Cutting Rings and Bulkplates on a Band Saw

Our friend Burl Finkelstein kindly offered to add to the RTV body of knowledge by doing a quick write-up on how he cuts rings and bulkheads using his band saw. Thanks, Burl!

1) Set up: Using a small home shop band saw, one way circles can be cut is with a compass type circle cutting attachment. The one shown was purchased at Sears and adapted to my Delta saw. You can see the c-clamp I am using to hold the circle cutting attachment in place. This is necessary because I would have to redrill the mounting holes to fit the Sears attachment to my Delta saw.
2) What is critical: The guides are set properly to hold the blade, adjust hem before you start. The center point guide on the attachment is even with the front of the blade. In other words, the pointy thing is even with the sharp part of the blade.
3)View form the rear of the attachment, showing how the spring loaded center point is holding the wood. You just lift it to release the wood.
4) Set the guide by measuring from the center point to the near edge of the blade and setting this to the radius of the desired disk. To start the cut, hold up the spring loaded point, turn on the saw and cut up to the edge of the circle. The release the point so it holding the center of disk
5) Rotate the plywood on the center point. Use care to feed by pushing consistently in one direction. This is to keep the guide from flexing during the cut. If the feed force is consistent you will get a perfectly round disk.
6) The finished product.

Caution: The band saw is very unforgiving about getting your fingers in front of the blade. Unless you are a starfish and you tentacles will grow back, be CAREFUL. It is hard to hook of the clips to your rocket igniter with a finger missing.