How to Turn a Cylinder with a Router

Master woodworker George Vondriska demonstrates the process of turning a cylinder for your woodworking projects by using a router. A WoodWorkers Guild of America (WWGOA) original video.

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7 Responses to “How to Turn a Cylinder with a Router”

bigjgoode June 6th, 2015

How about using a battery operated drill instead of the hand crank?

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don1cobb June 20th, 2015

Would you make a smaller box for shorter pieces? It seems the size of the blank is limited by the length of the box and the length of the spindles.

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- WWGOA Team June 23rd, 2015
  
  I wouldn’t use a blank shorter than 27″ (9″ shorter than the jig) in this version of the jig. If you do, you’ll be asking the threaded rod to provide more support than it’s capable of. Shorter blanks call for a shorter jig.
  
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David August 18th, 2016

The stops on the sled allow it to move forward and back on top of the box. Why wouldn’t you want the sled to simply be centered over the box, in order to cut right down the middle of the workpiece? Wouldn’t that give you a more consistent diameter?
Great jig. I’m really looking forward to trying this. Thanks

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- Customer Service August 22nd, 2016
  
  Hi, David. Having some lateral movement in the router’s travel path allows for some imperfections how you’ve centered the work piece. You will also be able to work more efficiently with this lateral movement, covering a wider path with each pass while you are in the early phases of rounding the work piece. As long as your jig is constructed in a square and level fashion, the lateral movement will not negatively affect the diameter consistency.
  
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seure November 14th, 2016

George, you have already answered the lateral movement issue that I had, but while you are moving the router, I noticed you were keeping it tight against the edge on your side. At that point, is the router bit centered on the workpiece?

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- Customer Service November 21st, 2016
  
  Yep, the router bit needs to stay centered over the work piece, and that’s controlled by the router’s position on the box.
  
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