In this woodworking video, the author discusses six ways to cut circles in wood using DIY circle cutting jigs. The first method involves drawing a circle on a cardboard or plastic sheet using a compass, ensuring it has a diameter equal to the size of the circle you want to cut out on your fabric. Cut out the circle using scissors, then trace the template on top of the fabric using a pencil.
The second method involves using a table saw to cut a perfect circle top. To do this, you will need a jig (a large sheet of plywood with a pin on which the board being cut spins). Cut off corners on the work piece to remove them.
The third method involves using a router and a homemade plywood jig. You can buy a circle jig to fit your router, like this one. Drill a hole inside the circle using a forstner bit, then use the jigsaw to cut it out inside the pencil line. Wrap sand paper over a jig to create an auxiliary base.
The fourth method involves using a bandsaw to cut a circle. Start by creating an auxiliary base by running a piece of scrap wood through a board. If you have access to a bandsaw, you can make a simple circle cutter with a board and an indexing pin. If not, use a disk sander.
The fifth method involves cutting an MDF template using the jig, then jigsaw close to size, finish, and finish. This method is suitable for beginners and experienced woodworkers alike.
📹 4 Ways to Cut Circles in Wood // DIY Circle Cutting Jigs
In this woodworking video, I’ll show you 4 ways to cut circles in wood using DIY circle cutting jigs. Learn how to cut circles in wood …
📹 6 Ways to Cut Any Size Circle
Support What We Do at The Katz-Moses Store* https://lddy.no/stih On today’s woodworking skill builder we’re talking about 6 ways …
Another great article! Thank you! I prefer the band saw and making a slight modification to cut different size diameters. Just like yours, I’d continue drilling holes alongside kerf cut in intervals and labeling them. For instance, there would be a 2″ hole for 4″ diameters, 3″ for 6″ diameters etc.. Then the only modification would be to move nail (or pin in my case) to desired radius and cut. If the diameter is too big for band saw table, I would use a workbench or some other support to rest the excess that hangs over the table.
Wow!!! This was an excellent article. Baffles me how there are so many YouTube articles on this same subject but your explanation and technique makes it so easy to follow. Moving forward I’m subscribed. Will use your methods with either the router or bandsaw when and if I need to make a circle table. Again excellent work and I will start perusal some of your older articles as I just recently found you. Look forward to your next article!!!
Another simple, though rough, method that’s budget friendly is using a string attached to a thumb tack at the center to draw the edge line, and then cutting with a jig saw. I used this method to make my Danish round shield and it came out plenty well enough, given that it was my first time. Your content is great, cheers fellow Montrealer!
The bandsaw method worked for me very well. For those who might be interested, I have enhanced the bandsaw jig by adding a T-Track that allows me to slide the “spindle” to set different radii.. As a result, I don’t have to re-drill and can fine tune the radius. I also created a similar jig for the table saw that allows me to sand the edges of the circles I make on the bandsaw jig (Infinity Tools sells a 10″ Sanding Disk).
I put together a band saw sled circle jig tonight. Not sure I have the right blade for it or it’s way too under powered. Machine kept bogging down and even stopped. What size blade were you using? Tried a 5″ circle with 5/16 6tpi blade that came with it. Rikon 10-3061. Thanks for any help and all you do!
There are two alternative ways to cut cleaner holes on the band saw. The first would be to try a different blade, you can go with a higher TPI, or a 1/8 inch blade, or both. Optionally, you could cut your circle a bit larger than needed, and sand down to your desired diameter. To get to your desired diameter, use a pencil to mark where your circle needs to be so that, when sanding time comes (YAY!!!) you know where to stop. The next option to cutting on a band saw WITHOUT a hole in the center of your work piece. Start by making a circle the way you showed here, and that will become part of your jig. Next, use double sided tape to fasten your work piece to the circle you just made. When you’re finished, separate the two pieces of wood for a finished circle with a hole in the center.
Great article, Marie. I’ve watched a lot of these and I have a couple of comments to maybe give a little variation. On the first method, if you don’t want the hole in the workpiece, step up the pivot end of the jig and double side tape a block to the workpiece and guide it from that. On the jigsaw method, I’ve seen a short pattern bit (bearing on top) used before flipping it over and then flip it and use the flush trim bit. I hope these help you. It was still a great article with your explanations and comparisons. Stay safe and well. BYW – my favorite is still your hexagon jig. Bill
The bandsaw does not limit one on diameter size for the circle. One is cutting only at the front edge of the blade & to the right side of the blade. From this point starts the outside edge of the circle. But if the circle is really big, then out feed support will be required. The distance from the blade’s left side & back to the bandsaw blade’s area should not have that much of excess wood to be cutoff from the circle. If it does, then simply cut off prior to mounting on the bandsaw. Also this same area, from the left side of blade to the edge should be removed completely. By doing so, it now allows to sawdust to be vacuumed up from below. But if one decided NOT to remove this area then bore a 1″ circle at the blade are, again sawdust is vacuumed up. Could use a Dowel Marker Self Centering pin instead of nail. Could also make part as a slider thereby only one hole, the pin itself is needed. And now one has a very adjustable size circle cutting jig for the bandsaw.
