How to make a homemade copy-milling machine (pantograph) for wood with your own hands

Factory or homemade machine?

The modern market offers the purchase of milling and copying machines of various levels of complexity and design. But it is not always possible to make such a purchase, and the cost of such woodworking equipment is quite significant. That is why craftsmen often raise the question of a homemade milling and copying machine, the production of which is less expensive than self-assembly. Now, if you have the appropriate drawings, materials and skills, you can make such equipment yourself.

It is clear that this type of homemade equipment cannot compete with factory-produced equipment in terms of its parameters and ease of use. But if performed reliably with a home-made machine, it is possible to make fairly high-quality copies of certain wooden objects.

It should be noted right away that it is almost impossible to install copying equipment on a factory milling machine, since this implies a radical re-equipment of the entire machine.

That is why you can make a copying machine for wood with your own hands only “from scratch”, using systems of rods, an electric motor and a special chuck in which the cutter that processes the workpiece will be held.

What does a copy milling machine consist of?

Nowadays, there are quite a lot of designs of home-made equipment for this purpose, depending on the drawing used and the tasks that will be performed on this equipment. A typical wood copier consists of the following basic elements:

• suitable sized work surface;
• supporting frame;
• device for installing the router.

The milling head must be equipped with a transmission mechanism with an electric motor, which can provide several operating speeds for a homemade wood milling and copying machine.

A large number of craftsmen who made such a machine with their own hands according to drawings note that as a result of copying, the finished part has a sufficient number of flaws. They appear during a change in the direction of operation of the cutter, trembling and vibration of the entire structure. In addition, inconsistencies also occur due to the curvature of the workpiece, which occurs when the internal stress increases as a result of the processing of the wooden workpiece.

It is almost impossible to eliminate the possibility of certain defects occurring in the process of manufacturing a homemade machine. To reduce them to a minimum, it is recommended to produce not universal, but narrow-profile machines with your own hands, on which it will be possible to produce and copy parts of one specific type.

Making it vertical

A vertical wood milling machine has much greater functionality and provides better quality of material processing than a horizontal one. It is vertical milling machines that are mostly built by home-made amateurs. However, the problem of combating vibrations in a vertical milling machine is much more acute. If in a horizontal router vibrations through the base of the spindle unit are given priority. down and are effectively damped, being reflected in the thickness of the material, then in a vertical machine, elastic waves in the machine plate propagate mainly to the sides. In this case, their inerference is possible and the emergence of standing waves with antinodes (foci) of such a size that the workpiece is thrown away from the cutter. Therefore, one of the main tasks of designing a homemade vertical router is to suppress machine vibrations.

Structural diagram

Vertical milling machines with a bottom drive of a free (fixed only from below) cutter are least susceptible to vibration. The working body is mounted directly on the motor shaft. The entire drive is made as vibration-resistant as possible. Under the influence of the beating of the cutter on irregularities in the workpiece, the drive staggers and sways. At the same time, a noticeable transverse (vertical) component appears in the waves of elasticity, effectively absorbed by the frame, and a heavy motor with a massive, rapidly rotating rotor plays the role of an inertial absorber of mechanical vibrations.

The structure of industrial and homemade vertical wood milling machines is shown in the figure:

Construction of industrial and homemade vertical milling machines for wood with bottom drive

Their main difference is in the folding (lifting) stop 7. Since amateur designs do not use drives of 5 kW or more with high-performance cutters, the folding stop is replaced by a lifting one, which prevents the workpiece from being squeezed upward from the cutter. Also, for an amateur machine, an adapter attachment with a Morse taper on the motor shaft is machined to order, the same as for a homemade drilling machine. A standard clamping chuck for a cylindrical shank is installed on the cone. In this design, it is also possible to use mounted cutters: adapters for them with a cylindrical shank are commercially available or are included in the set of cutters. The most important structural components of such a machine are:

1. The base plate is the main damper of longitudinal (horizontal) elastic waves in the machine;
2. Vibration damping drive board;
3. Comb stops (stop) – dampen vertical vibrations of the workpiece;
4. Static side stop - ensures correct feeding of the workpiece, and in a homemade machine also some adjustment of the cutter output (horizontal processing depth);
5. Dust collector – removes processing waste to the dust collector.

