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Want to buy a router circle jig, but you’re not sure if you need it or where should you start? The truth is that circles are not necessarily common shapes in woodworking, but wherever they show up, the effect is stunning.
And if you have a router, you must get yourself the best router circle jig. It’s actually easy to pick, and the advantages are irresistible. Let us prove it to you!
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At a Glance: Our Top Picks for Router Circle Jigs
- BEST OVERALL : Jasper Model 240
- RUNNER-UP: PowerTec 71212
- BEST BUDGET OPTION: Owlike Circle Cutting Jig
- BEST CIRCLE CUTTING JIG FOR PLUNGE ROUTER: Jasper 200J Model 200
- BEST SMALL CIRCLE ROUTER JIG: Milescraft 1210 SmallCircleCompass
Comparison of the Best Router Circle Jigs
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When Would a Router Circle Jig Come in Handy?
Circular projects can be challenging because it’s not that easy to cut a perfect circle. However, if you must cut round shapes, a router circle jig is ideal.
You’ll use a router because there are actually hundreds of different router bits you can buy, adding versatility to the shapes you carve. And you’ll want a jig with that router for accuracy.
Here are a few specific examples of when a router circle jig would come in handy, whether for cabinetry, decorative moldings, or anything else you can think of.
Shaping Signs
Round shaped signs are pretty much universal. From a fancy house number to a professional-looking business sign, if you have the wood, the router, and the circle jig, you’ll get it right!
Cutting Rebates
Rebating a round shape is challenging, but the circle jig will make it simple. This common application is for anything with a round frame, like for mirrors or clocks or wall photo frames.
Crafting Round Wood Inlays
Wood inlays are one of the top uses for a router. When you aim for a round inlay, the visual effect will be exceptional. And a router circle jig will make sure your inlay is flawless.
Review of the Best Router Circle Jigs
Are you ready to look at some of the best router circle jigs that will help you achieve everything we described above? We’ve already done all the hard work for you, here’s the roundup we’ve put together with the top-rated products per categories:
Best Overall:
Jasper Circle Jig Model 240
PROS
CONS
Our Review
For those who want to route perfect circles every single time, without any trial cuts, Jasper Tools has the right solution. Their Circle Pro 240, scaled in inches and with a pre-drilled design, makes a highly versatile tool. And the nice contrast between the yellow color and the black marks allows a fast reading and setup.
You’ll find it compatible with the majority of plunge routers on the market. It is easy to set up and convenient to use. And should you pick a 1/4-inch router bit, the tool is already calibrated to read the cutout diameter. It takes matching it against other models, and you’ll see why it’s the best overall router circle jig.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
This jig allows cutting precision circles with a diameter ranging from 1 to 18-3/16-inches. The increments are set to 1/16 inches, which means one can tackle up to 276 different circle sizes. Versatile and extremely intuitive, it is also durable and will prove a long-lasting purchase.
Runner-up:
PowerTec 71212
PROS
CONS
Our Review
Compatible with a generous selection of router models, Powertec’s circle cutting jig is a top choice, without a doubt. It’s a high-efficiency model that can create circles with diameters from 10 to 53 inches. And it features a lot of pre-drilled hole patterns, so you can make the appropriate adjustments, just in case it won’t fit your router.
The long compass design relies on 7 layers of plywood, for superior strength, with a melamine coating for a special look. It's easy to install, practical, and with more than simple adjustments, it’s the type of jig that correctly serves its purpose.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
The no-fuss design certainly makes this router circle jig stand out. But it is also particularly attractive with its double center pins. You get to use one if your project requires creating a center hole. And the other one is available for whenever the center hole is not viewable. From DIY-ers just starting out to professionals, everyone will find value in it.
Best for the Money:
Owlike Circle Cutting Jig
PROS
CONS
Our Review
You won’t help but notice how much this router circle jig from Owlike looks like our best overall selection. With an almost identical design, it features a somewhat narrow range of supported diameters. But other than that, the setup is the same, and the price is more than budget-friendly.
Those who settle for this jig won’t only get the best value for their money, but also a lightweight, versatile, and handy tool. It works for a wide range of projects, it facilitates accurate cuts, and its pivot holes keep the pins in selected holes for smooth operation.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
With this router circle jig, you’re getting a ton of options that you can literally choose from in an instant. Anything from 2-1/4 to 18-3/16 inches can be cut. The markings and the scale are in inches. And one look is more than enough for you to know how to set up the jig so you can obtain exactly what you need.
Best Circle Cutting Jig for Plunge Router:
Jasper 200J Model 200
PROS
CONS
Our Review
For those who prefer a plunge router over a fixed one, the best solution comes, once again, from Jasper Tools. The design of this 200J model is actually quite similar to the one of our best overall. And the medium-sized jig can be purchased individually or as a pack of anything from 2 to 5 pieces.
