A jigsaw is a very useful power tool. Using the right saw, a little experience and confidence, and most importantly correct body position, you can do anything with it. You can do many things that cannot be done with other instruments. The machine is used for cutting straight lines, curves, profiles and circle trimming. Great for cutting wood, metal and plastic.

The master showed how to cut a perfect circle with a jigsaw. He made a device out of wood. Its design is simple, and the device itself is easy to manufacture. To get an idea of ​​this, see this image.

Material used:

12 mm plywood sheet. Wooden strip. Nails.

How to do

First of all, measure the size of the jigsaw machine's base plate. The next step is to cut the plywood sheet into an L shape as shown in the image.

After cutting the sheet of plywood to the exact size, the next step is to cut a strip of wood to attach the sheet with nails. This strip is used to hold the jigsaw in its position.

Make sure that there should not be any type of opening between the strip and the base plate of the jigsaw.

The next step is to drill small holes on the sheet. The distance between these holes is, for example, 1° cm. These holes are used for cutting different diameters circle.

After that I painted it so that it looked good. It is now ready to be used for cutting perfect circle clamp

Advantages:

It's very easy to do.

Easy to use.

Less costs.

Used for cutting round discs of various diameters.

For better understanding, watch the video below.

Questions often arise about how to cut a circle with a jigsaw, since many craftsmen only deal with straight cuts of the material. But cutting out varying degrees of curvilinearity seems difficult only at first glance.

For cutting you will need:

• jigsaw;
• plywood or other material;
• files special purpose depending on the material;
• marker;
• sample;
• work surface;
• clamp.

There are various ways. You can cut a circle with either a manual or mechanical jigsaw. Hand tools is a simpler device than an electric one. It is not suitable for thick layers of material or for long cuts. Jigsaws are divided into ordinary and artistic. The difference between them is in the location of the file: in a regular file, the file is located vertically, but in an artistic one, the role of the file is played by a steel blade. A regular jigsaw can be used to cut through thick plywood to make a headboard or other furniture. Artistic can be cut complex elements, letters, puzzle pieces.

Cutting blades are varied for each type of jigsaw, and they need to be selected according to the material with which you are working.

How to cut out of plywood with a jigsaw?

Before cutting a circle out of plywood, there are a few things to remember: general advice to work with this material. Sawing can only be done on dry material. Wet plywood has increased resistance, and when cutting, the veneer will begin to peel, which will lead to damage to the file or even the entire tool in the case of electric models. At the first sign that the teeth are not sharp enough or that some part of the blade is bent, the file should be replaced.

When sawing plywood with a jigsaw, you should, if possible, place the main cutting lines along the veneer fibers.

This will promote clean cut edges. When working with a hand jigsaw, it is easier to cut across the grain. This will not protect against chips, but there will be less chance that the file will get pinched or it will move along the chip away from the intended line.

Before cutting out the circle, you need to transfer its contours to the plywood. In this case, you need to try to ensure that areas with defects, chips, stains and knots fall outside the cut contour. You can transfer the outline to plywood by tracing it through carbon paper, cutting out a paper outline for tracing, or simply drawing a circle of the required radius with a compass. If necessary, a starting hole in the plywood is made using a thin drill.

To cut a circle with a jigsaw, a blade is inserted into the hole. Free end hand model is secured back in place using a clamp or mounting screw. The workpiece is pressed against the workbench with clamps, and the cut is made according to the transferred line. When the circle is closed, the central element is separated from the sheet and the edges are processed sandpaper or a file.

Before cutting with a jigsaw with an electric motor, you need to install a narrow file on it. There is a special improvement for this tool called a circle cutter, it is installed in the center and work begins. When working, do not put pressure on the tool; this does not contribute to faster movement. As a result of the pressure, the jigsaw blade and even its fasteners can bend and break. If the circle that needs to be cut has a small radius, it is better to do the work in several approaches, since sharp turns can break and bend the blade.

