# Sticky  Guide Bushings



## ModeratorTeam (Jan 20, 2015)

*Mike:* *Guide Bushing Identification *

 *Mike:* *Over sized guide bushing storage* 

 *Mike:* *Using Guide Bushings w/router*


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Moderators......thanks a million for all these. I noticed that the third one down, "Mike - Using Guide bushings" (http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...color="Blue">Using guide bushings </font></b> doesn't work. And I wasn't able to find it in a search of the forums. Do you know if there is another link for that post? Thanks. Jim


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

chessnut2 said:


> I noticed that the third one down, "Mike - Using Guide bushings" doesn't work. And I wasn't able to find it in a search of the forums.


Hi Jim the link is slightly wrong - there is a *"* in there which is in the wrong place

Try this link instead

 *Mike:* *Using guide bushings *

Mods, could you please correct? Thanks

Regards

Phil


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## BernieW (Sep 12, 2006)

It should work now. It did when I clicked on it.


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## chessnut2 (Sep 15, 2011)

Thanks, Phil


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## mbar57 (Apr 20, 2015)

Being relatively new at this I hope this isn't a completely dumb question (although I read somewhere in here when I registered that the only dumb question is the one not asked). I was looking into buying a set of brass guide bushings and noticed that on some of them the actual guides (the part that sticks out and actually follows the template) were all the same length and on others they some were longer. What is the reason for this? And is there an advantage to one or the other? Thanks in advance for the help.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Mike, I just found your question. I prefer the guide bushings that are slightly under 1/4" height for all in the set. They can be used with all templates 1/4" and thicker. Many sets have the longer lengths for larger sizes and this requires thicker templates. I can see no logical reason for this.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

More on this, a most important router application.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

The original Stanley door butt mortising template required a longer bushing to ride against the pins that guided the cut. And the PC type bushings were commonly used for the routers. 

I have had to file off some of mine because of the new plywood thicknesses I use for templates cause them to be too long.

Herb


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## fourfaith (Feb 17, 2014)

Many sets have the longer lengths for larger sizes and this requires thicker templates.the PC type bushings were commonly used for the routers


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

mbar57 said:


> Being relatively new at this I hope this isn't a completely dumb question (although I read somewhere in here when I registered that the only dumb question is the one not asked). I was looking into buying a set of brass guide bushings and noticed that on some of them the actual guides (the part that sticks out and actually follows the template) were all the same length and on others they some were longer. What is the reason for this? And is there an advantage to one or the other? Thanks in advance for the help.





Mike said:


> Mike, I just found your question. I prefer the guide bushings that are slightly under 1/4" height for all in the set. They can be used with all templates 1/4" and thicker. Many sets have the longer lengths for larger sizes and this requires thicker templates. I can see no logical reason for this.


PC type guide bushings with a uniform across all sizes of 7/32 height are made by ShopFox and sold by Infinity among other places. For general use I fully agree with Mike there is no logical reason for the variable heights. Some templates, for example letter templates generally use longer lengths.

I have long been a proponent of the Oak-Park larger guide bushings, a subset of which is available from Lee Valley.
These guide bushings have a 1-1/2 incn through bore witha 1-3/4 inch counterbore and a uniform height of 1/4 inch.

I went over to the "Dark Side" (PC guide bushings)> when I found my Makita RT0701CX3 trim router could take only the PC style guide bushings. I still wish we had available much larger guide bushings when, for example we go router skiing. I am also looking for the thread in which Bobj3 showed a Oak-Park to PC adapter. The one advtnge of the ShopFox guide bushings over the Oak-Park style is the slightly shorter length.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

mftha said:


> PC type guide bushings with a uniform across all sizes of 7/32 height are made by ShopFox and sold by Infinity among other places. For general use I fully agree with Mike there is no logical reason for the variable heights. Some templates, for example letter templates generally use longer lengths.
> 
> I have long been a proponent of the Oak-Park larger guide bushings, a subset of which is available from Lee Valley.
> These guide bushings have a 1-1/2 incn through bore witha 1-3/4 inch counterbore and a uniform height of 1/4 inch.
> ...


Why Tom would you want large template guides with a trim router? It is of course a different matter with your Makita 3612C.
I'm glad to see you posting.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

harrysin said:


> Why Tom would you want large template guides with a trim router? It is of course a different matter with your Makita 3612C.
> I'm glad to see you posting.


Harry, I am thrilled that you are watching my posts. 
Indeed there is no reason to have a larger template guide on a trim router, but then I will try to use it in skiing. Having long been an advocate of the larger template guides, I felt obliged to explain why I knew anything about the PC guides. I do think the Oak-Park/Lee Valley sized guides could be useful for situations in which a template is for some reason such as router bit diameter significantly larger or smaller than the desired product. See for example the contortions I went through in trying to design a way to put a groove around a sign. I designed it using the PC guides because they are the most common, and I wanted to get my head trained to think about using the PC sized guides. It would have been easier and probably more likely to be successful with the larger Oak-Park/Lee Valley guides. What would really have been the easiest would have been to use metric sized guides and router bits:grin:.http://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/98577-how-route-groove-3.html#post1275105


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

mftha said:


> Harry, I am thrilled that you are watching my posts.
> Indeed there is no reason to have a larger template guide on a trim router, but then I will try to use it in skiing. Having long been an advocate of the larger template guides, I felt obliged to explain why I knew anything about the PC guides. I do think the Oak-Park/Lee Valley sized guides could be useful for situations in which a template is for some reason such as router bit diameter significantly larger or smaller than the desired product. See for example the contortions I went through in trying to design a way to put a groove around a sign. I designed it using the PC guides because they are the most common, and I wanted to get my head trained to think about using the PC sized guides. It would have been easier and probably more likely to be successful with the larger Oak-Park/Lee Valley guides. What would really have been the easiest would have been to use metric sized guides and router bits:grin:.http://www.routerforums.com/general-routing/98577-how-route-groove-3.html#post1275105


I'm not sure how you missed out when I was making sets of metric guides for presents to forum members. When I'm well enough to get back into the shed I'll see if I have enough material to make you at least one decent size template guide. All the best my friend.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

harrysin said:


> I'm not sure how you missed out when I was making sets of metric guides for presents to forum members. When I'm well enough to get back into the shed I'll see if I have enough material to make you at least one decent size template guide. All the best my friend.


Harry, I was one of the very fortunate recipients of your generosity.

My recent posts in this thread and others were intended for people who might not have Makita routers, not have the bigger template guides and not be necessarily be fluent in metric.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

For those unfamiliar with the Makita guide bushings this is what they look like. The bushings shown are: "HarrySin Customs"


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