I was very glad to find your website. needed to cut really small circle like 1.5″ So I made your bandsaw jig and was quite pleased at the results. I am now making a modification to be able to slide the holding pin away and to the blade. This will give me some flexibility to make small to larger circlrcs
Hey Marie, I recently found your website & have been perusal your articles. You do really nice work. I like the circle cutting jig on the bandsaw and think I’ll make one for mine. Your shop is about the same size as mine.(12×25) It would be nice to have a bigger one but I’m very thankful to have what I’ve got. Your projects are very nice and the articles are nicely done. Keep’em coming.
Loved your article and I think you have wonderful ideas. Not sure if you ever heard of the show the new yankee workshop it was a public television show and norm abrams who was the master carpenter did several of the jigs you display here back in the nineties. One was to make a round table top in a large piece of plywood and he did it with a bandsaw in one pass with similar results . Later on in another episode he took and remade the jig so he didn’t have to keep drilling holes all over the board for different sized table tops he made it so you could adjust it for multiple sized tops. He also did the router trick too. I think you’re both wonderful and very capable keep up the good work norm retired from the show but he still stays connected with the woodworking. Take care and god bless.
Great article. The Router Jig works great! I made the band saw jig for smaller circles. The saw will not make the cut when rotating the piece clockwise. The motor binds to a stop. Maybe my band saw not powerful enough. Rikon 10″ with 1/3 hp, 110v motor. Blade 6:52 speed 2780 ft/min; tried cutting 3/4″ mdf with 3/8″ blade; switched to a new 3/16″ 70 1/2″ blade 4 T.P.I. Still bound up. Tried cutting 1/2″ maple (2″ radius) still bound up quickly ?? More powerful band saw?? John
Marie, I absolutely love your articles! They are straight forward, and very informative for beginners and experienced woodworkers alike. I recently commissioned 16 tables that were built using 2″ thick oak (reclaimed bowling alley lanes) that definitely required using my router and a jig (which is my favorite method). Sure, it’s extremely messy and a very slow process; but it gives the best results! I just think there’s something unnatural about making round cuts with a table saw! 🤣😂 However, it’s a great method for somebody with limited power tools. I do use my bandsaw and a circle cutting jig to make coaster sets and it is very quick and allows for a lot of repetition with minimal hassle during the busy (pre-holiday) season.
Great article! I just made a lazy susan using the table saw method and it turned out perfect. I opted for that method because it was a big circle and I felt more comfortable making the cut on a table saw. I first attempted to make a circle cut with a jig saw and that was a fail cutting through hardwood!! Blade kept going all wonky. Thanks for your side by side comparisons.
I do not know how else to contact you, so I’m inserting this into this fine article, but you seem to be the 2nd presenter who’s putting TIC TOK article in with YouTube. If my eyes were above and below, I might appreciate TT articles more, but my eyes are side-by-side. I certainly can’t stop you from placing TT articles on YT (especially if you can make money off of them), but can you at least put (TT) in the title so I do not have to waste the 5 seconds of my life to see what it is and then jump off? Sorry if I sound petty and/or ridiculous, but they really do bug the C#%P out of me.
I enjoyed your presentation, what is MOST impressive is that your voice and diction is outstanding. On too many articles the presenters have very poor voices and speak quite rapidly consequently the sound is very nasally. I’m looking forward experiencing and learning your teaching in the future. How unfortunate a large number of the population is now speaking nasally or warbling both males and females. Thanks again your are highly PROFESSIONAL !
But on the table saw, if you put your stop on the other side so that the sled doesn’t go any further and stays on the same place, then you dont need to find the “sweet spot” every time. I made my stop removable so that i can cut the excess and then screw the stop back when i am cutting the final circle. Just thought this could help 🙂
DIY Montreal, Thank You So MUCH for posting this article!!! I needed to make a wooden pulley around 6 & 3/4″ in diameter. I made a jig similar to your bandsaw jig (made to fit my little Ryobi “hobby” band saw…..) and I was really impressed with how well it worked! Thank you again for making this vid, and sharing the info.
