Cutting Holes with Routers????

[gregb]

Hello, It's been a long time since visiting here. I finally bought a plunge router to make cutting holes for speakers easier. I have the Jasper circle jigs. and I get the principal behind it. I would like some tips. What is the best way to do this? Whats the best way to start? Thanks for your time!, gregb

[Pete Schumacher]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

Hello, It's been a long time since visiting here. I finally bought a plunge router to make cutting holes for speakers easier. I have the Jasper circle jigs. and I get the principal behind it. I would like some tips. What is the best way to do this? Whats the best way to start? Thanks for your time!, gregb

when cutting holes with a router, take your time. don't try to cut the entire depth in a single pass. Upcut bits work real good for that purpose.

[gregb]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

Thanks Pete, I will make sure I have the right bit, and not go to deep to fast. Thanks, gregb

[Ron_E]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

Up cut bits are good for MDF but you'll want a down cut bit for veneer. Be careful with the last pass doing through holes. Keep a little pressure towards the pivot pin so the bit doesn't run into the side of the hole you're cutting when the plug comes free. You might want to practice on a scrap of wood.

Ron E.

[Guest]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

Up cut bits are good for MDF but you'll want a down cut bit for veneer. Be careful with the last pass doing through holes. Keep a little pressure towards the pivot pin so the bit doesn't run into the side of the hole you're cutting when the plug comes free. You might want to practice on a scrap of wood.

Ron E.

And you can finish the last bit of the hole with a flush trim bit... either a top bearing from the same side, or bottom bearing if you flip the wood over.

You can also mark the hole, then go around the inside and drill smaller holes than the width of the cutting bit to make removal quicker/easier. Just be sure to leave 3-4 areas solid/no holes to maintain the integrity of your center hole.

[philiparcario]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

I have some 1/8 inch brass rod I cut it into 6 inch pieces.

they make better pins more stable. I back my baffle with a second piece of mdf then the pin is sunk deeper.

practice on scrap mdf or wood.

I made the center hole of the jasper bigger and use 3/8 inch collet not 1/4 inch collet bits but that is more down the road in your router use.

[jerryanderson]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

If you don't want to buy brass rod, keep a couple extra 1/8" drill bits around! The pin that comes with the jasper jig can walk off by its self sometimes:(!

Practice makes perfect and don't try to route out to much at one time. Up cut spiral bits work great for MDF(CMT/Freud Bits are good quality buys)

[philiparcario]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

jerry has got all good info.

[Æ]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

The hardest part about using a JASPER JIG isn't making a round hole, it's about getting the hole diameter correct.
Best to try it out on a scrap of wood first and then see if your woofer or tweeter fits correctly, is it too tight or too loose or just right.
If you mess up on your finished loudspeaker baffle, you'll have one heck of a time correcting the mistake.

[kornphlake]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

I've had good luck resting the board that will have a hole cut in it on a 2x4 and putting 2 wood screws to either side of the pin hole through the board and into the 2x4, then I clamp the board to the 2x4. This makes it so I can cut all the way through the board without worrying about things moving on me. I don't have to be incredibly precise on the depth for the final cut this way either, if I go a little too deep and cut into the 2x4 it's no big deal, if I routed a circle in my work bench on the other hand...

[Flint]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

You can also use double stick tape to hold the cutout hole in place. Apply tape both inside and outside the circle so when the cut goes through everything stays in place. As above, have a spoil board below the baffle so you can cut into it, rather than into a work table.

[bolland83]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

For MDF I usually just set my max plunge depth about 1/32" to 1/64" from actually going all the way through. It leaves a paper thin ring that is just enough to hold the center section in place, it can be cut out the rest of the way with a razor knife.

[johnastockman]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

Yes, practice! Make sure you're getting the correct diameter with your Jasper...my Ryobi router only has two mounting holes/screws for the Jasper, so the accuracy can be off just a teeny bit, which is enough to make the driver not fit. Each router is a little different, so you might not get exactly 4 1/8", or whatever diameter/pin location you use. I use some calipers to measure. I take a piece of scrap, lower the bit just so it scrapes/scribes the surface and rotate the router/Jasper around, power off, so the bit leaves a scribe line. I then compare the driver diameter and the scribed line with my calipers. This works well when you use a spiral bit, but make sure you're scribing and measuring using the outermost edge of the bit. I get a perfect fit every time. Particulate respirator, too. The dust from MDF is too fine for those white masks. I wear one even if I cut outside. Oh, and hearing protection. You probably already know those last two suggestions, so I don't mean to imply any ignorance by mentioning it.

John A.

[mgrabow]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

I use the jasper jig to make a template on 1/4 inch plywood then I don't have to worry about when I reach the final cut through point. Pluss I save that template for the next time I use that driver... I also use an up cut on veneered MDF but I cover the area with wide blue tape to prevent the veneer from tearing out.

The biggest problem I have is calculating the setting on the jasper jig when I want a recessed driver hole. I can use some tips on that. First I measure the driver and subtract 1 inch (2 times a 1/2 rabbit bit) then since I will have a spiral bit collar when i cut the template so I need to subtract the width of the edge of the bit to the edge of the collar (times 2), then I should have the proper setting for the jasper... or so the math tells me, but I often find myself making a 3 hole template with one hole one step bigger and one hole one step smaller to get just the right fit on the final driver hole. Takes for ever with lots of sample cuts. One of you guys must have an easier way...

[mgrabow]

Re: Cutting Holes with Routers????

For MDF I usually just set my max plunge depth about 1/32" to 1/64" from actually going all the way through. It leaves a paper thin ring that is just enough to hold the center section in place, it can be cut out the rest of the way with a razor knife.

I like it... I am gonna try that.