Build the milling table yourself - you have these possibilities


Who works a lot with wood, comes to the purchase of a router usually not around. As useful as this tool is freehand - it can only be used properly for stationary use. How to build a milling table yourself, and what proven construction methods there are, you will find in our article.

Is self-construction worthwhile?

Very simple router tables for DIY use can often buy for 70 - 100 EUR. But slightly better equipped models are already considerably more expensive.

In addition, size also always plays a role: if you need or want a larger milling table, you usually have to dig a little deeper into your pocket. The processing of larger workpieces is on small tables but often poor.

The DIY is worthwhile in most cases, if you want to save some money. And he creates the opportunity to get the milling table in exactly the dimensioning, in which one actually needs it. Simple, small tables can be built for 20 EUR.

Use of a router table

Especially when woodworking smaller workpieces are to be processed with the router, it is often difficult to work freehand. However, if the router is stationary, you can work much easier and more accurately because you have both hands free to guide the workpiece.

Added to this is the effect that, once the cutter and stopper have been properly adjusted and fixed, it is possible to make several workpieces exactly the same in succession. Freehand that would be difficult.

Another benefit of the milling table is the integrated suction. Thus, the high dust generation during milling, especially at higher processing speed, no longer represents an obstacle. You can simply run it during DIY so that it fits exactly on the hose of your own vacuum cleaner.

Materials for DIY

The easiest way to build your milling table made of wood. For the surface it is best to use screen printing plates - the workpieces glide better on them. Of course, anyone who builds their table as a stationary table can also make the substructure from the more cost-effective multiplex boards that are often used in furniture construction. However, the tabletop and stop jaws should be made of screen printing plates.

Build fixed milling table yourself - step by step Construction plan to do it yourself

  • Table top in required size (screen printing plate, preferably around 20 mm)
  • Stop jaws in the required size (screen printing, around 20 mm)
  • Spindle fence
  • angle bracket
  • Absaugabdeckung
  • Sidewall and floor parts
  • Rear wall parts for the table
  • Base plate (all best of multiplex plate, 20 mm thickness are sufficient)
  • Cross stop and lower part
  • Material for drawer elements, as required, in appropriate size (here, slightly thinner wood can be used
  • Drawer bottoms (best plywood)
  • telescopic shelves
  • Milling table, Miter Channel and Miter Slider
  • spring clip
  • Screws, furniture screws, round head screws
  • Washers, hexagon and nuts
  • suitable extension cable
  • safety switch
  • plug-shoes
  • Aufputzdose
  • router
  • Circular saw and jigsaw
  • sharpener
  • Cordless Screwdriver
  • drilling machine

1. Cut parts

First of all cut all components according to the plan you have created. Especially with Multiplex the purchase of whole plates is usually worthwhile, if one carries out larger projects. You have to cut it yourself.

You can also have the cut of all parts done directly in the hardware store, thereby saving time for the elaborate cutting work. The parts are also very accurate.

2. Drill the mounting plate for the milling cutter

In some cases, there will be no suitable mounting plate for your router. In this case you have to screw on the milling cutter by hand and make your own attachment. Then take the sliding plate of the mill as a template.

3. Create table top

It is best to glue the tabletop together using two screen printing plates (around 20 mm thick). Later, if you no longer want to see the glue line, you can also attach a strip that covers it.

For gluing together, a fixing method with flat dowels is recommended, in addition, the plates should also be glued to each other again with assembly adhesive.

4. Mount the attachment

The cutout of the mounting plate must be transferred to the table top. This is best done with the jigsaw. In order to obtain a good guidance for the jigsaw, you can first saw off a small groove for the matching cutout with the groove cutter. Smooth the saw edges (use trimming cutter)

After that, you can already mount the milling plate and the milling cutter on the tabletop.

5. Make stop jaws and angle brackets as well as stops

For the stop jaws, it is best to glue two plates on top of each other. Provide it with a 45° angle and set the groove rails for a rip fence at the top.

The angle brackets must be manufactured very precisely. Make sure that the 90° angle is maintained exactly, otherwise the work result suffers later. Then install a rail for the transverse stop (Miter Chanel) and fasten the stop jaws as well.

The table can already be used in principle as a milling table and can already be used for the rest of the work.

6. Finish the substructure of the table

Now make the table base and the required drawer elements according to your plan. Mount the table ready and attach the table top to the base at the end.

Tips & Tricks

Take your time planning, and think carefully about what you need. Also, think about additional tool attachments, under-table casters, and school bathing equipment to help you find things easier and faster.
Build the milling table yourself - you have these possibilities

FAQ - 💬

❓ What products can be made by milling?

