Interests in the use of template Guides (Guide Bushes)

[Tom O'Donnell]

I would be interested if anyone has had great success with the use of the guides and what sort of projects they produce.
How would you rate the guide as an accessory 1 (low) ------10 (high)? or see poll

[Jim Becker]

Tom, some routing operations require guide bushings...an example would be cutting dovetails with most dovetail jigs. Template routing also uses these as does inlay work.

There are three considerations with regards to guide bushings:

Fit...most, but not all routers use the design and size brought forth by Porter Cable. This "defacto standard" means you can use the same bushings with a variety of routers natively as well as with any router that you equip with a sub-based that can accomodate the PC bushings
Quality...some of them are pretty crappy. I prefer the brass bushings and should you accidently nick one with a bit, brass is soft and will not damage the edge.
Centering. It's absolutely necessary for the guide bushing to be exactly centered "around" the bit. This can take some doing as it usually requires shifting the sub-base to center. Some routers come with a jig for this purpose (Dewalt DW618, for example); others do not. The jig is basically a cone on a shaft that can fit into both a 1/4" and 1/2" collet. It draws the hole in the sub-base into position where it is concentric with the spindle.

[Tom O'Donnell]

Jim

Thank you for your prompt reply I would be inerested in what sort of projects you would do other than the ones mentioned in your posting which are the most common use for the guides. I agree that it is important to ensure it is centrally secured in the router base and like you I have witnessed at least one brand of router where it was visibly seen that the cutter was not centrally seen within the guide,

Tom

[Gredo Goldenstein]

I use a guide bushing in my shelf hole jig. That bush with a 1/4" bit does a wonderful job.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

I use them where repetitive cuts are required. I've cut curved facia boards for an octagon gazebo using a bushing and a shop built jig. I use them with my dovetail jig. It's imperative as pointed out by Jim that they be perfectly centered especially when using the dovetail jig. DAMHIKT.....if you are using a dovetail jig and the dovetails don't seem to be coming out correctly....check the centering of your guide bushing FIRST! :( :confused: :D

[Jeremy Bracey]

I dont use them very regularly, but when I do they are very valuable. Like someone else posted, they are my prefered way of making shelf pin holes. I use some cheapies I bought from woodline at a show.

[Steve Clardy]

They are on the low end of the poll for me. Not often used. Guess it all depends on what you are making.

Steve

[Chris Padilla]

I just used one to make some holes in 2x6s. I threw together a quickie rectangular template cut out of some scrap 1/4" ply and used my nice 1/2" solid carbide up/down spiral bit. Worked great on green fir.

In the past, I bought several sizes in order to make a very snugly, perfectly fitting plug for a heat register whose ducting I decided to remove. I made a rectangular template and first routed out the duct hole in the floor so it had nice clean edges, and then using the same template AND the appropriate template guide and bit, I was able to route out a plug that fit so snugly that I had to drill a small hole in the sucker to lever it back out after a test fit! :)