The latter is absolutely necessary when milling, because The cutter produces several times more wood dust, sawdust and shavings than is produced during sawing. The base plate is most often made integral with the vibration damping suspension of the drive. The cabinet (bed) can be anything, as long as the slab and other parts do not fall down.

Drive plate and suspension

Installing the drive of a homemade wood milling machine into the base plate

The window (opening) for hanging the drive from the machine plate is most often cut out square (see figure on the right), this is easier at home. But the machine will tremble much less during operation if the window for the drive is made round. In any case, the motor should not directly touch the plate (again, see the figure on the right), otherwise, instead of dampening vibrations, they will be amplified.

The best materials for the plate and drive board are fiber-laminated plastics: textolite, fiberglass with a thickness of 12-15 mm; the thicker the better. Hardboard and other massive plastics are less suitable: they dampen vibrations well, but over time they warp when heated by the motor and the machine loses accuracy. Getinax and other thermosetting laminates are unsuitable: they delaminate very quickly due to vibrations.

However, it is neither possible nor practical to make the entire slab as one piece: it is difficult, expensive, and the vibrations of the drive itself will be freely transmitted to the slab. You only need to make the motor board from plastic, and the slab from plywood impregnated with a vibration-absorbing composition and glued together, and low-grade construction and packaging material will do. The slab must be re-glued with at least 5 sheets so that the fibers of the outer layers of adjacent layers are oriented mutually perpendicular.

The cutting diagram for a standard sheet of plywood 1550x1550x4 mm into sheets for the base plate of a wood milling machine is given on the left in Fig. Sheets for the horizontal router plate are cut out without windows for the motor, but with a dust collector socket (see above and below). Slab size up to 750x500 mm. A 50 mm flash along the contour of the sheet is needed to cut off low-quality material at the edges.

Scheme for cutting a sheet of plywood and a device for suspending the drive of a homemade wood milling machine

The sheet is first generously impregnated 2-3 times on each side with eco-construction soil (water-polymer emulsion), it perfectly dampens vibrations. The interval between impregnations is at least 3.5 hours. Then the sheet is cut out and a plastic film is spread on the floor (not PVC, it will stick!). Sheet No. 1 is placed on the film and with a brush (preferably a “shaggy” paint roller) a thin, even layer of mounting (reinforced) PVA is applied to it; the same layer is placed on the adjacent side of sheet No. 2. Immediately after applying the glue, the brush (roller and its tray) are thrown into a bucket of water, and after all gluing is completed, they are washed in water.

Before folding, the sheets are kept for 15-20 minutes (or according to the instructions on the glue package), folded and straightened, without being separated, so that the edges of the drive window meet exactly. Then sheets No. 3, 4 and 5 are glued in the same way. The entire package is covered with film and loaded over the entire area with a dispersed load of 30-40 kg (it is best to pile on more books or magazine files). Dry for at least 3 days at room temperature: mounting PVA is durable, its adhesive layer is viscous and perfectly absorbs vibrations, but takes a long time to dry to full strength.

The design of the motor suspension is shown in the section on the right in Fig. A gap of 0.5-1 mm should be left between the motor board and the machine plate. There is no need to clean sawdust out of it: it will serve as an additional side vibration-damping cushion. It is advisable to find a motor with mounting feet that protrude beyond the dimensions of the housing: then it will be possible to install (not quickly) the extension of the cutter upwards. To set the cutter in height, the motor mounting screws are taken long, and the stem itself is set by putting steel washers on them, between the rubber suspension cushion and the motor body, alternately with gaskets made from the same tube-type truck tire.

The slab with the hanger is checked for workmanship with a pencil. If you place it sticking out 5 cm from the edge of the suspension board, then when the engine is on at idle, the pencil should not fall.

Stop and dust collector

For a drawing of a simple but good static side stop with a dust collector socket, see the following. rice. The material is re-glued plywood from the same sheet. Holes for the comb and lifting stops are drilled in 3-5 pieces: the first 50 mm from the edges of the cutout for the cutter (rectangular); the rest after 25-30 mm. The position of the stops is selected depending on the size of the workpiece and the quality of its material. The lateral offset of the cutter is adjusted within small limits by turning the stop and securing it with a clamp.

