circles

[Shannon Kruse]

Hey all,

I have been doing woodworking for the last three years and have covered all the fields (lathe work, carpentry, fine woodworking, hand carving, power carving, etc) and through all of this I have slowly developed a love for the hand tools. I would love to learn how to make beds, dressers, and such without the use of any power tools.

Recently I have started making elevated dog bowls which require circles cut into the tops. I have been using my Bosch jigsaw, but do not like how this works. I was wondering if anyone out there knew of any hand tools that could cut holes in 3/4 inch oak boards (average hole is 7 inch diameter)

I live in an apartment, don't have a lot of cash to get tools, and don't have any place to put power tools (otherwise I would use a drill press and circle cutter). Is there anything out there like that?

Thanks

[Derek Stevens]

any pictures of one of the dog bowls to help with a tool suggestion?

[Eric Hartunian]

If the board isn't so big that the throat of the saw gets in the way, a coping saw would work. You would have to drill a small hole, insert the blade, then assemble the saw. You probably will have to clean up your cut with a rasp/file as well.

Eric

[David Gendron]

A better saw than a coping saw would be a turning bow saw. Tools For Working wood sale one that is wonderfull to use. the price is not bad and actualy they are on sale until the end of the month. They come with 3 different blades for different work or different wood. I have one and wouldn't part with it(I opperate a hand tools only work shop!).
David

[Ralph Barker]

Cutting circlular holes in wood by hand is probably somewhere between "deliberate" and "tedious" - depending on one's state of mind while doing so. ;)

But, with the elimination of a good electric scroll saw (or a good jig saw with an appropriate blade), the choices, as noted, are limited to coping saws, fret saws, and turning bow saws. Coping saws are typically limited to 4"-5" throat depth, while fret saws are deeper, around 12" or so.

http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=42902&cat=1,42884

Bow saws have a larger frame, and typically fall somewhere in between coping and fret saws in terms of throat depth, depending on the size of the bow saw.

http://www.toolsforworkingwood.com/Merchant/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=toolshop&Product_Code=GT-BOWSAW12&Category_Code=TMQ

In my experience, bow saws can be wonderful tools, but take a little getting used to in terms of managing the additional bulk of the saw.

With any of these choices, having a good blade under proper tension, and supporting the workpiece properly, are key factors - along with the patience to let the saw do the work.

[David Gendron]

To add to Ralph, I would suggest to always use the entire lenght of the blade like with all saws, that gives you better control!
David

[harry strasil]

Sears Palm router edge guide is also a circle cutting guide. $119

[Steve LeGrue]

Although I'm a hand tool nut, there are time that a power tool is the right tool. Use a router, either with a circle cutter (Japer tools) or a template. Fast, easy, reproducible.

Steve

[Shannon Kruse]

Steve, you sound like my brother. He loves using power.

Thanks for all the advice. I will check into the coping saws and other tools and hopefully extend my tool shop soon.

These are two of the feeders I have made in the past, and I used my dad's drillpress and a circle cutter (now 700 miles away :mad:, as is my table saw). The more recent ones are smaller (no pictures right now) with the circles cut using a jigsaw with a blade for cutting designs. I like using the jigsaw, but I have issues with not having a nice round circle (lots of waves). The circles range from 5" diameters to 12" diameters with about 1/2-2" of board between the edge of the hole and the edge of the board.

[David Gendron]

If you decide to go the neander rout of fret or bow saws, keep in mind, that it will never make a clean circle right away. But if you keep your cut inside the line just by 1/16 and finish the rest with a convex spoke shave and sand paper, you should get a realy good result!
David

[Eric Brown]

Cut the board in half, hold the two halves together and cut a half circle. Then glue the two halves back together.
This simplifies your positioning of a turning saw but makes the sawing seem slower.

Best wishes. Eric

[Eric Brown]

You could drill a small hole and then cut out the circle with a pad saw.

http://thebestthings.com/newtools/marples_saws.htm

Then clean up with a round bottom spoke shave.

Cheers.

Eric