A milling cutter, or manual milling machine, is a versatile tool suitable for various types of woodworking. With it, you can drill holes, cut grooves, grooves and chamfers, process the edges and edges of a wooden product. It is very convenient for installing locks in doors, when assembling floors and furniture, and other work with this material. Carving on a pre-prepared tree with the help of a milling cutter can be mastered with your own hands quickly if you immediately choose the type of manual machine for yourself.
There are several types depending on the work performed. So, allocate:
- The router is used both for making through holes and for cutting blind grooves in the rock.
- Edging is useful for processing the edges of a tree. Has little power, big advantage is low weight
- Combined serves both of the above purposes, has two bases for them.
We disassemble wood carving techniques with a do-it-yourself milling cutter
The now popular art, wood carving, can also be done using this tool. There are many milling cutters, that is, working heads, for various purposes. Advanced craftsmen even make cutters or parts themselves. The main task when working with a manual router is to learn how to work with it correctly. When mastering this tool, you can perform any kind of artistic carving.
In order to learn how to carve a pre-prepared tree using a router with your own hands, you can sign up for thematic courses. However, not everyone has the time and desire to visit them. For such people, there are many video tutorials that will give you an idea of this skill.
Even before watching the video, it is important for beginners to carefully read the instructions for use of their electric assistant. There you can find a lot of practical advice on how to assemble the tool, adjust the depth of the cut, what each cutter is for, read about the completeness of your router model, and also find out what nozzles you can buy additionally to achieve exactly your goals. Be sure to check the safety and technical specifications section of the instrument.
After that, you can proceed to the first small steps in developing the skill of carving with a wood cutter. These training activities are described below.
To have a general idea of the learning process, suffice it to say that most craftsmen start by cutting simple patterns from a template. To do this, you need to take a piece of wood and draw a sketch on it. There is a large selection on the Internet and in art books, in addition, looking at photos of finished works with abstract ornaments, it is easy to copy these drawings with a pencil.
After the sketch is applied to the log, the router should be adjusted so that it makes through cuts. Start working with the outer parts, and when the form is ready, you need to cut holes, give the pattern an openwork. If you cut out platbands or other elements of the facade of the house, then you need to take a canvas made of hardwood. Conifers are well suited, as well as oak. For smaller, interior products, it is better to take a softer linden or birch.
After mastering the technique of through threading, you can proceed to more complex elements. For example, by adjusting the depth of the cut, add a pattern to the finished trim using V-shaped or other cutters. Not just flat figures look beautiful, but complemented by notched carvings or made using other techniques. Chamfers on flat or rounded surfaces of large diameters will look very handy.
Various types of bevels.
After training in these techniques, you can take on more complex ones. With the help of a customized router, it will not be difficult to make your first product in flat-relief technology. Such drawings look amazingly beautiful on wall panels, caskets, and besides, photographs of furniture with carved elements make you look closely and consider the whole pattern.
We hone the skills of owning a milling cutter and woodcarving
To achieve mastery in absolutely any business, constant practice is important. Even if the first time the products turn out to be a little clumsy or nothing comes out at all, you should not give up. After all, each time the cutout will turn out smoother, the finish is thinner, and the products are more beautiful.
Wood carving with a milling cutter - photo for inspiration.
Video tutorials and videos on the topic of the article
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 hand router on wood should first be done on a draft in order to test the stroke of the tool, the depth of milling and the speed of work. The correct course of milling is to move the tool away from you on a flat basis, and counterclockwise when circularly cutting the product. 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 at each approach of the treated 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.
Novice craftsmen who have just begun to join such an interesting and difficult business as the manufacture of furniture and other wood products are often lost and cannot understand what tool they need in a particular case. Yes, and to deal with the rules of their operation completely independently is very problematic. We suggest reading a brief instruction about one of the most indispensable tools in carpentry.
The main types of nozzles used when working with a wood router and their purpose
There are only two main types of cutters, the division of which goes according to the place of their use:
- Edge.
- Slotted.
Each of these species has a wide range of subspecies used for different purposes. The main difference between the main types is that the first one has a guide bearing that rests against the edge of the part and prevents the blades of the nozzle from jumping off further than necessary. In the second form, this element is absent, so it can be used on any part of the product.
the main types of cutters for a manual router 
types of cutters for a manual router part 3
There are such edge nozzles:
1. Profile.
They are not used to create elements responsible for the integrity or strength of the structure. Their purpose is the creation of purely decorative elements, the decoration of the edges of the product.