Drawing of a side support with a dust collector for a homemade wood milling machine

Dust collector

Dust collector device for a homemade wood milling machine

Since there is no industrial pneumatic system with air extraction at home, milling dust has to be sucked out with a household vacuum cleaner. If you connect it directly to the dust collector pipe, the required expensive household appliance will soon fail. An expensive, well-cleaning vacuum cleaner with a hydraulic separator will most likely immediately. So, in addition to a dust collector, a homemade wood router also requires a dust collector, through which the vacuum cleaner is connected.

The design of a dust collector for a milling machine is shown in Fig. on right. The container is round, from 10-15 l (preferably from 20 l). The ideal option is a household bucket with a tight lid, fitted with a seal and equipped with snap-on latches (both can be done with your own hands).

Inlet pipe – diameter approx. 20 mm (inside). Its end is beveled 45 degrees and rotated 20-30 degrees outward; installed 15-20 mm from the side of the vessel (counting from the outer edge of the pipe). The exhaust pipe is wider, approx. 30 mm inside; is installed exactly along the vertical axis of the container. Its selected end is narrowed to 15-20 mm (the taper is not critical). Everything works together like a cyclone, and the air entering the vacuum cleaner is clean enough not to spoil the device.

Note: an additional advantage of the dust collector is that the dust from it is an excellent filler for high-quality wood putty. For this, the dust is mixed with PVA (3-4):1 by volume.

Comb

A drawing of the comb stop of a wood milling machine is given in the following. rice. Material – hard elastic fine-grained wood (oak, beech, walnut) without defects – strands, rot, cross-layers, knots – 20 mm thick. A pair of combs is needed, right and left, so that the workpiece can be fed from either side.

Drawing of a comb stop for a homemade wood milling machine

The first comb tooth along the workpiece (pay attention!) is shortened by 3 mm. It does not directly contact the workpiece, but serves as a rebound spring for the entire comb. Without it, the comb may get caught in the workpiece and break.

Fastening the combs to the side stop - with a bolt with a wing nut through a longitudinal groove (slotted hole in the figure); fixing the non-working one with a self-tapping screw to the same stop through hole D7. The comb is placed in the working position so that it touches the workpiece with all teeth except the first, and is fixed with a thumb.

Features of creating a copier yourself

Thus, when making copy-milling machines with your own hands, it is necessary to optimize them for processing specific parts that will be produced on it. Otherwise, various side effects may occur, which are often very difficult to correct.

A fairly important factor that must be taken into account when making a copier machine yourself is its size and total weight. The larger the products will be processed on it, the more massive the entire structure should be. This will enable the equipment to absorb vibrations that arise during the operation of the cutter. The guide axles must be made so that they have a significant margin of strength without bending under increased loads.

The optimal properties of a copy-milling machine for wood when making it yourself can be selected experimentally, since this depends on the design of the equipment and the purposes for which it will be used.

Which one should I do?

Dozens of different milling operations and at least a dozen types of machines for them are used to process materials. At home, not all of their designs can be repeated by beginners and intermediate craftsmen. 2- and 3-axis CNC machines (2D and 3D wood milling machines) are not discussed in this article. It is possible to make a 2D or 3D milling machine yourself (item 1 in the figure below), but already having quite a lot of experience working on a simple machine, a significant volume of orders and an urgent need for a sharp increase in labor productivity. At the same time, you will have to master programming microcontrollers, because... finished samples are designed for a machine of a very specific design; There will also be significant costs for stepper motors and precision drive parts.

Types of homemade wood milling machines

To begin with, at home, you can make a homemade milling machine using any of the following. varieties:

• Horizontal (item 2 in the figure).
• Vertical (item 3).
• Flat copy machine with pantograph (2D duplicator, item 4).
• Machine for volumetric copying (3D duplicator, item 5).

Tool…

The choice of a machine of one type or another is determined, of course, by the work operations most used by the master. To specify their nomenclature, you must first decide which working parts (cutters) you will most need. Most of them are applicable in both horizontal and vertical machines.