👉 Parts made by the process have an important use in the area industrial, automotive, machinery, telecommunications, and other electrical and electronic components....Materials and products

  • Aluminum.
  • Brass.
  • Magnesium.
  • Nickel.
  • Steel.
  • Thermoset plastics.
  • Titanium.
  • Zinc.

❓ What are the steps of the milling process?

👉 The process includes 3 steps – roughing, semi-finishing and finishing.

❓ What are the three 3 basic types of milling machines?

👉 Fixed Bed Type or Manufacturing Type

  • Simplex Milling Machine. The spindle or the spindle head can travel in one direction only. ...
  • Duplex Milling Machine. The spindle can move in both horizontal and vertical directions.
  • Triplex Milling Machine. The spindle can move in all three directions i.e. X Y and Z axis.

❓ How do you use a milling machine step by step?

👉 8 tips for correctly using a milling machine

  1. First, mount the cutter to the machine. ...
  2. Place the cutter according to the work you want to do, and tighten the workholding device to the spindle.
  3. Adjust the cutter's depth of cut by holding the two side handles and pushing the motor housing down.

❓ What materials can you use on a milling machine?

👉 Milling can process most rigid materials including most metals: Aluminum, Stainless Steel, Copper, Steel, Brass, Titanium, Sterling Silver, Bronze, etc. And hard plastics and other materials: Nylon, Acetal, Polycarbonate, Polystyrene, Acrylic, Fiberglass, Carbon fiber, PTFE, ABS, PVC, etc.

❓ What is milling used for?

👉 A milling machine removes material from a work piece by rotating a cutting tool (cutter) and moving it into the work piece. Milling machines, either vertical or hori- zontal, are usually used to machine flat and irregularly shaped surfaces and can be used to drill, bore, and cut gears, threads, and slots.

❓ What is the purpose of milling?

👉 Milling is a process where a milling tool cuts away the material in a rotary motion. As with drilling, this is possible with a wide array of different tools with different diameters and different hardness's. Because the mill is moving, the rotational speed must be high in order to get a clean finish of the milled hole.

❓ Which one of the milling process is best suitable?

👉 Down milling is always the preferred method wherever the machine tool, fixture and workpiece will allow. In peripheral down milling, the chip thickness will decrease from the start of cut, gradually reaching zero at the end of cut.

❓ What is the purpose of milling machine?

👉 A milling machine removes material from a work piece by rotating a cutting tool (cutter) and moving it into the work piece. Milling machines, either vertical or hori- zontal, are usually used to machine flat and irregularly shaped surfaces and can be used to drill, bore, and cut gears, threads, and slots.

❓ Which type of tool is used in milling machine?

👉 Indexable end mills are typically used to rough the part, which is then finished with a solid end mill. High Speed Steel (HSS) tools such as drills, taps and reamers are commonly used on CNC machining centers for hole making operations. Holes are by far the most common feature in CNC machining.

❓ Why is milling used?

👉 A milling machine removes material from a work piece by rotating a cutting tool (cutter) and moving it into the work piece. Milling machines, either vertical or hori- zontal, are usually used to machine flat and irregularly shaped surfaces and can be used to drill, bore, and cut gears, threads, and slots.

❓ How do I use the milling ability?

👉 Milling is an ability you get when you learn Inscription. Milling can be used to mill 5 herbs for 2 - 4 pigments, then you use the pigments to turn into inks. Below you can find a quick overview of which herbs converts to which pigments and which pigments converts to which inks. You can find herb farming guides for most herbs on my website.

❓ What tools do you use to make your own milling machine?

👉 But my credo is get inspired, use what you have and make the best out of it, so naturally I tried to make my own milling machine (kind of). Tools: drill press (obviously), table saw, miter saw, M5 (1/8") and M8 (5/16") taps, file, chisel.

❓ How to make a milling table for a drill press?

👉 MK: DIY Milling Table for Drill Press 1 Tracks. I started by cutting the plywood on my table saw. ... 2 Motion Mechanism. The movement is provided by the threaded rod, but let´s not get ahead of ourselves. ... 3 Drill Press Attachment & Assembly. I used rather large, M10 (3/8") T-bolts to attach the base to the drill press table. ... 4 Milling. ...

❓ What are the parts of a milling machine?

👉 Milling Machine Parts 1 Base: It is the foundation part of a machine and all other parts are joined on it. ... 2 Column: It is mounted vertically on the base. ... 3 Knee: It is a casting that supports the saddle and table. ... 4 Saddle: This is placed between the table and the knee, and work as an intermediate part between them. ... More items...


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