The only circle jig I will ever use again - Micro Fence

[nickao]

Yep but I do not like their vacuum set up setup.

I can make the inlays with no center hole no problem using a few differnt methods. One easy way way is just to work from the back side. Then hole does not go all the way through.

I actually like the little dot in the center and sometimes I make it into a diamond shape or whatever.

 

[nickao]

Thanks, Nick... That's part of what I was wondering.

In your original image, you have several "wedges" that converge in the center of the circle. I was wondering how you correct for the pivot in an asthetic manner. I can understand if you don't want to give up your secrets, so please accept my apology if my question is inappropriate.

Tom

Well I make the star independently first , than add the field pieces. It is only then that I start using a router to spin around the inlay or a disc sander with a circle jig to spin the inlay into the disc sander to make each ring a perfect circle.

I am not sure I answered the question.

Nick

 

[tbellemare]

My real question is, how do you deal with the fact that the circle trammel requires a hole in the center of your perfectly beautiful and precise wedges?

I guess I have to go back through your pictorial treatise but I lost how to get there.

Thanks again for your generosity,

Tom

 

[sw1211]

Sounds like the hole goes in the backer board and he works with the good side down.

 

[nickao]

No but I can if I want to.

Like I said I like that little dot in the center and over time the star tips move. If there is no dot in the center after a few years you will see the middle where everything intersects will not line up. The little circle eliminates this.

So though I can make them with no dot in the center it really is not the best way to get good results for the long period this will be in someones floor. Nothing in a house takes more abuse than the floor, weather, from traffic, or the environmental variables in each home through the seasons. The center of that star tip may line up for a while at first, but it will not stay that way forever, hence the little circle. I can make the dots as small as an 1/8" by using a custom pin.

Nick

 

[nickao]

Super old thread coming back to life due to aggravation.

I have been a huge advocate of the Micro Fence edge and circle jigs. It's the best on the market in my opinion. I have 4 complete set ups with different routers attached. Even though I have 2 CNC machines I still use these jigs daily.

My beef is the best edge and circle router jig made(by Micro Fence) no longer produces an interface for the best router on the market, the Festool OF2200.

After spending literally thousands off dollars on micro fence stuff I had to resort to cnc machining my own interfaces for the OF2200. It's utterly ridiculous.

Because they don't sell enough they wont make them. That's like  Goodyear saying they wont make tires for a Lamborghini because they don't sell enough. Just charge more money! The accessories are so overpriced already people that buy the stuff aren't going to care if it's 10.00 more. I buy the overpriced accessories all the time from a couple of manufactures  , to get the best.

For the best jig not to fit the best router is simply aggravating. They could buy a desktop cnc or mini mill and machine the pieces themselves in house for less than 2000.00 out the door. I know because I did it myself.

So just a warning to Festool users. If you are thinking of using your best on the market router OF 2200 with the best router jig on the market you can't without a whole lot of trouble.

I made my Micro Fence Festool OF 2200 interfaces out of 1" HDPE and have not had time to mess with making them out of metal yet. So anyone that has any of these interfaces Ill buy them up asap.

 

[greymann]

Dovetail65,

In case you don't get their Newsletter, they just corrected the problem and have the mounting bar for the 2200 in stock.  They also credit you for this. 

I agree that it is the best circle jig I have ever seen but since the 1400 is the largest router I would use handheld, I wasn't aware of the issue before.

Dick Perry

 

[Kev]

[thumbs up] [thumbs up] [thumbs up]

That's a great response.

Micro Fence is in my save list for "when I need it" tools .. "need" has a long lead time for me [wink]