Types of wood cutters

Mounted cutters (item 1 in the figure) are processed primarily. straight edges of the boards: grooves and ridges (including shaped ones) are cut out to their full length, and a chamfer is applied. The spindle assembly of the machine for attachment cutters (see below) is structurally the simplest; its parts can be turned by a 3rd class turner. The required drive power for a processing depth of up to 60 mm is from 1.5 kW. The quality of the material is almost any, ranging from raw material straight from the sawmill. A vertical wood router is most suitable for attachment cutters, see for example. Below is a video in 4 parts:

Video: homemade wood milling machine with attachment cutters

There are many more varieties of milling cutters with a cylindrical shank (landing, seating), because their functionality is wider. But for such a cutter it will be necessary to machine a spindle attachment with a Morse taper for a clamping chuck; It is also possible to use ready-made spindle units from a drilling machine.

End mills, e.g. Forstner cutter (item 2 in the figure above) is a specialized tool; They choose round holes with a flat bottom in thin boards with a decorative coating that cannot be damaged. Have you ever hung doors on furniture? The holes for their loops were chosen using a Forstner cutter. The quality of the material is no worse than straight-layered wood of the 1st grade, chamber dried. Required drive power from 150 W. They work with end mills only on a vertical machine or, with a certain skill, manually.

Note: using a Forstner cutter in a 170 W screwdriver to select holes D32 for door hinges in furniture chipboard 16 mm thick is quite possible, I did it myself.

End (finger) milling cutter, pos. 3, can be threaded into both horizontal and vertical spindles. Using end mills, blind grooves are selected (not the entire length of the board) and tenons are cut for tongue-and-groove joinery joints. It is more convenient to work with an end mill on a horizontal machine. On a vertical surface, it can be used to select long grooves (grooves) of a rectangular profile on the surfaces of boards and beams. Tapered end mills (item 4) are also a specialized tool for preparing parts for dovetail joints. They work with conical end mills only on a vertical machine. For both of them, the required drive power for a processing depth of up to 80-100 mm is from 1 kW. The quality of the material is from commercial wood of the 2nd grade, air dried (from a timber exchange).

End shaped (curly) cutters, pos. 5, also a specialized, but highly sought after tool. They apply molding (including on curved edges) and select shaped grooves (decorative grooves) of any configuration in the faces of the boards. Drive power from 1.2-1.5 kW; The quality requirements for the material are the same as for end mills. To process edges, the shaped cutter can be threaded into either a horizontal or vertical spindle; for working on layers only in a vertical position.

Roller-cone cutters (burrs, item 6) can also be used to select shaped grooves and create a groove on both a horizontal and vertical machine, but in general they are a special tool for copy milling machines. The requirements for the quality of the material are high, as for end mills, but the drive power in the copier can be from 250-300 W.

And, finally, using a circular cutter (item 7) in a vertical milling or drilling machine, round holes of large diameter are cut out in almost any material that is not overly thick (including sheet metal). Required drive power per hole D200 in 60 mm thick oak board approx. 2-2.5 kW.

...and his presentation

Milling can be done in two ways: up and down, see fig. below. As for wood, ordinary straight-layered wood (especially one that is not of very high quality air-dried) is milled only along the way, otherwise the milling cutter can even split and/or fray the workpiece. But in this case, with an excessive feed rate, there is a considerable probability of the workpiece being pulled away by the cutter and damage to the processing profile. Removing dust, sawdust and shavings from the working area (and this is a serious problem) on a vertical milling machine during down milling is difficult, because The dust collector (see below) has to be placed in the field of view in front of the cutter and it obscures the working area.

Up and down milling methods

Note: on a horizontal milling machine there are no problems with removing processing waste during down milling, because dust (sawdust) then flies down, and the dust collector socket can be placed directly on the machine plate (see item 2 in the figure at the beginning and below).

Up milling gives better precision and cleanliness of processing, but only on sufficiently high-quality and homogeneous materials. From wood - on solid, fine-grained wood, chamber dried. Removing processing waste on a vertical milling machine is easier, but on a horizontal one it is difficult - dust and sawdust fly upward. The removal of the workpiece is almost impossible, but there is a danger of it being bitten by the cutter. A well-behaved profile can often be modified; a bitten and broken piece is an unconditional defect.

