How to Cut Perfect Holes: 4 Methods

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Cutting nice round holes isn't difficult. Here are 4 great methods.
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Howto & Style
Music:
"Princess Meow-Meow's Theme" and all the cool music on WWMM is created by Per Almered. ----AWESOME!

[@jamesrawlings8493]

For spade bits, stop when the tip break out the bottom. Turn it over and complete drilling from that side. This eliminates almost all tear out.

[@diamondflaw]

+1, Ditto for auger bits on a brace.

[@legotechniccreations6630]

If you want to cut ads out of your video my favorite ad blocker is Micro jig, maker of the gripper. Work safer, work smarter.

[@albertlagerman]

MICROJIG maker of the gRRRRRipper

[@vileguile4]

lol

[@jeffparcel]

Well played sir

[@baradar67]

Was ready to go full rage. Well played indeed...

[@ihatenumberinemail]

Real answer: uBlock Origin

[@merijn1254]

Thanks for adding the sizes in cm!

[@Afdch]

Just make it mm next time ;)

[@DeanneMariaCreates]

When it comes to marketing, Steve is absolutely ACE at self promotion. Keep it up, you make me smile 🌝🌝🌝🌝🌝🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧

[@PLBL]

Hey Steve. Please make a WWMM video on nail guns. How to use them, when to use them, which ones to use, battery vs compressed air (and how to use the compressor with the nailer) etc etc. Thanks!!!

[@SteveRamsey]

Good suggestion. Thanks!

[@ivanrozman3916]

Philippe Lobelle jijkukukjjkjmmjji

[@ManyaP64]

Steve, you are amazing. I absolutely love all your videos - you got me into this woodworking mess and now I cannot stop!! Three and a half years of making stuff and I love it.

[@lazydadsgarage]

Every micro jig ad cracks me up. Good job. I usually hate ads

[@mrtablesawful]

Your "quick circle cutting jig" idea just came in handy for my project. Thank you so much for offering such a simple, yet effective idea Steve!

[@ΚΑΤΕΡΙΝΑΠΙΤΣΙΟΥ]

I m very happy to see a video of yours again . !!!! I found the video very helpful . Lets hope to see you soon again because we are ramseycholic !!!!!

[@SteveRamsey]

Thanks!

[@MarceloFreitas70]

I'm glad you're back, we miss you. Congratulations for the success of your online woodworking course. More and more people will join you in january for the next class. Thank you for this great video. We learn a lot from you. Thanks to MicroJig and Casper for sponsoring the show.

[@SteveRamsey]

Here are 4 ways to get good results when cutting circles or holes. The router method is my favorite method for cutting large circles. You can easily make this jig in a few minutes. It work best with a plunge router, but I get pretty good results with my fixed base router. ➡️ Hey! I'm relaunching The Weekend Woodworker online course on January 10th! Download a free, full set of plans, (complete with cut list) of the Basic Mobile Workbench now: theweekendwoodworker.com/bmw And be sure to check out the first video of the course for a sneak peek into TWW course. Thank you!

[@manuelhomen7207]

Steve Ramsey - Woodworking for Mere Mortals hey Steve my name is Manny I got into woosd working because of you I really enjoy it a lot thanks again

[@scania9786]

If you include metric in your videos, you should probably use mm instead of cm.

[@JW77]

Per Nilsson I think it's fine. For the rest of the world centimeter is like inch to US. It's a more usable unit in daily life. Mm is a bit too small. To be honest I doubt anyone will have trouble converting cm to mm.

[@scania9786]

Ofc it is no problem converting cm to mm, but tools and lumber are sold in mm.

[@1701spacecadet]

Merry Christmas to you and the family Steve! Much love from England.

[@terristroh3965]

I'm glad to see a new video. I really missed them but am glad your course is going well too.

[@ifscottcanyoucan]

We are building a house next year and I cant wait to set up my shop. You have been an inspiration. Thanks Steve.

[@vileguile4]

I just bought all kinds of these from amazon. An additional kind is the one where you attach the saw blades to a plastic holder. I bought a kit from wolfcraft which will be interesting to try out. Great video as always Steve!

[@jocelynchevrier4933]

You've became international !! Now you also put the measures in the metric system ! Just when I started to be used to the american system ... ahah Thanks for the effort, you'll have more fan in Europe now ;) Keep going !!!

