When working with various types wood, you always need to know the detailed variations in its processing. Before you cut a circle in plywood, you need to know all the options, because you often have to adapt to the situation. There are many options for performing such an undertaking, and they differ dramatically.

In order to cut a circle out of plywood, you can use both professional tools and improvised means.

Power tools or hand tools?

Tools and materials:

• drill;
• jigsaw;
• jigsaw manual;
• milling machine;
• nails;
• rope;
• chisel;
• hammer;
• stationery knife;
• sandpaper;
• compass.

When determining the diameter of the future circle, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the working cutter.

The most popular option among all is the electric jigsaw. This tool allows you to cut not only circles, but also any other geometric figures. Its only disadvantage is the need to form additional grooves at the corners (corners), but this is not noticeable when creating a circle. It is very important to choose the right nail file, because. they are of 3 types: tears on the left, tears on the right, tears on 2 sides. After the canvas is selected, cut out a circle of any size.

Jigsaw ordinary manual. Before cutting a circle out of plywood using this tool, you need to make sure that the workflow is available. The main difficulty is the limitation (usually up to 30 cm) due to the physical structure, i.e. in deep places will not work. At the beginning of the working activity, not from the edge, but directly from the center, the nail file is refueled at the very last turn.

Milling machine. A very convenient option, but requiring a rigid hitch with the surface, for which a self-tapping screw is screwed into the center of the circle. The circle is made of any diameter, and very quickly. Sometimes there is not enough working handle, which is why you have to make all kinds of impromptu brackets, which can be a channel, a profile, a bar, a board and even a rope, but it is much more convenient on a rigid hitch. This tool makes a fairly wide hole, so before starting work, you need to carefully measure the future design.

It is necessary to choose only sharp nails, and process the edges of the resulting workpiece with coarse sandpaper.

Nails. A very popular way in cases where the work should be done "already yesterday", and the tools will not be soon. It should be noted right away that the work in the end is quite rough, so it is used as a last resort. All you need is a hammer, 2 nails and a rope. One nail is driven in in the center of the hole, and the other is pulled on the rope to the required length (radius), after which solid motion a circle is made. Such circles with pressure continue until the circle is finally cut. At the very end, the nail is removed from the hole, turned over and carefully upholstered with a hammer to achieve a more accurate seam.

Chisel and stationery knife. Everything is much simpler here, because first you need to draw a circle with a compass (pencil), after which this circle is circled several times with a clerical knife under pressure. A feature of the stroke is the movement of not a knife, but a sheet of plywood, so as not to break the metal, and this action is repeated from 2 sides. Then a chisel is applied to the prepared seam and brought to the opposite seam with gentle blows (2-3 blows are usually enough). At the very end, a circle is knocked out with a hammer, as in the variant with nails.

Plywood, unlike other sheet materials, due to its dense and not loose structure, lends itself to easy sawing and obtaining various decorative complex shapes from it. With a standard set of tools, anyone House master is able to cut any desired, and even complex elements from this material. However, in order for the blanks to have a presentation and not violate the intended decor element, you need to take into account some of the nuances of working with plywood. How to cut an even circle from plywood?

Many saw parts out of plywood more than once, but mostly they had to make straight cut lines. It is not often necessary to cut out rounded or wavy details, few people dared to make a circle out of plywood. Therefore, this task at first glance may seem impossible. For figured cutting you will need the following tools:

• The jigsaw is normal. A tool often used for do-it-yourself cutting of thin sheet materials. However, thick thicknesses are beyond his power;
• Electric jigsaw. Such a power tool is divided into two types of devices: the usual one, in which the file is located vertically, and for artwork, in which the working element is a steel sheet, as seen in the photo. To work with thick plywood fit an ordinary electric jigsaw, but it will not work to make an even circle of plywood with it. But curvilinear elements, such as letters, can be cut with an artistic jigsaw, which is equipped with a band saw. Thus, for quality performance different kind works, the appropriate device is selected.
• With more sophisticated equipment, such as a router, a circle of plywood can be cut very evenly. Of course, it is more difficult to manage it, but with it you can cut a circle of plywood from sheets with a sufficiently large thickness. The quality of work on such a machine is superior to other cutting methods, and the cut of the circle is even.