Motor

Based on the above, it is optimal to make a do-it-yourself milling machine with a drive with a power of 1.5-2 kW. The reason is that motors up to this power are produced, incl. asynchronous with capacitor starting for voltage 220 V 50 Hz. They can be plugged into a regular household outlet, and switching the direction of rotation is a child's task for an amateur electrician; rotation speed is 700-2850 rpm, which is suitable for milling. It is also possible to use an electric motor of the same type from a washing machine; in this case, it becomes possible to switch the rotation speed (in asynchronous washing machine motors there are different windings for this). A 2 kW motor will provide a processing depth of up to 80-100 mm; if a larger one is required, you will have to install a three-phase motor at 380 V 50 Hz from 3 kW into the machine, see for example. video clip:

Video: homemade vertical milling machine for wood

Note: commutator electric motors of 1.5-2 kW 220 V 50/60 Hz (for example, from another washing machine or vacuum cleaner) are of little use for driving a milling machine - due to their excessively soft external characteristics, the cutter may get stuck in the wood if the workpiece is not manually fed, tear and rag it (if it’s damp).

What should be considered when designing a machine?

When creating a drawing of a wood copying machine and designing it, you need to do everything depending on the parts that will be made on it.
So, in order to mill long workpieces or perform engraving work, a completely different method of securing the workpieces and the type of work table are required. Also, the power of the electric motor required for high-quality work, which ensures the rotation of the cutter, depends on the parts manufactured and copied on the machine. But in most cases, a 150-220 W DC motor is sufficient for processing wood parts.

To ensure maximum accuracy of copying parts, the device holding the router and the copying probe must be secured to each other as firmly as possible. At the same time, their planes, together with the height above the working surface, must coincide completely.

The created rigid structure must be installed on the table surface in such a way that it is able to move in horizontal and vertical planes.

Thus, it is not very difficult to make a copying machine yourself for making various parts from wood, so many people can cope with such work. But you need to remember that if you make such equipment yourself, it will only be suitable for the production of products of a certain type. Otherwise, only modern universal factory-made equipment will do.

Short description

Copy-milling machines (CFS) are designed for processing wood parts using the copying method. Types of method:

• contour or 2-dimensional (2-D) milling;
• volumetric or 3-dimensional (3D) copying.

One method or another is used depending on the shape of the product being processed.

The main advantage of copying machines is that it is possible to produce any number of parts with a curved contour, which are a copy of the original copy. They will all be absolutely identical. At the same time, the machine has the flexibility to switch to processing another part, just change the standard.

Therefore, their scope of application is quite wide: from small-scale production to mass production. Along with fairly large machines for industrial use, there are compact desktop devices. Copying machines are used in furniture production, woodworking shops, and carpentry workshops of individual entrepreneurs.

Examples of processed products

Below is shown a far from complete composition of products manufactured using FSC:

• furniture parts - fronts, headboards, backs, legs of chairs and armchairs;
• interior items - fireplace surrounds, wooden panels, frames, stands;
• souvenir products - figurines, boxes, medallions;
• building structures - framing arched windows, filling paneled doors;
• architectural elements - bas-reliefs, decorative friezes and borders, window casings (slotted or relief), cornice carvings;
• decorative fencing - elements of railings, balusters, screens with ornaments, fence details;
• wooden elements of the weapon - butt, fore-end;
• handles of gardening tools, for example, an axe.

As you can see, the listed parts have significant differences from each other, both in size and shape. If we group them according to the most general characteristics, it becomes obvious that processing parts belonging to the same group requires its own design (layout) of the machine.

The principle of operation of the copier

To replicate the product, one of the copies is used, which serves as a template. The head with the cutting tool (mill) is connected into one unit with a copy probe.

With 2-dimensional milling, the probe moves along the generatrix of the copied contour, and the rotating tool repeats this movement, resulting in a copy of the template.

When a volumetric part is milled, the copying tip scans the 3-dimensional model and forces the cutter to move along an equidistant (similar) path. The nature of the movements of copying machines is of 2 types:

• The template and the workpiece are stationary, the cutting head moves in the longitudinal direction, removing a certain amount of material in one double stroke.
• The template and the workpiece (one or more) rotate, and the cutter moves radially along the copier. As a result, it repeats the profile of the copied section. In this case, the cutting unit or part is evenly moved along the longitudinal axis of the product.

