# Bullnose on a circle. Help!



## PaGuy (Jan 21, 2011)

Hi all! New here and first post. What I need to find out is how put a bullnose edge on a circle. I have round circles 3/4" thick and 4" in dia. and also 8" in dia. I have a 1/2" radius bit. I've tried a few methods that I came up with and I'm damaging more than I am producing. I have quite a few of these so I need an efficient way of doing it. Please help!

Thanks!
John


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## rmcgehee (Jan 20, 2011)

Well this is probably the dumbest way to do it but you could trace your radius onto a block of wood and cut out the exposed template with a jig saw if you have one or better a band saw. Then attach that to your fence. You'll have to cut out a spot for the bit to come through the edge of your new template. A djust the fence until the bit comes through the edge where you want it. Now you can spin your workpiece inside the radiused fence support. The template you made should be 1/2 or less of the circle so that you can slide your workpiece into the open side.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

PaGuy said:


> Hi all! New here and first post. What I need to find out is how put a bullnose edge on a circle. I have round circles 3/4" thick and 4" in dia. and also 8" in dia. I have a 1/2" radius bit. I've tried a few methods that I came up with and I'm damaging more than I am producing. I have quite a few of these so I need an efficient way of doing it. Please help!
> 
> Thanks!
> John


Hi John - Welcome to the forum:yes4:

I'm assuming this is going on the outside of a disc and not the inside of a hole. Are you using a bullnose bit or a roundover? Either way, half inch radius is to large to bullnose 3/4 stock. Easiest is to use a 3/8 roundover and flip the disc over. Are you doing this hand held or table?


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

G’day John

Welcome to the router forum. 

Thank you for joining us


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

PaGuy said:


> Hi all! New here and first post. What I need to find out is how put a bullnose edge on a circle. I have round circles 3/4" thick and 4" in dia. and also 8" in dia. I have a 1/2" radius bit. I've tried a few methods that I came up with and I'm damaging more than I am producing. I have quite a few of these so I need an efficient way of doing it. Please help!
> 
> Thanks!
> John


Are you using a bit that has a bearing?


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## PaGuy (Jan 21, 2011)

Hi Guys, Some answers. I am using a table, using a full bullnose bit, doing outside of circle, I'm not using a round over with a bearing because it leave a flat spot witch I'm avoiding and 1/2" radius is too big on 3'4 stock but that is the look I'm after, not after the perfect round over just a partial. There has got to be a way. In case it helps I do have a small 3/32 hole in the center that was use to make the circle.
Thanks

John


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## gav (Oct 12, 2009)

If you have a hole in the middle, then I will presume you have a circle cutting jig for the router ? If so, use it again to do the round over.
On the table, I would have a second circle the same size as the other and use it as the template to run a bearing guided round over on. You could do that hand held as well.


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## PaGuy (Jan 21, 2011)

gav said:


> If you have a hole in the middle, then I will presume you have a circle cutting jig for the router ? If so, use it again to do the round over.
> On the table, I would have a second circle the same size as the other and use it as the template to run a bearing guided round over on. You could do that hand held as well.



I used a table saw to cut the disc, that's why the hole is there witch works very well may I add. As far as I know there is no way to use a bearing guided round over to achieve a bull-nose edge, I can see why you think would that, as I tried it only to find that on the second side the bearing no longer runs along the original flat surface but along the rounded edge on the first side so it cut in further. I'm not sure if I understand what you mean with the second circle the same size on the table.

Thanks


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

PaGuy said:


> I used a table saw to cut the disc, that's why the hole is there witch works very well may I add. As far as I know there is no way to use a bearing guided round over to achieve a bull-nose edge, I can see why you think would that, as I tried it only to find that on the second side the bearing no longer runs along the original flat surface but along the rounded edge on the first side so it cut in further. I'm not sure if I understand what you mean with the second circle the same size on the table.
> 
> Thanks


Hi John,

I would try using the same concept on the router table..make a pass and then turn the disk a little and make another pass and then maybe try to rotate it on the pivot pin for the final cleanup.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

They make router bits for just that type of job, I like the one from eBay the best,one bit for many types.
All that's need is a template pin nailed to the blank stock and a starter/safety pin in the router table.


Bull Nose Router Bits (w/ ball bearing guides)


MLCS bullnose and train track router bits

1 PC 1/2" SH Double Corner Round Assembly Router Bit - eBay (item 130472120656 end time Feb-04-11 10:28:47 PST)

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## PaGuy (Jan 21, 2011)

gregW said:


> Hi John,
> 
> I would try using the same concept on the router table..make a pass and then turn the disk a little and make another pass and then maybe try to rotate it on the pivot pin for the final cleanup.


Greg, I like this idea and I won't have to buy anything so that's a good thing as I've dumped a lot into this project the way it is. If nothing better come up I'll try and let you know how it worked. I think it will work can't wait to try it later.

Thanks
John


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