1. Patterns of drawings should be located on the sheet of the workpiece so that the places with damage and flaws then fall into the waste, and the clean areas are under the drawing, that is, they later become the finished product;
2. Before cutting a circle out of plywood with a jigsaw, you need to make sure that the material is completely dry. Since moisture increases the resistance of plywood, and as a result, either the veneer can delaminate or the tool breaks;
3. In order for the cut edges to be without nicks and burrs, it is necessary to cut with an electric jigsaw along the veneer fibers. With a manual jigsaw, on the contrary, it is necessary to cut across the veneer fibers, although chips may form, but there is no risk that the file deviates from the cut line;
4. As soon as it became noticeable that the cutting teeth became dull, it is immediately necessary to change the working blade or saw.

Curly sawing methods

Getting started with sawing with a jigsaw, a sketch of the drawing is first applied to the sheet using carbon paper. The drill drills the original holes. A file or a working element of a jigsaw is inserted into it and the free edge of the file is fixed with a clamp or screw. Next, sawing is performed according to the template transferred to the plywood. Then unnecessary elements are removed, and the workpiece is sanded along the edges with sandpaper, or processed with a file. The video shows this process.

A furniture router is not suitable for cutting complex shapes, but cutting a plywood circle evenly is very simple. In the center of the circle, the standard ruler of this machine is fixed with a self-tapping screw. When the cutter begins to rotate along a given radius, a completely even circle is cut out. To correctly calculate the diameter of the circle, it is necessary to take into account the dimensions of the cutting cutter. You can correctly navigate this issue by first studying the instructions for the equipment.

How to make figured blanks using various tools and machines is described above, and if there was nothing at hand, how to cut a circle out of plywood without a jigsaw.

Here is the simplest technology for cutting a circle from a plywood board, with a few simple items available:

• A wooden plank and two nails are taken. The first nail is driven into the center of the planned circle through the bar. The second nail is driven into the plank so that its sharp edge extends five or ten millimeters beyond the plank;
• The distance between the fixed nails will be the radius for the required circle;
• Making rotational movements, a line is made on plywood. By wrapping the bar many times, the furrow is made deeper and deeper.
• The sharper the nail is chosen, the sooner the drawn line will receive a recess;
• The bar is easily replaced with a cord, the following cutting steps remain unchanged.

The above method is one of the most ineffective, but also has the right to exist. And if you have an electric jigsaw, cutting a circle with your own hands will not be difficult.

Often, when repairing or installing various wooden products You need to drill a perfectly round hole. In this article we will try to highlight all the ways in which such a hole can be cut. Options will be considered with the use of special tools, as well as without them.

How to cut plywood

A hacksaw with a very narrow blade, a jigsaw, a drill saw and a round file are those hand tools, which can be cut along a curve.

It is the narrow blade that provides the hacksaw with maneuverability, but for the same reason it is extremely difficult to guide. It is necessary to have a firm hand and an attentive eye in order to prevent deviations from the markup. At the same time, do not try to work quickly. On the contrary, it is better to advance in small jerks. This will help you more confidently hold the handle of the saw and guide it exactly along the given line.

It is better to cut small round or oval holes and “narrow” curves with the help of special tools - a drill saw and a round file, which can also be used to clean rounding.

However, the most suitable tool for cutting rounded parts and holes is to recognize an electric saw. Its advantage is not only that it saves time and effort. The included set of interchangeable blades with different teeth allows you to choose a blade for sawing almost any type of workpiece, whether it is wood, plywood or chipboard. In other words, the electric saw can rightfully be called a universal tool.

Round corners of furniture

Hitting the sharp corner of the table can even hurt you. Therefore, we recommend cutting corners where possible. For homemade furniture, they must be rounded from the very beginning.

Cutting circles and curved lines is no more difficult than making a completely straight cut on a workpiece, but on one condition: you have right tool and you are good at it.

Mark drop-down parts

It may happen that the holes that you drilled to insert a narrow blade of a manual or electric saw will be in useful areas. To avoid such errors, you should mark all the drop-out parts of the workpiece with hatching.

What is suitable for the template

You can make a circle on the workpiece not only with a compass. For this purpose, any object of a similar shape will do. It can be a saucepan, a plate, a cup or a bowl. However, when undertaking work related to the repair of furniture or some piece of furniture, calculate in advance the need for details of rounded contours or with round holes. It may be sufficient to make only minor changes to the design.

