I need to make some eliptical arches for a front porch. I have made them in the past with jig saws but they have never been to the perfection that I would like. Anyone no of any jig that would work with a router to make smooth cuts that would require much less sanding.
thanks
Replies
Lex,
Take the time to make one good one, the pattern, & use it with a router to make the rest.
Now I bet all your arches are different sizes, Right?
Good luck
PJE
Lex,
Use this link to Joe's site as a starter:
http://www.josephfusco.org/Articles/Ellipse/Ellipse.htm
He has pics to show what the elipse jig looks like. You can search elsewhere if required for more elaborate plans on how to build the jig.
You can customize the jig to get the sized arch you need simply by changing the effective swing on the arm that the router rides on.
It's an easy jig to use. Align in the "x" axis and tighten the bolt, align in the "y" axis and tighten that bolt. The swing of the arm will now scribe an arch defined by the major and minor ("x" and "y" axis).
Inexpensive to build, too.
If you find the info on Joe's site helpful, consider supporting his site with a donation. He's spent a lot o time on it and has some good info there.
If you have a router that's small compared with the size of the arch and that has a nice cylindrical place on it, you might try the wire method using the actual router as if it were a really fat pencil. The resulting curve won't be a mathematically true ellipse, but it should be nicely smooth and symmetrical. Use that method to make a pattern, and use a bearing cutter to transfer it to the actual work pieces.
-- J.S.