CIRCLE TEMPLATE - Reference Content - for Use in Other Instructables

Created this Instructable to be a reference Instructable that will be called out in other Instructables that I have developed or will develop in the near future. I have use for a lot of circles and holes in my work developing aquaponic systems. I needed an easy to use templates in many different sizes and forms. This being the case the templates need to be easy to store and handy for when ever I need one in what ever size I need at the time the project is being build.

SAFETY LEVEL: 1 -- VERY SAFE

Being that this build requires power tools to complete, I have to rate this effort with a Safe value at 1 ( VERY SAFE ). The power tools are very low level like a drill or drill press and basically a jig saw, but still one needs to be careful.

PROJECT COST: 1 -- CHEEP

The cost of this project is cheep so I rated this with a Value of 1 ( CHEEP ). See Step XX - Bill of Materials for a full breakdown of the cost involved to do this build.

SKILL REQUIRED: 1 -- BASIC

This is a very basic build - anyone can do it if they have a need for a seal like this. So the value is placed a 1 ( BASIC )

TIME REQUIRED: 1 -- IN A DAY

The build can be done in about 2 hours (at most) once you have all the materials and not including the dry time for the silicon to harden. Value is a 1 ( IN A DAY ) in my mind for everyone.

A ) Drill - must be able to do reverse mode This Type will work just fine

B ) Toaster Oven - I got mine at Costco Oster Toaster Oven - do not use this for any food items after this use

C ) Hardie Backer Board - 18 inch X 18 inch - scrap piece that is big enough to cover PVC pipe when flattened

Scarp Hardie Broad

D ) 4" PVC - drain pipe 12" X 4" Drain Pipe

E ) Rockwell Blade Runner X2 - 4inch and T-shank High-carbon Steel Jigsaw Blade (Plastics)

Rockwell Saw

T-Shank - Plastic Blade

F ) Dremel with a Shaft extension and 1-1/4-Inch Reinforced Rotary Tool Cut-Off Wheels

1 1/4 inch cut off wheel

Dremel Rotary Tool

Dremel Flex Shaft

G ) Dremel VC60-01 Velocity 7.0 Amp Hyper-Oscillating Ultimate Remodeling Tool Oscillating Tool

H ) Marking Pens for PVC Pipe and once pipe is flattened

Sharpie for Marking Pipe

Sharpie - Fine Point

I ) Combination square is needed to make sure things are straight and line-up Combination Square

J ) Heat Resistant Gloves for handling the hot PVC pipe in the oven These work

K ) Weight of some kind This type works

L) Hole Saws the sizes you want for the templates

2" - Hole Saw

3" Hole Saw

M) Straight Edge This one works

TOOLS & MATERIALS

D ) 4" PVC - drain pipe 12" X 4" Drain Pipe

G ) Dremel VC60-01 Velocity 7.0 Amp Hyper-Oscillating Ultimate Remodeling Tool

I ) Combination square is needed to make sure things are straight and line-up

H ) Marking Pens for PVC Pipe

ACTION 1:

Draw first line as far down the pipe as you can.

ACTION 2:
Flip pipe to finish center line.

ACTION 3:
Finish center line on end of pipe not completed as yet

YOU TUBE LINK - to this step:

Full video of Line Creation STEP

Using the center line created in STEP 3 on the PVC pipe it is time to cut a slit on the center line.

The cut can be made in a number of different ways, this is just what works best for me at this point.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS:

D ) 4" PVC - drain pipe

G ) Dremel VC60-01 Velocity 7.0 Amp Hyper-Oscillating Ultimate Remodeling Tool

YouTube Link -- for this STEP:

Make the Cut

This STEP will demonstrate how we will get a flat sheet of PVC material out of the PVC pipe.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS:

B ) Toaster Oven - I got mine at Costco

C ) Hardie Backer Board - 18 inch X 18 inch - scrap piece that is big enough to cover PVC pipe when flattened

D ) 4" PVC - drain pipe

J ) Heat Resistant Gloves for handling the hot PVC pipe in the oven

K ) Weight of some kind

ACTION 1 -

Put heat resistant gloves on for safety. The PVC will get really hot and can burn a person.

ACTION 2 -

On Toaster Oven adjust the dial settings.

Function -- I set mine to "TURBO"

Temperature -- 275 degrees worked for me.

Timer -- started with 30 minutes and worked fine.

ACTION 3 -

Place PVC drain pipe into warmed up toaster oven.

ACTION 4 -

Check PVC pipe to determine how soft the material has become. When done the material will be very soft and to hot to handle without gloves on. All edges will need to be soft and bendable. When completely bendable take out of toaster oven.

ACTION 5 -

Place on hard flat surface.

