How to Cut Small Circles?

silentblackhat

Hey Guys, I'm hoping you all can help me out with this...

I am wanting to cut some small circles that are about 3.75-4 inches in diameter. I have a full size Craftsmen router and the base is bigger than this size so it wont work with the Jasper circle jig. I also have a Dremel tool that has an attachment to go down to this size but the bits will tear up fast and wont do so well with 5/8-3/4 thick MDF.

Are there any other alternative ways out there?

bobj3

Hi Kevin

The Jasper you have will do the job just fine you just need to rework the Jssper just a little bit, that's to say drill out the 1/4" hole to a 3/4" or 1" hole in the Jasper and use a brass guide in your router base..no need to bolt the Jasper to your router base..

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bobj3

Hi Kevin

It's very easy. once you have the hole drilled out pop in a 3/4" guide in your router drop the router guide in the hole, drill your stock for the 1/8" center pin, put you pin in place and put your Jasper jig in place and move your router to the right spot and cut your hole out you can also just move the stock and hold the router in one place,.....

To drill the hole to 3/4", pop in a 1/4" drill bit in your drill press, plunge the drill bit into the Jasper than clamp the Jasper down, once you have in dead center pop out the 1/4" bit out and pop in a 3/4" Forstner Bit, this setup must be dead on and you only one shot at it..

guides below
9 Piece Router Template Guide Set


But the easy and fast way is to use a hole saw
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalog...ry=&q=hole+saw
http://www.harborfreight.com/10-piec...ase-36222.html
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"It's fine to disagree with other members as long as you respect their opinions"

MANY,MANY help files on John's web site
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Sommerfeld Tools ,Videos
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crquack

I use this one:

Precision Circle Jig - Lee Valley Tools

mftha

Lee Valley sells Forstner bits of the size of the circles you want.

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allthunbs

Hi Kevin:

Ok, you've got a bunch of options here. Firstly, the trammel method is a bit difficult to handle on small sizes. This is the normal centering jigs that you see. If you chose to go this route, make sure you can walk entirely around your table and keep your hands on the router while cutting the hole. You might pull it off with practice, care and patience.

However, your ideal is Santé's circle cutting jig.

http://www.lescopeaux.asso.fr/Techni...de_Anglais.pdf

Also, equally successful is the pivot frame.

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jw2170

Hi Kevin,

The Jasper 400 circle jig will cut holes from 1" to 7" in 1/16"increments.
(this is the round jig, not the oblong jig((200?)))

I have cut 4" holes with a Makita 3612C router with no problems.

I believe it should handle your Craftsman.

James

jw2170

Hi BJ,

I like your copy of the Jasper jig.

How did you line up the holes? taped the old one to a blank and drilled through both with a drill press? Or was there some other method?

I would like to try but don't want to ruin my existing jig.

James

bobj3

HI James

Thanks
You got it, it's hard to screw it up, just nice and slow...

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__________________
"It's fine to disagree with other members as long as you respect their opinions"

MANY,MANY help files on John's web site
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Sommerfeld Tools ,Videos
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT-n...RWaEpMA/videos