Holesaws

**PaulWG** · 15th October 2013, 07:21 PM

Good evening!

I'm having trouble with a jewelry making project, and am hoping to get some pointers from you kind folk.

So far I've been cutting a disc out of the stock (7 ply maple) using a drill-press with a holesaw, then using a smaller hole saw to cut the center out of the disc, resulting in a bangle: outer diameter 80mm, inner diameter 65mm. I've been having trouble clamping the work piece when cutting the second (inner) hole, and am hoping for a tip on this.

As there is only 15mm between the outer and inner diameter I haven't been able to work out a way to clamp from 'top to bottom' (applying pressure to the top of the work piece to secure it to the work table). This led me to try clamping 'laterally' using a vise, however the pressure of the vise distorts the shape of the disc once the second holesaw starts cutting, making for irregular inner-cuts.

I'd appreciate any advice on this.

Cheers,

Paul

PS Once completed I'll be selling these bangles and donating half of the sale price to charities, the first up being Melbourne City Mission; an organisation helping disadvantaged people in my hometown.

**Handyjack** · 15th October 2013, 07:27 PM

Good on you for donating proceeds to charity.

Have a look at this thread as it may give you some ideas for clamping. https://www.woodworkforums.com/f11/li...circle-177174/ You may also want to change your method, cut little circle and then big circle. Like all things experimentation will be needed.

**PaulWG** · 15th October 2013, 11:14 PM

Thanks for getting back to me Handyjack, I'll have a look at that thread.

re: cutting a little hole then a bigger one. I guess that would involve cutting the second hole before I move the work-piece to make sure the 2nd hole is centered in the 1st. Ideally I'd like have a more streamlined process where I'm not having to change holesaws for every piece. My goal is to be cutting out 100+ of these in one sitting.

I've thought about gluing a backing sheet (paper) to the work-piece and cutting the inner hole first, and using the hole made by the arbour in the backing sheet as a guide for the outer hole. The problem here is that I'd need to avoid cutting through the backing sheet when cutting the inner hole.

Paul

**Benwoodgo** · 15th October 2013, 11:23 PM

G'day Paul,

You could cut all of your large holes half way though the wood then cut all the smaller holes completely out. Then go back and cut through the rest of the way of the larger holes (the holesaw will the work off the track you made by cutting half way rather than needing the center hole made by the drill bit).

Does that make sense??

Good luck.

Ben

**PaulWG** · 15th October 2013, 11:23 PM

I saw this posted in the thread you linked me to Handyjack, I think this is just what I need!

It's true that the best solutions are often the simplest

Little hole in a bigger circle.-2nd-paint-picture-jpg

**bsrlee** · 16th October 2013, 09:47 PM

There is a gadget called an 'oops arbor' - it uses the smaller hole saw as an arbour for the larger hole saw. Basically you cut he small hole conventionally, then screw the smaller saw to the oops arbour, then fit that into your regular arbour in place of the centering drill bit you usually use.

"Oops" Arbor - Lee Valley Tools

Currently I've only found Lee Valley have them on line but they do show up on other sites from time to time

**dr4g0nfly** · 17th October 2013, 04:34 AM

Originally Posted by bsrlee

There is a gadget called an 'oops arbor'

Brilliant idea, I've got to get me one of them.

Thread: Holesaws - concentric cutting, clamping

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