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To cut a round wood blank or ring, constrain the workpiece to a fixed radius with a pivot or trammel. A tablesaw or bandsaw uses a pivoted sled; a router uses a circle-cutting trammel. The right choice depends on stock thickness, circle size, the edge you need, and whether you can build or obtain a jig suited to your machine.
Choose the method for your stock and project
| Method | Best fit | Key setup consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Tablesaw | Blanks that can be safely controlled on a purpose-built pivot sled | Progressively trim the corners while the blank remains located on the pivot. A stable, well-made jig is essential. |
| Router | Smooth-edged circles, rings, and work within the jig’s depth and diameter limits | Fix the router to a trammel and secure the work against shifting. Make successive shallow passes. |
| Bandsaw | Thicker stock or projects that suit a pivoted sled | Use a jig sized for the saw and circle; capacity and blade recommendations vary by design. |
No method is universally best. Match the jig geometry and machine to the blank, then follow the machine and jig makers’ instructions.
Cut a circle on a tablesaw with a pivoted sled
This is a staged cutting method, not a freehand operation. The blank is pinned at its center on a sled, and repeated rotations progressively remove its corners until the perimeter becomes circular.
Build and set up the sled
Jim Heavey’s WOOD plan uses a 16 × 16-inch base made from 3/4-inch plywood, a hardwood runner fitted to the saw’s miter slot, and a rear handhold. A short finishing nail acts as the pivot. For the plan’s 12-inch example circle, the pivot sits 6 inches from the blade. These are dimensions for that particular design, not requirements for every sled. The guide specifies a combination blade for its method. WOOD’s circle-cutting guide
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Trim the blank in stages
- Locate the blank’s center and place it on the sled’s pivot pin.
- With the workpiece and sled controlled, make the initial cuts to remove four corners.
- Rotate the blank through successive positions, reducing the remaining corners until it forms a 16-sided shape.
- Make the final controlled rotation to trim the remaining points into a circle.
Keep the blank and sled firmly controlled as they pass the blade. Fine Woodworking advises adding a hold-down clamp if hand-holding the blank appears unsafe; its article, by Philip Margraff, was published October 25, 2005, and notes that it originally appeared in the October 1980 issue. Fine Woodworking’s tablesaw circle-cutting article
Cut a circle or ring with a router trammel
A router trammel fixes the distance between the bit and a pivot screw or pin, guiding the router around a constant radius. WOOD says a plunge router works best for its approach. A straight or spiral bit can be used in the described setup, with multiple passes rather than cutting through the stock at once.
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Set the radius and rout in passes
- Attach the router to the trammel and set the pivot offset to the desired radius, accounting for the bit’s position.
- Secure the workpiece so it cannot shift. Woodcraft describes using double-sided tape or hot-melt adhesive, with a scrap backer beneath a through-cut to protect the jig.
- Begin with a 1/4-inch bit depth, then lower the bit by another 1/4 inch for each pass until the circle separates, as specified in WOOD’s example.
- For that setup, rout clockwise to avoid winding the pivot screw out.
To make a ring, set the pivot offset for the inner cut as well as the outer cut. WOOD also describes using a 1/4-inch spiral upcut bit on the back face; its cutting action draws sawdust upward and out. WOOD’s router and circle-cutting instructions
Check the jig’s limits before cutting
Capacity depends on the specific jig and router. Woodcraft’s design allows stock up to 3/4 inch thick for a through-cut or 1 inch for a stopped cut, and says most routers in that design accommodate circles up to about 12 inches. These limits apply to that jig, not to router circle-cutting in general. Woodcraft cautions that a router whose motor housing slides freely in its base until locked is not a safe choice for its design. Woodcraft’s router circle-cutting jig guide
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Cut a circle on a bandsaw with a pivoted sled
A bandsaw pivot sled can handle stock too thick for the router and tablesaw examples. The workpiece turns around a fixed pivot as it passes through the blade, so the circle size is set by the pivot’s distance from the blade.
Use a sled sized for the circle
WOOD describes a 16-inch-square plywood jig with a runner and stops. For its 12-inch example, the pivot pin is 6 inches from the blade; the described jig accommodates circles up to about 25 inches in diameter. Its blade recommendation is a 1/4-inch, 6-TPI blade. These figures are specific to that plan. WOOD’s bandsaw sled instructions
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Advance and rotate the blank under control
- Place the blank on the sled’s pivot and advance the sled to its stop.
- Clamp the sled as the plan directs.
- Rotate the blank steadily through the blade to complete the circle.
Woodcraft describes a different adjustable-pivot sled that can cut circles up to 6 feet in diameter and can also be used for arcs. For that design, it discusses a 1/2-inch blade for circles over 5 inches, with a 3–4 TPI hook-style blade; carbide teeth are presented as a smoother-cutting option. Those dimensions and recommendations belong to Woodcraft’s design and saw setup, not to bandsaw jigs generally. Let the blade stop before lifting the finished circle from the jig. Woodcraft’s bandsaw circle-cutting jig guide
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to check before committing to a jig
- Stock thickness: WOOD specifically notes that its bandsaw method can handle stock too thick for the router and tablesaw examples.
- Diameter: Confirm the jig’s actual reach and the machine’s clearance. The cited bandsaw examples differ substantially: about 25 inches for WOOD’s sled and up to 6 feet for Woodcraft’s separate design.
- Edge and follow-up work: WOOD presents the router as producing smooth edges and accommodating rings. Bandsaw finish depends in part on blade selection, and the cited blade advice is design-specific.
- Work holding: Tablesaw and bandsaw methods rely on controlled pivot sleds. Router setups need stock secured against movement and, for a through-cut in Woodcraft’s design, a backer.
These procedures describe particular jigs, not comprehensive machine-safety instructions. Use a jig designed for the machine, keep the work controlled, and follow the machine and jig makers’ instructions.
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