palm router / trimmer

[simonfraser]

i need to cut a 30cm diameter hole in a section of plastic, same stuff chopping boards are made out of
there is a 5cm ledge all the way round so the access is poor, hence the thought re a small router

a jigsaw wont go all the way round, unless those are made with blades that can be set an an angle ??

can i mark the circle and guide the router by hand all the way round to cut a hole or will it wander all over the place ?

 

[simonfraser]

i need to cut a 30cm diameter hole in a section of plastic, same stuff chopping boards are made out of, its fixed to the boat, not easy to remove at all
there is a 5cm ledge all the way round so the access is poor, hence the thought re a small router

a jigsaw wont go all the way round, unless those are made with blades that can be set an an angle ??

can i mark the circle and guide the router by hand all the way round to cut a hole or will it wander all over the place ?

 

[dansaskip]

What you want is a hole saw - 30cm of course. Can be used in either a hand drill, brace and bit, or electric drill.

 

[simonfraser]

doh, did not think they made them that big ......

 

[[2574]]

doh, did not think they made them that big ......

I’m not sure they do make hole saws 300mm diameter. You’re going to need a hell of a drill to turn it - and mind you don’t break your wrist!

 

[Concerto]

Dremel make a router attachment for their drill. This would probably be the smallest router you could get.
Dremel Plunge Router Attachment 132mm
Dremel 3000-1/25 130W Electric Multi-Tool Kit 230V

 

[TernVI]

I have the Dremel Router accessory, it is a nice little gadget, if a bit plasticky and not all that rigid.
The base is not all that small though.

 

[Poignard]

I have one of these Bosch palm routers. A smashing little thing.

Bosch GKF 600 1/4 Palm Router/Laminate Trimmer Kit inc Extra Bases

 

[Concerto]

Just thought of a cheaper small router than the Dremel I suggested earlier. This Silverline Rotary Trimmer should do it at a keen price and includes a router cutter.
NEW MULTI TOOL ROTARY CUTTER TRIMMER SANDER DREMEL TYPE ACC SILVERLINE 660471 5024763137891 | eBay

 

[pvb]

doh, did not think they made them that big ......

They do, but I'm not sure how neat a cut you'd get. Are you able to hide the cut? For instance, are you cutting a hole to drop a basin into?

You can get cheap steerable jigsaws, but they're not easy to use if you want a neat result.

Here's a 30cm holesaw... Silverline 427644 Adjustable Hole Cutter 40-300 mm: Amazon.co.uk: DIY & Tools

 

[Laminar Flow]

Fill in the ledge, so the jigsaw rides above it. Or, use a router/laminate trimmer with a template.

 

[Laminar Flow]

Just thought of a cheaper small router than the Dremel I suggested earlier. This Silverline Rotary Trimmer should do it at a keen price and includes a router cutter.
NEW MULTI TOOL ROTARY CUTTER TRIMMER SANDER DREMEL TYPE ACC SILVERLINE 660471 5024763137891 | eBay

Interesting tool, but I would suspect that it would have the same limitations as a jigsaw for the OP's application.

 

[Norman_E]

Drill a centre hole then use a mini router attached to an arm so that it describes a perfect circle. cut until there is about half an inch to go and finish the circle with hand tools.

 

[Andibs]

Cone cutter

 

[cherod]

doh, did not think they made them that big ......

And if they did working one by hand would be a nitmare without a mounting

 

[cherod]

I notice Aldi are doing a small “ palm router “ recently , 20£ , ??

 

[Baddox]

can i mark the circle and guide the router by hand all the way round to cut a hole or will it wander all over the place ?

Without a guide it will wander.

 

[Daverw]

My jigsaw has a scroll lock that allows the blade to turn full 360 so can cut in any direction, very good for tight places. It was not an expensive one.

 

[LadyInBed]

Or a Dremel radius cutter Dremel Line & Circular Cutter Attachment 130mm

 

[Ardenfour]

Rotozip - takes bits which look like drills but are actually rotary saws. And goes at high speed. so wont catch on your material and wander off. Might melt it I suppose, if it's plastic.

 

[ip485]

Hole saw I suspect would be the easiest. I even cut circular pads for a winch out of teak about this size. Whatever you do go slow, keep at an angle and lubricate the cut. With new blades I suspect it will cut very easily, the teak on the other hand was hard work!

 

[Graham_Wright]

I bought a Zen router. It has a circular base which allows you to follow an external profile. I used it for the cutouts in the galley top. Brilliant.