2. Tapered.
Most often used to smooth out sharp edges. They cut a rectangular edge at an angle of 45 degrees.
3. Kalevochnye.
As well as the previous version, they are used to smooth corners. Cut off the edge and turn it into a profile in a quarter of a circle. The radius of the nozzle can vary from 3 mm to 1.6 cm.
4. Disk.
It is used when it is necessary to cut a straight recessed groove with the same latitude along the entire length.
5. Seam.
Necessary in cases of creating a rectangular edge along the edge of the product.
6. Fillet.
They carry a strictly decorative purpose, create rounded recesses along the edge.
Types of cutters for a manual router part 2 work with a wood router manual router with a set of cutters
The following cutters are classified as groove cutters:
1. Rectangular.
In most videos about the work, the use of these nozzles is shown manually. With the help of them, even rectangular channels are created in the product. Used to create connecting grooves.
2. Fillet.
Cut out even channels with a rounded bottom. By and large, they are used only for decorative purposes.
3. Triangular (V-shaped).
While working with a wood router with such a nozzle, even channels are cut out in shape resembling a triangle, the top of which is directed deep into the product. Best suited for cutting grooves on thin workpieces.
4. "Dovetail"
They cut channels, the bottom of which is wider than their upper part. With their help, very strong groove joints are made.
Instructional video on how to work with a manual router, which will help you avoid mistakes
After watching a video about working with a manual router, it will be easy to figure out how to set up the tool correctly, how to adjust the planting depth and the location of its cutter. In addition, you will learn the safety rules that must be observed during work. And now let's look at other important nuances.
Tool movement direction
While working with a router, many craftsmen do not advise using this method, since there is a high risk of the tool coming off the workpiece. But it is the best option, which will help to avoid splitting off the fibers, as well as pressing the edge of the product, which does not need to be processed. The nozzle rotates clockwise, which means that the tool must go counterclockwise. Moving in the direction of movement of the blades, there is a great risk of the above problems.
Nozzle rotation speed
This tool works at a fairly high speed. But depending on what kind of wood is being processed and on what size nozzle is used, the rotation speed will be selected. The softer the wood species, the more speed is selected. The larger the nozzle size, the slower the speed will be. The exact figures are usually given in the instructions.
Working with this tool is not so difficult, and in return you will get the widest possibilities. They can successfully replace even special professional equipment that is used in large factories.
Woodworking can be both a profession and a hobby. It will be interesting for novice craftsmen to learn how to choose a manual milling cutter, what are the techniques and rules for preparing and working with a tool, what equipment may be needed when making wood products. We'll talk about this.
Wood milling is the mechanical processing of a material that removes part of it to create grooves, grooves, edges, holes, figured patterns on the surface, and obtain parts of complex shape. A milling cutter is a hand-held power tool for woodworking with a working body - a milling cutter. A milling cutter is a single or multi-bladed tool that cuts wood while rotating. The possibilities of the work performed depend on the modification of the router, the number and type of cutters, as well as the density of the wood and the experience of the master.
Types of hand routers
Wood milling is used in the manufacture of furniture, the production and installation of doors, the laying of wooden flooring, for various kinds of crafts. The choice of tool depends on the prospects for its use: special and universal purposes.
Special cutters:
- submersible (for holes, grooves, grooves of any depth - the motor with the cutter moves along the vertical axis);
- edging (only for edges, chamfers - with a guide bearing);
- lamellar (for rounded linear grooves);
- dowel (for grooves, for dowels, tenon-groove assembly);
1 - submersible; 2 - edging; 3 - lamellar; 4 - dowel
The universal milling cutter is completed with two bases. In this case, the tool works as a plunge tool and processes the edges.
When choosing a tool, you need to pay attention to the parameters:
- power (0.8-1.3 kW is enough for a home master);
- cutter speed;
- compliance with power and "speed";
- type of clamp (the best is a conical collet);
- speed control (smooth, clock);
- maximum immersion depth;
- work accuracy;
- smooth start;
- security locks;
- the presence of a dust extractor.
By determining the level of importance of each parameter, you can find a router that matches the upcoming tasks and intensity of operation.
