I have a project that requires cutting some 4-inch holes in wood (~3/4 plywood). What are my options in the woodshop? Do we have a 4" hole saw? What about a router jig? I have a jig for my router, just wondering if I should bring it just in case.
Speaking of router jigs and that just-in-case situation… Where’s the recommended area to work with a handheld router? Noise/dust considerations and all…
Thanks!
The easiest way to do it would be a 4" hole saw on the drill press, but if you’re drilling into plywood, that may not be an option.
The best looking cut would come from a 4" forstner bit, but I’ve never seen one that size in the shop.
In either case, put some waste stock below your workpiece and clamp them together to get the cleanest cut.
If you’re going to cut it with a router and a jig, you can just do it over on the workbenches on the west side of the shop (by all the sandpaper) and use the festool vacuum to clean up when you’re done.
Do you know if there’s a 4" hole saw in the wood shop?
I don’t know if we have one that big off the top of my head. There’s a hole saw kit with the pilot driver in the toolbox/storage cabinet next to the drill press, but 4" is a little big for most of those kits.
So kinda talking out loud here but you could use a jig saw/sabre saw with a guide. I don’t know if we have a jig saw though.
At one point in time there was an adjustable hole saw in the workshop special drill bits drawer. I also recall hole saws up into the ~6" range, but it’s been a while since I last checked.
There are a couple jigsaws and random blades on the ryobi shelf. There is a special drillbits drawer in red toolbox next to ryobi with random hole saws, don’t know if they go up to 4" though.
How thick is the ply? Laser might work.
Half-inch, 15/32 I think. I suppose I could, if it’s re-aligned and re-focused. Last time I used the Thunder it would barely cut 1/4" acrylic at 100% power.
When did you last use the Thunder? Sometime in March the lenses were changed out and there is a new focal length.
I’m not sure when you last used it, but as far as I know it’s back to using its original focal length and strength.
OK so I looked around and only found a 3-inch hole saw in one of the tool carts. I brought my router and jig up and cut my circles after cutting my pieces out on the Delta. I have to say, it was much nicer working at table height rather than on my garage floor…
CNC Router with compression bit. Easy, Perfect 4.00" holes, perfect spacing, clean milled sides, no tear out, no burn residue.
One of these days I’ll get around to taking that CNC Router class…