiece.
Working with a manual wood router involves the presence of a certain number of milling cutters. This is a small part of what exists
Make cutters from different metals and alloys. For processing soft wood - pine, spruce, etc. - use conventional nozzles (HSS), for hard rocks - oak, beech and others - from hard alloys (HM).
Each cutter has a certain resource and maximum speed, which ensures normal operation with minimal runout. Do not exceed the recommended speed - this can cause damage to the router. It also makes no sense to sharpen the cutter if it is dull. They do this on special equipment (worth about $ 1000), where you can set the required sharpening angle. Nothing good can be done manually. So blunt ones are easier (and cheaper) to replace, since they cost relatively little.
Popular types
There are a number of types of router bits that are most commonly used.
There are simple milling cutters, formed from a single piece of metal, there are typesetting. Type-setting have a shank - a base, a certain set of different cutting planes, a set of washers of different thicknesses. From these details, you can independently form the required relief.
Type-setting cutter - a set of several cutting surfaces and washers from which you can make a cutter of the required shape
These are the most popular types of cutters, but in fact there are a lot of them. In addition to different diameters of shanks, there are different diameters of cutting surfaces, their height, the location of knives relative to each other, etc. In general, do-it-yourself milling usually requires about five of the most common milling cutters. They are usually present all the time, and the rest are purchased for specific types of work.
Principles of work with a manual milling cutter
An electric milling cutter is a rather dangerous thing - sharp cutting parts rotating at high speed can cause serious injuries, and chips flying from under the tool too. And although most models have a protective shield that reflects the main flow of chips, goggles will not interfere. So the work of a manual wood router requires attention and concentration.
One of the models - with a connected vacuum cleaner to remove chips
General requirements
Work with a manual wood router will be easier and more enjoyable, the products will turn out to be of normal quality if certain conditions are met:
Not such complex requirements, but their implementation is the key to good work and safety. Well, the main requirement is that the milling cutter must be driven smoothly, without jerks, shocks. If a strong beating is felt, change the speed. Most often, it needs to be reduced, but in general it is worth focusing on the manufacturer's recommendations (available on the package).
Edge processing - working with a template
Processing the edge of an ordinary board is easier and faster to carry out on a thicknesser, but if it is not there, a manual milling cutter will also cope, but it will only take more time. There are two ways: without a template and with a template. If this is the first experience with a router, it is better to use a template. When processing the edges of boards, straight edge cutters are needed, and, most likely, two will be needed - with a bearing at the beginning and at the end of the cutting part (pictured).
For edge processing - make a flat surface
As a template, you can use an already processed board or, for example, a building rule. The length of the template should be slightly longer than the length of the workpiece - by 5-6 cutter radii on each side. This will make it possible to avoid the “dive” of the cutter into the material at the beginning and at the end. One important point: the horizontal plane (perpendicular to the workpiece) must be flat. In any case, its curvature should not be greater than the gap between the bearing and the cutting part, otherwise the cutter will touch the template, and this is very bad - it becomes imperfect and the applied irregularities will appear on other copies.
If the width of the part is not more than the length of the cutting edge
The cutting part of the cutters has different lengths, but the larger the cutting part, the more difficult it is to work - more effort has to be applied to hold the unit. Therefore, it is easier to start with a medium cutter. The order of processing the edge with a router (with a template) is as follows:
- Set the template so that it sets the required flat surface - stepping back the desired distance from the edge.
- The blank with the template is securely attached to the table or any other horizontal surface.
- Install a cutter with a roller in the middle part. It is set so that the roller rolls along the template, and the cutting part along the part. To do this, the cutter is installed on a fixed workpiece with a template, a milling cutter disconnected from the network is placed, the position of the nozzle is corrected, and it is clamped.
- Set the cutter in the working position - lower the body, clamp it.
- Turn on a manual milling cutter, guide it according to the template. The speed of movement is determined by the depth of processing. You will feel everything yourself.
- And how to conduct a milling cutter? Pull or push? Depends on which side you're on. If the workpiece is on the left, push; if on the right, pull. You can also navigate by the overhang of the chips - it should fly forward.
On this, in fact, everything. After you have completed the passage, evaluate the result, remove the clamps.
This, by the way, is another way to remove a quarter along the edge of the workpiece or in some part of it. To remove a quarter, set the cutting part so that the processing is of a given depth.
By changing the cutter to a curly (fillet) and shifting the template or using the stop that comes with the kit, you can apply a longitudinal pattern to the workpiece (pictured below).
In general, this milling technique is quite convenient. For the first steps in woodworking, this is the best way to “fill your hand”, then it will be possible to level the edges even without guides.
The width is greater than the length of the cutting part
What to do if the thickness of the workpiece is not more than the length of the cutting part of the cutter? In this case, the work with a manual wood router continues:
Now the edge is completely processed on one side. If necessary, repeat with the other side. In general, in order to master the work of a manual wood router, you will need several “rough” blanks. Choose from those that you don’t mind throwing away - at first there will be a lot of jambs, then gradually learn.
Obtaining curly and curved edges
If you need not even, but rounded or any other shape of the edge, you need to look at the state of the existing edge. If the workpiece is more or less even, take the necessary edge cutter, install it and process the surface, as described above. If the surface is too curved, it is first brought to a normal state, and then milled.
This is necessary because the bearing roller rolls over the surface and if there are flaws, they will be copied. Therefore, act consistently - first level, then - give curvature.
If a curved surface is boring at all, a template is cut out. The drawing is applied to plywood with a thickness of 8-12 mm, first it can be cut with an electric jigsaw, so the edge is brought to an ideal state with a milling cutter.
In this case, you will also have to work with a router, but so far without a template. When the surface is perfect, the template is fixed to the workpiece and then the work already described above with a manual wood router. Just one point: if you need to shoot in some places a large amount of material, it is better to do it with a jigsaw, for example. Otherwise, the cutter will quickly become dull.
Video tutorials on working with a manual router
When installing doors, it is necessary to cut the hinges, how to do this with a milling cutter - in the next video (there is also a guide on how to make a groove, for example, for installing an extension).
How to make a homemade milling machine from laminate samples (you can use plywood) and how to make a spike connection for drawers (a table, for example) - in the next video
The work of a manual wood router is shown well in the following video, but it is in English. Even if you do not know English, take the time to look. Many operations will become clearer.
