Which manual wood router to choose: for a beginner, for a home workshop, as a milling machine at home, correct and useful tips

Purpose

With its help, various types of carpentry and construction and finishing work are performed. This is a selection of complex and simple profiles of various configurations, a selection of fits for door and frame hinges, door locks and handles. As well as preparing complex and simple connections at the corners of frames, in the middle of furniture pieces. A separate direction is figured wood carving, cutting out arches and circles of different sizes.

Auxiliary devices used at work

A milling cutter is rarely used for rough fitting of a workpiece; more often, filigree precision is required from the tool (and the operator working with it). All sorts of auxiliary devices come to the rescue, making working with the router easier and more convenient.

The parallel (side) fence is used for milling parallel to the edge of the workpiece. It allows you to evenly guide the tool at a given (relatively small) distance from the edge. It is attached to the base of the tool by means of two rigid steel rods, which are fixed to the base with screws. The quality of work ultimately depends on the rigidity of the resulting structure. A parallel stop is made of cast or stamped metal, isolated from direct contact with the workpiece by a removable plastic cover.

The guide rail is also used when milling along a straight line, but unlike the side stop, it can be installed at any distance from the edge of the workpiece and at any angle to the edge. It is a profiled ruler secured to the workpiece with clamps. A special shoe is connected to the router, which moves along the grooves of the tire and guides the tool.

The copying sleeve is used for milling along a complex trajectory by copying the contours of the template. During operation, the side of the sleeve rests against the edge of the template, as a result the cutter reproduces its outline on the workpiece, and you get a slightly enlarged copy of the product used as a template. The sleeve is selected to match the diameter of the cutter and is fixed using a quick-clamping mechanism.

A compass ruler helps to mill the workpiece along a radial line. With its help you can make, for example, a rounded tabletop. One end of the ruler-compass is attached with screws to the base of the router, the other is fixed with a pin in a hole drilled in the workpiece in the center of the circle.

The connection pipe for connecting a vacuum cleaner is an element whose necessity today, probably, no one doubts. Allows you to keep the cutting area clean and therefore clearly visible during work.

Which manufacturer should you prefer?

A milling cutter is chosen not only by technical characteristics. Two more factors: price and brand reputation. If there are no restrictions on the purchase amount, you should choose well-known brands with a long history. And that's why:

Such companies have been developing and improving their products for many decades. They have special design bureaus, testing laboratories, and a strong staff of design engineers. As a result, it is these brands that achieve the best performance in all areas: ergonomics (ease of use), efficiency and productivity.
Famous brands value their reputation. Only manufacturers for whom reputation does not matter can throw a batch of defective milling cutters onto the market under a new name and then disappear. There are many well-known brands, and they constantly compete fiercely with each other, which also stimulates improvement of product quality and, if possible, keeping prices to the minimum.

The two most famous brands in this area are the European (German) Bosch and the Asian (Japanese) Makita. It is quite possible that their production facilities are located in China today. But full control over quality is maintained; equipment, designs, and technologies belong to the brands.

Today, when purchasing such milling cutters, the main thing is to avoid counterfeit goods, which can also be produced in China under the brand label, but in other production facilities.

General information

Purpose

A wood milling machine was originally intended for profile and flat planing, for example, for processing edges, edges of workpieces, etc. However, the functionality of modern equipment is not limited to these tasks.

In particular, the machines allow you to perform the following operations:

cut blanks or parts from solid wood;
make a cut;
select grooves and make holes;
apply complex ornaments and three-dimensional designs.

As a result of this versatility, routing is perhaps the most common type of woodworking.

Volumetric milling

Design and principle of operation

Typically, a milling machine consists of the following main elements:

beds;
calipers;
desktop;
insert spindle;
spindle shaft;
cutters (cutting tools).

Main elements of the machine

The design of the machine may be different, however, in any case, the processing principle is that the cutting cutter rotates at high speed, cutting off excess wood. In this case, either the workpiece or the support itself performs reciprocating movements.

Main characteristics that you should pay attention to when choosing

In addition to the quality and ergonomics of the entire product, technical parameters are extremely important.

Engine power

The power of the electric motor of milling machines varies over a wide range - from 350 W to 2300 W and is selected based on the work to be done. If you have to process small parts with a shallow profile (fitting under door hinges, processing the edges of boards) or perform figured carvings, a low-power option is better suited, because:

The weight of the router is lighter, more convenient to work with;
costs less;
consumes less energy.

