Circle Jig for Festool OF1010 Router

A couple of years ago I was in urgent need for a router circle jig. This was just after I got the Festool OF1010 router. First I thought about just modifying any of the non-adjustable circle jigs for my old router but then came up with a different approach.

Instead of just screwing a piece of MDF to the router base and then drill holes for a pin at different distances from the router center, I mounted the piece of MDF to the Festool FS-OF 1000 Guide Rail Adapter (488752) using four M4 screws. By doing so, the router can be adjusted relative the MDF plate and locked in place wherever desired. I marked the center line of the router bit and drilled two different holes to mount the center pin for the jig. The slot for the router bit was done with a 10mm router bit. A safe way to route the slot is to attach the MDF plate to a scrap piece of MDF with double adhesive tape. Then just plunge the router and slide it on the metal rods. VoilĂ ! Router circle jig complete!

Circle jig top side Circle jig bottom side Circle jig with router mounted Circle jig with fine adjuster

As an extra feature, the Festool FE-FS/OF 1000 Fine Adjuster (488754) can be used in combination with the jig. Unfortunately Festool suffered from temporary brain damage when designing this product — it protrudes under the route base! Just route a dado in the MDF plate so that the fine adjuster can be moved freely on the rods.

Posted by on March 18, 2011

6 Responses to Circle Jig for Festool OF1010 Router

  1. Andrew Benson says:

    Thanks for the great idea! This is indeed a Festool brain fart on this one. I love my 1010, and this will open up even more possibilities with it. I’m going to make one of these out of birch plywood. Do you think 3/4″ (19mm) would be too thick, or should I go find some 1/2″ (13mm)?
    Thanks again.
    AB

    • Avatar photo Per-Henrik Lundblom says:

      I’d say go for the thinner alternative. If I remember correctly my jig is made of 8mm MDF so 3/8″ would probably be even better. You don’t need that much strength and the thinner, the less depth you loose.

  2. Tima says:

    Hi. What do you mean by “t two different holes to mount the center pin for the jig”? I can only see one. Also, how do you position the center pin (since you can’t see where you’re putting it)?

  3. Avatar photo Per-Henrik Lundblom says:

    Hi Tima,

    What I mean is that I made several holes for the center pin along the center line of the router bit. Depending on what diameter I need to route, I can move the pin between different holes.

    Positioning the center pin in the center hole in the workpiece is sometimes a bit tricky. I usually eyeball it by looking into the gap between the jig and the workpiece.

    Hmm, really need to write new stuff for this site. Have a lot of material to write about…

  4. Alex says:

    What diameter (in mm) bit did you use to drill the MDF so the M4 screws could attach to the router?

    • Avatar photo Per-Henrik Lundblom says:

      I don’t think it was as large as 3.5mm, probably 3mm and then I wiggled the drill bit somewhat to widen the hole at the top so that the threads got a chance to get hold in the MDF. This is really not an issue in a material as soft as MDF. Try it out in a scrap piece of MDF if you are uncertain.

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