# My templates/ brass inserts don't fit my router



## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

I read the sticky at the top but it contained no links and I've been unable to find answers to my specific situation

http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bushings-templates/14984-using-guide-bushings-your-router.html

As advertised in Harbor Freight (see link). I purchased the 2.5 HP plunge router. As you can see to the right, advertised as working with that router (I even called Technical support), are supposed to be the template guide set and the brass inserts (I purchased both accessories).

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

However, when I looked at the plunge router, there's no threads to mount them.

Do I need to make my own?

Since they are brass, I'm thinking I might need to solder the rings to a piece of brass, then cut it so it fits with the 2 screws at the base of the router.

Unfortunately, I didn't take photos of the router base so it's kind of hard to describe.

Thanks for any advice or links or photos or diagrams you might have.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

HI David

The guides come with a ring nut that holds them in place,,

It's best if you make a new sub.plate for you router or you can buy one that you can put in place once you remove the old one on your router..

David ,,,the router you got should have two screw holes in it (bottom of the router base) , that should take on the brass adapter brass plate,once you screw it down in place in the router base the guides should slip in and then put the guide in place and screw on the brass ring nut to hold them in place.. 

To make your own,,1/4" thick of plastic ( 8" x 8" square) square is the best and all you need is two drill bits ( 1 3/16" and a 1 3/8" ) " forstner bits "


here's a link for a base plate that will let you use the guides..
Router Replacement Bases
Router accessories 2

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SE18 said:


> I read the sticky at the top but it contained no links and I've been unable to find answers to my specific situation
> 
> http://www.routerforums.com/guide-bushings-templates/14984-using-guide-bushings-your-router.html
> 
> ...


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

thanks; I'll try this again and put up some photos of the whole process over the weekend


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

Hi Bob,

As you can see from the photo, the brass rings in the packs have nothing to thread to; they drop all the way down to the die-cast base of the router.

I'm thinking perhaps I could fabricate a plate like in the one in the photo that is made of aluminum. I'm thinking make a similar plate of brass and solder the ring to that? Wish there was a simpler way, though.

Thanks


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## curiousgeorge (Nov 6, 2006)

David,
You are trying to make this harder than it really is. Forget trying to fabricate and soldering. What you need is an adapter base plate that will accept the inserts and templates. Here is one at Lee Valley Tools that should do the job. All you have to do is replace the plate that came on your router.

Adapter Base Plate - Lee Valley Tools


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

David

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95160

then you can still use the bigger bits without putting the old base plate back on,just take the screws free and pull the brass plate out. 

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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

oh, okay, thanks, guys. I should have purchased the 10 piece set with the larger ring to replace the aluminum one instead of the nine piece one without an adapter


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi David

The larger set will not fit without some rework 

http://www.routerforums.com/project-plans-how/10818-bogydave.html
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SE18 said:


> oh, okay, thanks, guys. I should have purchased the 10 piece set with the larger ring to replace the aluminum one instead of the nine piece one without an adapter


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

thanks; I'm studying the info in the link; I've got some other work I'm doing but eventually when I get around to completing this task, I'll post some photos.

Again, thanks for your assistance


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

Hi again.

I thought about the whole thing last night and fabricated a solution with about 2 hours work (thinking always seems to take longer than actual work).

I decided after studying the links Bob supplied to go with my own fabrication using brass.

However, my brass was too thin so I folded it 3 times and pressed it in my bottle jack press. I then sandwiched it betweeen some wood screwed togeether (see photo) and then used a hole cutter to cut out the size I needed for the female type ring.










I then fluxed the brass, placed a ring of solder around the ring and sweat soldered it in place with a propane torch. I also sweat soldered the 3 layers of brass together.

I then rough-cut the brass to the dimensions of the aluminum product that came with the router. After some filing with a big file and then with needle files, I determined the fit was dead center (with some of the bits, there's almost no room for error).