If you have to choose deep grooves (for a door lock, table fastenings) or use a milling cutter with a complex profile with a large diameter, the power of such a router may not be enough. Perhaps it will cope with the task, but with overloads, which is fraught with rapid wear. If the load is too heavy, the engine may simply burn out, or the gearbox parts may break.

The average version with a power of 700 W-1100 W is capable of solving most tasks for a carpentry and furniture workshop. Therefore, such models are the most popular.

The most powerful milling cutters 1700 W-2300 W are purchased for special tasks. They are quite heavy (about 5 kg or more), and it is inconvenient to work with small workpieces. Suitable for cutting deep grooves and wide complex profiles with a large diameter cutter. Their cost is higher than that of low-power ones. Energy consumption is also significant. Therefore, it is not worth buying such a tool unless necessary.

Power type

Battery options are limited in power, and the power in watts (W) is not indicated on such models. Only the voltage of the battery and electric motor in volts is 12 V, 16 V or 18 V. The higher the voltage, the more powerful the router.

Cordless edge router in action

The main advantage of cordless milling machines is their independent power supply. You can work without an electrical wire, which in some cases gets in the way. Independence from the network is relative. Charging the battery still requires mains voltage.

Cordless routers can be considered a special tool. They are used mainly as edge cutters and work with small diameter cutters. They can be indispensable, for example, when covering the ceiling. If the finishing sheet does not fit, the edge can be removed with a router directly under the ceiling. In this case, the wire will not be pulled down. The router itself weighs a little, which is convenient.

They can also be used during finishing when there is no power supply in the building yet. It is convenient for small work, for example, selecting ornaments (wood carving).

But the main tool of this type is network routers (220V). They have no restrictions on engine power for this type of tool. They can be powered up to 1700 W and are capable of performing all the tasks intended for such a tool.

Milling depth

The maximum recess sizes that a router can make are measured in depth and width. Depth is the distance from the top plane of the workpiece to the end of the sample (vertical). Width is the distance from the edge of the workpiece to the end of the sample (horizontally).

Maximum cutter diameter

The larger the diameter of the cutter, the more difficult it is for the router to work. Reason: a thin cutter has a small lever (distance from edge to center). A large diameter cutter is a large lever to counteract the rotational force of the engine.

If you have to work with large-diameter cutters, you should purchase a high-power milling cutter.

Manufacturers do not always indicate the maximum diameter of the cutter in the technical specifications. The space at the collet (clamp) of most routers (except edge routers) is spacious enough to accommodate a large router bit. But this does not mean that a low-power model will work with any cutter without overload. There are no exact technical recommendations on the ratio of power in W/cutter diameter. But in general, for large diameter cutters you need a milling cutter with a power of over 1000W.

Example when the technical data indicates max. cutter diameter – milling cutter Fiolent MF3-1100E F0029.

power 1100 W;
Max. cutter diameter – 26 mm.

Collet size

The cutter shanks and collets for clamping them have several standard sizes: 6 mm, 8 mm, 10 mm, 12 mm. Unlike a drill chuck, which can be used to clamp a shank from 1mm to 10mm, a collet is designed to only fit one size.

The router often comes with replaceable collets. For example, 8 mm and 10 mm. These are the most popular sizes. Shanks 6 mm and 12 mm are used less frequently. But if you buy a light or powerful router, most likely, the light router will have 6 mm and 8 mm collets, the powerful one will have 10 mm and 12 mm, and possibly 8 mm.

Therefore, before purchasing a router, you should take a closer look at the diameters of the shanks of the cutters that you plan to use. It is possible that you already have a set of cutters. The main thing is that the necessary cutters fit the new router according to the size of the collet.

Maximum number of revolutions

The higher the speed, the better the surface treatment of the sample. Many milling cutters have a speed control function. But it is practically useless, since after testing work at different speeds, most operators set the maximum speed.

At low speeds, the cutter tears the wood or the engine does not pull, since the reduction in speed occurs due to a decrease in the current supplied to the electric motor.

Different brands compete with each other, trying to overtake competitors in all quality parameters, including turnover. Average values for today are 25,000 rpm - 30,000 rpm. Leading leading brands achieve 33,000 rpm, and you can trust them, since they cannot commit fraud - competitors will check.

An unknown Chinese manufacturer may suddenly claim 35,000 rpm.

But this is most likely just a marketing ploy. We must remember that such ultra-high speeds mean extra loads on the spindle bearing and other components. And the law of physics “what you gain in speed, you lose in strength” applies. That is, the cutter can rotate quickly when idling, but weakly and under load it can lose speed significantly.