Types of cutting tool
Structurally, cutters can be monolithic, with replaceable blades, prefabricated, soldered. Materials: carbide or high-speed alloys, cermets, etc. The configuration of the tool corresponds to the recess or shape of the edge that must be obtained on the product.
Varieties of groove cutters:
- straight;
- fillet;
- structural;
- shaped;
- "dovetail";
- "mouse tooth", etc.
Varieties of edge cutters:
- straight;
- moulding;
- disk;
- curly;
- horizontal, etc.
Each cutter is produced in various standard sizes. The easiest way is to purchase a kit containing a set of cutting tools for a specific activity. The diameter of the part to be fixed must match the collet of the router.
The procedure for working with a manual milling cutter
The easiest way to start learning is on a plunge router. Visually, such a tool is the most cumbersome and complex, but it is easier to work with it, since the direction of the cutter is fixed by the design of the machine perpendicular to the surface being machined.
Step 1. Fix the cutter shank in the collet.
It is necessary to insert the shank into the chuck and tighten with the key intended for this. At this stage, it is important to correctly calculate the tightening torque. Constriction is undesirable and insufficient fixation too.
Attention! If deep cutting is planned, it is better to take a cutter with an extended shank.
Step 2 Depth setting
If the work is carried out according to the drawings and the groove is shallow, you just need to set the appropriate depth on the limiter and set the fine adjustment (if the model has fine tuning). If milling is performed "by eye", you need to evaluate the depth of immersion of the tool by attaching the milling cutter to the end face of the product. The depth can also be selected in stages - when working out more than 3-8 mm (depending on the diameter), precise work or at the training stage.
Step 3 Approbation of the work of the milling cutter
For those who have no experience in milling, have acquired a new tool or work with an unfamiliar wood species, it is advisable to use a “draft” - the same piece of wood as the future product. It is necessary to test the work of the cutter, changing the speed, direction (toward, away from you, turn clockwise and counterclockwise) and the depth of the recess, monitor the accuracy. Adjust settings.
Step 4 Determine RPM
When the cutter is working, an important indicator is the circumferential speed - the speed of rotation not of the shank, but of the surface of the cutting tool in its widest part. If rotated too fast, the cutter will pull out the fibers of the wood and leave gaps, if too fast, the material will burn. If the rotation is too slow, the surface of the product will be rough, as if covered with “ripples”.
When adjusting, the rule applies: the larger the diameter of the cutter, the lower the speed on the shank (shaft revolutions) should be. Some manufacturers supply tools with instructions: wood / diameter / speed. If there is no such data, you need to experiment.
1 - too low speed; 2 - too high speed; 3 - uneven movement of the cutter at high speeds; 4 - good result
Step 5 Product fixation
The processed wood should not wag. The result of the work will be spoiled, you can injure yourself. The workpiece must be laid on a reliable base and secured, for example, with clamps. When using a template, it is also fixed.
Step 6 General rules for preparing for work
You need to mark the workpiece (when working without a template). The movements of the milling machine should not be abrupt. Smooth start and smooth, uniform movement along the calculated trajectory, correctly selected number of revolutions - a recipe for an ideal and beautiful result.
When working, you should not lean with your whole body on the router or let it float freely. The clamp must be tight, confident, uniform throughout the entire stage.
Attention! The instructions for the machine will indicate how to properly hold the router. Each model has handles that ensure safety during operation.
Step 7 Finished product milling
The beginning of work can be on the edge of the products (open groove) or in its array (deaf groove). In the first case, you must first install the router, and then turn it on. In the second - turn on, and then feed the cutter to the desired point. Upon completion of milling, turn off the tool after removing it from the wood.
When making deep grooves and stepped cuts, always turn off the tool for adjustment. The maximum one-time depth should correspond to the diameter and material of the cutter, the density of the wood. To obtain a smooth surface, the last removal should not be thicker than 1.5 mm.
It is important to correctly determine the speed of the router along the line being processed. Too slow will give overheating and burns. If the movement is too fast, sawdust will not have time to be removed, the work will be difficult, it may look sloppy.
The basic rule when choosing the direction of movement of the milling cutter: in the direction of the running of the cutter blades (cutting edges). This applies to both free milling and tooling.
