How to Easily Make Big Circle Cuts
Updated: Mar. 03, 2022A big circle is tough to cut, especially when they need to be perfectly round. Make a compass arm for your router from 1/4-in. plywood or hardboard.
How to Easily Make Big Circle Cuts
A big circle is tough to cut, especially when they need to be perfectly round. Make a compass arm for your router from 1/4-in. plywood or hardboard. Remove your router’s plastic base and drill corresponding holes in your compass arm. Attach the arm to your router and install a straight-cutting 1/2-in. carbide bit. Pin the compass arm to the plywood with a 6d nail. The top of your finished circle will face down.
Start the cut with the bit depth set at 1/4 in. and increase the depth of cut about 5/16 in. for each pass. When you start, gently ease the router down into the workpiece and push counterclockwise. Reset the depth for each cut and be sure to support the cutout on each side with your sawhorses as you make the final “through” cut. A firm grip is necessary to keep the router steady on the last cut.
Now, go check out these wood router basics for more tips and tricks!
