Drawing hole in large cylinder

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Hello,I am building a smoker, the main chamber is about 20" diameter,I need to cut a hole for a 3" pipe into it.What's the best way to draw the outline to cut the hole for the 3" pipe ?Ideally if I had a piece of the 3" fishmouthed I could then use that to draw the hole outline.Any suggestions ?Thanks,L
Reply:Take the piece of 3" pipe and tack it where you want it. Doesn't matter if all of it touches. Then take a soapstone and lay it against the 3" pipe and extend it down  and scribe that line onto the piece you want to cut. If you sand the soapstone so the side nearest the 3" pipe is the longest, it will get you fairly close. I like to use a flat stone for something like this. Cut inside the line and grind/file to fit..No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth! Ronald Reagan
Reply:Roll up a chunk of cardboard to 3" and fishmouth it.If you don't want to stand behind our Troops, feel free to stand in front of them.
Reply:Go slow and think twice before making radical cuts. These can fool you quick. If your pipe hits dead center and is perpendicular, not such a big deal. If it towards the back and at an angle then you might be surprised at the final shape of the hole. Doesn't hurt to go to the extra effort to do a ruff cope on a sacrificial piece of tube and tack it in place then step back to get a visual."The things that will destroy America are prosperity at any price, peace at any price, safety first instead of duty first, the love of soft living and the get rich quick theory of life." -Theodore Roosevelt
Reply:nice, thanks
Reply:Or print a template on paper and trace:http://www.harderwoods.com/pipetemplate.php
Reply:Originally Posted by rlitmanOr print a template on paper and trace:http://www.harderwoods.com/pipetemplate.php