A particular type of copying and engraving work is the milling of drawings or ornaments according to a template, which is a pasted paper copy printed on a printer.

As a program for creating a drawing, you can use AVTOCAD, Compass, Word, Paint and others. To avoid tearing the paper, a soft insert (wood or plastic) is inserted into the copying tip.

Choosing the layout of a homemade machine

What you need to know when starting to develop your original device.

However, if the terrain is steep, then the tool axis must be additionally rotated to provide better conditions for processing. That is, there are already 4 axes. In some cases, 5 or more axes will be required. When imagining processing technology in your head, you should consider all possible situations. After the machine has been manufactured, it may be difficult to introduce additional movements.

Finally, the machine must be configured in such a way that control forces are minimal. This means that moving parts should be as light as possible. Think about which layout is better to choose: horizontal or vertical. Firstly, the convenience of work, as well as loading and unloading of workpieces, depends on this. Secondly, with a vertical arrangement, the chips fall directly to the floor or into a trough, and do not accumulate on the base or in the mechanisms of the machine.

The milling head should be selected as high-speed as possible. This is an important factor affecting the quality of processing (the height of the ridges from the cutter decreases).

A few examples

Pantograph

Photo 1: machine for cutting letters.

Used for flat threads. Its design is based on a geometric figure - a parallelogram. One of the properties of this mechanism is that the nodal points describe equidistant curves during movement. Moreover, if the link is lengthened, then its end point will travel a greater distance. This property allows the mechanism to be used for scaling.

The photo shows that the total length with the copying tip at the end is approximately 2 times longer than the side of the parallelogram. This means that the mechanism is magnifying. If you copy a shape with a tip, the cutter will reduce it by 2 times. This will reduce copier errors. Do not forget that the drawing or template is enlarged.

Features of the use of the unit

The milling operation is one of the most common options used in material processing. A copy-milling machine for wood can perform functions such as roughing, semi-finishing or finishing processing of shaped and simple surfaces of workpieces.

This operation is characterized by its very high productivity. Thanks to this, this unit allows you to obtain parts with the correct geometric shape.

Duplicarver for wood drawings

Contact numbers/Whatsapp:

+7 +7 +7 E-mail Our VK group: vk.com/duplicarver

We present the third version of the copy-milling machine “Duplicarver-3”.

Created on the basis of the Duplicarver-2 machine, it retained all its capabilities and acquired completely new ones.

Now it is possible to produce long volumetric threads.

The maximum diameter of the product is about 30 cm, and the length is not limited, within reasonable limits, of course.

The most common carving objects would be gun stocks, table legs, stair rail balusters, long lamps, tall figurines, and any other objects that are sized to fit the working capabilities of the machine.

The photo shows a copy of the IZH27M hunting rifle. The product is made of solid alder board. Length 1100 mm.

But if you need to do sculptural carving, simply remove the long carving kit and get started.

Thus, “Duplicarver-3” is a universal copy-milling machine, perhaps unparalleled in its capabilities and, most importantly, in price.

The machine is equipped with 1180 mm guide pipes. This size, chosen taking into account ease of shipping and transportation, is quite sufficient for most jobs.

If it is necessary to manufacture longer products, you simply need to replace the guide pipes on the machine with longer ones. These are standard aluminum pipes with a diameter of 30x3 mm, which can be freely purchased in any city at a metal depot or in a specialized store.

If such products are not available in your city, we will deliver pipes of the required length to you using a trucking company.

HOW MUCH DOES DUPLICARVER-3 COST?

For any questions, call +7-911-984-69-18.

We can deliver Duplicarver-3 to any city in Russia. Delivery to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan is also possible. Read the terms of delivery and payment, and fill out the order form. We will contact you to clarify all details and issue an invoice.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Sculptural carving:

Milling methods

In order to carry out this process, you can use one of two existing methods:

• The first method is the counter milling procedure. When using this method, the feed of the element is opposite to the movement of the cutter.
• The second method is down milling, the essence of which is that the part and the cutter move in the same direction.

Currently, materials such as mineral ceramics, synthetic, and superhard are used as materials for the manufacture of cutters. However, it is worth saying that the use of such high-quality substances for the manufacture of cutters can replace the grinding procedure. But this is not very relevant for a wood milling and copying machine, since the material is initially quite soft.

