In order to ensure the normal operation of the milling machine, it is necessary not only to properly handle the device used, but also to correctly use additional equipment, in other words, devices for a manual milling machine. So that this tool has the ability to form a blank product in accordance with the requirements of the master (that is, cutting off the edges and other places of the material where necessary, and not where it “happened”). So, it is precisely to give the processed material a clear planned shape on the farm that “adaptations” for a manual milling cutter are used.
Difficulty in making homemade contraptions
Manufacturers often complete their products themselves at the production stage, but, alas, not every company will be able to please consumers with a full set of all the necessary tools. And why do this if at any time you can make a suitable tool with your own hands in a garage environment. You can do iteven without a preliminary drawing: their design is so primitive that even a novice master can cope with such work. To make a parallel emphasis or any other detail, it is enough to have a drawing of this device and a minimum set of tools with you. But if you want to make a homemade table for a manual router, you definitely cannot do without a drawing. You need to calculate everything correctly, indicate the dimensions of the table, and then proceed to work.
How to work with a manual router?
Before performing wood milling work, you need to make sure of the following:
- Is the cutter clamped in the collet.
- Whether the accessory installed on the workbench is suitable for its capacity and speed.
- Is the required depth of milling set (when working with plunge devices, this indicator is measured using a special plunge limiter).
- When working with edge cutters, make sure that a guide ring or bearing is installed that provides the desired trajectory of the device (in this case, the thickness of the cutter should be no more than three millimeters).
Pay attention to the supports for parts when performing work
When considering the question of "how to work with a hand router", it should also be noted that the part you are processing must always have some kind of support. For example, before turning on the engine, the edge of the sole or the bearing is pressed against the guide piece or template. Only thenthe master turns on the machine and starts milling.
Below we will look at what are the devices for the router, and why they are special.
Rip fence
Rip fence is one of the few devices that comes with every router. Therefore, there is simply no need for their independent development and manufacture. With regard to functions, with the help of the mentioned element, it is possible to make a reliable stop for the material being processed, thereby ensuring a rectilinear movement of the cutter relative to the base surface. The latter can act as a straight edge of a part, a guide rail or a table.
With this router attachment, you can quickly edge and cut various slots while holding the material almost dead center.
Guide bar
This tool has similar functions to the previous one. Like the rip fence, the rail provides exceptionally smooth straight-line movement of the device. Working with a manual wood router using a guide rail can significantly reduce the time spent on processing a particular part. In addition, using the specified equipment, you can install the mechanism at almost any angle relative to the edge of the table.
In some cases, the design of the tools in question provides for the presence of special elements that facilitate certain operations(for example, it can be a function of cutting holes at the same distance opposite each other).
Copier rings and templates
The hand router attachments such as copy rings are a round plate with a raised shoulder that can slide along the template along the surface, thereby providing a precise path for the cutter. Often this element is attached to the sole of the workbench. At the same time, there are several ways to install it:
- Screwing a ring into a threaded hole.
- Installation of the special antennae of the device into the holes on the sole.
With a hand router attachment such as a template, you can also achieve more accurate and efficient work. The designatedis fixed
element directly on the workpiece itself with double-sided tape, after which both parts of the device are pressed against the machine with clamps. Upon completion of the work, experts recommend checking the condition of the ring - to see if it is securely pressed against the edge of the template or not.
Another feature of the tool in question is the ability to process not the entire edge, but only its corners. At the same time, some devices for a manual milling cutter allow you to make roundings of four different radii at once. Therefore, the pattern-machining process is a great way to cut grooves for a part.
Compasses
Datahomemade devices for a manual milling cutter are designed to move the entire machine along a certain circle. The design of this tool includes the main part (a compass consisting of one rod), attached with its end to the base of the router, and a secondary one - a screw with a pin inserted into the hole of the machine. The size and radius of the circle is set directly by the offset of the machine relative to the design of the device. Before starting work, it is necessary to carefully fix the tool to the base and make sure that the router is in good condition and functioning properly. It is worth noting that the most effective and easy to use is the compass, which has not one, but two rods at once.
Most often this tool is made of transparent plexiglass. A small metric scale is additionally applied to its surface. It is worth noting that some models of compasses can have a circumference up to 150 centimeters long. With the help of such a device, you can easily make a round tabletop for several people.
However, back to the principle of operation. By means of the angular lever with an exact scale copying on preparation is carried out. This gives you the option of centering the ring directly below the cutter. The angle arm, which is complemented by a special support plate, also ensures precise edge milling.
The whole structure of this tool consists of a base plate, a set of probes and a chip protection device.
Adjustments for copying identical devices and parts
This characteristic refers to a set of tools consisting of an angle lever and special copy probes that are needed to manufacture a batch of identical parts. Most often, such equipment is used in cases where there is a need to replicate small wooden devices. But before you start working with such a router, you must prepare the scale of the angle lever in advance (the division price is 1/10 mm).
Once the scale is set, you will be 100 percent sure that the stop ring is centered correctly under the cutter, the location of which depends on the values set on the angle arm. Also, this adjusting element can be equipped with a base plate and a special mechanism that protects the surface of the device from chips. The use of such parts will significantly speed up and secure the processing of the edges of products.
