Dremel Circle Cutter for Under $10

Intro: Dremel Circle Cutter for Under $10

Why buy a dremel circle cutter when you can build one for less than $10. This cutter can be repositionable if you measure out each spot and simply move your pivot knob to the correct hole.. This cutter will help cut circles in anything from acrylic to aluminum. This is my first instructable and here we good.

STEP 1: Get Your Materials

This is what you will need for your circle cutter and was all bought at Home Depot.
A cheap piece of thin wood. (Look for fence pieces)
Right angled aluminum fence pieces (X4)
Screws
Dremel
Wooden knob (optional)

STEP 2: Draw Out Your Design

Lay the flat piece of wood on a flat surface and draw out a design like a pulley system. This design makes it easier to follow the lines and makes it look better. Open designs are welcome here. To make the circles to cutter along find two small but different shaped circles, mine were two toy hub caps, and trace the large circle first about 26 in from the end of the board. Then find your center of your large circle and drill a small hole. Now use a tape measure and measure out from the small hole your desired circle length, mine was 24 in. Make sure your line is straight and drill a small hole at the 24 in mark. Draw your small circle around that second hole making sure the hole is in the middle.

STEP 3: Making the Dremel Support

First off I cut out two 4-5 in pieces from your flat board and then cut them again long ways to a desired size. ( Must be at least an inch more than the width of your dremel). We want to make the support first so put one small piece of wood on your cutter and then line up your right angle brackets so the whole thing sits flush and screw in brackets. Now you should have a piece that looks like a "L". Now take your Dremel and stick it in the small hole in the small circle and measure how high to place your second small piece by looking at the middle of your dremel because that is where we want to place our holder. Now just like the first bracket make sure it sits flush then mount the brackets to the first piece at your desired height. Use the picture for as a guide. My dremel width is around 3 in so now cut a 3 in hole roughly in the shape of your dremel. As you are cutting and sanding the hole keep checking on if it fits your dremel. You want it to slide smoothly and rest in the middle. If you do overcut the circle you can add small strips of cloth to the middle of your dremel to help it fit snug. If you want you can add bolts to the side and front to tighten the dremel down so it does not move. Now use the dremel in the small circle as a guide to set your holder in the correct position on your cutter and screw down.  

STEP 4: Grind Down Your Screws

If you do not have the correct screws you can use longer ones and grind them down with the metal grinder for the dremel. Make sure that the screws holding the dremel holder on bottow are grinded down past flush so they do not scratch your circles surface.

STEP 5: Attach Your Handle and Done!

Finally use a small bolt and the wooden knob and super glue the two together so you can place the screw in the middle of the large circle and will be your pivot point.

To use attach the multiuse cutter for your dremel. (The one that looks like a drill bit but with a funnel shaped tip.) and slide your dremel in the holder and secure it down. Drill a small hole in the material you want to cut so the small bolt on the knob will fit though snugly. Place the bolt through the hole and turn on your dremel to a medium - high speed and slowly start cutting! Now you can cut circles in anything with your dremel! The second picture is acrylic cut from this cutter.

Comments

[tilmen]

Rockout101,

hello.This instructable seems cool. (There's also not much circle cutters here).I'm really sorry but I couln't get how the multiuse cutter cuts the circle.Can you please tell more about the cutting process?

[stephenniall]

  i never thought of using a dremel to cut circles (saying that i dont use my dremel much it costs too much )

[tilmen]

Those tools can be much cheaper in small shops.If you use them very carefully, they can last for a long time without burning up.

[sabr686]

So are you cutting through the small circle and then into the material you're cutting, or ??? I like the concept, but it just seems to be able to be refined so much and so easily. I'll give you this: you thought of it, I didn't, so nice job, friend. Let me know the answer to my initial question though. I can't get a grip on exactly how you'e going to contact the cutting surface.

[Mr Gollahon]

The small hole in the cutter helps the dremel cutting blade go through and cut out the circles. I would recommend a thinner board so you cut thicker circles. To cut out the circles of you material you need to make a small hole about the radius of the circle you want to make and then stick in the center screw in the cutter. If the material is bigger then the cutter itself then you will have to make another hole on the outside of the circle to help allow the dremel blade start cuting the circle. If you have anymore questions just ask! If you want to improve the design go ahead, I am open for new concepts. Thanks.

[sabr686]

Thanks mate, well done.