routing problems....

[hl26 10+ year member]

alright so i am having trouble finding out how to make a circle without buying a jig.... also what size straight bit are you guys using? Any tips are appreciated....

Thanks!

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[alxmlr789 10+ year member]

steak knife?

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

thanks that really helped..... anyone else?

 

[profundus-sanus 10+ year member]

on realmofexcursion there's a how to make your own circle jig sticky...

i use a 1 1/2 x 1/4x up and or downspiral bit depending on the job.

 

[BrianChia 10+ year member]

Use a 1/4" sheet of MDF probably about 16" x 6" (or however big the base of your router is plus about 10" of overhang). Drill and countersink mouting holes and screw it into the base of the router. Plunge the router through the center point then route out a 2-3" hole for the bit to go through. Then measure from the outside edge of any straight cut bit down the MDF. Mark the radius of the circle you need on the MDF and drill a pivot hole.

 

[hl26 10+ year member]

what kind of bit do you recomend and how many passes also?

 

[BrianChia 10+ year member]

I've only used double flute straight bits for cutting circles and mortises for flush mounting. But I've heard that a spiral upcut works pretty well too. I'd do 3 passes for 3/4", 5 passes for double layer baffles. You can probably get by with 2 pases but I've snapped a few too many straight cut bits doing that.

For general speaker cabinet work, I'd recommend a straight cut (upcut or flute), flush trim (a straight cut with a ballbearing), a roundover (1/2"-3/4" for rounding corners, ports, braces, etc.), and if you are building home audio speakers then a mortise for flush mouting.

 

[mlstrass 5,000+ posts]

I agree on 3 passes, 3/8" each time. Spiral upcut is very nice. You can also you "peg board" to make a circle jig. That's what I use for 18" subs as the Jaspers I have don't go that big.