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

Most often with a task figured sawing A jigsaw helps. Jigsaws can be manual or electric. A manual jigsaw consists of a frame with blade clamps and a handle. Main disadvantages hand jigsaw: low mechanical strength of the canvas and small size framework. As a result of this, the blade often breaks and it is impossible to cut at a large distance from the edges of the part. These jigsaws are usually used for processing wooden products. There are ordinary jigsaws, in which the saw is located vertically, and for artistic cutting, where the cutting element is a steel blade. 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 operating rules:

To ensure that the edges of the plywood are even, it is better to cut along the blade.

• You can only work with dry material, since humidity 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 dullness of the teeth appear;
• It is better to work with a jigsaw along the fibers of the material, so the edges will be smoother;
• Use a hand jigsaw to cut across the grain of the veneer.

To ensure safe work, you must adhere to the following recommendations:

• securely fasten the sawing table and the file in the frame;
• the jigsaw must have serviceable and well-fitted handles;
• You should not press the jigsaw too hard, trying to “help” it, this will only lead to an acceleration of dulling of the working blade;
• It is best to make straight and long cuts with a wide blade, so the cutting process will go faster;
• You must always see the markings, so sawdust must be removed from the material being cut by hand, and under no circumstances should you blow it away, as it can get into your eyes.

Compliance with 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, you don’t have to be an expert in this field, but for a beginner it can be a very difficult task. In this matter, the main thing is patience and, of course, the presence of the necessary accompanying tools, such as the jigsaw itself, a file, a compass, a simple pencil and devices for polishing the surface.

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

If you need to cut a circle inside the surface, you should make a through starting hole. Next, you need to insert a jigsaw blade or file into this hole and secure the free end of the file with a clamp. It is recommended to cut while sitting. First of all, you need to secure the file in the jigsaw using a key, keeping in mind that the teeth of the file should be directed downward. You need to cut from top to bottom. The tool should be held straight to avoid nicks and bevels.

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

It is necessary to take short breaks during the sawing process, as the file may overheat and break. Now the circle is ready. Now it is recommended to use a file to straighten the edges, erase the markings left by the pencil and polish the part. If necessary, it can be varnished.

Of course, it requires certain dexterity 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.

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 carrying out such an undertaking, and they differ radically.

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

Power tools or hand tools?

Tools and materials:

• drill;
• jigsaw;
• hand jigsaw;
• 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 a jigsaw. This tool allows you to cut not only circles, but also any other geometric shapes. Its only disadvantage is the need to form additional grooves at turning points (corners), but this is not noticeable when creating a circle. It is very important to choose the right nail file, because... they come in 3 types: vomiting on the left, vomiting on the right, vomiting on both sides. After the canvas is selected, cut out a circle of any size.

An ordinary hand jigsaw. Before cutting a circle from plywood using this tool, you need to make sure that the workflow is accessible. The main difficulty is the limitation (usually up to 30 cm) due to the physical structure, i.e. It will not work in deep places. When starting work, not from the edge, but directly from the center, the nail file is threaded last.

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

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

Nails. A very popular method in cases where the work must be done “yesterday”, but the tools will not be available soon. It is worth noting right away that the work ends up being 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 into the center of the hole, and the other is pulled on a rope to the required length (radius), after which a circle is drawn with a firm movement. Such circles with pressure continue until the circle is finally cut out. At the very end, the nail is removed from the hole, turned over and carefully beaten with a hammer to achieve a more accurate seam.

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

All photos from the article

Fans of all kinds of handicrafts should definitely pay attention to this type of decorative and applied art, such as plywood cutting. This method can be used to make all kinds of figures, patterns and other decorative elements.

Moreover, mastering such a technique is quite simple, the only thing is that you first need to familiarize yourself with its main nuances, which we will do below.

What you need for cutting

First of all, let's consider what tool you will need for this. It should be said right away that expensive equipment for cutting out plywood is not required. Therefore, anyone can do this kind of work.

The only thing you need to prepare is the following tool:

• jigsaw;
• electric drill and brace;
• scissors;
• cardboard templates;
• files.

In the photo - a manual jigsaw

In addition, you will need various consumables, such as:

• sandpaper for sanding cut areas;
• tracing paper;
• pencils;
• glue;
• acrylic paints, etc.

