# routing out a circle



## kwalmsley (Jul 26, 2011)

I have an older B & D Router which I usually have mounted on my router table. Now my project is to insert a circular ceramic tile into wood that is about 8" x 8" and 5/8" thick. The tile, of course, is about 1/4 " thick and, after inserting, I want it to be flush with the wood base. Now, to rout out this circular indent, I have a problem. Tool stores don't seem to have a jig and suggest making one. I don't have any idea how to accurately rout out that circle. Any ideas?
Keith


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Keith, look for any circle jig from Harrysin.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

I found this one from Harry, which seem to suit any router.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

Set the pivot arm for the tile radius.
Rout 360 degrees and hand rout out the 5/8" space
Using the circle for reference. That is, don't rout though the pathway.


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## bryansong (Mar 4, 2015)

Hey JW, thanks for the circle jig. I saved that one.

bryansong


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

You're creating an inlay, you need the opening to be an exact fit, an adjustable circle jig would better suit your purpose. Unless the tile is perfectly circular, I'd scribe a tight line around it, make orientation marks then set the adjustable jig for an inscribed cut. Wherever the footprint extends beyond the cut use a chisel to remove the excess.


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Good thoughts, ron. Though, I wonder about wood movement if it's not plywood. Across 8" you might see 1/8", depending on type of wood and cut. Might need to plan for that.


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

PhilBa,

To date I can pretty much attest to -0- movement with oak, maple, walnut, purple heart, poplar and Luan, Sapele and Meranti mahogany's. I got no experience doing inlay using pine products. However, I do ensure the male/female items are at least 15% MC when milled and at finish coat.

As for dims, I never embedded male items over 5/32 thick or ceramic products into wood, the materials will surely have dissimilar expand/contract rates. In the past when flooring we always placed rubberized membrane between oak flooring and bthrm tiles. The 1/8" membrane prevented buckling during the hot muggy summers up here


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

For the inlay, I feel that you may need an inlay kit:

Inlay Kit : CARBA-TEC

You will still need a circle jig of some description to cut the template, or use the tile to make the template:

Router Workshop: Making An Inlay Template

As per Bob and Rick.....The Router Workshop


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## The Hobbyist (Apr 25, 2015)

kwalmsley said:


> I have an older B & D Router which I usually have mounted on my router table. Now my project is to insert a circular ceramic tile into wood that is about 8" x 8" and 5/8" thick. The tile, of course, is about 1/4 " thick and, after inserting, I want it to be flush with the wood base. Now, to rout out this circular indent, I have a problem. Tool stores don't seem to have a jig and suggest making one. I don't have any idea how to accurately rout out that circle. Any ideas?
> Keith


Hi Keith,

You did not mention whether this is just a round tile, or whether it is a "perfect" circle. If it is just a round tile such as one would add into a floor design, you will want to route not only for the tile, both in the diameter of the circle and the depth, but ALSO for the adhesive you will use to set that tile into the recessed circular opening and the grout you will add around the outer edge of the tile. 

If you are going to have a grout line around the outer edge of the tile, your hole (H) will have to be measured as the diameter of the tile at its widest diameter (do not assume the TILE is perfectly round either) PLUS the thickness of two grout lines.

The depth (D) will be 1/4" for the tile PLUS the depth of the tile adhesive you will use.

There is a bit of math involved in locating and cutting this hole correctly *the first time* and you will only get one chance at this, unless the table can be replaced.

Do not assume that your tile is round, or that your table is square.


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## kwalmsley (Jul 26, 2011)

*Round router cut*

Thanks, Joe.
I have cut 4 round holes in hardwood lumber. Right off the bat I inserted a tile in a circle I had cut and oops! Not a real good fit. The tile wasn't perfectly round. However, as I had the pattern cut, I proceeded to rout the other 3. Two are pretty good and 2 not so good, but I will use a filler that can be stained and I think I will get a creditable result. The tiles were given to me so I had to use them, but if I buy tile, I will look for precision round ones.
Thanks for your assistance.
Keith


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Good luck with finding perfect round tiles, its the reason I suggested using the tile's footprint instead of an actual circle. I've done a few bthrms and backsplashes.

Future reference, buy an 1/8" ceramic/glass bit, locate and mark the Ø of the tile then bore an 1/8" deep hole do the same in the project mat. Most 1 1/4", 2" roofing nails are 1/8" diam. if you have hot dipped you'll have to wire wheel the globs off. Cut a 3/8" piece and use it to center and orient the tile chosen for the site. Mark the perimeter with an exacto knife, then use a #7 or skinnier mech pencil over the score to highlight. I like to use the Jasper #400 jig, it does circs from 1 to 7" in 1/16 increments. You can adjust and test without starting your router, (the jig Ø is open enough to use a 1/4" straight bit and still see the score line.

If you intend on doing this for sport and money consider a few gouges to compliment the circles and make your life simpler


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