Instead of a compass

A school compass can also be useful in a home workshop, but its radius of action is small. And if you need to draw a circle of large diameter?

An easy way is to do it with string, a nail and a pencil. The nail is carefully driven into the workpiece, the rope is fixed on it at one end, and the pin is fixed at the other end. The length of the rope determines the radius of the circle being drawn. The only condition is that the rope must be taut along the entire path of the pencil. Then the distance from the center (nail) to the circumference in all sections of the markup will be the same.

Strip of cardboard or slats

No less simple, but more reliable way- use a strip of cardboard instead of a rope or, even better, a wooden plank. Drill two holes in this bar (strip) - one, smaller, for a nail, the other, larger, for a pencil. The distance between their tips should correspond to the radius of the desired circle. It remains only to install a nail in the right place and turn the bar around the axis.

Two sharpened nails and a wooden plank or a strip of thick cardboard can replace the compass.

How to draw ellipses

An ellipse is a rather complicated shape, but to draw it on paper, you only need two buttons, a piece of string and a sharpened pencil.

Fix two buttons on the surface of the workpiece at a certain distance from each other. Take a piece of string, tie both ends in a knot and hook the string around the button heads. Now draw a line with a pencil that the stretched rope allows you to describe. You can change the shape of the ellipse as you wish.

The distance between the two focal points of the ellipse is indicated by buttons. If you lead a pencil within the boundaries allotted to it by a rope, then an ellipse outline will appear on paper.

The shape of the ellipse can be larger or smaller, thicker or narrower, depending on the distance between the buttons and the length of the rope.

Templates

Wine glasses, cups, plates, pots or baking dishes - in any household there are many round-shaped objects that can be used to mark a circle. If you are making something and decide to give your product a rounded shape, then first look to see if there is a suitable template among the household utensils. To be sure, select a few items and take them to the workshop. There you can immediately try them on the workpiece and determine what is most suitable. After some practice, you will be able to make rounded lines from several round objects with different radii. Arcs of a circle can be drawn sequentially, or you can draw bridges-transitions between individual arcs.

preliminary drawing

Before attempting to draw a curve on a blank, design it on a large piece of paper or a piece of corrugated cardboard. Only after a satisfactory result has been achieved in all positions, can you cut out a template from paper and mark it on the workpiece.

You can draw circles and fragments of a circle using a cup or plate, simply tracing them with a pencil.

Sink insert according to the template

The sink is one of the most important pieces of kitchen equipment. If you decide to embed the sink into the countertop of the kitchen worktop yourself, then the first thing to do is to prepare an exact template.

First, transfer the outer contour of the sink onto a thick sheet of paper. Next, measure the width of its sides, with which it will rest on the countertop. Usually it is 2-3 cm. Now step back from the outline drawn on the paper, inward to the width of the rim and draw a parallel line. This will be the cutting line.

When marking, make sure that the position on the plate of the template itself is correct. Of course, if all the corners of the shell are symmetrical, then nothing terrible will happen if it turns out to be, according to the markup, as if in a mirror image. But if the shell is trapezoid and the roundings at the front corners are different from the roundings at the back, then in no case confuse the front and back.

In a similar pattern, make templates and cut out holes for wall lights or for a speaker mounted on wooden panels.

The line drawn around the sink is auxiliary. The second, drawn parallel closer to the center, is the sawing line.

electric hacksaw

If you need to cut a rounded part and saw through a round hole in the workpiece, then an electric saw is the most suitable tool. With its help, you will save time and effort, since such a saw has great advantages over a manual one. So, the blade of the electric cutter is narrower, which provides increased maneuverability. Further, it has interchangeable blades with different teeth, which allows you to process workpieces of any type, that is, wood, plywood, chipboard (it is no coincidence that the tool is also called a jigsaw).

To cut a section inside the workpiece, a hole is first drilled for a hand saw. But if you have an electric saw, then this is not necessary. The tool is brought to the workpiece with a slight forward inclination and is turned on in this position. The saw cuts the hole itself. Just do not put too much pressure on the body - this can lead to breakage of the saw blade.

Lead in a circle

This device, simple in design, makes it much easier to cut round holes or arcs. It is enough to mark the center of the circle on the workpiece, fix the fixture at the mark and connect the rod coming from it with the electric saw. The divisions on the rod help to set the saw blade at the distance from the center of the circle, which is necessary. As a result, without preliminary marking, you can cut a circle or saw through an arc with a radius of 5 to 20 cm.