In addition, it is necessary to prepare workplace. Since working with any wood materials implies the presence of sawdust and unnecessary trimmings; it is advisable to set up a workplace not in a living space, but, for example, in a garage.

The workplace itself is a table. It is advisable to attach a jigsaw stand to it, which can be made from a plank. It is also necessary to ensure good local lighting workplace.

Cutting Features

Material selection

As you know, plywood is multilayer material, which consists of several layers of veneer. This makes it great for creativity.

The only thing is that you need to choose the right type of plywood. To do this, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:

Options	Optimal material type
Thickness	To cut out plywood yourself, you should not use sheets that are too thick, as this will complicate the work. At the same time, the material must be strong enough. That's why optimal value thickness – 8 mm.
Brand	The brand indicates the type of adhesive used to glue the veneer together. It depends on things like: material price; its moisture resistance; environmental friendliness. To make decor that will be used in a residential area, you should use environmentally friendly brands of plywood, for example, FC. If the product is made for external use, it is necessary to use moisture resistant sheets, such as FSF.
Variety	Determines the quality of the material, and therefore its appearance. Accordingly, for creativity it is necessary to use sheets of the highest grades so that they do not have any visible defects.
Wood type	For cutting are the best option plywood sheets from coniferous species, since they are easy to machine and at the same time have an attractive texture. True, in cases where a weak texture is required, you can use birch plywood.

What to cut

As a rule, people who encounter this kind of work for the first time are interested in what can be cut out of plywood?

There are a lot of options - these could be:

• patterns for decorating furniture or other interior elements;
• panel on the wall;
• decorative inscriptions;
• all kinds of figures, toys for children, etc.

Advice! You can also make functional carved objects from plywood, for example, boxes, candlesticks, napkin stands, lamps and much more.

Of course, you should start by cutting out the most simple products, to “get your hand.” After gaining experience, you can take on work of any complexity.

Cutting process

After preparing the workplace and materials, we proceed directly to the cutting itself.

Instructions for doing this work look like this:

1. First of all, you need to make an image of the future product. You can make them yourself, or find them on the Internet and print them. It must be said that templates must be prepared even before cutting out words from plywood with simple contours, as this will greatly simplify the work and improve its quality.

You can also prepare simple templates in advance geometric shapes different sizes to, for example, quickly cut a circle or square from plywood;

1. then the images should be transferred to cardboard, for example, using carbon paper;
2. now you need to cut out templates from cardboard;
3. Next, the prepared templates need to be placed on a plywood sheet and outlined with a pencil. If the design is large enough, it can be fixed with tape or even glue;
4. Now let's start cutting. If you need to beautifully cut the edge of plywood, giving it smooth shapes, you can use a jigsaw. Thinner and difficult work, for example, small openwork patterns should be cut out with a hand jigsaw.

To make internal cuts, you must first drill a hole. Depending on the fineness of the work, you can use an electric drill or a brace for this;

1. After completing the cutting, it is necessary to treat the cut areas with sandpaper. To correct the lines, you can use needle files;
2. then the product needs to be sanded. If it consists of several parts, they must be glued together, for example, with PVA or wood glue.

Advice! Novice craftsmen often ask experts how to cut smooth circle from plywood? In fact, there are no secrets in this operation, the main thing is to correctly apply the circle to the material using a template or compass, and then carefully and slowly cut it out with a jigsaw.

This completes the cutting process. Now the product can be decorated - painted with paints, applied with a burner, or simply varnished.

Advice! Word templates for cutting out of plywood can be prepared in a word processor such as Word. This will allow you to choose the most suitable size and font.

Here, in fact, are all the main nuances of this work.

Conclusion

Sawing out plywood with a jigsaw is a much simpler task than, for example, wood carving. Therefore, in order to achieve good results It won't take years to master the skill. You just need to do the work carefully, adhering to the recommendations outlined above.

The video in this article contains additional information on the topic discussed. If some points are not clear to you, you can leave your questions in the comments, and we will be happy to answer them.