Router guide tip

[Bill Dufour]

I made a simple curve guide jig for my router from some scrap plywood. It was hard to use and jumpy. The router just would not sit straight. Turns out the new improved metric plywood is thinner that enough the guide bushings are now too long. I will have to sand or grind off about 1/16" from the bushing guide nose so it does not bottom out.
I need to bore it out a hair anyway since it is not centered well enough. I see it throw a few sparks under load.
Bill D.

[Warren Lake]

normal stuff and sure I have three lengths of some different ones as they come. Often the base does not sit centered or accurately return same. Sometime there is play in the bushing as it sits in the router base and ive modified those as well. Never had one contacted by the bit from inside the template bushing though that sounds odd. Have filed them templates on the outside to reduce it where it contacts the jig then always run on that same place on the template. There is some jazz in all of it plus some mcgiver to modify.

[Edward Weber]

Don't you guys use a centering jig to align your guide bushings?
There are lots of variations, I have a couple that look like this
https://www.rockler.com/rockler-rout...9-554a52082897

[Maurice Mcmurry]

I rely on the edge of a centered, round, router base against the guide rather than a guide bushing. The guide has to be made over size by the distance between the cutting edge of the bit and the base of the router.

[Ken Andersen]

Don't you guys use a centering jig to align your guide bushings?
There are lots of variations, I have a couple that look like this
https://www.rockler.com/rockler-rout...9-554a52082897

I know of these centering cones but I don't use one. Instead, I install a 1/4" inside diameter guide in the base plate with its mounting screws loose. Now, I put a 1/4" router bit in the collet with enough of the shank protruding to enter the guide bushing. Tighten the mounting screws. Done!

[Warren Lake]

using the base doesnt work once the radius is small

[Maurice Mcmurry]

using the base doesnt work once the radius is small

That is a good brain teaser. I will have to experiment. The edge of the base is how I carve ellipse sound holes and rosettes as well as the bodies and cavities for the electric mandolins. I think the only limit to radius is the size of the cutter.

"using the base does not work once the radius is small"
I have had a beer and will gladly eat my words tomorrow. The edge base and the cutting edge are always relative to each other. The size of the cutter AND / OR the size of the guide bushing are limitations.

Actually, I can go ahead and eat my words tonight. There is a cutting zone that is limited by the size of the base. It is also limited by the size of the guide bushing. Thank you Warren!

[Thomas McCurnin]

Whiteside has a more accurate base centering jig which is simply a steel rod which is exactly the same diameter as the inside of the guide bushing. It is used for inlay work, and comes in several sizes, starting at 7/16ths

[Warren Lake]

Hey Maurice

no words to eat. There are inside and outside things. Ive done tons of template, people say use a shaper, well you cant when you have tight inside radius work. Some past work shaper could do 90 percent but not the whole thing cause of an inside radius and the 3" shaper head too large but a router with a template bushing fine. In that case some could have been done and maybe should have been done by the shaper but its more fiddly to be changing between two systems and maybe have a step when you go from one to the other.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Don't you guys use a centering jig to align your guide bushings?
There are lots of variations, I have a couple that look like this
https://www.rockler.com/rockler-rout...9-554a52082897

Pat Warner recommended them. I picked up a DeWalt cone type with the rod for about $10 a few years back. It works like a charm and will probably outlast me. I use it whenever I change bases on all my routers.