The device (more precisely, its “sole”) is attached to the surface of the workpiece with screws. They must be well tightened. If the mount is not rigid, starts to hang out, then an even circle will not work.

Suitable for lefties too

Left-handers can also use the device, since the guide rod is attached to the movable unit both on the left and on the right. So saw at your own discretion - clockwise or counterclockwise.

Using such a device, it is possible to cut a round hole in the workpiece with a diameter of 10 to 40 cm without preliminary marking.

jigsaw

When cutting holes or curves in small workpieces, sometimes a jigsaw is indispensable. Interchangeable blades with teeth of different shape and arrangement allow you to work with wood of various densities. However, it should be borne in mind that the depth of cut is limited by the arc of the jigsaw, that is, the saw blade will not be able to move further than 30 cm from the edge of the workpiece.

Very thin, narrow saw blades can be easily damaged if the jigsaw is not used properly. It is necessary to drive the saw with neat, methodical movements. The main thing is to prevent the canvas from skewing. Otherwise, small and light workpieces will begin to move with the saw, as a result, this may lead to the fact that the blade will burst.

The thinnest jigsaw blade will “master” the narrowest curve, but only in small workpieces, since the advancement of the blade is limited by the jigsaw arc.

Boring saw

Neither a manual nor an electric saw will help if you need to cut a small hole in the workpiece - less than 10 cm in diameter. A jigsaw can also be useless if the workpiece is large. In this case, the most suitable tool is a drill saw. With its tip, it bites into a tree like a drill and thus makes a “starting” hole for further cutting. Outwardly, the saw is similar to a round file, with the difference that its core goes around the cutting edge in a spiral.

Drill saws are available with interchangeable nozzles of various diameters, designed for processing both softwood and hardwood, as well as a variety of materials from it.

The working body of a drill saw is a metal rod with a cutting edge, like a gimlet, and a cutting edge that goes around the rod in a spiral.

This is what the narrowest of hand saws looks like. Thanks to the fastening unit, the blades in the hacksaw can be changed depending on the nature of the material being processed.

Drill nozzle

One of the most popular and convenient options for cutting a hole is a special nozzle for a drill. It is made in the form of a crown crest and has a rounded shape. With this nozzle, holes are cut quickly and they are quite even.

hole drill bit

Nozzles come in different diameters, which allows you to cut a hole of the required diameter. If you have already prepared a hole, we can advise you to try yourself in options trading.

Drill

You can also cut a large hole with a drill. To do this, it is necessary to pre-mark the contour of the drilled hole. Next, with a small drill, drill through holes along the contour prepared in advance. Next, with a jigsaw or a very sharp knife, we cut off the holes, thereby connecting the holes. After that, you can smooth the circle with the help of skins of various grain sizes.

Chisel

You can also cut the required hole with a chisel. It is enough to remove the wood along the contour layer by layer. This option is the least suitable for interior design. The hole must be even, which cannot be achieved using improvised and unsuitable materials. The best option would be to use a crown on a drill. The hole is smooth and has smooth edges.

Thus, summing up, it becomes clear that you need to choose a tool for cutting a hole based on your goals. If you need a high-quality cut, then you can not do without a special tool.

Instruction

First, make a special stand for ease of use. It is a solid plank about twenty centimeters long, five wide and 1.5-2 centimeters thick. On the one hand, at a distance of five centimeters from the edge, a hole with a diameter of 15 millimeters is drilled in the center. Then, stepping back from the edges of the plank one centimeter to the left and right, cuts are made to the edges of the hole. It turns out a curly cut, reminiscent of keyhole.

The stand is screwed to the table (workbench) with screws or attached with a clamp so that it protrudes 15 centimeters perpendicular to the table. Working with a jigsaw without a stand is inconvenient, so it's worth spending a little time making it.

They work with a jigsaw while sitting on a chair. The material, such as a plywood plate, is placed on a stand and held with the left hand. When working, the jigsaw is held so that the file is located strictly vertically. Without pressing too hard, gently move the jigsaw up and down, making sure that the file goes exactly along the drawn line.