To process edges, to obtain a certain edge configuration, sometimes the router is fixed under the table, and the cutter rises above the tabletop, and woodworking is performed by the movement of the workpiece relative to the cutter. Thus, from the category of a hand tool, it goes into the category of a mini-machine.
Equipment when working with a manual milling cutter
To facilitate and speed up the work, it is advisable to use simple devices, such as:
- guide rails;
- parallel stop;
- rod compass;
- copy sleeves;
- templates.
All fixtures can be purchased, and some can even be made by yourself and improved to match the author's idea.
The parallel stop provides rectilinear movement of the cutter relative to the workpiece, the edge of the workbench, the guide bar. This device is usually included in the instrument package.
The guide rail (bar) allows you to guide the tool not parallel to the edge, but at any given angle. It must be secured with clamps to the table. A homemade version is a fixed wooden plank limiter.
A rod compass is needed to perform circles, arcs, geometric curves. When working with a compass, the movement should be carried out in a counterclockwise direction.
The copy sleeve makes it easier to guide the tool along a complex path and ensures accuracy. In combination with templates, the best result is achieved.
There are two types of templates: internal and external. It all depends on whether the tool moves along the inner or outer edge. When moving along the inner contour of the template, the router must be driven clockwise, along the outer contour - against. The template must be thick enough so that the copy sleeve does not touch the workpiece.
It is also necessary to work with a router using equipment carefully, smoothly and equally, as with free milling. Perhaps the first time you get a not too outstanding milling result. This is the type of work where experience and attention to detail are very important.
Perhaps everyone has a general idea of \u200b\u200belectric jigsaws, drills and screwdrivers.
Here is the question " What can a milling cutter do? sometimes confuses even advanced users of ordinary household tools. And there is nothing surprising in this. Until recently, milling cutters were presented only in professional product lines. Meanwhile, this thing is very useful, and often absolutely necessary in the arsenal of a home master.
Why do you need a cutter
Without a milling cutter, it is impossible to produce high-quality furniture according to author's sketches or intricate wood crafts. Of course, an experienced craftsman will get by with a non-specialized tool, but in this case, much more work and time will be required with an unpredictable end result.
The most popular routers in the amateur environment are capable of performing many different operations. They cut grooves, edges, slots in wooden products and details, chamfer, choose quarters. In addition, vertical milling cutters are used to make longitudinal edges and form complex joints on spikes (straight or dovetail type - we mentioned it in the article “”) and tongues.
"Specialists" for milling
Versatility also has a downside. Undoubtedly, vertical milling machines can do a lot, but they are inconvenient to use in cramped conditions. Here you need compact edge routers.
Such tools are easy to hold even with one hand. At the same time, they provide high processing accuracy - they remove the edge without a hitch and strictly according to the specified size. The position of the cutter is changed using the scale bar and the adjusting wheel.
If you are not sure that there is a lot of work for an edge router, then you should look at combination routers. Such machines are equipped with two bases - for plunge milling and edge processing. True, in a difficult environment, an edge router is still more convenient.
furniture maker
Also on sale are dowel milling machines, which are also called filler or lamellar. Similar tools are used for milling grooves for flat dowels for corner and edge joints (lamellar routers), as well as sampling holes for furniture dowels and dowels (filler routers).
This is the standard operation for . I must say that making grooves with a conventional tool is a very tedious task. And with a filler mill, everything is solved in the shortest possible time and, moreover, with impeccable quality.
Parquet
At production sites and in construction, specialized milling cutters are used for processing, and. They are called trimmers. In everyday life, such devices are unlikely to be useful. What to do if, nevertheless, for some exceptional reason, the home master cannot do without such an “exotic” router? Rent it, of course!
For whatever purpose you choose a car for yourself, buy it or rent it, before making a final decision, try on the model you like. Hold it in your hands, appreciate the ergonomics of the handle, as well as the convenience of the location of the switch and other controls.
About common sense
Serious models of milling cutters are not cheap. There are no far-reaching plans - is it worth buying such a car at all? Another thing is if you are going to furnish the house with handmade furniture. It is wise to start this large-scale project with the purchase of a convenient, reliable and practical router.
Of course, a beginner should learn the basics of craftsmanship on small items - cabinets, small tables, decorative drawers and caskets. However, as you know, appetite comes with eating, and this French proverb is the best fit for carpentry. Anyone who feels the potential of a creator needs a model with great technical and creative potential.
