# Best tool for the job



## RSRECLAIM (6 Feb 2014)

Hi

I'm hoping someone will have some advice on this.

I need a piece of kit, presumably some sort of router, that will enable me to cut the following size circular holes into solid wood, eg oak, beech, pine.

The holes would not go all the way through the wood so I would need something with some depth control. I will also need to be able to cut oblong shapes, to the same depth, so wondered what is the best item to buy to facilitate all these requirements, including additional bits.

Circular hole requirements are 7.5cm, 9 cm and 11.5 cm

Many thanks for any help and tips

Richard


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## nev (6 Feb 2014)

You want a router, see here .... http://www.trend-uk.com/trend/content/c ... e&id=18559


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## RSRECLAIM (6 Feb 2014)

Nev

Many thanks

Would i need to make templates for the appropriate holes I want or can you buy the attachments to allow the router to do this for you?

Cheers again


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## nev (6 Feb 2014)

you can make your own simply enough from mdf or similar ( see here for an example - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euVCPko-lfc) or you can buy various jigs for various jobs if you like spending money.
for example for circles - a beam tramel http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/trend/con ... dge&id=440
for squares there is the Varijig... http://www.trend-uk.com/en/UK/trend/con ... dge&id=440
and many more


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## swp (6 Feb 2014)

I recently bought a Bosch plunge router and it came with something similar to the beam tramel nev linked to for cutting circles.

You can make a jig of sorts for straight sided shapes very easily if you have a way of clamping straight edges to the work piece. The corners will be rounded but you can chisel them out if you need them to be square.


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## Stu_2 (6 Feb 2014)

You won't be able to cut a hole as small as you need with the trammel attachments that come with some routers. You'll either need to make up your own jig, or buy something like this *Trend Combination Router Base*. If funds allow, I would definitely go for the Trend jig, especially as you need to cater for three different diameter holes.

If you do decide to make your own, remember to deduct 1/2 your cutter size when measuring your pivot hole centres for each different radius.

Cheers
Stu


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## Roughcut (10 Feb 2014)

MDF or Plywood circle and oblong templates and a guide bush for the router?


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## carlb40 (10 Feb 2014)

This for holes?
http://www.axminster.co.uk/axminster-ho ... r-template


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## Benchwayze (3 Apr 2014)

I just spent half an hour explaining a method, only to lose the lot, because of my ham-fisted typing 'prowess'.... 
I'll start again in Ms Word! Hang on Richard!

Richard

I assume you mean 3", 3.5", and 4.5 inch holes? 

Using a palm router and a two flute cutter, with a bush is one way to cut these holes. 
With bush and cutter fitted, rout around the outside of a circular template, to full depth, in order to define the outer perimeter of the hole.. 

Remove the template and then, using a small router remove the waste in increments to the full depth. You just have to be careful not to damage the outer circumference. 

The size of template you require is found as follows. 

Find the distance from the outside edge of the cutter to the inside edge of the bush (the bearing edge). Double this, and subtract it from the diameter of the hole you wish to end up with. 

If you fit the bush and the cutter, you could run it along a fixed straight edge, to cut a shallow groove in some scrap. Then measure from the edge of the template to the outside of the groove, and this will give you the amount of offset you have with your cutter/bush combination. Times by Two. Subtract this from the final diameter of the hole you want, and you have the diameter of your template. 

To make the template use a compass-circle cutting device on your router.
Hope you can visualise this. I hope I have explained it properly. If I haven't, then someone will be along to correct me, and I will suffer the blushes!  

John


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## ossieosborne (7 Apr 2014)

You could always make one of these (from the late Ron Fox).

Cheers

Oz


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