Projected to support circle diameters from 2-1/4 to 18-3/16 inches, it cuts the same 256 different sizes, while calibrated, by default, to work with a 1/4-inch router bit. Just like you’d expect it, the pivot holes are meant to keep the pins right in the holes where you’re placing it.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
As opposed to many other router circle jigs, this model is made of brass. The copper and zinc alloy from its composition make for a particularly durable jig that happens to better handle and absorb the heat generated during the cutting.
Best Small Circle Router Jig:
Milescraft 1210 SmallCircleCompass
PROS
CONS
Our Review
The problem with larger circle jigs is that when you put on the router, its base can often cover the closest pivot holes, which serve to cut the smallest sizes. But when you use this SmallCircleCompass model from Milescraft, that problem simply disappears.
And unlike the fancier, more expensive items, this tool features a practical design. Suffices to say that you’ll set it up in a snap and be able to cut really small holes with it, right off the bat.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
Before anything else, you’ll notice it has a transparent base, which makes for a nice, practical feature of a router circle jig. Then, you have the double scale, making the setup a breeze regardless of whether you prefer the imperial or the metric scale. To top it off, it can handle really small circles, starting from 1.5 to 12 inches in diameter.
Best Small Circle Router Jig:
Milescraft 1210 SmallCircleCompass
PROS
CONS
Our Review
For those used with simple, standard router circle jigs, this deluxe model from Bosch will make an extraordinary first impression. After all, it comes with a router guide and pivot plate, plus a dust extraction hood and an adapter for the vacuum hose. All the necessary attachment hardware is included!
This versatile, all-in-one router edge guide can cut either along the workpiece or anywhere up to 8-inches away from its edge. Non piloted bits can be easily set up, which means it will help you with even more different projects.
What Makes This Product Stand Out?
Like all the other Bosch tools, this router circle jig is set to over-deliver. It looks outstanding, it works the same, and even the package is designed to worth every cent you’re paying for it. Notably, it is a convertible tool that works as a router guide, ready to convert into a circle guide in a jiffy. Arcs or circles of a maximum of 32 inches can be easily cut with it.
In summary, here are the best router circle jigs:
- Best Overall: Jasper Circle Jig Model 240
- Runner-up: PowerTec 71212
- Best for the Money: Owlike Circle Cutting Jig
What is a Router Circle Jig?
A router circle jig is an accessory designed for routers and that helps you cut circles. The tool can work with either fixed-base or plunge routers, allowing you to set up a compass. Where you’d have a pencil to draw the circle, you mount the router and do the actual cutting around a fixed center.
For a flawless experience, you’ll need it to hold the router tightly in place, so there will be no shaking and no unbalance during the cutting. You also want to have as many pivot holes as possible, to guide you for cutting a wide range of circle sizes. Stability and versatility are top features of a quality router circle jig.
Pros and Cons of Router Circle Jigs
Without a doubt, there’s more than one way to cut circles with either a router or another power tool. The challenge, however, is in how you do it with minimum effort and maximum accuracy.
From this standpoint, the advantages of using a router and a circle cutting jig specifically designed for it are quite numerous.
Router Circle Jig Pros
Router Circle Jigs Cons
How to Use a Router Circle Jig
To make the best of your router circle jig, you’ll want to perfectly secure the router on the jig and to adjust the jig to the desired circle diameter. Then, you secure the whole jig, and you can get to work. Here’s how the process would go:
Secure the router – most jigs are compatible with different routers and have pre-drilled holes for those models; you’ll have to do some trial and error until you spot the holes where your router model will perfectly fit, and then you can tightly screw it in there.
Set the circle diameter – whether it’s just a long slot where you can fit a locking pivot or you have it entirely mapped with guide holes for all the circle sizes it can accommodate, you want to place the pivot in the right position and lock it in there.
Secure the jig on its base – with the router and the pivot already set up, you now have to secure the jig on its base, by placing the pivot over the centering pin of the jig’s base. Make sure the pivot is locked before you proceed to cut the circle.
Start cutting the circle – at this point, you can start cutting with your jig acting as a compass and the router as its circle-drawing tip; make sure you always go in a clockwise direction, to avoid loosening the knob that keeps your setting in place.
Consider that you might have to cut several times in a row for the bit to finally reach the bottom of your workpiece. And if the wood is really thick, you might also have to stop and vacuum between every two laps, to remove the debris that will pile up.
Conclusion
For those who have a router in their workshop, it only makes sense to pay a few dollars and get a circle jig for it. Cutting circles, with or without a visible center hole, is so much easier, accurate, and hassle-free when you arm yourself with the right tool. Now, you know exactly what to look for in that perfect router circle jig that you’re out to buy.
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