Circle Cutting Jig WITHOUT Putting a Nail in Your Workpiece

Like I mentioned in the video, using a router is really dangerous. Please take all proper precautions when attempting this. It is important to take off the right amount of material at the bandsaw or jigsaw so that the router bit does not catch when going around. You may even want to tighten up the hole by putting painters tape around the "cookie".

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I have seen a lot of circle cutting jigs, and all of them require a nail or a screw in the center of your board. But I didn't want to put a hole in the center of my workpiece... So I came up with this jig using a router, double sided tape and a hole saw to make a circle without messing up your beautiful board.

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[jtbmetaldesigns]

I like your presentation. You cannot be more human and relatable. Definitely like seeing more ladies in woodworking and other industrial arts. I subscribed

[patrickschardt]

I love your DIY jigs to solve a problem. Ingenuity, creativity, and problem solving go really well together

[m.l.gleatheritems]

I must say I all ways love watching your show now I am to feel bad my partner has passed away now I am 48 and my partner was 50 when she left and her mum and dad easy 75 still but I all ways love to watch your show.
The one thing that bothers me my daughter is 11 now and she was born in my partners tummy when my partner got cancer.
It is a worry, any way my mum was 64 when she left and 4 weeks ago I seen my uncule off at 91 and out of 7 kids there is one left, my uncle Merve he is 75 and he has over 300 acres of strawberry’s near Caboolture and Wamuran.
Michael

[GunflintDesigns]

That's a smart solution to a common problem! I made a video a while back about using a router table and double sided tape to end up with the same result you did. I love seeing different ways to tackle the same issue.

[lmedwards]

I am a retired wood worker and enjoy the extra time I have looking at woodworking videos. Your idea is a good one but with a slight alteration your jig could be used on a band saw and used again on a stationary sander to acquire a perfect circle with less effort. You are a smart energetic young lady!

[leemajor]

Great idea. What you could do to get rid of the free play made from the slightly undersized centre piece is to cut another hole the next size bigger and the put the centre piece of that in a drill/pillar drill chuck via clamping it with a nut and bolt and then sand it down until it's a snug fit in the original hole for your router jig. That will work better for you! Thanks for the idea.

[LordPadriac]

I decided to stop worrying about the hole in the center a long time ago. When I run across the need to cut a circle without a hole in the middle, like a round cutting board for instance, I just cut the circle I need out of MDF or plywood or ideally acrylic if I have a piece the right size and double side tape and rout around it. I keep the blanks and at this point I haven't had to cut a new blank in years.

[slug]

A tip: twist the router a couple times to the opposite side before starting, so you pre twist the cord, then instead of twisting while you go, you'll be untwisting :) very ingenious idea on the jig, great job

I like the way you think. Just an observation, but to take up some of that sloppiness you can remove the bit from your hole saw and insert it (the saw, not the bit) over the center circle. I don't like to drill a hole into my piece either so I just use a DIY circle jig and double stick my pivot point to the center of the piece. You'll have to attach a piece of material under the router end of the jig to elevate it so it's parallel to your center pivot point.

[peggyraun-linde]

Tamar that was a great idea and jig. I made it and it worked fantastically. Made a pizza cutting board to match the size of the round pizza cooking pan. Thanks for all of your great videos. I’ve learned so much from you!!!!

[davidnleeh]

Brilliant idea, Tamar, I LOVE IT and YOUR CREATIVITY!!! 👏👏👏👏👏👏

[ponkkaa]

Excellent idea. I might just have to try this. The Machinist side of me says put shims in there to absorb the space between the wooden doohickey and the center hole. Maybe chop up some aluminium cans... Keep up the good work.

[juseschrustfush]

awesome idea. what would you think about putting the work piece on a lazy susan so you can hold the router in place?

[hendrikriedstra]

What a great way to make a circle. I am amazed that porple like you can come up with some great ideas. I will be doing that in my next circle project. Thanks

[bossdog]

I am a beginner and I am beginning to love the work that you’re doing and I will be trying out some of your work

[FernandoVelardez]

Excelente idea, gracias por compartir tus trabajos y tu bella sonrisa.

[Mrat]

Not seen that solution anywhere else before. Great idea. Liked and subscribed.

Very clever, you have a problem, you find a solution, you build a jig and it works! I love it :)

[christopherstein]

It was smart to use the little hub. I am a furniture maker and I like to make round cutting boards.

[philipbyrnes]

Thank you, I enjoyed the video and it’s a good tip. I had thought early on when you had cut the first round to size that, rather than lowering the bit and continuing, I would have switched to a pattern following bit but you did that a few steps later so there was no loss at all. Again, thank you, well done.