How to Cut Curves in Wood

Cut Precise Curves With a Router Trammel

This. simple router trammel is easy to build and allows you to cut a perfect circle. For circles up to 6 ft. across, use a piece of 1/4-in. plywood, MDF or hardboard thats about 4 ft. long and at least as wide as your router base. Start by removing the base plate from your router and clamping it to one end of the trammel material. If you want your trammel to be stylish, trace around a coffee cup to make a nice-looking rounded end. Then draw tangent lines connecting the circles and cut the sides. If you dont care about looks, simply make a long rectangular trammel.

Trace around the base plate and use the mounting holes as a guide for drilling holes in the trammel. Cut out the trammel and drill a 1-1/2-in. hole in the center of the router end to clear the router bit. Countersink the mounting screw holes so the screw heads wont tear up your workpiece. Attach the router to the trammel with the base plate screws.

Screw the trammel to the workpiece, centering it on the circle you want to cut out. Mount a straight plunge-cutting bit in your router and set the router bit to cut about 3/8 in. deep for the first pass. A plunge router works best, but if you dont have one, hold the router above the wood and start it. Carefully plunge it into the wood and begin moving it counterclockwise around the circle (Photo 2). Complete the circle, then readjust the depth and make another pass until you cut all the way through.