Incidentally, some of the router guides have smaller holes for quarter inch bits (my bits are half inch) and one guide is just an eighth inch hole. I know they don't make eighth inch bits so I can't figure out what that is used for, unless it is a drill or something (I didn't know you can use drills in routers, and I don't have a collet that small in any case). This is somewhat of a mystery to me at this time.

Below are some photos.

I spent the remainder of today making industrial shelving out of metal bedframes, to try and store all my tools and scraps and other junk treasures.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi David

It's going to be tricky to tighten the guides or get them out without using a pair of pliers ,,,( the guides must be tight or they will come off when you start to use them ) The brass is soft and I think you will nail them with the pliers..you may want to make a tool to remove them ,called a spanner pin wrench tool with two small dowel pins that fit into the guide base flange..



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SE18 said:


> Hi again.
> 
> I thought about the whole thing last night and fabricated a solution with about 2 hours work (thinking always seems to take longer than actual work).
> 
> ...


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

David,

That works! What you have looks a heck of a lot like my <no longer made> Rtobi RE600 router. It too came with a 3+ inch hole in the baseplate and two screws just like yours. It also came with a cheezy plate that fit in there that was not sized for guide bushings but was pre-formed for a 1/2" bit. You will see it as part 504 in the attached exploded view of the router. FWIW the Ryboi manual is in the Router Reference subforum, under Ryobi.

It looks like you've found a solution but otherwise the guys recommending replacing the plate. I dug my old RE600 out and plan to do the same thing.

Jim


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

Thanks, Jim. It seems to be pretty firm and functional. 

Hi Bob,

I'm not sure of that tool but perhaps a mini oil filter changer like they use on cars? Would be pretty easy to make with some strap iron that workers throw away all the time. But it seems to be holding pretty tight, for now at least.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Jim

You may have one in the box in your shop,many of the 4-1/2" Angle Grinders come with this type of tool to remove the lock nut that's holds the grinding wheel in place...all it would take is to drill the small holes to match the pin wrench pattern ..

- Harbor Freight Tools - Quality Tools at the Lowest Prices

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SE18 said:


> Thanks, Jim. It seems to be pretty firm and functional.
> 
> Hi Bob,
> 
> I'm not sure of that tool but perhaps a mini oil filter changer like they use on cars? Would be pretty easy to make with some strap iron that workers throw away all the time. But it seems to be holding pretty tight, for now at least.


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

Oh, I know what you mean; I've got that grinder and tool (sorry, but I buy cheap tools; I know the tool snobs will snub me ;-))

holes could be drilled in the guides here or a bit down some so the tool can reach into the holes better










the other option would be to solder brass tabs to make twisting more efficient










Cheers

Dave V


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Dave

No solder 

You don't want to deform the guide in anyway with the heat plus you don't want anything on the side of the guide,it must be smoooooooth and clean..and true..

Note *** " cheap tools " HF puts them on sale all the time for 12.oo bucks and if I wipe one out I just put it in the trash can..less the parts and mark it up as part of the cost of the job..  just like a drill bit...


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SE18 said:


> Oh, I know what you mean; I've got that grinder and tool (sorry, but I buy cheap tools; I know the tool snobs will snub me ;-))
> 
> holes could be drilled in the guides here or a bit down some so the tool can reach into the holes better
> 
> ...


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## SE18 (Apr 6, 2009)

stupid me, I forgot the upper end of the bit is the working end, the tabs would interfere. duh

Thanks, Bob,

would you believe there are folk out there who won't even talk to me b/c I don't have brand-name upper end tools


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## karateed (Feb 7, 2006)

SE18 said:


> would you believe there are folk out there who won't even talk to me b/c I don't have brand-name upper end tools


Hi Dave,

Don't worry about that, on this site I'm sure there are very few like that, if any. Nothing wrong with cheap tools if that's what you can afford.

Ed......


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

For all the trouble you are having you should just build a new sub base plate with the proper hole to mount the guide bushings. It is a 20 minute job and works like a champ. Then you can attach the guides with the ring nuts like they are supposed to be used. If the webbing in your router base is in the way you can cut it out like they do with the big Hitachi routers. Quick, easy, time to enjoy routing.


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