# Are all Plunge router guide bushings created equally?



## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Guys are there guide bushings that are considered better or worse on certain brands ? 
I hear about PC guide bushings a lot and don't know if they set some kind of standard for them , or if all brands have the same quality and availability .
I see they install differently from one brand of router to another . Is this something to consider ?

I guess it's all the same outcome but this is something I've never considered before and will help me determine my next plunge router as I can't find my frigging plunge base for my PC690 

Ok I just googled guide bushings and seen them on the fixed base of a PC router . Sorry as I thought they wee strictly for the plunge part . I see I have a lot to learn yet


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Sorry mods I may have posted in the wrong thread area .feel free to move it


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Rick

No, 7 types that _know about_


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RainMan1 said:


> Sorry mods I may have posted in the wrong thread area .feel free to move it


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

No Rick, not all guide bushings are equal.

The PC type are well mentioned as so many manufacturers have copied the concept.

I personally stick with brass guide bushings,or the single part Makita guide bushings, rather that steel PC type.

I have never had a brass guide bushing come loose and I have never had to tighten the guide bushing with pliers.

Even my Ryobi router come with a single pressed steel guide bushing.


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## Woodenhokie (Apr 15, 2014)

*Graphite*



RainMan1 said:


> Guys are there guide bushings that are considered better or worse on certain brands ?
> I hear about PC guide bushings a lot and don't know if they set some kind of standard for them , or if all brands have the same quality and availability .
> I see they install differently from one brand of router to another . Is this something to consider ?
> 
> ...


I was having trouble with my PC plunge router sticking. I cleaned the guides from all grease and then applied some graphite power. Once I got the excess cleaned up the plunger works great. I adjusted the break release and like the performance. Got the graphite idea from a guy at the DeWalt service location.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I've never made a secret of the fact that I consider the PC style template guides as museum pieces. Makita and Hitachi, whilst not compatible are made from steel and until the current Makita RP2301FC were held in position with two screws. The Makita which uses the same guides, fits and locks in place with the pull of a small lever. Guides up to 40mm are available and even bigger ones can be made. Unlike James, on two occasions of the very few times that I've used the Brass guides I have plunged too low and the guide has unscrewed! Shown also is a set of five home made one piece metric guides, 20,25,30,35 and 40mm.
It has been suggested on this forum that steel guides are dangerous as if a bit hits it, it will chip. In the forty years that I have been routing, the only bits that I chipped were ones that I dropped onto the concrete floor! For maximum depth of cut, and that is what we all want, the chuck must fit through the template guide.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Thank you for the info guys . Harry now I better understand why there's a need for larger diameters. I would have never looked at those issues , good stuff .
I may take a gander at our Makitas at Home Hardware . Bet you 20 bucks they don't have the brain capacity to stock the guides


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

RainMan1 said:


> Thank you for the info guys . Harry now I better understand why there's a need for larger diameters. I would have never looked at those issues , good stuff .
> I may take a gander at our Makitas at Home Hardware . Bet you 20 bucks they don't have the brain capacity to stock the guides


Probably not and I'm sure they won't have or be able to source 40mm ones but they should be able to obtain 1 1/2" ones which are suitable for serious template routing.


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## BrianS (Nov 7, 2004)

Hi Rick. Lee Valley has a pretty good assortment of guide bushings on our side of the border. Both the PC style bushings, and the larger ones that are used on the Router Workshop table.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

BrianS said:


> Hi Rick. Lee Valley has a pretty good assortment of guide bushings on our side of the border. Both the PC style bushings, and the larger ones that are used on the Router Workshop table.


FYI Lee Valley also sells "South of the Border". They are unfortunately the only remaining source of the Router Workshop sized guides of which I am aware, and they do not have the entire range of sizes Oak-Park used to sell.

I fully absolutely unconditionally support Harry's contention that the PC sized guides are at best museum pieces.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Harry does this set fit your router , or is it for PC . They show a green router ? 

http://www.amazon.ca/Kempston-99000..._sim_hi_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1F93G35BFBPAQQE8H9CA


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

I'll beat Harry to this one. The template guides you reference are the PC style, with a 1 3/16 through bore. The largest outer diameter of the guides is 51/64, so a 3/4 in dia bit would not fit, and there is no chance the collet would fit through. Look at the template guides sold by Lee Valley as one alternative. Even better, get or make a base plate with a 1 1/2 in through bore, 1/3/4 in counterbore so you can use Lee Valley's 1 3/4 in template guides http://http://www.leevalley.com/us/wood/page.aspx?p=41778&cat=1,43000,51208&ap=1. 1 1/2 in is not quite Harry's 40 mm template guide, but it is about as close as us North Americans can get.


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## subtleaccents (Nov 5, 2011)

I have found the PC style of guide bushing design to be less than acceptable. They fit far too loose in the base plate. Each time you lock the bush in place it is not centered to the router bit. 

I use to do faucet hole repairs in Corian using the 15 degree taper bits. The hole would end up being oval shape by several thousandths. That could and most time would give you a seam show after the adhesive cured. Even the cast bases of the PC routers were not machined to a close enough tolerance to give me the results I needed. After spending a number of years in the tool and die trade I learned how to machine to a tight tolerance and that gave me the ability remachine the bases to* MY* satisfaction.

I have had very good success with the PC motors so I accept the additional work needed to true up the bases.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

With members like Tom I could well soon become redundant!


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

harrysin said:


> With members like Tom I could well soon become redundant!


Harry, that will never happen!


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

harrysin said:


> With members like Tom I could well soon become redundant!


lol

Thanks Tom . Guys this is very helpful ,especially when your like me and haven't a clue.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Hey guys my first job is to install my Incra router plate in my TS extension . 
I'm pretty close to ordering a Festool 1400 router . Here's the link from LeeValley for the guides . I was going to order a few while I'm at it . Does anyone recommend which ones I should get to install this plate and for future projects . Thanks in advance 

Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement


Also I see this "Guide Bushing Adapter" and I'm assuming that's to use other companies guides?

Update : there like 18 bucks a pop and I only see 4 choice so I think I'll just order all 4 . Was originally going with the smallest and largest


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## plunger (Jun 21, 2013)

If you're going Festool, Festool provides their own guide bushings- metric, imperial, or accepting PC style.

Template Guides Metric for Routers - Festool Power Tools

Template Guides Imperial for Routers - Festool Power Tools


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Well the more I think of it , the only time you would want the smallest diameter guide is if a larger one wouldn't go inside a radius when your trying to copy something ?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Don't forget that it is the BIT diameter that determines the routed radius, not the template guide diameter.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

harrysin said:


> Don't forget that it is the BIT diameter that determines the routed radius, not the template guide diameter.


I need a video or something . (Maybe even a drink ) 
Let's say I want to install my router plate in a table . So I put double sided tape on my Incra router plate and stick it to a piece of mdf . 

Whether I used a 1/4 inch bit in a plunge router or a 1/2 inch bit in the plunge router and used the same size guide bushing pressed against the router plate tracing it , would it not make any difference as long as you used the same guide bushing size and bit size again when you went on the inside of this newly made template to create an exact hole for the router plate ?


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