Therefore, when choosing, speed is an important criterion , but it is better without “records”. 25,000 rpm - 30,000 rpm is quite enough for high-quality processing . The main thing is that the cutter does not lose much speed during operation, which is also affected by engine power.

Tool weight

The weight of the router can vary from 1.4 kg for light ones to 5 kg and higher for powerful models.

Weight is related to power, but not directly. If the milling cutter is of a high-quality brand, light, expensive alloys of magnesium and aluminum are used in its production. In cheap models, the same parts may be made of heavy ferrous metal.

There is a downside - too light weight with large, awkward dimensions may indicate low reliability of the product. There is a tiny motor in a huge body, gears inside are made of lightweight plastic, etc. This applies to unknown cheap brands.

Weight matters more or less for different jobs. If you have to frequently rearrange the tool, holding it in your hands will make it inconvenient to work with a heavy router.

When the router is simply placed with a platform on a long workpiece and moves along it, weight matters little.

Before buying in a store, it is better to hold the router in your hands and estimate the weight. When purchasing online, the weight must be indicated in the specifications.

Types of cutters used

Each type of material being processed requires the use of an appropriate attachment. Externally, the cutter consists of two parts: the cutting edge (working part) and the shank. It is important to know that pliable soft woods are processed with attachments made from lightweight materials, while hard wood species require an appropriate hard cutter.

There is another classification of nozzles:

profile - simple processing of wood products;
cone-shaped - processing at an angle;
rectangular - working with grooves;
V-shaped to produce holes with a 45-degree slope;
disk - you can create different grooves in width and depth;
molding will help to round the edge;
rebated for quarter milling;
“swallow’s nest” – tenon joints;
fillets to create details of the same name on the edges.

It is worth knowing: for a manual household router you should use bearingless attachments - this will help in processing tools in any convenient place.

Additional functions

Additional features that are not available on all models include:

work area lighting;
the presence of a pipe for collecting chips with a vacuum cleaner, a dust removal adapter;
smooth start;
speed adjustment.

Basically these are little functional options.

If the workplace is well lit, backlighting is not needed. Do not look into the illumination zone while working.

A dust collector is useful when working in a clean or residential area. It is inconvenient to use in workshops - there is extra noise from the vacuum cleaner, the collection is bulky and interferes with working with the router, the bag quickly becomes clogged.

Soft start gently starts the engine without reducing the voltage in the network. The milling cutter begins to work smoothly, without jerking. A useful feature, but you can do without it.

Speed adjustment is required extremely rarely. Basically, milling cutters operate at maximum speed.

The remaining functions are standard and are available on all milling cutters: a button to prevent accidental activation, height adjustment of the cutter, eyes for a rip fence and a compass.

Types of machines

There are several types of milling machine. This is due to the specifics of certain work with the material.

Based on power level, heavy, medium and light machines are distinguished. Heavy milling cutters have power up to 1200 W. They are purchased by professionals, as they are capable of performing complex operations with wood and other materials.

Heavy hand router

The power of average machines varies from 750 to 900 W. They are often used when working with furniture and decorative elements in the home.

Light milling machines have a maximum power of 750 W. They are used for small operations that do not require professional skill and great processing depth.

In addition to the vertical router with a wide range of applications, there are machines designed to perform one (often complex) operation.

Lightweight hand routers

Among them are the following types:

Trimmer. Allows you to cut holes of complex shapes, chamfer and make grooves. It is important that it can be used for processing veneer and laminate.
Rotary. Creates holes and allows you to control their depth with high precision. It can work not only with wood, but also with ceramics or drywall.
Lamellar. Suitable for grooving only.
Filler tool. Produces paired depressions.

A vertical router combines all the functions of the above machines. But if you are only interested in one specific function (with an accuracy of a tenth of a millimeter), you can use a separate machine.

Ergonomics

Each manufacturer tries to arrange all the components as compactly as possible, and in such a way that it is as convenient to use the tool as possible. This works out differently for everyone. For example, Makita. Milling cutters from this manufacturer are pleasant to hold in your hands.

centering (weight distribution) is maintained, the tool does not tip to the side, it does not need to be held with force;
light weight;
compact dimensions;
depth adjustment is convenient.

As a result, working with such a tool is pleasant.

Other leading brands also have good user friendliness.

Cheap, low-quality routers can be clunky, bulky, and difficult to use.