[@franceshawe9572]

Thanks for that Steve. Great lesson in not overthinking.

[@PaodeCasa]

Thanks for the video, your videos show us how to simplify the work routine. I'm your big fan. Regards from Brazil..

[@monkiboyjerry]

Great to see you back to these videos !

[@marianosaab2560]

Excellent video, thanks!

[@zainep.3817]

Just got a new plunge router, super informational. Thanks!

[@rooshey1234]

You look like Phil from modern family!! I like your videos, weel made and easy to understand

[@JeffBorger]

I love all of your videos. Thank you for doing these. You make me excited about woodworking. Just downloaded your tool guide to help me get started. Thanks!

[@jimsjacob]

Used to look forward to your videos every Friday. Thanks for this production, hoping for more!

[@mc4kvb]

Thanks for the good tip. I miss seeing your videos on a regular basis. I’ve learned a lot from you so thank you very much! Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@rodericmege4549]

Hey Steve ! Thank you very much to add the metric units. I don't need to stop the video to convert it and release what it's like. Once more, great vidéo ! ;-D

[@marisacrespin2223]

Thank you I was looking for a router guide that didn’t take hours to make thank a lot :)

[@mversantvoort]

I love these kinds of videos, thanks Steve! Also, it was awesome to be part of the Weekend Woodworker course!

[@Thewibareports]

Thanks for all your great videos Steve keep it up! Your channel inspires me as a total beginner gal to get out and there and start expending beyond terrible kit set projects!

[@micahwinters7021]

Yay a new Steve Ramsey video!! I missed the micro jig bits!

[@SteveRamsey]

Haha...thanks Micah!

[@MartinDeHill]

Really appreciate the metric conversions, thanks Steve!

[@JustPassingBy334]

Thanks for the great tip!

[@onjisan]

need one of these videos for square/rectangular holes.

[@timothyconway6563]

I'm working in a small corner of my garage. This small work table looks like a great starter piece and I think it is a plan that I can execute. Thanks!

[@jfrphoto01]

Hi Steve, First time commenting. Love the router jig! I made one and it works great! I build custom speaker cabinets and it make cutting the openings for the speakers super easy! Thanks for the idea!

[@Espressodude]

Great to have you back. Merry Christmas Steve!

[@justinkcraig]

Thank you , I've been trying to get around making a circle jig but you made it so simple , I can do that easy enough and buying bits and such for larger holes get pricey and or limit me to a drill press which isn't practical sometimes. So rather than even attempt using my HD circle cutter (drill press only tool)in my cordless hand drill , I'll make a jig and spare my project and myself the stress the wrong tools usually cause me .

[@BurtonsAttic]

Cool old router, looks like it's a future collectors item!

[@skreidle]

Okay, the router mod is brilliant! I’d been trying to figure out how to build a jig to work with the existing guide rails/frame, but it was questionable - I’m using a plunge router and want to cut 5” and 6” diameter holes, which puts the pivot beneath the base. The wood base method should work perfectly!

[@alexfresquez4351]

Steve thank you. GreAt tips . Love your show. Big fan.

[@oldsarge8608]

Great basics video Steve.

[@DavidEricPrates]

Hey Steve! Always enjoy the Microjig intros!

[@benderrodriquez]

Another great use for my plunge router!

[@barry-cq4xg]

great video. informative and concise as usual.

[@elizabethmorton3998]

Very nice content Steve! I even enjoyed the sponsor’s portion of the video- Casper!

[@JuanJGomezM]

Hey Steve, great video, Merry Christmas and happy new year from a weekend woodworker in Colombia!

[@LiemNguyenBX]

Thank you very much ! I love to watch all your video, it helpful

[@MRrwmac]

Steve! All my best to you and your loved ones for a Joyful and Merry Christmas. Hope you have a Wonderful Year in 2018!

[@wwscott7595]

Looking at some of your old video's and this latest one, you certainly have smartened your self up a bit. PS. Casper will not ship to Scotland. You need to take the rough edges of your advertising manner but, the advice on cutting a hole, I enjoyed that. Thanks you fit looking so and so.

[@dirtfpv]

Damn, I was about to spend $50 on a router jig for cutting circles, in order to cut two circles. Option 4 is WAY better and can be done with stuff I already have lying around. Thanks, Steve!

