Bandsaw Circle Jig v3

glenn bradley

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I have some delay on a current project due to a tool repair. No worries, there is still plenty to be done. I am planning on some round table tops for this and a couple future pieces and so wanted to further refine my BS circle jig.

I took a piece of poor quality scrap ply and laminated a piece of scrap luan to it to get the thickness I was after. I used a dado stack in the tablesaw to cut a groove to accept a piece of t-slot miter track.

a-BS Circ Jig v2 track.jpg

The track and the mating bar come from Peachtree. I cut short sections of the t-bar and tapped them for 1/4-20. I counterbore a couple holes in the plywood to loosely fit bolts with washers and then put 5/16" through holes to allow for some adjustment.

c-BS Circ Jig v2 lock-1.jpg

The t-bars slide into the bandsaw's t-miter slot and I snug down the bolts.

d-BS Circ Jig v2 lock-2.jpg

The rear is supported on a roller stand held by a simple pair of cleats.

e-BS Circ Jig v2 rear-supp.jpg f-BS Circ Jig v2 o-view.jpg

Another piece of the t-bar is tapped to accept 1/4-20 x 3/8" long allen head set screws. These can lock the pivot for 6" to 6' diameter circles. Two other holes are in this t-bar to accept a 10-24 screw or a 1/4-20 from underneath to act as a pivot pin.

b-BS Circ Jig v2 stop.jpg

She cuts like this.

g-BS Circ Jig v2 cut-1.jpgh-BS Circ Jig v2 cut-2.jpg

Now I just need to drill a hole in it to hang it on a peg . . . . somewhere . . . .
 
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Nicely done, Glenn. I like the roller stand idea to hold the jig in place.

My circle jig is about 600 pounds of mustard yellow cast iron. :p It'll do tabletops up to about 38" diameter.
 
ok glenn you scored another home run and i will buy a ticket,, you just need to give us the link to the parts first off that idea of the rooler stand to hold up the jig is a homer in own right but i need to parts list for the t track and slide mecahnaisum and also what brand in that bandsaw the scales you have on your fence and the guide post are a-1,, so help us out glenn ansd that long drawer in the back ground another idea that you need to show us glad i can still far away and tell dad i have been practicing being crossed eyed:)
 
ok glenn you scored another home run and i will buy a ticket,, you just need to give us the link to the parts first off that idea of the rooler stand to hold up the jig is a homer in own right but i need to parts list for the t track and slide mecahnaisum and also what brand in that bandsaw the scales you have on your fence and the guide post are a-1,, so help us out glenn ansd that long drawer in the back ground another idea that you need to show us glad i can still far away and tell dad i have been practicing being crossed eyed:)

Saw is a Grizzly G0513X, aluminum comes from Peachtree - item # 1035, The plywood and luan are scraps that LOML has the warehouse guys set aside for her at her work (they show up as vertical dividers between pallet stacks).

If your bandsaw doesn't have the t-style miter slot, I have seen folks rig wood pieces as clamping jaws that grip under the table. There is also a commercial version of a solution for standard miter slots from, Rockler - item 24575 that seem like they may work pretty slick.

The long drawer is part of an old "workbench" frame that I got from a neighbor moving out of town. I cut it down to outfeed table height, slapped a piece of PB on top and routed clearance slots for the miter gauge.

The drawer holds painters pyramids, wax paper, my $12 HF paper cutter that I size sandpaper with, small trays with detail-type wood pieces (ebony and such). It is the one true catch-all drawer in my shop if you don't count the bottom drawer of my mechanics tool box :rolleyes:. See those eye exercises pay off :thumb:.
 
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what did you do to hi in the last few years jim??? or is it them women that makeing him go into circles.. you better get him straightened out before he gets to dizzy:)
 
ya know IM just a very very slow learner, but I finally figured it out glenn.
I just put a wood screw in and used the head of it to spin the wood on.
Im going to make wheels, bowl blanks for use with the router, few other things, but they are a bit up the way on the list for now. Thanx for putting up this jig, and the other one to cut the candles.(Im going to cut a wooden menorah using the candle holder /semi circle idea)cut through that qs piece of white oak like it was butter, no blade drift this time. Used a side wall from a cheap old tv unit someone threw out, particle board with veneer covering, worked perfect for the jig.
 

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