How would you cut a circle?

[stonebreaker]

I'm trying to weld a seat onto a stool I made out of some scrap. How would you go about cutting a circle out of a piece of 1/4" plate for a seat?

[zapster]

O/A torch...


...zap!

[MAC702]

plasma or oxy-fuel. What do you have available to you?

[Ries]

Make a simple compass style circle cutting attachment for either a plasma or oxy fuel torch. An old speaker magnet, a piece of round bar, and a couple of hose clamps.

[TxRedneck]

I just use the torch. First, make a pattern of something round...anyway you want. Differnt methods. Best is if you use a round item the size you want. Then I get real comfy and I cut it by hand. I dont mess with them fancy dealies. THey are nice, but I dont bother spending the money. I had a pattern cutter at the college I attended. As an alumni I can use it anytime during the school year, but I moved away ... oh well

[halbritt]

How about cutting many circles 3-4" in diameter in very thin sheet aluminum? I'm thinking of a punch and die of some sort.

[Roy Hodges]

I think you could buy a hole saw for a drill,( or drill press ) or you might make a punch using apiece of pipe the correct o d , and sharpen the inside of one end to make a punch out of it, and weld a plate on other end to strike with a hammer.

[zapster]

hand arbor press and a custom made die by ...zap!

...zap

[MAC702]

Originally Posted by halbritt

How about cutting many circles 3-4" in diameter in very thin sheet aluminum? I'm thinking of a punch and die of some sort.

Do you want the circle or the hole? If you want the hole, and if it's the right size, I use the Greenlee electrician's conduit punches for that very thing.