If you are making a cake stand, for example, and you don't have enough swing on your Lathe to turn the top, can you cut the top part out to round; with a Router Circle cutting Jig ???
[OP]
Member
If you are making a cake stand, for example, and you don't have enough swing on your Lathe to turn the top, can you cut the top part out to round; with a Router Circle cutting Jig ???
Contributor
Yes, I have the Milescraft circle cutting jig, used many times, works great.
Got mine at Home Depot
https://www.milescraft.com/product/circleguidekit/
Member
I take a strip of plywood, attach my router to one end and nail the end as my center. Easy and cheap.
Contributor
I’ve made a few that were okay-ish, but I splurged on the old version of the Jasper 200–nice tool. Don’t use it a ton, but it does exactly what it says.
earl
Contributor
If you want precision and have $$$, then Micro Fence
Contributor
If you make a shop made one - make sure it's plenty stiff & sturdy.
I made one out of 1/4" plywood that had too much slop. I broke 4 bits trying to cut a circle.
The late Pat Warner advised me to use something with less give.
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." - John Lennon
Contributor
Good results can be achieved using the bandsaw to cut circles.
Regards,
J.
Member
I have 2 sizes of Jasper jigs, but lately I've been using my CRB7 jig with one of my 1 or 2 1/4 hp routers for cutting circles. The CRB7 is considerably more costly than a piece of plywood for cutting circles, but it can make circle cuts of any size from about 2" up to about 4' diameter. With the other parts and options, there are many uses for a CRB7 that end up making it a very useful router accessory to have because it does way more than just cut circles. Watch this video to decide if it's right for you. There are several other videos covering the CRB7 and it's uses, but this one is very clear and easy to understand, since it is visual only with no sales pitch.
I'm just a very satisfied user with no involvement in the M Power company.
Charley
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J9loBLskBhE
Last edited by Charles Lent; 05-29-2021 at 12:48 PM.
Member
I've made a couple of them in the past. Simply a 7/16" piece of steel rod (same size as the shafts on my router fence) with about a 3" tab welded to one end. Drill a hole roughly in like with the router collet and you're done.
Contributor
They guy at a local woodworking store suggested we do that rather than buying the expensive jig. Worked just fine.Originally Posted by Eric Cothern
If perfection does not matter, just draw the circle, but to it with a band saw / jig saw / take your pick, then clean it up with a sander or similar.
Also, if you need a few, make one and use it as a template for the others for a router and an appropriate pattern bit.
I usually just make my cake parts from thick cardboard then cover with aluminum foil
Contributor
I've got the Jasper 200 and 400; they work well but were primarily designed for making speaker cutouts. I agree that for a few, make one template then use a router table with a pattern bit.
Moderator
Yes. Not sure I understand your question. A circle can be cut with the lathe, a router trammel or a bandsaw. All require some sanding. Imho, holes are best cut with a router; discs are best cut with a band saw.
Contributor
I have the MicroFence circle jig. Works great but expensive.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
Contributor
So, is the edge guide as precise as he says? Any more precise than the PC or Festool edge guides? His plunge bases for the palm routers are things of beauty.
Contributor
The advantage that I see to the MicroFence is the accuracy of the adjustment. It's easy and precise to adjust the jig to take a small amount more cut. I don't have experience with the PC or Festool guides.
Like most circle jigs, you have to make a center point hole or mark to pivot the jig. If I have to use the jig on the show side of the work, I'll glue a thin piece of wood with paper between it and the work. I put the pivot hole in that piece of wood before gluing it.
MicroFence has a vacuum center point device but it's fairly expensive and I haven't bought one. It allows you to do a pivot on the show side without a hole.
Mike
Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good.
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