This works! This bandsaw jig is easy to make and use. I’ve watched many silent, wordless workshop articles that “show” the viewer what to do but but your verbal descriptions are far more helpful. So far I’ve only made one test circle but it seems obvious that making duplicate circles would not be a problem–my first project is making a tortilla press. Will update later. Thanks for posting!
Thanks for sharing. My favorite method that is very easy and leaves clean cuts with plywood is using a router with a compression downcutting bit. My wife needs round batts for her pottery work so I often make large circles. I am a big cheat though . . . because I use a Shapeoko XL to hold the router in a predictable and precise way directed by g-code. Unfortunately I can’t claim to be a real woodworker with such devious methods. I don’t even know how to sharpen a chisel or use a Block Plane properly 🙁 I do appreciate real woodworkers craft, keep up the good work.
Allo Marie, Fantastique job at creating a very useful article. So glad you do not follow the YT trend: Oh did a article on this I will do one too! Your articles are useful! What a concept! I loved that you offer different ways of doing the same job depending what tool one has at his disposition. Mind you you are sporting Rikon tool, so I bow to you (!). For the router option why not just ad a vacuum and extractor accessory to the router? All this google search for me is to cut a circle to make an open baffle speaker set. 5/4 curly cherry is not cheep so I am glad to have found your tutorial!!!
THANK YOU VERY MUCH! I am a newbie to routers, and I was building a replacement outdoor kitchen table for my Big Green Egg. I was completely stressing out about how to cut the hole perfectly as my table was largely already completed. I affixed my router to a thin board (method 1) and it worked absolutely perfectly!
I have a router (that I’ve never used because for some reason it terrifies me way more than any other tool I have), a portable construction table saw, a 12″ sliding compound miter saw, electric hand planer, and an orbital sander. I don’t have room to make a jig for my router but is there another way to do it with those tools so I can make circles? I don’t have a full shop so trying to find the fastest and easiest method to do this. I don’t think my table saw top is big enough. 😢
I made really large circles on a 9 inch bandsaw by building an auxiliary table that sat beside the saw and slid into place, then to deal with the bandsaw marks i used a router jig and took off less than an 1/8th of an inch all around.. i used an upspiral bit too.. it was quick and not as noisy as using just the router by itself (going around and around.. disturbing the complaining neighbours)
Marie, Norm Abram (New Yankee Workshop) made a circle cutting jig with virtually no size limits. It’s the same as yours but his has an extension that’s part of the base with the pivot point set at the desired radius. He ran a slot from the blade to the end of the extension so you can lock the pivot point at the desired length. It also has a support leg at the end of the extension. 😀. Love your podcasts.
Great article. Thanks for sharing. I like the bandsaw method most. I have done the router method before. Can’t seem to find my jig though. I’ve seen the bandsaw before and they do really large circles on the bandsaw. I think they use a larger sled… and have it supported off the base of the bandsaw. It’s good to have options though. I don’t think I’ll try the table saw. But its a good option for someone who doesn’t have a router or bandsaw yet.
Always enjoy and learn new tricks from your shop. I’ve done the router with a guide a number of times but really dislike that cord snaking around and the multiple passes required. Never tried the bandsaw but fell in love with using my table saw. My jig is nowhere as large as yours but does work. Probably cranked out around 30 circles with the table saw in sizes from 24″ down to around 5″. Haven’t been smart enough to hold down the wood with a hold down tool but think after perusal you I’ll change so that I can keep my fingers.
I understand that in woodworking many things/flaws are unavoidable and for the most part relatively inconsequential to the quality of the finished product but in the rare case they are not I have found that a damp cotton wash rag and an iron works wonders on small nail, staple and pin holes in most types of wood.
Thank you so much. Making circles seems super intimidating to me. This article has helped me understand the process. I may need to watch it more than once. I knew a router was an option but I don’t have that yet – however, it looks pretty easy to setup once I get one (but the mess though! Your shop looks super clean btw). I do have a bandsaw so I can get started on that right away. Thank you for the detailed and easy to understand explanations. I NEED to subscribe to your website now and check out more content. Great work!
Marie… I love your articles and each one has helped make my shop more efficient and more fun. I tried to create the jig for the bandsaw but I got drift in the blade as I cut the kerf back to where it stops. I had the runner installed on the base so I thought it would push straight. Any ideas where I went wrong?
You do understand that you can’t be credible, removing the Freud blade after cutting the high precision slide on it… You should have cut the slide with the CMT, but you did NOT. On top of that, it’s sponsored, which means that there is no value to whatever tool is shown. The cutting technique on the other hand is not bad; I like how you maneuver the stock. I have no intention of offending anyone these days and I will call you ZEY. Zey did a good job with the circle cutting.