It is also worth noting that there are two types of such machines:

1. The first group is general purpose units.
2. The second category is specialized devices.

Copy-milling equipment belongs specifically to the second category of machines.

Pantograph for a router: principle of operation

The schematic diagram of a pantograph looks quite simple. It is a square divided in half. All joints are hinged, so all sides are movable, and the square easily turns into a rhombus when impacted. The zero point, located in one of the corners of the square, is fixed rigidly. Relatively, its design can be modified, turning into a rhombus. A cutting tool is installed in the middle of the square. A copier is fixed diagonally in the opposite corner of the square. The distance from the zero point to the cutter is a certain value A, and to the copier 2A. This gives a 2:1 scale. The linear size of the long and short sides of the pantograph should also differ from each other by 2 times.

General description of the copy-milling device

A wood milling and copying machine is used to perform copying-type work in volume as well as on a plane. In addition, the device is also used for work using three-dimensional models. To perform such operations, appropriate copiers are also used.

This unit can also be used to perform engraving operations, applying patterns, ornaments or various inscriptions. The greatest advantage of a wood milling and copying machine is that, with its rather simple structure, it is capable of performing a large number of different complex operations.

The essence of the work

It should be noted that the ability of the device to work with various materials depends on the alloy from which the cutter is made. Operations can be carried out not only on wood, but also on steel, cast iron, and non-ferrous metals. To do this, it is necessary to use carbide as the material for the cutter, as well as provide a high number of revolutions per minute. These types of units can be used both for large-scale production and for the production of small batches.

For example, such devices can be used to produce things such as ship propellers, turbojet engines, steam turbines, various shapes, molds, and wood blanks.

It is worth noting that models of a CNC copy-milling machine for wood are produced. The purpose of this type of device is to perform the milling operation of curved parts. To perform such a task, these machines use a pattern copying method. The use of this method helps eliminate the human factor. This is very important, since a person is not able to create two perfectly identical things, unlike a machine. As a result of the mechanization of the process, that is, the use of machine tools, it became possible to conveyor production of various parts and elements with a curved shape and absolutely identical dimensions.

DIY machine

Today it is possible to purchase such a device on the market. However, the possibility of creating a homemade wood milling and copying machine cannot be ruled out.

Since there are quite a few designs of this equipment, its typical, most common form will be presented.

The components of such a unit are as follows:

• working surface;
• supporting frame or bed;
• milling head.

It is important that the working surface of the equipment has the ability to be adjusted in height, and that the milling head is equipped with an electric drive. In addition, a two-stage mechanism must be connected to it, the task of which is to provide two different speed levels of the milling head.

A fairly common disadvantage of homemade devices is that they are not able to create an exact copy of the product. The reasons for this are most often trembling, vibration, as well as a change in the direction of the cutter. It will not be possible to avoid all flaws, and therefore, in order to minimize their presence, experts recommend creating a narrowly focused equipment model, rather than trying to make it universal.

Recommendations for creating a machine

When making a copy-milling machine for wood with your own hands, you need to create a drawing and design all the parts in such a way that in the future it will be convenient to work with workpieces of the selected size. For example, there are two types of work - milling long workpieces or engraving. These two operations require that the method of fastening the workpiece, as well as the work surface, be completely different.

This is not the only reason why you need to think things through in advance. The second thing that anyone who creates a machine on their own will have to face is the choice of an electric motor. Depending on the density of the material with which you will need to work, it is necessary to select the power of this product. If we talk about working with wood, then most often a motor with a power of 150 to 220 W is enough.

Another feature that must be observed is the most durable fastening of the copy probe and the device that holds the cutter. These two small details are very important, since the accuracy with which the machine can reproduce the model from the sample will depend on this.

Duplicarver for wood drawings

Contact numbers/Whatsapp:

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We present the third version of the copy-milling machine “Duplicarver-3”.

Created on the basis of the Duplicarver-2 machine, it retained all its capabilities and acquired completely new ones.

Now it is possible to produce long volumetric threads.

The maximum diameter of the product is about 30 cm, and the length is not limited, within reasonable limits, of course.

