I'm not a fan of routers. While they're great at some things, if I can avoid using them I will as I find them loud, messy, and difficult to control.
Has anyone here ever tried the various jigs I've seen for cutting circles with a jig saw? If so, what were (or are) your impressions? While jig saws have their own issues, I generally like cutting with them better than I do with a router.
Has anyone here ever tried the various jigs I've seen for cutting circles with a jig saw? If so, what were (or are) your impressions? While jig saws have their own issues, I generally like cutting with them better than I do with a router.
Agreed, Routers are noisy but with the proper attachment and bit, they will give you a much better circular cut than a jig saw.
Yes, routers are pretty effective at turning wood into a mixture of sawdust and noise. I use hearing protectors, and do the router work outdoors as much as practical. I never use a router free-hand - ALWAYS use either a bit with a guide bearing, or some kind of fence, or a template. (For me, the hearing protectors do much more than just conserve my hearing. When the noise is reduced I actually think more clearly about what I'm doing, don't rush things, generally work safer, and have much better control of the router.)
Having said that . . . the router is an awesome and extremely versatile tool, and can do many tasks (such as speaker cutouts) much more accurately and effectively than a saw. Granted, I'll probably do a speaker cutout in two or more passes - perhaps even using a jigsaw for the first pass, and the router taking out the last 1/4" to 1/2" all around on the second pass.
There must be a jillion designs, both commercial products and DIY efforts, for circle-cutting trammel jigs that attach to a router. Going from memory I think many of them (perhaps the majority) can be adapted for use with a jig saw. Seed a search engine with "trammel circle jig", and if you don't find any hits you like try "jig saw trammel circle jig" (or "router trammel circle jig").
Dale
Having said that . . . the router is an awesome and extremely versatile tool, and can do many tasks (such as speaker cutouts) much more accurately and effectively than a saw. Granted, I'll probably do a speaker cutout in two or more passes - perhaps even using a jigsaw for the first pass, and the router taking out the last 1/4" to 1/2" all around on the second pass.
There must be a jillion designs, both commercial products and DIY efforts, for circle-cutting trammel jigs that attach to a router. Going from memory I think many of them (perhaps the majority) can be adapted for use with a jig saw. Seed a search engine with "trammel circle jig", and if you don't find any hits you like try "jig saw trammel circle jig" (or "router trammel circle jig").
Dale
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Dare I say that if you plan on doing much in the way of speaker building, it'd probably behoove you to overcome your dislike of routers 😱 With the right jigs/ guides and tables, they're good for so much more than just edge detailing, and certainly do a much better job of circular holes than any saw.
All power operated woodworking tools create dust, but yes a full sized router does throw it further than most, and is pretty bloody noisy for sure. Get a box of dust masks ( I like the units with exhaust valves - my glasses don't get as fogged up) and foam earplugs plus over the ear muffs.
All power operated woodworking tools create dust, but yes a full sized router does throw it further than most, and is pretty bloody noisy for sure. Get a box of dust masks ( I like the units with exhaust valves - my glasses don't get as fogged up) and foam earplugs plus over the ear muffs.
Also remember that all Routers are not built equally. Seek out some of the better brands. I have a Triton in my Router table and a Bosch that we use for CNC work. Both work very well. Festool make excellent (but pricey) routers that have highly effective dust collection systems. Good tools are always worth the additional investment.
How do you find the fine adjustment for height on the Triton vs Bosch, or you using something like a Jessem / Kreg lift for that on the table?
For front mounting you only need to cut the rebate for the driver with the router. The hole through the baffle seems OK with a hand held jigsaw.
The Jasper does have one major fault: if you drop it off the bench onto concrete while attached to the router, it will break.
A Jasper and Porter-Cable 690 combination is simple perfection for speaker building.
Bill - I'd be more worried about bending the adjustable base of the route out of square - and have you priced a replacement for the 690 base? Last time we did it was more than half the locally discounted price for the router itself.
Here's a guy who says the Sears "Multipurpose Router Guide"
is as effective as the Jasper, at about half the cost.
http://www.berrysweb.com/router_guide.htm
I tend to agree with him, though the Sears accessory only fits Sears routers.
About 35 years ago, my first router (yeah, from Sears) came with one of those "Router Guides". The router is long gone (the only power tool I ever legitimately wore out), but that Router Guide is still quite useful and I have made sub-bases so I could use it with each successive router I have owned over the last 35 years. (Anybody who has used a router for more than 60 days has figured out how to make additional sub-bases for attaching jigs and accessories. I like to make them from acrylic (Plexiglass, Perspex, et al) or polycarbonate (Lexan), but tempered hardboard or common plywood also works.)
The attached photos show my current shop-built circle cutting jig based on the Sears Router Guide. Since it is infinitely adjustable it takes a minute or so with a tape measure - and perhaps a practice cut - to set it up, but that also means you can easily get things like exact width and depth of flush-mount rabbets, beveled or rounded edges, etc.
I think the photos give all the info you need to either duplicate or adapt my design but feel free to post questions.
Dale
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