Cutting Perfect Circles With The Router Table

One of the most common things I need when building templates for my projects are circles of various sizes. It may surprise people, but making circles is easily done with the this setup I built for the router table. The jig is made of plywood and sized to fit your particular router table. A piece of aluminum has a series of holes sized to fit a pin. The pin becomes a pivot point for your workpiece. A pair of cleats on the ends of the base keep it from sliding side-to-side.
Get more details on the build here: www.woodsmith....
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[@gregmead2967]

One thing I thought of as I watched this is that you can make a close cut, then a finish cut, by putting a thin shim - a metal ruler or a playing card - in between the jig and the fence. Make the cut, remove the shim, and the last cut only will shave a small amount off to give a nice, smooth cut.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Great tip! 👍

[@frankcornfield5915]

Great idea precision cutting and easy-to-make jig.

[@williamellis8993]

The way you used the fence as a stop, it looks like you can make any diameter you want and aren't limited to full inch increments.

[@Pablo-xh1wt]

I can't find the link to the plan. I couldn't find it with the search. It looks great. Can you please provide the URL.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

www.woodsmith.com/article/cutting-perfect-circles-with-the-router-table/

[@GraemePayne1967Marine]

Very nice. Thank you.

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

Thanks! Our pleasure!

[@dpmeyer4867]

thanks

[@matthewberling5926]

That leg has some strong engineering 😏

[@user-on5xo2ru5j]

You didn't actually show HOW TO MAKE THE JIG just how to use it. It's cool but I'm a beginner. How do you cut the cleats? How did you cut the hole? Nothing about constructing the jig

[@WoodsmithShowandmagazine]

True! We have detailed drawings for making the jig here: www.woodsmith.com/article/cutting-perfect-circles-with-the-router-table/ but it might be worth going back and showing the build for this.

[@MrBailey965]

Great jig, but he is starting out with a circle and is simply trimming the edge.

[@MikeDold]

The first circle was rough cut by hand, the 2nd circle was the precise perfect circle, that's the whole point of the jig