As you saw along the drawn contour, move the plywood sheet so that the cut is always inside the curly cutout of the stand. To smoothly turn the cut line, turn the jigsaw slightly to the left or right. If you need to make a sharp turn - for example, on - then at the turn point, work with a jigsaw in place, without moving it forward and gradually turning in the right direction.

If you need to make an internal cut - for example, cut a circle inside the part - then first drill a hole in the area to be cut with a drill. Unscrew the top screw on the jigsaw that clamps the file. Carefully, so as not to break, insert the file from below into drilled hole and fix it in the jigsaw clamp again. After that, start cutting out the part to be removed. After sawing it, unscrew the screw again and pull out the file.

When working with a jigsaw, the degree of tension of the file is very important. If the file is loose, it cuts badly. With strong tension it is easy. Always tighten the blade fastening screws well so that the blade does not slip out. But don't strip the threads on them. After working a little with a jigsaw, you will determine from your own experience the desired degree of tension of the file and tightening of the screws.

In the event that you have to saw hard material - for example, textolite or other plastic, moisten the cut with water. When working with soft plastic, make sure that the file does not get stuck in the material that has melted from friction; for this, moisten it with water too.

Often the question of how to cut even circles from plywood with a jigsaw confuses novice craftsmen. After all, it is much more difficult to do this than a simple straight cut, no saw will help here.

Most often, a jigsaw helps to cope with the task of figured cutting. Jigsaws are manual and electric. A manual jigsaw consists of a frame with clips for the blade and a handle. The main disadvantages of a manual jigsaw: low mechanical strength of the blade and small frame size. As a result, the blade is often torn and it is impossible to cut at a large indent from the edges of the part. Such jigsaws are usually used for processing wooden products. Jigsaws are ordinary, in which the saw is located vertically, and for artistic cutting, where the cutting element is a steel sheet. Electric jigsaws usually used when working with thick material.

Key Rules

To make the sawing process simple and fast, you must follow the basic key rules of work:

In order for the edges of the plywood to be even, it is better to cut along the canvas.

• you can only work with dry material, as moisture increases the resistance of the material, as a result of which the veneer may begin to delaminate;
• it is necessary to change the cutting blade immediately after the first signs of blunting of the teeth appear;
• it is better to work with an electric jigsaw along the fibers of the material, so the edges will be more even;
• with a hand jigsaw it is necessary to cut across the fibers of the veneer.

To work safely, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• firmly fasten the sawing table and saw blade in the frame;
• the jigsaw must be with serviceable and well-fitted handles;
• you should not press too hard on the jigsaw, trying to "help" it, this will only lead to faster blunting of the working blade;
• straight and long cuts are best done with a wide blade, so the sawing process will go faster;
• it is necessary to always see the markings, so the sawdust from the material being cut must be removed by hand, in no case should it be blown off, as they can get into the eyes.

Following these simple rules will help a beginner learn how to cut circles with a jigsaw and make his work easier.

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Cutting instructions

Before starting work, you need to drill a hole in the plywood for the jigsaw blade.

To cut even circles with a jigsaw quickly and beautifully, it is not necessary to be an expert in this field, but for a beginner it can be a very difficult task. In this case, the main thing is patience and, of course, the availability of the necessary accompanying tools, such as the jigsaw itself, a file, compasses, a simple pencil and surface polishing devices.

The first thing to do is to draw a circle on the surface of the material you will be working with. It is best to use a compass or choose a suitable circle and circle. It is necessary to trace with a pencil so that traces of it can be erased in the future.

If it is necessary to cut a circle inside the surface, then a through starting hole should be made. Next, you need to insert a jigsaw blade or file into this hole and fix the free end of the file with a clamp. Cutting is recommended in a sitting position. First of all, you need to fix the file in the jigsaw with a key, while keeping in mind that the teeth of the file should be pointing down. It is necessary to cut in the direction from top to bottom. The tool should be held level to avoid nicks and bevels.

The main thing in this process is not to rush and cut smoothly without sudden movements.

In the process of sawing, it is necessary to take small breaks, as the file can overheat and break. Here is the circle and ready. Now it is recommended to align the edges with a file, erase the markings left by the pencil and polish the part. Can be varnished if necessary.

Of course, it requires some skill and skills, but everything comes with experience. Therefore, following the recommendations described above should help the novice master in mastering this interesting and exciting activity.