Circular Cutter For Choosing A Quarter

Any home master in the kit of his tools must have a manual milling cutter. Most people believe that using this tool you can only work on wood, but this is not so. There are various accessories, the installation of which on the router allows them to work with materials such as plastic, non-ferrous metal, artificial stone and others. Depending on the tasks that you plan to carry out with this tool, it will depend on which manual router you need to choose.

Circular Cutter For Choosing A Quarter

Hand milling can handle parts made of wood, plastic, artificial stone, non-ferrous metal.

Hand Milling Features

This tool has a fairly wide range of features, and before choosing a manual router, you need to familiarize yourself with them:

Manual milling cutter can perform wood carving.

  • edge profiling, it can be either straight or curly;
  • the implementation of seats for different castles, awnings and any accessories;
  • quarter sampling;
  • grinding performance;
  • drilling holes and cutting tenons;
  • cutting the required length of the workpiece;
  • rough alignment;
  • wood carving and engraving;
  • making grooves along or in a spiral on legs, balusters;
  • the implementation of various grooves, slots.

This is an indispensable tool for people involved in the manufacture of furniture, joiners, builders performing finishing work, it is needed both by an amateur and a professional.

What are the types of hand milling machines?

Before choosing a router, you need to know that they are divided into upper, edge and lamellar.

The edge milling cutter can be used for chamfering and hemming.

Upper milling cutter. This type of tool may be fixed or submersible. The first option is made in the form of an engine in which there are settings for the milling depth, which is performed by moving the tool vertically. It is difficult to use such a milling cutter, this is because you will have to change the position of the cutter without turning it off.

In the submersible version, the movement of the engine is carried out along the guide. The tool lowers or rises due to the action of the springs, while you do not need to tear it from the workpiece. This tool is much more convenient to work with, and it will suit both professionals and beginners.

Edge milling cutter. This type of tool is usually used to make edges and chamfers.

Lamella milling cutter is used for the manufacture of grooves.

Lamellar milling cutter. It has a narrower specialization and is mainly used for the manufacture of grooves.

Regardless of which hand milling cutter you decide to purchase, they all come with various accessories. This allows you to perform work more efficiently; stops, clamps are used for more accurate feeding, and templates and guides are also used for these purposes.

What to look for when choosing a router?

When making a choice of a milling cutter, it is necessary to pay attention to many of its parameters and characteristics, only in this case you will choose a high-quality tool that will work long and reliably.

Tool power. This indicator will depend on the purpose for which you plan to use the router. To make it convenient for them to work, it is necessary to choose the optimal ratio between its weight and power.

The correct direction when working with a milling cutter.

Light milling machines have a minimum weight, but their power is only up to 750 watts. Medium milling machines have power up to 1100 watts. Heavy milling machines are heavy, but their power is more than 1200 watts. Therefore, the weight of the tool will directly depend on its power, the more powerful it is, the harder it will be.

If you plan to use this tool at home, then you will have enough light or medium models, if you are a professional, then immediately get a heavy and powerful model.

Speed. The material with which you can work with this tool will depend on the specified indicator, it will only be wood or other materials. The milling speed can be 7-24 thousand revolutions per minute. For domestic use, a working depth of 30 mm is sufficient; for professional models, it can reach 60 mm.

Video: Circular Cutter For Choosing A Quarter


Switch. Many people do not pay attention to this device when making a choice of a hand-held electric tool, but do it in vain. This device must have a locking mechanism, as well as protection against accidental switching on. The presence of such functions will not only greatly facilitate the work, but will ensure the safety of the operator during his work.

Different types of cutters are used for different jobs.

Collet. The best cone-shaped steel collets are considered, this is due to the fact that the motor shaft has a conical shape, and they are ideally suited to each other. This device must be made of hardened steel, if ordinary steel was used, then during operation it wears out quickly, and rattling appears, which complicates the work.

Dust removal. Almost all modern milling cutters have a gateway for dust extraction, which occurs during operation. To ensure maximum dust removal, this mechanism must be integrated. The presence of a gateway may slightly impair visibility, but if you work on a special table, it does not interfere, and the workplace remains constantly clean.

If we talk about the table on which work is carried out, then it should be durable, have fixing points, it should have a height adjustment system, and its design should provide maximum visibility.

Sole of a milling cutter. One of the main elements of this tool is the sole. On most models, it is stamped, more expensive models have molded soles. So that the work is carried out easily, the sole should have the correct shape and fit well to the base. The basic support is the place where the eyes of the guide parts are. The sole is closed by a slip, which can be plastic or wooden. The size of the hole is of great importance, since the size of the cutter depends on this, which can be used.

Bar mechanism. The performance and functionality of this tool will depend on how the “head” moves, it moves along the rods. Proper operation of this mechanism provides a smooth and easy movement of the cutter. A lever or screw may be used to adjust the immersion depth of the cutter. The quality of the tool will depend on the accuracy of the specified adjustment.

The revolving emphasis helps to perform several revolutions with a change in depth. To retune the depth of immersion, the counterpart of the stop is used. It is convenient when it is made in the form of bolts, when screwed in, a change in height occurs.

Auxiliary details. We examined the main points that you need to pay attention to when choosing a router, but you also need to pay attention to additional details.

In order to be able to perform the work as accurately as possible, various guides are used, they are included in the tool kit.

In order to lead the router at an equal distance, use a parallel emphasis. It should be made of high-quality steel, may consist of 2 elements or occupy the entire supporting platform, between the emphasis and the workpiece there should be a plastic overlay.

The copy ring is a plate on which there is a side; it is inserted into a special opening of the sole. Fixation of the structure must be quick-clamped to exclude additional movement of the part when it is positioned.

Angular emphasis allows you to copy the workpiece. The part is placed above the template, and the cutter rests on the probe. It is more convenient when it is possible to adjust it.

Some tips for making the right choice

If you plan to use the router at home and with manual use, then you should not take a tool of high power. It is very convenient when in the model you have chosen it is possible to adjust the speed. To prevent accidental movement of the wheel, it must move with effort and stepwise.

The best option when determining the depth of immersion is that when the collet does not extend beyond the main structure, it can reach a maximum of the bottom of the sole.

Grooving some types of cutters.

Of great importance is the ergonomics of the tool. The handle should be comfortable for you, a short cord requires the use of an extension cord, which is not very convenient.

When making a purchase, try the collet mechanism. The head should move easily, without backlash and skew. It is necessary that the vertical stop is securely fixed in the required position.

Check how additional components are installed, how firmly and securely they are attached, and if there are any gaps. If you prefer to work without guides, then select the model that has maximum visibility. In this case, you need to pay attention to the placement of the vacuum cleaner, the presence of backlight and other elements, which can impair visibility.

When checking the operation of the device, the presence of vibration or extraneous noise both at idle and under load will indicate a poor build quality.

Some users believe that the professional tool is made very high quality, and the household tool only so that it can turn on and work, but they are wrong. Both that and others can be both qualitative, and not very high quality, it all depends on the manufacturer.

The main difference between a professional tool is the presence of a large number of different devices. If in household tools bushings can be polymer, then in professional models they are made of non-ferrous metal, which significantly increases their service life.

In a professional tool, bearings are not installed in plastic, they are placed in metal sleeves, so after heating they do not appear play.

Another point: if you can work with a professional router for 8 hours, then when using a household tool you need to work 15 minutes, and then give it a rest for the same time.

You have familiarized yourself with the basic parameters and characteristics of the router, which you need to pay attention to in order to choose a high-quality and reliable tool.