[@DIMTips]

Great tip

[@kmwrites7456]

You're simply the best .....

[@WayWoodworking]

Great to see a new video! Great tips, thanks Steve!

[@EmunahMiss]

I am a novice. Super Novice. (Laugh-hahaha)! Brand new in the woodworking world. Of all the videos I've watched, you have been the most helpful. You have simplified and explained perfectly what I need to know. A great thanks to you! (Smile)!

[@yurimig253]

Good stuff 👍

[@ernestramirez100]

Great stuff

[@taitelennox4514]

thanks for the tips steve

[@raabsand]

I like that you include humor with the sponsor

[@americanwoodworkingtrickss6543]

Good video.

[@FirstMM]

Hey Steve, nice to see you back; you still do the best ads on youtube :) Keep up the good work!

[@2wheelspy]

Looking forward to the new workbench video

[@impactajuvenile]

Are you gonna review your new truck with us? Excited to hear all about it...

[@1959WoodWorkingHobby]

Happy New year Steve!!!. From Brazil.

[@bigray1059]

I'm glad you made a new video. We haven't seen you since you started the weekend woodworker course. One day I'll have the $$$ to sign up. Keep up the great videos & please don't forget us KZbinr's.

[@adamsisson5458]

I actually like watching your ads hahaha. Great videos by the way.

[@businessgreg77]

I been trying to make videos for a year now, and I think I finally have a decent product. Everyone is welcome to check them out. I'm no Steve Ramsey, but hey we all gotta start somewhere. Thanks for another awesome video Steve.

[@Runehorn]

Very entertaining video, especially the end haha!

[@Dukefazon]

When my brother-in-law and I were building my arcade cabinet we had to drill a hole for the speakers that was too large for regular bits. He had some weird bit that was like a spade bit, the center was a drill bit and had side thingies with adjustable blades. I don't know what it's called. They are neat too! By the way, Casper is also sponsoring a lot youtube channels. Whenever I hear those catchphrases from others it gives me cringe. However Steve can really deliver these ads. I'm a patron at patreon but I only watch his videos with the ads in them.

[@halsonger1317]

Surprisingly, the tool you are talking about is called a circle hole cutter! :)

[@Dukefazon]

I found it easily on google image search just by typing the exact words but it sounded so generic I never would have guessed that it's actually called that. Thanks!

[@crazycutz8072]

I am getting my self a Casper Madress - they seem fun 😀👌🇩🇰

[@dudakoff1000]

That ad placement is legendary

[@nemarjhoncali7264]

Always informative 👍

[@SpecificLove7]

Great tips that I needed right now, great timing!

[@ACoustaDC]

Clever vid here. I just bought my first router. We'll see how this goes.

[@grahameblankley3813]

Great video, just wish you would derust that column on that drill.

[@StephenMercer]

Good video, but all of these methods leave a hole in the middle of the circle. What I'm looking for is a way to cut out circles clean keeping *both* the circle and the plywood it is cut from. Do you have mechanisms for doing that with hand tools? (Normally I have access to a laser cutter and CNC machine, but COVID-19 has closed the shop.)

[@Rkkashyap769]

Hi, I am from India and quite inspire after seeing your workshop. I want to open a similar kind of workshop here. Can you please help me out which brand power tools and other tools I should buy which is available in India. Also please help me out some setup technique.

[@rudrabarathan2737]

Great tops Buddy, Normally I always buy a tool which I really don't need.

[@airwolf28]

Steve, I missed seeing you do a woodworking projects.. Also, you may want to use of the Jimmy DiResta tip on using a router. Lower your router bit by bit so that you don't burn out your router bits/

[@cowboyatthebebop]

something i saw on anohter channel to help with the hole saw drill a few small relief holes around the circumference of the hole and the sawdust has somewhere to go instead of clogging the blade.

[@jjsmama401]

I used a fortsner bit once and now it has a big chunk of wood in it. How do you get the wood out? Burn it? Can I use the Bosch Colt router to do this?

[@dcruzer1272]

Agree! I’m new to wood working and I keep misplacing my ruler pencil tape measure center punch glue

[@yubnub5977]

quick question...what size brad nailer do you use? what size would be recommended for all around shop work.

