LumberJocks
DAILY DEALS Sure-Foot Plus™ 3/4'' Pipe Clamp  |  Makita Makita Recon LCT203W 10.8 Volt Lithium Ion Impact Driver 2 Pc Kit

Circle Template

Project by Peter O posted 708 days ago 1048 views 2 times favorited 18 comments Add to Favorites Watch

I find that I draw a lot of circles and arcs in the shop. Every time I need a circle, I scurry around looking for the can or jar or bottle or washer or something that is just the right diameter. Usually, I settle for something close that, if I angle my pencil just right, will allow me to describe something representing a circle if you stand back far enough. Well, I’d had enough! I wanted something better.

I mounted the router on the trammel and put in a ¼” spiral bit. I carefully set up the trammel for each radius and cut the series of arcs. With ¼” slots I can put my pencil against either the inside or outside edge of a slot and get two radii from each slot. Now I can draw arcs on every 1/8” increment between 7/8” radius and 6” radius. I flip the template around the centerpoint to get a full circle.

I had planned to use forsner bits to create smaller radius holes in the middle of the template, but it is much harder to find the center of a hole than the center of an arc, so now I’m not sure about the holes. My trammel slipped on the 5” radius arc resulting in much shouting and stomping around. After the 3” arc, the narrow strips of plastic were begining to show some flex, so I made quarter-circles the rest of the way out.

The material is 1/8” lexan and the template is approximately 12” wide x 18” long. Sorry I didn’t take the photo with a dollar bill – I don’t remember when I last saw one of those!

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --


18 comments so far

View rikkor's profile

rikkor

11335 posts in 767 days


posted 708 days ago

What a good idea. Thanks.

View Bob #2's profile

Bob #2

3035 posts in 914 days


posted 708 days ago

Very cool idea Peter and easy to store too.

Regards
Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

View toyguy's profile

toyguy

715 posts in 730 days


posted 708 days ago

Just what I need…..running out of cans and stuff…...

-- Brian's Table Top Toys http://home.mountaincable.net/~bgraham/

View rpmurphy509's profile

rpmurphy509

290 posts in 747 days


posted 708 days ago

Excellent idea!

-- Still learning everything

View bryano's profile

bryano

546 posts in 826 days


posted 708 days ago

nice jig Peter. I could use one of these myself.

-- bryano

View gbvinc's profile

gbvinc

537 posts in 839 days


posted 708 days ago

Excellent idea Peter! Mass producing them yet?

View Jeff's profile

Jeff

996 posts in 987 days


posted 708 days ago

Very useful. Favorited!

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

View Douglas Bordner's profile

Douglas Bordner

3421 posts in 957 days


posted 708 days ago

Looks like something Starrett would make. Really nice.

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

View jembo's profile

jembo

105 posts in 906 days


posted 708 days ago

You should be running to put a patent on this, thats not a joke, run…......

-- James - Geneva, Switzerland

View dennis mitchell's profile

dennis mitchell

3789 posts in 1207 days


posted 708 days ago

like a drafting template…back when people drafted with pencils. Cool

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

View Dadoo's profile

Dadoo

1723 posts in 883 days


posted 708 days ago

I do that “shouting and stomping around” dance once in awhile too.

You should be able to fill in the 5” mistake area with epoxy and reroute it.

Question is, does this jig suit your needs?

-- Bob Vila would be so proud of you!

View mrtrim's profile

mrtrim

1698 posts in 773 days


posted 708 days ago

exellent peter i think most everyone would need one now and then

View Chip's profile

Chip

1058 posts in 985 days


posted 708 days ago

Great idea Peter. Thanks.

-- Better to say nothing and be thought the fool... then to speak and erase all doubt.

View Thos. Angle's profile

Thos. Angle

4013 posts in 855 days


posted 708 days ago

That’s nifty, Peter.

-- Thos. Angle

View cajunpen's profile

cajunpen

5968 posts in 959 days


posted 708 days ago

Pretty clever Peter. That’s using the old noggin.

-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/

View Karson's profile

Karson

25793 posts in 1293 days


posted 708 days ago

Great Peter.

After you went to quarter slots, you could change to the next 1/8” on the next quarter, so that you would have a smaller template and more Lexan for another jig.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

View Peter O's profile

Peter O

1016 posts in 767 days


posted 707 days ago

Hey, guys, thanks for all the great comments!

Dennis – yeah this was based on the “hole/circle template” that I used when I was doing manual drafting some years back. I was going to buy one, but they are too small. So I scaled it up.

Jembo – great idea, but like Dennis says, a similar template has been around for drafting for years. No matter how good the idea, tools are pretty hard to patent – especially when they are something like a series of slots in plastic! And the cost of aquiring a patent can drive the cost of the product up enough that it will convince potential buyers to just build it themselves in ther shop!

Dadoo – I haven’t decided whether to fix it or make another one (I’m a bit of a perfectionist). But so far it does suit my needs very well!

It took me over an hour to make this thing, but if I set up for one more, I could just as easily make 10 more. Does anybody want one if I’m making them?

-- http://www.north40custom.com -- http://north40studios.etsy.com --

View gbvinc's profile

gbvinc

537 posts in 839 days


posted 707 days ago

You bet. If you get enough interest, throw one on the stack for me.

You must be signed in to post the comments.

  • View all advertisers
  • Advertise with us

DISCLAIMER: Any posts on LJ are posted by individuals acting in their own right and do not necessarily reflect the views of LJ. LJ will not be held liable for the actions of any user.

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

HomeRefurbers.com

Latest Projects | Latest Blog Entries | Latest Forum Topics

GardenTenders.com :: gardening showcase