How to use the bandsaw circle cutter

[farley]

The complete jig came with my saw, alum.

Never used it, now I have a chance, but I am having trouble visualizing how it works.

I can see how everything works except for the initial cut.

If I put my square piece of wood on the pivot point won,t the square ends prevent me from getting near the blade?

Tia

[sawmill]

I don't know what you have but I was having the same problem as you. You have to slide it into the blade to start the cut and then lock the fixture down. Go to my other thread and there is a vid posted on how to use a circle cutter. It may be different than yours but works the same as your should. I still cannot believe how fast you can cut circles with it

[JPG]

If your jig does not allow moving the jig to 'get' the blade to the center, you must start the cut at the center of one side of the square'. This usually leaves a flat spot on the circle at the start point and is the reason for the 'slideable' jig 'improvement'.

[charlese]

I have used a square block (really could be un-square) larger than the diameter circle I wanted. Make sure when doing your setup that the pivot center is exactly square to the leading part of the blades teeth.

Set one edge of the wood snug - not tight - against the bandsaw blade. Turn on the saw and let the set in the teeth eat into the wood. Then, very slowly rotate the wood, allowing the blade to find it's way into the wood. Once into the wood let the saw cut the circle with only light turning pressure.

I used the Shopsmith circle cutting jig.

[farley]

thanks all
I did a test with a free hand cut to the circle, then use the cutter and it was very nice,

but when I went to use it for my 24 inch project, (center at 12") I found the rod extension table of the circle wasn't level with my level band saw table, it started to get more trouble then it was worth, so I just slowly cut it free hand on the band saw.

[reible]

For those with 505/510/520 have a advantage of using the 5' tubes to create table space for the bandsaw with the floating extension tables (don't forget the legs). This can help a lot with larger circles.

The other options include a helper or set up some other support tables.

I don't have any pictures of the bandsaw set up with the floating tables but I do have ones showing the jointmatic set up that way. You can see that here:

https://forum.shopsmith.com/viewtopic.php?t=2737

Ed

[GeorgeM]

[quote="sawmill"] ...Go to my other thread and there is a vid posted on how to use a circle cutter...
Hi Sawmill

I know I'm pulling up an old topic, but would you mind posting a link to that video as I can't seem to find it? I hope it's the SS circle cutter in that video.

Thanks
GeorgeM

[BuckeyeDennis]

...Go to my other thread and there is a vid posted on how to use a circle cutter...
Hi Sawmill

I know I'm pulling up an old topic, but would you mind posting a link to that video as I can't seem to find it? I hope it's the SS circle cutter in that video.

Thanks
GeorgeM

I think this is the thread in question. Reible posted the video link, and it is not of the SS circle cutter.

[youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H59G5bMrqRo[/youtube]

I have a similar jig, thrown in for free on a Craigslist purchase. The seller didn't have a clue what it was, but I figured it out after I got back to my shop. Instead of the series of drilled holes for the center pivot, the pivot slides along a piece of T-track, so the circle diameter is infinitely variable.

It works great. I used it to cut the bowl blank shown in the first pic of this thread.

[GeorgeM]

...Go to my other thread and there is a vid posted on how to use a circle cutter...
Hi Sawmill

I know I'm pulling up an old topic, but would you mind posting a link to that video as I can't seem to find it? I hope it's the SS circle cutter in that video.

Thanks
GeorgeM

I think this is the thread in question. Reible posted the video link, and it is not of the SS circle cutter.

[youtube]https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=H59G5bMrqRo[/youtube]

I have a similar jig, thrown in for free on a Craigslist purchase. The seller didn't have a clue what it was, but I figured it out after I got back to my shop. Instead of the series of drilled holes for the center pivot, the pivot slides along a piece of T-track, so the circle diameter is infinitely variable.

It works great. I used it to cut the bowl blank shown in the first pic of this thread.

Thanks so much for your help.

GeorgeM

[swampgator]

I made this one for myself and it is bigger than a the table top. Easy to make and use.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIJ79eIYSOo

Steve, the old swampgator