ACTION 6 -

Place flat piece of material that will cover the total area of the sheet. In my case I am using Hardi Backer Board (had a extra one in scarp that fit the job).

ACTION 7 -

Place weights on top of the cover material.

ACTION 8 -

Wait until PVC sheet cools down and is firm again.

ACTION 9 -

Remove weights that have been applying downward pressure on the PVC sheet and cover material.

ACTION 10 -

Remove the cover material and check to make sure PVC sheet material is cool and firm.

ACTION 11 -

PVC sheet is ready to use for the project you need it for. In this case it will be for the circle templates that are need for another project.

I could have laid out just one of the squares and been done and moved on. But since needed two different size template circles I went ahead and laid out the center points for the 3 inch circle in a 4 inch square and also laid out the 2 inch circle on a 2.5 inch square.

YouTube - establishing center point - STEP 6

ACTION 1:

Using a straight edge side make a mark 4 inches in from the edge.

Move down the same edge from the above instruction and make another mark 4 inches in from edge.

Using a straight edge tool (your choice as to what you use) draw a reference line the full length of the PVC material.

Now you have a single line to use as your reference line for the 2 squares you will be laying out.

ACTION 2:

You will now need to complete the other 2 sides of the 4 inch square.

You could use the other edge of the PVC material (like I did) or you can establish 2 new lines to complete the 4 inch square (this is how the 2.5 inch square below was created). If the 2nd edge is not straight, it would be best to go with establishing 2 new lines to insure your 4 inch square has 4 sides that are straight and correctly positioned or your center point (the reason why we are doing this) will be off center and of no real use.

ACTION 3:

Need to draw a line at the mid-point on one of the sides of the 4 inch square, so will need a reference mark for the first point of the line.

Make the second reference mark any where off a base edge to match the first reference point, but with enough distance to draw a straight line.

Complete the line for a center line in the middle of the 4 inch square.

Follow the same process as above and make the other mid-point line to establish the center point of the 4 inch square.

ACTION 4:

Using the corner points of the square and the center point now established draw 2 diagonal lines.

ACTION 5:

If you are doing a second different size circle follow the same process as in ACTION 1 thru ACTION 4 above.

You Tube of STEP 7 - Cut Circle

TOOLS AND MATERIAL:

A ) Drill - must be able to do reverse mode

D ) 4" PVC - drain pipe 12" X 4" - with center point established

L) Hole Saws the sizes you want for the templates

Drill bit assembly

2" hole saw

3" hole saw

ACTION 1:

Load drill bit assembly into drill

ACTION 2:

Drill guide holes at center points for each square.

ACTION 3:

Mount 2" hole saw

ACTION 4:

set drill to reverse mode

to keep PVC form shattering - because forward motion is to strong for PVC and will shatter the material.

ACTION 5:

Center hole saw and cut hole - in reverse mode
(in this case the 2" hole)

ACTION 6:

Switch out hole saws
from 2" to 3"

ACTION 7:

Cut 3" hole

again in reverse mode

In this step it is time to cut apart the squares from the source PVC material.

You Tube of STEP 8 - Cut Away Circle Squares

ACTION 1:

Make first cut to remove excess PVC material for the two squares outlined on the PVC sheet.

ACTION 2:

Cut the 4 inch square away from the sheet of PVC that hold both the 4 inch square and 2.5 inch squares.

ACTION 3:

Make the cuts that will leave you with only the 2.5 inch square by its self.

Making register marks in the template allows for alignment of the circle template with surface we want to outline the circle on. This gives us a very accurate way to insure that the circle we want is positioned correctly on the material we need to form either the circle cut out or circle.

TOOLS AND MATERIALS:

Square PVC materials cut out in STEP 8

F ) Dremel

Shaft extension

1-1/4-Inch Reinforced Rotary Tool Cut-Off Wheels

Rotary Tool Dremel Flex Shaft

ACTION 1:

Start with 4 inch square.

Position Dremel cutting disk to score at one of the reference lines on the square.

Move to each reference line and score a notch at each of the lines until all lines have been notched.

ACTION 2:

Move to the 2.5 inch square.

Position Dremel cutting disk to score at one of the reference lines on the square.

Move to each reference line and score a notch at each of the lines until all lines have been notched.

This STEP is to give the reader the context of why create the Circle Templates and what the useful application is for this simple item.

ACTION 1:

Create First Diagonal

ACTION 2:

Create Second Diagonal

ACTION 3:

Place Circle Template on Block and Align with Diagonal Lines Created in STEPS 1 and 2.

ACTION 4:

Make Outline of Circle on Block.

The materials used in this Instructable are very minimal as the PVC pipe was scrap material so total cost of this project is about $1.50