Doing one of these up for a friend. approx 6x6 and using a 60 degree v-bit. If I was any good at cutting, I would cut them out in circular… or can I with easel? Can I create a circle around it and cut down to the wasteboard?
Yes, just use the easel prebuilt shapes to add a circle, drag edges to exceed your clock face, set it ‘outline’ and not ‘fill’ and set the depth equal to the thickness of material. I know I’m over simplifying that just a bit but it should be easy to do although it might be better to use a straight bit for that task so then you have to set it in easel to use multiple bits.
Yes. Create a new workpiece with the outer circle using 1/8” bit. Also, everything they said above…
Might have to steal this idea and put my unit patch in the middle. 
Let’s see the finished product once its done.