Router Table Circle Jig Modification

The last time I needed to cut a circle on my router table, I used a nail as the pivot and clamped a board to the router table. Crude, but it got the job done.

I planned to create a Thien Baffle for my woodworking dust collection system, and I realized that I really needed a better circle jig. I searched online and found a number of designs of varying complexity. The one I settled on is remarkably simple. I found a couple YouTube videos (cir. 2018) describing it, but neither claimed the design as original. I did a bit more research and discovered that it was originally designed by J. Phil Thien (inventor of the Thien Baffle) in 2007 (link below).

I decided to make a few modifications to better suit my application. Specifically, I wanted to be able to adjust the depth of the pivot pins.


Here are some pictures of the parts of the jig:

Attachment 44411 Attachment 44412

I created the slide from a piece of aluminum bar stock. I threaded a hole in it for the knob used to secure it in position (set the radius of the circle). I drilled and reamed two holes, one for 1/8" pivot and one for 1/4" pivot. I made the two pivot pins from steel drill rod and rounded the ends a bit. I drilled and threaded a cross-hole and use an aluminum screw to secure the depth of whichever pin in installed. I made a spacer for the knob so that a) I didn't have to shorten the threaded part, and b) so that the knob would easily clear whatever part of the pin might be sticking up though the slot. Spacer was made from 3/4" diameter aluminum round bar.


Here are some pictures of the slide with the pins installed:

Attachment 44413 Attachment 44414

Attachment 44415 Attachment 44416


I did not want to use a steel screw because it would likely mark / gouge the pins, making them difficult to install / remove. (I used an aluminum screw because I couldn't find my plastic screws.)

What I would have done differently: I might have reversed the positions of the two pins, placing the small pin near the end of the slide. This would allow a slightly smaller circle to be turned using the smaller pin.

I did use this jig for my Thien Baffle. Both the jig and the baffle work great.


References:

J. Phil Thien's original design page:
J. Phil Thien's Router Table Circle Jig
There is a lot of good information on this site.

I make no claim of having invented this jig. If you want to see more about how this jig is made and used, here are a couple videos that I found helpful:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_HMneS7nrsE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w5_iY9kaiEo

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Thanks dgbreggin! We've added your Router Circle Cutting Jig to our Jigs category,
as well as to your builder page: dgbreggin's Homemade Tools. Your receipt:

<div id="blocks"> <div class="block b1 pngfix"> <div class="bimg"> <div> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-router-circle-cutting-jig-19"> <img src="/uploads/257401/homemade-router-circle-cutting-jig-19.jpeg"/> </a> </div> </div> <div class="head pngfix"></div> <div class="left pngfix"></div> <div class="right pngfix"></div> <div class="blockover b1 pngfix"> <div class="title"> <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/homemade-router-circle-cutting-jig-19">Router Circle Cutting Jig</a> <span> by <a href="https://www.homemadetools.net/builder/dgbreggin">dgbreggin</a></span> </div> <div class="tags">tags: <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/jig'>jig</a>, <a href='https://www.homemadetools.net/tag/router'>router</a> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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This is great food for thought as I just bought a new router and have been thinking about a circle jig. In fact making circles is part of the reason I purchased this router. I like this approach so much that I'm rethinking priorities here.