Looking for precision router table like milling machine

[Bill Stoffels]

Does anyone know of a precision router table that is like a milling machine for X Y and Z axis? controlled manually with handwheels and machined tables running on threaded rod.
I am trying to find one that will completely remove my hand error from the equation.
Thanks

[tod evans]

bill, i think the legacy mill is as close as you`ll get short of a cnc....02 tod

[Ed Lang]

If you don't mind going the CNC route, may I suggest you take a look at the Shopbot benchtop unit.

Special pricing on it till the end of the month too.

[pat warner]

Fence (http://www.patwarner.com/images/bdpwf.jpg) travel monitored with indicator, cutter travel driven x & monitored x BenchDog lift.

Routers (http://www.patwarner.com)

[christopher miller]

Grizzly did make one , like a Bridgeport , but had the proper speeds for wood working. Chris

[Dan Racette]

I have seen lots of home made ones, but you could really cobble something to gether with a router held well in a cross slide vise and the work also held in a second vise. Set it up X Y Z or however you see the need to move the work or tool.

but commercially speaking, Tod is on the money.

[Mike Wenzloff]

Perhaps a Multi-Router is in your future:
http://www.djmarks.com/multirouter.asp

Take care, Mike

[Sam Shank]

I think you're describing the woodrat.

[Mike Wenzloff]

The WoodRat is good--I own one and use it frequently.

If I was still going for production, I would own a Multi-Router with the air clamping system. It's a great machine for production work. It also doesn't have the length-of-work issues the 'Rat does because it is a horizontal machine.

Take care, Mike

[Bruce Page]

Bill, here’s my home made version of what you’re looking for. I don’t use it very often because the chips & dust are always flying in your face, and it is REALLY loud! I made the mount out of 1” aluminum plate so it’s pretty stout. These pics are about 8 years old, before I had a decent router table – probably the last time that I used it…

[lou sansone]

pattern shops used " pattern mills" and they are still available
lou

[Jamie Buxton]

Grizzly sells something they call a Wood Mill. It looks like a standard 3-axis metal shop mill, with some tweaks.

http://www.grizzly.com/products/g9959

[Frank Chaffee]

Bill, here’s my home made version of what you’re looking for.
Bruce,
I remember when you posted vague pics of that vertical mill borne router in your shop tour, and I have been both intrigued by it and desirous of details since.

Would you please, kind sir, share the mounting of this router on the head of a mill with us?

The power feed on the x axis and the knee y axis movements certainly preclude some functions that router tables afford.

Seems to me that enclosing the openings in the aluminum plate box with lexan and connecting your dust collector would solve the noise and thrown chip problems.

Your head mounted router may be an economical solution here, but what do you, as an engineer, think of the idea of driving a cutter speed geared up from the quill output drive?

Interested,
Frank

[Gary Curtis]

The WoodRat uses a router and offers great material-holding power as well as control in the x-y-z axis. Best machine made for dovetails, etc. Go to the website -- chipsfly.com. Order the $6 DVD demo of the machine. It is similar to the Multi-Router, but the router sits vertically, and the WoodRat provides excellent dust collection for less than half the cost.

The Woodrat.com website in England has a short video on their home page.


Gary Curtis
Trinity County, CA

[Michael Ballent]

Legacy Ornamental Mill will let you create many things. I have one, but do not use it enough to have justified the pruchase :( Just like any mill, the cost of the cutters begins to hurt :D

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

The multi router is almost $3000.00 ???

O-U-C-H

I mafe a mortiser from an X*Y milling table with 4" of trabvel one way and 7" the other. I mounted it to a very neavy construction of thivck angle iron with a tiltin panel projecting up behind the table for a horizontal router mount. I pulled the dials off and installed shop made levers and actions for fast operation. I only wanted a mortising maching. You'd likely want to leave the dials on for a real milling table.

However, it's entirely feasable to install another milling table or even just one axis to create a Z axis in place of the verticle members inorder to get a true Z axis with a dial feed. Mount the router to that and you'll have a dovetail gibbed lockable Z axis with a dial, offering increments in one thousandths of an inch.

This would likely cost you all of $200.00 in milling tables, angle iron, and nuts & bolts. You can get really good milling tables for about $90.0 new. The nice thing about the milling tables is that they are made from really heavy cast iron. that means you'll have a really easy time driling and taping it for additions. Cast is about as easy to work as aluminum. A few taps and drills and you can do just about anything to it.


If I were going to do an improvement to my slot mortiser I'd install a Z axis with a dial in exactly that manner.