With that, they are also utilized to cut perfect circles into wood. While not specifically designed for that function, jigsaws could be an excellent choice for it if you know how to use them. To help you use this multi-purpose tool in an effective manner, here are a few tips on how to use a jigsaw to cut curves and circles in wood. Using these tips, craft your next piece of furniture and work your way through fixture installation with ease. Using Jigsaws for Making Curves Into Wood. Jigsaws have the curves game down to the point where they are the first tool that comes to mind for this purpose. Whatever the reason, your circle can probably be cut quickly and easily with the right kind of cutting tool and a few easy steps.  If you need to use the circle of wood that is cut out, pay attention to the interior diameter of the hole saw you purchase. In general, the size of the hole saw refers to the exterior of the saw but the interior size will be listed in small print. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.- \/images\/thumb\/9\/97\/Cut-Circles-in-Wood-Stepjpg\/vpx-Cut-Circles-in-Wood-Stepjpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/9\/97\/. You can easily cut perfect circles for your next woodworking project, using a router attached to a circle cutting jig. The circle jig acts as a compass, guiding the router around a central pivot point. All you have to do is set the position of the router and the depth of the bit. Start by scoring a circle in the glass, just like cut perfect circles in wood glass the movies, then run the score, create relief scores in the corners, and apply gentle pressure to break the circle free. Remove the base plate from your router and use it to trace the screw holes on one end of you strip of plywood. Create an account. If the glass is opaque or colored then you will have to look more carefully. If that trim pass is taking off little more than the width of the blade, there's no chance of kickback. Your methods are well explained and would make creating circles much easier. Trace a line across the sled, perpendicular to the blade, about half way front to back.

For a closer look at each method, be sure to check out the YouTube video. The most common way of cutting circles in wood is using a plunge router with a circle cutting jig. I used my bandsaw to shape it, but this step is optional. Remove the base plate from your router and use it to trace the screw holes on one end of you strip of plywood. Plunge the bit through the plywood jig, then remove the jig from the router and make the hole bigger.

For an 18 inch diameter circle for example, make a pilot hole at 9 inches from the bit. Find the center of your wood blank and drill a pilot hole, then mount the jig using a finish nail. This method starts out the same as the previous using a plunge router and a circle cutting jig. Using the upsiral bit to make revolutions, then remove the circle jig and grab your jigsaw.

Using the jigsaw free-hand, cut out the circle using the groove as a guide. Grab your router and install a flush trim bit with a bearing. Plunge the router and line up the bearing with the clean lip previously left by the router. Going in a counter-clockwise direction, progressively shave off the excess wood until the bearing contacts the lip.

Go all the way around the circle until you are left with a perfect circle. If you have a bandsaw, I highly recommend this method. Trace a line perpendicular to the front tip of the kerf line, then drill a pilot hole on the line to match the radius of the circle you want to make.

Use a finish nail with the head cut off as a pivot pin. To use the jig, find the center of your wood blank and make a small pilot hole, then mount the blank to the pivot pin on jig. The last method made me a bit nervous at first, but I just had to give it a try. Cutting circles with a table saw? Yes, it is possible. Trace a line across the sled, perpendicular to the blade, about half way front to back.

On this line, drill a pilot then drill hole on the line to match the radius of the circle you want to make. To use the jig, find the center of your wood blank and make a small pilot hole, then mount the blank to the pivot pin on the jig.

Start by slide the jig back and forth through the blade to cut off the 4 corners of the square blank. Continue to cut off the 8 remaining tips of the blank. Then again to cut off all remining protrusions until your blank is as close to a circle as you can make it. Line up the line on your jig with the front tip of you saw blade, then use a magswitch or stop to lock the jig in the position. Using push pads to protect your hands, rotate the blank clockwise into the blade in order to shave and sculpt it into a perfect circle.

The router option is messy, but there's no limit to how big you can make your circle, like for a tabletop. I prefer to stick with the upspiral bit all the way through. If you haven't already, watch the YouTube video for more details, and if you like what you see, subscribe to my YouTube channel. In my opinion, there is a hidden danger using the table saw method as you show.

Of course, everyone knows that a table saw pushes back on the work, and that the work can jam against the blade, especially if the fence and blade are not set parallel, or the wood has locked-in stresses. When the work is a many-sided polygon, pinned at its center, any backward rotation will cause a jam against the blade, VIOLENTLY kicking back the work and sled, and possibly leading to fingers contacting the blade!

I wouldn't even THINK about doing this without a guard in place, setting the blade as high as possible to minimize the pushback tendency , and setting the guard as low as possible to just clear the work.

Setting the blade high also gives truer cut when you get to the final "spin" pass. Your comment about bandsaw being limited in radius is true only to the extent you don't have room off to the side of the table.

You can precut the corners off until you are less then that. You must set the pin carefully, accounting for the "lead" or cutting direction, or the blade will be pulled to the side, and produce a spiral and then jam. Flip over the scored glass on a soft surface like a towel. Press down gently with your thumb all along the backside of the score line. Start at the edge where you finished your score line. Place your thumb directly against the back of the score line and press down, then work your way around the whole score line to run it until you get back to where you started.

If you use clear glass, then you will be able to see the score line running the glass breaking along the line more easily.

If the glass is opaque or colored then you will have to look more carefully. Use a handheld glass scoring wheel to make relief scores in the sides. Turn the glass back over and make diagonal relief score lines from the edge of the circle to each of the 4 corners in the glass surrounding the circle.

These score lines will release tension and make it much easier to separate your circle from the sides. Be careful not to let the circle drop out of the glass while you flip it over. Apply downward pressure to each quarter of the sides to break them away. Pick up the glass so the scored side is facing you. Hold the circle with your non-dominant hand and use your dominant hand to carefully break away each outer section one-by-one.

Use running pliers as an alternative to your hands if you have a pair. Running pliers are flat-headed pliers with rubber grips so that they won't break the glass. If you did everything properly to this point, then the sides will break away without much effort. Glass cutting takes patience and practice, so don't get discouraged if your first circle isn't perfect!

Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Related wikiHows How to. How to. About This Article. Co-authored by:. Co-authors: 4. Updated: March 12, Categories: Working with Glass. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 9, times.

Did this article help you? Since the deal didn't include a glass cutter, I resorted to the trusty ones in my tool box, trimmed a few pieces of scrap that were included, foiled and soldered them. Meanwhile, I bought a couple good ones carbide wheels off line. When the new cutters arrived, I tested them and, WOW.

Night and day. Now I know not to just leave the cutters bouncing off other tools during storage. From what others say, I'll come to appreciate the carbide cutters, if I take care of them e. Works flawlessly.

I had ruined so much glass before learning this. I appreciate your sharing this. I want to make concentric circles "donuts: if you will.

How would you remove the center without destroying the part I want to keep? Do you have to use new glass to cut it?

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