It is better to hold the router before purchasing in a real store. By the way it fits in your hands, you can immediately assess the quality based on ergonomics. When purchasing online, you can only evaluate ergonomics by reviews.

Replacement of carbon brushes for different brands is organized differently:

without disassembling the case, through the plug screws on the case;
with disassembly of the housing.

The first option is much more convenient. But carbon brushes are rarely replaced. It happens that they last the entire service life of the router itself. Therefore, the replacement method is not very important.

The location of the power cord outlet and its length are important. A short cord will require an extension cord. If the lead is poorly positioned, the wire will interfere with work and there is even a risk of getting into the cutter.

Important Specifications

Main technical parameters that matter during operation:

Electric motor power. The powerful milling cutter easily, without overload, performs shallow sampling and copes with deep ones. Costs – higher energy consumption, weight and cost. There are milling cutters on sale with power ranging from 500 W to 2,500 W.
Speed. The higher the speed, the cleaner the processing. The downside of the advantage is that the higher the speed, the less the rotational force of the cutter, the greater the load on the spindle bearings. The maximum speed of modern milling cutters is from 20,000 rpm to 33,000 rpm.
Weight . For hand tools, this is important, since it is more difficult to work with a heavy tool. It is less maneuverable and your hands get tired. There are milling cutters on sale weighing from 1.2 kg to 6.5 kg. Weight depends not only on power. High-quality models use expensive, lightweight and durable magnesium-aluminum alloys, while cheaper ones use heavy ferrous metal.

Equipment

The standard package includes:

the router itself;
key for fixing the cutter in the collet. (Two keys, if the spindle is fixed not by a stopper in the body, but also by a key);
parallel stop;
replaceable collet for the shank of cutters of other sizes;
user manual.

In addition to the listed accessories, the extended (full) package includes:

compass (bar with a centering cone (needle) for processing circles);
copy sleeve (for moving the router along curved templates);
copy roller for working together with a parallel stop;
adapter for connecting a vacuum cleaner;
simple groove cutter.

Additional accessories are simple devices, inexpensive and do not increase the overall price of the kit by much. It happens that some devices are simply not needed. They lie on the shelf for years or are even thrown away. The opposite also happens when you have to buy some devices separately or make them yourself. For example, making a compass with your own hands is not difficult.

As a result: everything necessary for full-fledged work is included in any configuration. Full may be a nice bonus, but not fundamentally important. When choosing a router, it is the one that is evaluated first. Options are a secondary matter.

Technical properties of the router: electrical part

The upper part, the so-called “head”, is an electric motor with a collet clamp and handles.
We’ll talk about the electronics and power characteristics of the router in this section. A milling cutter indicator such as power consumption indicates the overall performance of the device . In other words, having more watts “under the hood” allows manufacturers to install a larger cutter and allow deeper cuts and faster feeds without overheating the motor.

But greater power entails a significant increase in the weight of the device and its size, and a high number of revolutions does not coexist very correctly with some “delicate” attachments. Based on the characteristics described above, milling cutters are divided into several groups:

Light (up to 700 Watt).
Medium (700–1500 Watts).
Heavy (more than 1500 watts).

Manufacturers “keep” the spindle speed in the region of 25–35 thousand rpm, while edge machines develop more than 35 thousand rpm. At the same time, the smaller the size of the recommended attachment, the higher the speed the router develops.

A large cutter is used with fewer revolutions, since the speed of rotation of the point on its circle edges is much higher. A small number of revolutions is necessary when processing metal and plastic to prevent melting of the material and overheating of the working area.

That is, in practice we have the following relationship: power consumption / cutter diameter / immersion depth / part material / rpm speed - any of these points affects the others, therefore its maximum indicator is carefully selected by the manufacturer.

The higher the speed, the cleaner the processing and the easier it is to work with hard products. But if the material is more viscous or high precision is required, it makes sense to set a lower rotation speed.

That is why most milling cutters make it possible to set rotation frequencies for certain conditions and materials of different densities. Usually this is stepwise or smooth adjustment with a wheel - up to eight positions.

Features of choosing milling motor power

The choice of the number of revolutions rests with the practical skills of the operator, but manufacturers often give hints by indicating the recommended revolutions on cutters or in data sheets.
Most “advanced” milling cutters are equipped with constant electronics ; it controls the engine power to stabilize a preset speed. This allows you to prevent a decrease in the rotation speed of the cutting cutter and compensate for the loss of rotational torque when changing the feeding style of the device or when changing the density of non-uniform wood.

