A Paper Template Approach to Making Oval Cuts in Wood
Because no standard hand tool — such as a compass or a carpenter's square — produces an oval outline the way it does a circle or square, a paper template is the most straightforward route to an oval of the size you want. After the outline is drawn, a band saw handles the curved cut in solid wood.
By Reese Rivera6 steps
A band saw is the best tool to cut an oval out of your wood.
Getting a clean oval out of a wood board is not as simple as cutting a circle or a square, since no easy-to-use tool exists for laying out an oval — there is nothing comparable to a geometric compass or a carpenter's square for that job. The most direct method for achieving a perfect oval at the size you require is to make a paper template. Once you have the oval outline, a band saw is the tool best suited to cutting curves in solid wood.
Step 1
Using scissors, cut a rectangle of butcher or art paper to the length and width your oval calls for. Fold it in half lengthwise and again in half widthwise, so that what you see is a single quarter of the rectangle. With a pencil, draw a curve that begins at the top of the long center fold and finishes on the outer edge along the short fold.
Step 2
Cut through all four layers of paper following that curved line. Open the paper up to reveal the oval. If the shape is not what you want, fold it again and trim until it matches your desired oval. Should the shape still be off, make a second template.
Step 3
Pick a piece of lumber in the thickness you want, checking that its width and length are sufficient to hold the template when it is unfolded. Attach the template to the lumber using masking tape, then trace its outline with the pencil.
Step 1
Place the lumber on the band saw table. To free the guide block on the blade, turn its thumb key counterclockwise. Let the block come down onto the face of the lumber. Lift it a little to create clearance, then turn the key clockwise again to lock it.
Step 2
Switch on the saw and let it reach full speed. Feed the lumber into the saw, guiding the board gradually around the blade so that it follows your drawn line. Keep tracing the outline until the entire oval has been cut.
Step 3
Use a random orbit sander on the oval's edge, beginning with 80-grit paper. Then go over it a second time with 120-grit paper for the final smoothing.
