Easy Way To Make Wooden Discs

[JOAT]

On occassion I have a need for multiple wooden discs, and they are a PITA to make with a hole saw. I've researched it, asked questions, and didn't get any satisfactory answers. Awhile back I came up with the idea of making a master so I could rout them out - hey, easier and faster than messing with a hole saw. This morning an even better, and faster, idea struck me. I don't know if anyone has thought of this before or not, probably have, but if so no one ever passed it along to me. Use a hole saw, drill almost completely thru your piece of wood. But then instead of flipping the wood and drilling thru from the other side, just run the wood thru the planer. I've not tried this yet but can't see any reason why it wouldn't work. Be a whole lot faster and easier than any other way I've ever heard of.

 

[rbdoby]

Good idea, just use some double face tape and attach it to another board so the planner blades wont kick out your discs out when they are cut free.

Rick Doby

 

[FredP]

OR.... turn a spindle to size and cut them on the miter saw with a stop block. you could also cut the disks with the hole saw and mount them on a mandrel and true them up on the lathe. this gives you a hole on the center too.:icon_thum

 

[jamie]

Good idea, just use some double face tape and attach it to another board so the planner blades wont kick out your discs out when they are cut free.

Rick Doby

You beat me to it Rick

 

[FredP]

Good idea, just use some double face tape and attach it to another board so the planner blades wont kick out your discs out when they are cut free.

Rick Doby

I dont think I would trust double sided tape that far.:nah: the disks could come flying out like missiles. BTDT. the saw kerf leaves room for movement. resawing on the bandsaw would be safer.

 

[NCTurner]

When you saw disc's are you talking about something with some size to it. If so this is how I do them and it works great, can be done on the bandsaw also.

http://www.videojug.com/film/how-to-cut-a-circle-on-a-table-saw-2

 

[Tar Heel]

You learn something everyday. Thanks Gary for posting that.

 

[JOAT]

I'm talking 1"-2"-3" discs, or rounds, or wheels, or circles, whatever you want to call them, those are the sizes I normally use. And I can't visualize the planer blades flinging them out, so no need for tape. And if they do get flung out, all that means is propping a cardboard box up so they'll drop in it. No prob.

And that guy cutting the circle on the table saw was just plain scarey. Me, I'd have a chunk of 2X4 running across the sled for the blade to rise up into and keep fingers away. I'd have it wide enough so you'd have to work to get your fingers under it far enough to reach the blade too. I'm very protective about keeping body parts away from whirly parts, especially sharp whirly parts.

 

[NCTurner]

It is actually a very safe and common method to use, but to each their own.

 

[Dudelive]

For 1" - 3" circles, the easiest would be use the lathe to get it round then use the bandsaw to cut the slices to proper thickness. Another way would be use a hole saw in a drill press without the pilot drill bit, then there would be no hole or use the drill bit in the hole saw and drill it from both sides if it is too thick for the hole saw to go through.

It would be better if we knew what you were using the wooden circles for.

The guy that cut it on the tablesaw was actually very safe doing it as you could see he used a sliding table and he only nedded to touch the piece getting cut and the slide only, he never had to be near the blade although a 1" circle might be different.

 

[JOAT]

I'll eventually get around to giving my way a shot and getting back to you all. I already know the saw kerf will leave a bit of room for movement, but don't see any movement happening until the disc is planed free of the parent stock, and don't feel it's going to go shooting out. I've got hole saws with, and without, the pilot drill, so can make either - with pilot holes means wheels, spacers, checkers, chess piece bases, whatever; without pilot holes means checkers, chess piece bases, decoration, whatever. At the moment the only thing I have in mind is chess piece bases, but want a supply on hand for whatever else comes to mind, and don't want to spend all day making them. I consider it a major pain to cut part way, flip the wood, cut the rest of the way, then have to pry the disc out of the saw then trim the edge smooth - which is why I started looking into faster and easier ways to do this in the first place.

As far as the guy and the table saw, yes, I can see cutting a large disc that way. But I ALWAYS have the safety of my body parts in mind, and that blade sticking up 2-3" above the stock is scary. Make a wrong move and your name is Stubby. On all my sleds I put a piece, or pieces, to shield the blade from casually brushing it with my fingers, and the sleds work just as well that way as without; but the peace of mind is immensely greater my way. So, yes, the thought of me cutting discs on a sled like that is scary to me. You can tell me all day long how 'safe' cutting discs like that is, and all day long I won't be listening.

 

[eyekode]

Maybe I don't understand what you are doing but it seems like you don't want "loose" stuff in a planer. Just not fun.

What is the issue with finishing the cut with the hole saw?

 

[JOAT]

Maybe I don't understand what you are doing but it seems like you don't want "loose" stuff in a planer. Just not fun.

What is the issue with finishing the cut with the hole saw?

It wouldn't "be" loose until 'after' it was planed, so I don't see any problem. Apparently none of you have run a short piece of wood thru a planer - using a pusher stick, not fingers - you could possibly call one of those 'loose', but they plane well enough, no hopping, no flying, just have to run something longer behind them to get them away from the blades. Next thing I know someone is probably going to tell me not to use a power planer on stock that's turning in my wood lathe.

Because I am tired of having to pry discs out of the hole saw.
And yes, for the ones just waiting to suggest it, I already know Lee Valley sells a very neat disc cutter that automatically ejects the cut discs, and I'm not planning on buying one.

