Ellipse cutting jig

[Aragorn]

Hi folks
Does anyone know how those ellipse cutting jigs work for use with a router to cut large (table-top sized) ellipses?
Has anyone seen or have a shop-built version?
Please let me know if you can tell me how to cut an ellipse with the router without buying one of those expensive Trend jigs! Tell me it can be done.

Many thanks

 

[Anonymous]

Hi Aragorn

Never seen a jig but I draw elipses with two pins and loop of string. Possibly this would work for the router???

Possibly not though

Cheers

Tony

 

[Alf]

Aragorn,

I'm pretty sure I've seen plans for one in a recent magazine, but can I find it? I'll have another rummage, but it might be anywhere. I also had a feeling that maybe "Router Magic" had plans for one, but I no longer have the book so I can't check. Dunno if this or this would help at all?

Cheers, Alf

 

[Anonymous]

I've just finished and oval coffee table. The glass top is 1100x700mm, and the template for it is made from 6mm MDF. I used a method similar to the "trammel in a cross" method pointed to in one of the above threads. If you are making a large table, I really wouldn't worry about making it CNC accurate. Draw it with a trammel and a roofing square, or make the cross widget. Then just bandsaw it out and plane by hand. It will be quite acceptable as regards accuracy.
Incidentally, These cross jigs are fine, but they have their limitations. You can cut an ellipse up to very large lengths, and down to quite small widths, but not necessarily to any combination of sizes between the two. The problem is that the sliding blocks blocks come out of the cross before the axis endpoint has been reached, if the difference between the two axes is too great.
Cheers
Steve

 

[Bean]

Aragorn
I have only ecver used the string and pins method, but never with a router.

I too will check my books and mags

Bean

 

[johnelliott]

I have the Trend video that features the ellipse jig, certainly seems to work OK, but then I have the video for the M&T jig which also seems to work OK, but doesn't for me anyway
John

 

[Aragorn]

Thanks everyone for your help. Looks like the trammel method that Trend base their jig on is the way to go. I have some plans and instructions thanks to a very generous PM.
If that's the way I end up doing it, I'll post some pics for the gallery.