# Router Trammel ... Pinless?



## cathode (May 18, 2014)

Hi all,

I'm getting around to building a Thien Baffle separator (attempting to, anyway). I found that I need to do a lot of circle cutting and decided to start building a router trammel. For this specific project I can get away with drilling a pin hole in the center of the pieces I'm working with. However, I'm curious to know if there's a reliable way of centering a trammel that doesn't involve any drilling or gluing or surface damage to the workpiece.

Also, what do most people build jigs like this out of? I had some 1/4" MDF with melamine on one face that I'm using, with the melamine face down for less friction. I do have some 0.220 acrylic sheet I could use, too.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

Sure, use a vacuum puck.


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## Loren (May 30, 2008)

I think Micro-fence sells something that uses 
vacuum as the fulcrum for a trammel. Very
pricey of course.


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## Lazyman (Aug 8, 2014)

You could use some double sided tape to attach a plywood pad that you could place your center hole in. If you don't want the hassle of cleaning the tape residue off, perhaps you could attach it with 3M command strips for easier removal.

My router trammel was quick and dirty out of a piece of scape 1/2 plywood. I didn't bother cutting it to any sort of shape. Just drilled a center hole and the 4 mounting holes for my router and another for the pivot point. When I need a different radius, I just drill a new hole and write a note next to it for the distance and size of the bit I used in case I need that radius again.


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## cebfish (Jan 15, 2011)

I made a small router circle cutter with a small finish nail as pivot point


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## pete724 (Mar 9, 2016)

Agree with Lazyman! Make the hole portable, square, and with corner to corner "centering lines", like a gun site you know? Also a pad of same thickness as the hole so that the trammel and router are at the same height.

PlexiGlass(acrylic) works fine. Anything nice and flat will work!


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