[@SamStGeorge]

Long time for me no see. I hope you are wellMerry Christmas and Happy New Year

[@reyrainer6332]

Question: I've seen a few of these types of jigs, whether for router or other tools. One of the things I wonder about is the hole where the router first goes in. This always seems to make a slight divot on the edge of the circle (both on the inside cut-out and the external circle. Is there a way to avoid this or how do you correct it? Thanks. I did listen to the Casper commercial LOL.

[@aaroncastellanos3421]

Steve you haven't made a video of a jig to drill 90 deg. holes using a drill have you?

[@SteveRamsey]

No, but that's a good idea!

[@marceaton3128]

Great ideas. Casper! I've​ had mine for one year. I have back issues and I sleep so much better with less stiffness when I wake up. Great mattress.

[@JusBidniss]

Similar to the router jig (but IMO far easier to set up), my favorite large hole cutter is a jigsaw and a scrap of 1/4" plywood. So a 3" x 24" (or thereabouts) offcut of 1/4", a 1/2" hole for the blade to poke through, an 1/8" pivot hole at a distance from the 'outside' of the blade equal to the radius of your circle, and you're set. And if you don't have screw holes already in the saw's foot plate with which to mount the jig, it can still attach easily with some foam or carpet-backing mounting tape, or even hot glue. Or you can even screw up through the bottom of the plywood into small blocks of wood that 'pinch' either side of the foot plate, clamping it in place.

[@thelowmein9143]

Steve I hope you can help me, I’m getting blowout while using a spade bit to drill a 1 1/8th inch hole in a 3/4 inch piece of cedar (for a bird nest box). I’m not just getting blowout, the entire piece of lumber is splitting completely in half!. It’s happened three times now so I gave up lol. Would clamping a spare piece of lumber beneath the piece help? I do not have a drill press so I’m using a 18 volt Ryobi hand drill. I did notice that the spade bits I’m using have a threaded center spike, so when it “grabs’ the wood it wants to pull the rest of the bit into the piece very very fast! I wonder if this might lead to the extreme tearing and breaking I’m seeing? Should I have just got the regular spade bits, or is it feasible to use forstner bits with a handheld drill? Perhaps drilling a pilot hole the size of the threaded part.of the spade bit to “defeat” the threading would help? Thanks for any advice.

[@younewser]

Any suggestions on a perfect square?

[@robbobsjobs8456]

How would one go about cutting multiple 3"x5" squares in a piece of black walnut ¾ thick

[@mattpaff7819]

could you make the same jig for a jigsaw? I don’t see why not. If you take your time cutting the circle I think it should work.

[@Kyralicius]

Hi Mr. Steve can you show us how built a basic microwave car please?. I don't have a lot of space on my kitchen and I would like use it as a table and have the microwave on the bottom.

[@stevegroveschef6845]

Another great video. Any tips for making a hole part of the way through a board but without the central indent from the tip of a forstner bit? Holes would range from 1/2 inch to 2 inches.

[@jjohnston94]

Grind the center point off a Forstner bit. Somebody might even make them that way.

[@jboxy]

wow thats brilliant with the router

[@dreamtounite3139]

what machine is being used here in the video (to show the bits in use)?

[@Pascalore]

Ok, I can't find an entire metal toolbox which has my Kreg Pocket jig and parts, screws and dowels. Any suggestions? That being said, if you use a drill press there is also another adjustable hole cutter available on the cheap. Just another option and welcome back. Also have you been told you resemble the janitor from the T.V. show 'Scrubs'? He looks like your older brother.

[@JohnMadeit]

i know most of this stuff but i still like to watch your videos. mainly for the bad ad spots.. hahaha :)

[@dtec30]

there is a book that shows amongst other things how to make a workbench from one sheet of ply that might be something to include in the weekend woodworker

[@jayhitek]

I like your haircut Steve!

[@Metal-Spark]

This may be a silly question but say I need to make a hole like the one at 2:23 (part way through the board) Could I use a straight bit on a plunge router? Plunge it part way into the wood and then raise it back up without moving the router? I'm thinking holes that are roughly 16-20mm diameter.

[@Tikorous]

You sure can. Set the depth stop on your router so you get the correct depth

[@jordanlarsen5667]

Hey Steve I was looking in the background of the video and I noticed that there was a new truck. Did you buy a new one. If so I like it. Ps I love the work that you do. Keep doing what you are doing.