How to choose a router - criteria
Machine power. The higher this indicator, the higher the productivity of the router and the wider its capabilities. But with regard to power, one should show a sense of proportion and not get carried away with "heavy" models of 2 kW or more.
Speed.
When buying, you should give preference to models with electronic speed control. This option allows you to accurately select the mode of operation of the tool depending on the type of operation and type of material.
Cutting depth.
For professional equipment, this figure reaches 60 mm or more. The depth of cut is "tied" to the power and, as a result, the heaviness of the tool. If the cutter plunges to different depths, it means that the user can more accurately process the material (this is facilitated by the depth lock and the depth stop of the cutter).
Parallel stop.
It simplifies the edge removal operation. (Retainer and stops are included in the basic package of the tool.)
Possibility of safe and easy change of cutters of different diameters (6 and 8 or 12 mm).
In high-quality manual milling cutters, such a replacement is necessarily provided. It is implemented by means of a collet chuck or other branded devices (for example, the built-in spindle lock in models from Bosch).
Turret.
It allows you to quickly change the lowering height of the cutter, which helps to quickly and efficiently complete the processing in several passes.
Kit
A set of professional milling cutters often includes auxiliary parts and products. At the same time, many masters prefer to assemble equipment on their own, according to their taste and experience. The use of cutters of various configurations and purposes allows you to create genuine masterpieces - objects with openwork carvings and exquisite relief. Gradually, a whole family of "assistants" is gathering around the universal router - tools and devices (guides, templates, etc.) for specific operations and exclusive processing.
On a note:
It is desirable that the router has special anti-slip soft pads. When performing a large amount of work, it is more convenient when the switch is built into the handle. A useful detail is a pipe for connecting a vacuum cleaner to collect sawdust and chips. And finally, the illumination of the milling zone. Local lighting increases the comfort of work and has a positive effect on the mood of the master.
Routers got their name from the location of the motor and cutter. In such machines, the engine is mounted on top - above the base of the tool. These two nodes are interconnected by a special lifting mechanism, by means of which the depth of immersion of the cutter into the material is adjusted.
If you fix a manual milling machine in a carpentry workbench or at least a stand for an electric drill, you get a semi-stationary woodworking machine. With some skill, you can do amazing things with it.
Types of cutters
Main detail
The working body of a milling machine or machine is a cutter - a device with several cutting blades or teeth. There are many types of cutters:
They are made of steel, hard alloys, cermets, diamond, solid carded wire. There are devices with which they process not only wood, but also much harder materials, such as aluminum, steel, cast iron. They are used in serious industrial machines. At home, hand-held power tools are usually used for wood processing.
The most popular brands of routers: Makita (Makita), AEG, Bosch (Bosch), Metabo (Metabo), Black and Decker (Black and Decker), DeWalt
Manual milling machine, or milling cutter: types of cutters, device, working methods and equipment
A manual milling machine, or milling cutter, as many craftsmen call it, expands the technological capabilities of the home craftsman. With such a tool, it is much easier to professionally perform the most complex carpentry operations.
A milling machine with a standard set of auxiliary equipment, a set of end mills and additional devices, including home-made ones, will allow the owner to select grooves and slots of various sizes and configurations in wooden blanks, chamfer, give a complex profile to the edges along the contour, make decorative shaped strips and apply engraving, with high precision to embed door hinges and locks.
The milling machine can even be used for processing plastic, plexiglass, composite materials and non-ferrous metals, using cutters designed for this purpose and choosing the right processing mode. The recommended modes for certain materials and the manufacturer's recommendations, as a rule, contain instructions attached to the tool.
Milling device
Despite external differences, milling machines are fundamentally the same and consist of two structural units - an electric drive with a collet clamp and a base with a drive up and down mechanism.
Collets for clamps (and end mill shanks) are produced in three main modifications - Ø 6, 8 and 12 mm. This should be borne in mind when buying a tool and cutters for it. The machine kit usually includes a side stop, a roller stop, a plastic or metal copy sleeve, a nozzle for connecting a vacuum cleaner, a shaft lock and a wrench.
Engine power is one of the most important characteristics of a milling machine. In different models, it varies from 600 to 2,300 watts.
The more power, the wider the capabilities of the machine. In particular, this allows the use of large diameter cutters - for example, for profiling infills.
The cost of the tool largely depends on the power.