 

[Dudelive]

Ok another way.....use the method shown in the video. Place another piece of wood that is larger than the one for the wheel on top. You will have to make install a couple of nails as shown in video that would allow the top piece to fasten to. Now cut a slot on the opposite side from the blade where you can use a push stick in for turning the piece in the middle that makes the wheel.

You can then put it away until needed again.

For me I think I would make it round on the lathe and then use the band saw to cut what ever the thickness needed to be. That way you can store several pieces of different diameters and lengths till needed and then just slice one off. If you need a center hole in one then there are several ways to find center and you can always have the hole the size you want. It sounds as though you are or will be doing this quite often which is why I would resort to the lathe to make them.

 

[eyekode]

It wouldn't "be" loose until 'after' it was planed, so I don't see any problem. Apparently none of you have run a short piece of wood thru a planer - using a pusher stick, not fingers - you could possibly call one of those 'loose', but they plane well enough, no hopping, no flying, just have to run something longer behind them to get them away from the blades. Next thing I know someone is probably going to tell me not to use a power planer on stock that's turning in my wood lathe.

Because I am tired of having to pry discs out of the hole saw.
And yes, for the ones just waiting to suggest it, I already know Lee Valley sells a very neat disc cutter that automatically ejects the cut discs, and I'm not planning on buying one.

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought that when the very last piece holding the circle in is removed there will be a tendency for the back edge of the disk to raise up and possibly be smacked by the next blade.

Anyway I get it the problem now. Thanks for explaining it.

Another way to do it is with a template and router. If you have a top bearing bit you could use a plunge router and not cut the last little bit. Then trim with a utility knife.

When I cut circles I use a 1/4" spiral up cut bit but it sounds like your material is pretty thin, maybe a 1/8" would work better to avoid 3/4 of the dust.

Best wishes,
Salem

 

[JOAT]

Ok another way.....use the method shown in the video. Place another piece of wood that is larger than the one for the wheel on top. You will have to make install a couple of nails as shown in video that would allow the top piece to fasten to. Now cut a slot on the opposite side from the blade where you can use a push stick in for turning the piece in the middle that makes the wheel.

You can then put it away until needed again.

For me I think I would make it round on the lathe and then use the band saw to cut what ever the thickness needed to be. That way you can store several pieces of different diameters and lengths till needed and then just slice one off. If you need a center hole in one then there are several ways to find center and you can always have the hole the size you want. It sounds as though you are or will be doing this quite often which is why I would resort to the lathe to make them.

Not quite. My 'guard' would be a permanent part of my sled, as always. And I'd be turning the piece by hand, the part stuck on the nail for turning.

If I did it on the lathe, I'd have to get a piece of stock to turn, then turn it, and check it, then very carefully cut it on the bandsaw for straight cuts and the same thickness for each. Not lately. I can take a 1'X2' strip of plywood (actually scrap plywood works great for discs), use the holesaw (size of choice) and drill almost thru a LOT of times, then run it thru the planer and get all those finished discs, in probably less time than it would take me to even set up a piece of stock in the lathe. Then just gather the discs up, put 'em in a bucket. Viola, done. My usual usage of discs is 1/2" (the thickness of the plywood I usually use), so if I want thicker, no prob, just glue 2-3 thicknesses together, works like a charm.

 

[JOAT]

Sorry, I didn't mean to offend you. I just thought that when the very last piece holding the circle in is removed there will be a tendency for the back edge of the disk to raise up and possibly be smacked by the next blade.

Anyway I get it the problem now. Thanks for explaining it.

Another way to do it is with a template and router. If you have a top bearing bit you could use a plunge router and not cut the last little bit. Then trim with a utility knife.

When I cut circles I use a 1/4" spiral up cut bit but it sounds like your material is pretty thin, maybe a 1/8" would work better to avoid 3/4 of the dust.

Best wishes,
Salem

Nope, no offense. Nope, no template, no router. Already considered that, and discarded that idea early on. My material of choice for discs is usually 1/2" plywood, because that's usually what I've got on hand.

 

[JOAT]

WORKS LIKE A CHARM - was Re: Easy Way To Make Wooden Discs

Tried it today. Ran a hole saw thru both ends of a piece of 1/2" plywood, about a foot long. Wound up not cutting quite as deep as I'd planned, so had to take more off with the planer than anticipted. And it worked like a charm when I finally got enough off to free the discs. No hopping, bouncing, or anything else, they just got cut loose and rode on out. Exactly as I had figured. MUCH faster than the "normal" way. I'll be doing discs this way in the future. I did get a picture, but don't know how to post it here, so it's stuck somewhere in the my shop photos section apparently. I might be able to figure out how to get the picture with my post, but I'm too tired to mess with it, and don't really care.

 

[Gotcha6]

If the material of choice is 1/2" plywood, why not try & find a suitable coil spring to attach to the inside of the hole saw bit? Most hole saw bits are about 2" deep. With the proper spring in place, the piece should pop out readily once drilled through. No digging it out with a screwdriver or nail (BTDT). You'd only need to use a sacrificial base on the drill press.

 

[mshel]

Theo,

Have you considered getting one of the adjustable hole cutters which will solve your problem with turning the stock over to finish the operation. I have an old one (Sears) that I used on some 1/4" ply to make a glass holder for a cellerette and it worked flawlessly.

Mike