The most common carving objects would be gun stocks, table legs, stair rail balusters, long lamps, tall figurines, and any other objects that are sized to fit the working capabilities of the machine.

The photo shows a copy of the IZH27M hunting rifle. The product is made of solid alder board. Length 1100 mm.

But if you need to do sculptural carving, simply remove the long carving kit and get started.

Thus, “Duplicarver-3” is a universal copy-milling machine, perhaps unparalleled in its capabilities and, most importantly, in price.

The machine is equipped with 1180 mm guide pipes. This size, chosen taking into account ease of shipping and transportation, is quite sufficient for most jobs.

If it is necessary to manufacture longer products, you simply need to replace the guide pipes on the machine with longer ones. These are standard aluminum pipes with a diameter of 30x3 mm, which can be freely purchased in any city at a metal depot or in a specialized store.

If such products are not available in your city, we will deliver pipes of the required length to you using a trucking company.

HOW MUCH DOES DUPLICARVER-3 COST?

For any questions, call +7-911-984-69-18.

We can deliver Duplicarver-3 to any city in Russia. Delivery to Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan is also possible. Read the terms of delivery and payment, and fill out the order form. We will contact you to clarify all details and issue an invoice.

Milling and turning copying machine for wood

The purpose of this type of machine is the processing of wooden products, turning profiles and decorative blanks. A distinctive feature of this type of equipment is the presence of two cutters at once. One of them is mounted on a steady rest and is intended for processing round wood blanks. This cutter is capable of removing up to 10 mm of material in one pass of the part. Settings for this element are configured on a special device.

The second cutter is mounted in the copy carriage, and its main purpose is to turn workpieces according to the sample. In order to ensure comfortable work with long elements, the unit has a steady rest that can be attached to the guide rod. It is used as the main support to prevent the long workpiece from bending. It is also possible to install a part such as a faceplate. This allows you to process parts with a large number of edges.

Pantograph for a router: step-by-step instructions for making it yourself

Let's proceed to the actual production of the pantograph.

Stage No. 1. Workpiece cutting

It is necessary to mark and cut the square profile according to the calculated dimensions. For convenience, you can use masking tape and a metal plate. The tape will allow for clear markings, and the plate will help make an even and high-quality cut. The blanks for the platform for the router must be cut at a right angle, and the sections of the profile for the connecting rods must be beveled for maximum fit of the bearing sleeve.

Stage No. 2. Drilling technological holes

All workpieces must be chamfered and holes Ø 6.2 mm drilled for further connection into the structure.

Stage No. 3. Welding the platform for the router

After this, you need to weld the platform for the router.

Stage No. 4. Manufacturing of connecting rods

It is necessary to make something like a jig on the board and firmly fasten all the parts to be welded. To do this, a hole is drilled in the board, and the bearing in the bushing is clamped with a bolt, the square profiles of the connecting rods are secured with clamps. First you need to insert two washers between them and fasten them with bolts. After this, all joints of the structure are scalded and cleaned. Then you need to cut the bearing sleeve between the square profiles on each connecting rod. M6 bolts, washers and bearings must be removed. It is necessary to weld a mount for the router onto the frame, and an extension for scaling onto the short connecting rod at the point opposite the zero point. The connecting rods can be painted to give an aesthetic appearance.

Stage No. 5. Making a unit for attaching a copier

Now you need to machine two bushings with an internal diameter similar to the size of the copier. Drill a hole on the side and cut a thread to install the screw that secures the copier. After this, you need to cut two pieces of 12x12 squares 20-30 mm long and weld them on the side between the bushings. The size between squares should be 12 mm.

Stage No. 6. Manufacturing of the bearing lifting mechanism

It is necessary to manufacture a bearing lifting unit. To do this, the zero point finger must be welded onto a piece of 12×12 profile and secured to a 40×40 profile pipe using a loop from a metal-plastic window. The profile pipe will serve as a place for attaching the pantograph to the table with a clamp.

Stage No. 7. Pantograph assembly

The bearings must be installed in the bushings and secured securely by tightening the square profiles of the connecting rods with M6 bolts. Using your fingers, you need to assemble the connecting rods into a single structure. Secure the pantograph to the table with a clamp and install the router. The device is ready for use.