Circle jig for bandsaw

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 4:21 pm

I have to make some wooden toys for my wife and I am going to make a circle jig for my band saw. In my search I found a lot of plans for them but is one better than the other. I would like to be able to set it up on my saw table and use with my sanding disk if possible

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:28 pm

When I have to make wheels, I rough cut them by hand on the band saw and sand them to size using the belt sander.

A piece of scrap wood with a runner that fits in the miter track of the belt sander table serves as the table. I attach the wheel to be sanded round to that table with a pin of some sort to act as an axle.

Spin the wheel by hand and sand the edges smooth and round. The table is adjustable providing a means to fine tune the diameter (in one direction only).

For large circles (like small table tops), I simply move the sanding operation to the disk sander on the Mark V.

anmius · Post by **anmius** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:37 pm

sawmill wrote:I have to make some wooden toys for my wife and I am going to make a circle jig for my band saw. In my search I found a lot of plans for them but is one better than the other. I would like to be able to set it up on my saw table and use with my sanding disk if possible

You could always support our host and purchase the Shopsmith Bandsaw Circle Cutter: http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/bandsawcirclecutter.htm

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:47 pm

anmius wrote:You could always support our host and purchase the Shopsmith Bandsaw Circle Cutter: http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/bandsawcirclecutter.htm

If you have used this attachment and you like it - promote it. Mine hangs on the shop wall.

Thank you, however, for reminding me that it exists. It provides some parts that might be really useful.

terrydowning · Post by **terrydowning** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 6:54 pm

anmius wrote:You could always support our host and purchase the Shopsmith Bandsaw Circle Cutter: http://www.shopsmith.com/ownersite/catalog/bandsawcirclecutter.htm

And it's only for the newer aluminum tables:( those of us with the cast iron are in DIY land.

reible · Post by **reible** » Mon Sep 30, 2013 7:44 pm

If you are interested in a circle cutter for you bandsaw then I think you should look at the one Carter sells. I did a posting a while back on it and that can be found here:

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=13140

The sliding pivot to start the cut is like the one that powermatic has for there $$ bandsaws. Really this is the only way to go, either buy one or make one but make sure it has the movable pivot start.

Ed

berry · Post by **berry** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 3:46 pm

I made one years ago and it works fine. I can't remember where I saw it, but most of them seem pretty similar, IMHO. Not much to mine:

1. there's a bar from an old miter gauge
2. base (scrap pw)
3. slider (scrap hardwood)
4. nail (pivot pin)
5. C clamp (hold the unit on the band saw - not shown in pic)
6. spring clamp (to keep the slider from moving - not shown in pic)

And it's easy as can be to put it on the table and use with the disk sander too. The smallest circle I've made was a 5" diameter.

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reible · Post by **reible** » Tue Oct 01, 2013 10:43 pm

Hi,

This is one of the jigs I was looking at before I decided to spend the money and get the Carter.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H59G5bMrqRo

Again notice how the cut is started by sliding the work piece into position and then starting the cut.

I would not bother with a jig that does not have that function. This is the difference between sort of round and really round. I've been there and done the other versions and was never happy with the results.

Ed

sawmill · Post by **sawmill** » Wed Oct 02, 2013 10:08 am

Thanks to all the replys. I made one yesterday and as it turns out is similar to the one in the vid. that was posted. The part I could not figure out was how to start the cut and after reading in another post about sliding it into position it all made sense to me. I had a piece of star board plastic and that is what I used works very well

JPG · Post by **JPG** » Wed Oct 02, 2013 6:08 pm

OK, what is 'star board'?