The speed of rotation of the engine, and hence the cutter, fixed at the end of its shaft with a collet clamp, for many models is adjustable over a wide range. At the same time, the maximum speed can reach 20, and for some models even 35 thousand rpm.
It must be borne in mind that at an overestimated processing speed there is a risk of overheating the cutter and “burning” the workpiece with it, and at an underestimated speed, productivity and processing quality are significantly reduced.
The soft start function prevents the tool from kicking back when turned on. This is especially noticeable when using large diameter cutters.
Another important characteristic of the tool is the milling depth adjustment range (cutting stroke). For different models, it ranges from 30 to 76 mm.
Types of cutters
The range of cutters for milling machines is wide and varied. They are sold retail and in sets.
Their main varieties are: groove cutter, groove cutter (fillet), multi-radius shaped cutter, disk groove cutter, cutter for splicing workpieces and a whole range of specialized cutters.
Structurally, cutters can be divided into several groups: submersible groove cutters; edging with a guide pin or bearing; combined; panel; kits for forming frame connections. Milling cutters are made entirely of high speed steel or with brazed cutting elements of carbide. The former have proven themselves well in the processing of softwood blanks.
For processing hardwood, wood-based materials (chipboard, MDF, plywood), as well as laminated blanks, it is advisable to use milling cutters with cutting elements made of carbide. The cutting edges of milling cutters made of hard alloys are sensitive to mechanical stress. Therefore, they should never be stored in bulk in a common toolbox. The easiest way to work with cutters that have a guide pin or bearing
It is easy to control the movement of the tool. No additional devices are needed - just set the desired milling depth. The trunnion or bearing rests on the smooth edge of the workpiece or template - and the cutter exactly copies the given trajectory. However, there should not be any flaws on the edge, otherwise they will be exactly repeated on the machined surface.
How to work with a milling cutter
Wood is processed with a cutter made of high-speed steel or carbide at high speeds. The machined surfaces are thus very clean, but a large amount of chips are formed. Therefore, it is desirable to work with a chip removal system. The turret of the carriage of the milling depth adjustment mechanism, mounted on the base of the milling machine, allows you to make several repeated passes of one section, each time to a greater depth. The quality of the treated surface depends on several factors. First, from sharpening the cutter - it must be sharp. The direction of the passage also plays a role. The most difficult is the processing of the ends, and the best result is obtained by longitudinal milling along the fibers.
The surface quality is improved by adjusting the turret so that the material is removed on the last pass as little as possible.
You can mill a groove parallel to a straight edge of a workpiece or a finished face using the side stop included in the kit, or a plastic lining on the sole of the machine base in cases where the milling depth does not exceed the thickness of the lining. But it's best to use
a branded tire with a carriage moving along it. In extreme cases, a self-made guide of suitable length is also suitable. The roller stop from the accessory kit guarantees an exact repetition of the profile of the curved edge. All these devices will ensure that a fixed distance of the groove from the base end or in accordance with the markup is maintained, if during processing the emphasis is constantly pressed against the edge or the base of the machine against the guide. It must be borne in mind that all adjusting and setting screws must be tightly tightened, otherwise the initial setting of the milling machine may be lost from the high-frequency vibration of the running drive, and the wooden workpiece will be ruined.
When milling grooves and samples of complex configuration, a copy sleeve will help out. True, to perform such an operation, you first need to make an exact template, taking into account the outer diameter of the copy sleeve. A compass device will be needed when performing curved milling along an arc or circle.
Additional equipment for the router
The use of additional equipment, including those made independently, will allow you to perform other woodworking operations quickly and very efficiently.
So, in the manufacture of furniture, corner joints are most often performed on dowels and dowels, although it is stronger and more solid to make them on straight or dovetail spikes. And all because cutting the spikes on the mating parts by hand is a painstaking and time-consuming task. Another thing is the milling of spikes. True, one cannot do without a combined template device.
Manufacturers of milling machines make such templates.
Their purpose is the same, but the designs are different. Therefore, you need to purchase a template from the same company as the machine in your workshop.
Such templates, in addition to the guide metal plate, include brackets-clamps, in which both mating parts are fixed simultaneously. A very convenient device that combines the functions of a guide rail and a parallel stop - a guide slide. The base of the milling machine easily and without lateral play moves between the bars along thin plywood strips
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