# What direction for routing a circle?



## JohnnyB60 (Jun 15, 2009)

Well not exactly a circle, but rounding corners on square plywood so I will not be plunging. I know this is probably a silly question, but I always forget and need to write it down on my circle jig. 

Update: I just watched a couple of YouTube videos and saw people cut both clockwise and counterclockwise.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

did you miss the PDF's Johnny???
here they are again...
FWIW...
circle jigs want CCW router movement..

.


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## JohnnyB60 (Jun 15, 2009)

Stick486 said:


> did you miss the PDF's Johnny???
> here they are again...
> FWIW...
> circle jigs want CCW router movement..
> ...


Thanks Stick. I'll print those out and stick them on my router table.


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

just a easy way to remember, go where finger points


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## JohnnyB60 (Jun 15, 2009)

Thanks John, I always know which way to send it through my router table so I'm always trying to orient my router with the table, but sometimes I get it mixed up.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

Semipro said:


> just a easy way to remember, go where finger points


thanks...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Go where the finger points...excellent, memorable. And it conforms to instructions from wives as well.


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

DesertRatTom said:


> Go where the finger points...excellent, memorable. And it conforms to instructions from wives as well.


That is funny Tom. :laugh2:


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## woodknots (Mar 7, 2012)

Johnny

There are a lot of great suggestions already, so this may or may not help.
I don't think about clockwise or counterclockwise, I just remember to keep the edge to my left when handheld and push forward. Like driving a car, the center line to my left.
Opposite for table mounted.


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## old coasty (Aug 15, 2014)

hawkeye10 said:


> That is funny Tom. :laugh2:


But true


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## JohnnyB60 (Jun 15, 2009)

vchiarelli said:


> Johnny
> 
> There are a lot of great suggestions already, so this may or may not help.
> I don't think about clockwise or counterclockwise, I just remember to keep the edge to my left when handheld and push forward. Like driving a car, the center line to my left.
> Opposite for table mounted.


Oh wow Vince, that should be easy for me to remember. Just drive the router as i drive my truck, on the right side of the line.


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## TallPaul85 (Sep 27, 2004)

As a ex machinist our rule was when doing cuts was on a roughing cut you want to push the chips ahead of the cut and when finishing you want do a climb cut were you are pulling the chips toward you. You get a better finish when doing a climb cut. When you are roughing you want to push the chips away from you so the router doesn't grab into the material. When there is material on both sides of the bit I don't think it matters too much which way you go. I hope this helps.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

JohnnyB60 said:


> Oh wow Vince, that should be easy for me to remember. Just drive the router as i drive my truck, on the right side of the line.


great way to look at it...


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