Router Milling Machine

A little under a year ago I first used a mill, for those of you who don't know what that is as I told my mom: "It's kinda like a drill that you can move around and use it to cut stuff," and though it is the best and most fun tool I have ever used the only one I have access to is 25 minutes away. Since it is so far away I only get to use once or twice a month if even that. I decided I wanted to somehow get one so I checked craigslist for a small one I could use for little wood projects and.... 700 dollars!! I could build one for under $70! And I did.

Also, Sorry if the instructable seems incomplete it was written late at night for a contest deadline and will be updated tommorow throughout the day

1. An I-beam

   used $30-50

2. Three Scissor Jacks

   $20

3. Various pieces of metal

   $15

1. MIG and SMAW (stick) welders
2. Horizontal bandsaw
3. Router
4. Drill w/ drill bits
5. Bench and hand grinders
6. Clamps

The specific metal pieces are:

• A 50 in. I-beam cut at the 18 in. mark
• A 15 in. x 4 in. x 1/4 in. plate
• A 23 in. 90° piece
• An 18 in. circular pipe
• A 2 in. square tube
• Three 1 ft. x 1.5 in. x 1/4 in. pieces
• Two 4 in. circular pipes
• two 3 in. square tubes

_{*I found everything around my workshop so anything can be swapped.}

First, Weld the shorter I-beam piece a half inch above the bottom of the longer I-beam then weld the 18 in. circular pipe to the I-beam at the top.

Next, weld a 4 in. circular metal pipe to a 4 in. square metal pipe and do that again.

Then put the pieces on the inside edge of the "knee" and weld the square part to a scissor jack so that it slides.

After that, weld a jack to the "base" I-beam right next to the "knee"

Next, weld the top of that scissor jack to the bottom of the 2nd scissor jack

Then weld two 1 ft. pieces to a 5 in. x 1.5 ft. rectangle with enough space in the middle for another 1 ft piece

After that weld the bottom of the third jack to the piece that was just welded and then slide a 1 ft. piece between the two other ones and weld the top of the 3rd scissor jack onto that piece.

Next weld the top of the 2nd scissor jack to the 1 ft. piece

This step of welding is mostly to stabilize the mill.

First, weld the 90° piece onto the bottom of the base I-beam.

Then weld the 2 in. square tube onto the front bottom of the 18 in. I-beam

This step is pretty easy, just drill a two holes on the top metal pipe spaced apart 2.5 in. Next, put the bracket on and put bolt through the hole and screw a nut on the other side. Then put the router in the bracket and put another bolt in the other hole