Powerful machines are equipped with a “soft start” system, which smoothly accelerates the cutter , eliminating strong jerking of the head and overload of the electrical network under the influence of increased starting currents. In addition, the device will last longer because its components are protected from constant shock overloads.

the overload protection system comes into operation . It is implemented in different ways, from the usual LED indication to turning off the power supply. This option is typical only for professional devices at a high price level.

Another important function is protection against accidental launch . This is an additional key that must be pressed together with the main button to supply power to the engine. Using this element, the start key can be locked while pressed, which makes it possible to release the main button during operation.

Many craftsmen use blocking quite often, since they prefer to work with a tool, holding the support platform rather than its handle.

What to choose for your home workshop

Using a router in a home workshop involves long hours of work. Therefore, you need a high-quality model from brands with a good reputation.

Power is selected based on needs. The middle option is Makita RP0900K 900W . One of the most inexpensive models of the brand with such power due to the lack of additional functions - no speed control, no soft start. The homeland of the brand is Japan, the country of origin is China. Cost 8-10 thousand rubles.

A more serious option is Makita 3612 C 1850W . The price at the end of 2022 is 22-23 thousand rubles. The homeland of the brand is Japan, the country of origin is China. If you wish, you can find milling cutters of this brand made not in China, but in Japan. They cost a little more, but this is purely Japanese quality.

After watching the video, you can read the full review of the Makita 3612 C manual electric wood router and see the delivery set.

The representative of the German brand is Bosch GOF 130 06016B7000 1300W . price from 8 to 9 thousand rubles. Produced in China.

Operating device of a manual milling machine

Hand milling device

The most popular is the vertical manual router. Its design is quite simple. There is no gear mechanism, so the torque is transmitted directly from the machine engine to the spindle to which the cutter is attached. The tool unwinds quickly, so the work speeds up significantly.

The metal body (maybe plastic) of the machine stands on a support platform, which moves along the workpiece relative to the guide rods. It is firmly fixed to the base. In the middle there is a window for the cutter to work.

The guide rods are firmly connected to the support platform, but can move relative to the body.

The milling cutter is operated using special handles. With their help, the master transmits vertical force, which affects the depth of processing of the material with the cutter. On one of the handles there are buttons to start the machine. There are two of them - one starts the machine, the other (block) protects against accidental starting.

Parallel fence device

There is a rotation speed regulator on the body. Hand routers can process different types of wood, plastic, and even some types of stones and metal parts. Because of this, adjustment of the cutter speed may be required.

The work of the master is simplified due to the vertical stop of the router, which sets the depth of processing of the material. Thanks to the depth adjustment scale, you can set the desired value and fix it with a locking screw. A special flywheel allows you to set the most accurate value.

The removable equipment of a manual wood milling machine includes a parallel stop, with the help of which grooves and quarters are selected. It also slides along guide rods and is secured with wing screws. Sometimes the rip fence has a fine adjustment knob.

Choosing a tool with prospects for use as a milling machine

Manual models are sometimes used in stationary mode. Place the routers on the table in an inverted position, with the cutter facing up above the work table.

In stationary mode, the router remains switched on longer than in manual mode. Therefore, “motor resource” is important, the ability to work for a long time without rapid wear. The electric motor should not overheat. Large sample sizes contribute to overheating of a weak engine. Therefore, the router must be powerful enough to handle heavy loads without overheating.

The Makita 3612 C described above is suitable for these purposes . If there are no restrictions on the purchase price, you can use the professional model BOSCH GOF 1250 LCE Professional + L with an average power of 1250 W, costing more than 40 thousand rubles.

For small, rare jobs, it is better to use a budget milling cutter of medium power.

You cannot expect that a manual milling cutter with a brushed commutator motor will operate in a stationary mode in the same way as machines with asynchronous motors. But for a small sample, when manufacturing expensive products, this option is quite suitable.

Precisely selected power tools are the key to successful work. The modern market offers the widest selection of milling cutters. Knowing the criteria by which to choose, you can slowly select the right option.

Types, structure and design features

Tabletop milling machines have several varieties, which differ in design features and functionality. Tabletop machines are compact, easy to operate, low noise, and affordable.

Compact models consist of the same basic components as industrial equipment: bed, spindle, guides and work table. Fastening elements, a control system, and wires are installed on the frame.

Console

Console machines have a similar principle of operation with vertical milling equipment. The spindle in them moves along vertical guides.

Portal

In this case, movement occurs along three axes. The portal machine is mounted on a special guide, which is mounted transversely to the table.