# Largest Guide Bush



## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

Am I correct in say the largest standard guide bush for the Dewalt DW625E is 30mm? Does anyone do anything larger that would fit the base of these routers? Or, will I need to machine one myself from a hunk of duralumin?


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

Yes I believe 30mm is the largest


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

boldford said:


> Am I correct in say the largest standard guide bush for the Dewalt DW625E is 30mm? Does anyone do anything larger that would fit the base of these routers? Or, will I need to machine one myself from a hunk of duralumin?


Hi Brian

Don't believe those who are telling you 30mm :nono: - in the UK the actual answer is *40mm* - from Trend - there's a 6mm projection one and a 14mm projection one. The price on the net should be 25 to 30% off the "official" price. If you need to go larger you'll need a sub base machined to take the Trend T11 guide bushes which are made in sizes of *50, 60 and 70mm* because those guide bushes don't directly fit the DW625 or Trend T11 (which are almost identical because they come off the same production line). Those large guide bushes are 95mm in diameter overall as opposed to the standard Trend/Elu/DW (all the same) guide bushes which are 60mm overall diameter

As an aside Axminster sell a 32mm steel guide bush which is only 2mm bigger that DWs biggest, but that may be of use to some. Their steel guide bushes are remarkably cheap and not bad at all

Regards

Phil


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

Hi Phil
I've done a search and came up with the shallower 40mm x 6mm one which will do at a pinch for the DW625, although I'd prefer the deeper one. I'll not be using it as guide bush per se. More as a spigot to allow the router to accurately and repeatedly locate into a range of skis to run along a box jig. All a bit specialised to avoid the bulk and cost of a spindle moulder, jigs and custom knives.

Nevertheless many thanks for the heads-up.

Ah! I've now found the deeper one.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Brian

Glad to know that you are sorted. With Trend stuff even if you can't locate it on the 'net there's often a local dealer who'll get it in for you. Generally takes 24 to 48 hours.

Sounds like an interesting project

Regards

Phil 

Edit: Previous post should have read _"deWalt DW625 and Trend *T10*"_ (not T11 as stated) The big guide bushes are, of course, designed to fit the T11 directly


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

boldford said:


> Hi Phil
> I've done a search and came up with the shallower 40mm x 6mm one which will do at a pinch for the DW625, although I'd prefer the deeper one. I'll not be using it as guide bush per se. More as a spigot to allow the router to accurately and repeatedly locate into a range of skis to run along a box jig. All a bit specialised to avoid the bulk and cost of a spindle moulder, jigs and custom knives.
> 
> Nevertheless many thanks for the heads-up.
> ...


You don't say what bit you're going to be using, but if you are only looking for the larger OD to provide better location in your fixture, then you might consider shrinking a sleeve on the OD of an existing bushing. This would have the advantage that the bushing could be used in a standard baseplate.

Tom


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

I intend to be using a 30mm diameter cutter (Wealden T1430M) which needs to fit through a hole bigger than what I originally thought was the biggest available guide bush for a DW625EK. Although I've got a metal working lathe the availability of a 40mm bush saves a whole heap of time and effort.
Hopefully life is becoming more straight-forward for one of my projects.
Can anyone comment how best to accurately centralise this large guide bush. The 30mm DE6301 comes with a centralising gadget. Or is this another project for the lathe?


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

boldford said:


> Can anyone comment how best to accurately centralise this large guide bush. The 30mm DE6301 comes with a centralising gadget. Or is this another project for the lathe?


Hi Brian

The DE6301 is designed to hold the original tube-type guide bushes, the centring cone (centring mandrel) is available separately (it used to be supplied). I'll dig out the part number for you and post tomorrow. I'll also get the size off mine and confirm if it will do the job oR NOT). Even if it won't the Festool centring mandrel will - it is definitely 40mm, but at one heck of a price in comparison to DW.

The way you use the DW is to fix the three lobe conversion plate onto the base of the router, then screw the guide bush onto the three lobe plate, leaving the screws slightly loose. the centring mandrel is inserted into the collet and the router lightly plunged so that it just touches the GB. Tighten the GB screws. I find it better to substitute button-head hex-drive machine screws for the countersunk head screws from DW or Trend. They give you a bit more wiggle room.

Regards

Phil


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Hi Brian

The DW centring mandrel will indeed work with a 40mm O/D guide bush (the cone is actually 39.5mm diameter at it's max), HOWEVER, deWalt in their infinite wisdom have dropped the part from their listings in the last 5 years since I bought one (confirmed by telephone this morning, sorry). Trend don't sell it or a direct equivalent, either, because their approach is to offer a sub-base, special centring guide bush and a centing pin at about £30. So, that leaves the Festool centring mandrel ZD-OF/D 6,35+8:










which needs to be used with an 8mm or a 1/4in collet (the DW was used with a 1/2in collet). I've just checked mine and it is about 41.5mm max diameter and so will work with a 40mm GB. At just under £15 on the linked supplier they are a bit more expensive than the original DW item but still cheaper than I recall. The DW was (from memory) less than a tenner. Either way still cheaper than Trend's solution - and you don't lose 5mm or so off your plunge depth, either

Hope this helps

Regards

Phil


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## tomp913 (Mar 7, 2014)

boldford said:


> I intend to be using a 30mm diameter cutter (Wealden T1430M) which needs to fit through a hole bigger than what I originally thought was the biggest available guide bush for a DW625EK. Although I've got a metal working lathe the availability of a 40mm bush saves a whole heap of time and effort.
> Hopefully life is becoming more straight-forward for one of my projects.
> Can anyone comment how best to accurately centralise this large guide bush. The 30mm DE6301 comes with a centralising gadget. Or is this another project for the lathe?


If a lathe is available, why not machine a disc with an OD equal to a tight slip-fit in the ID of the bushing and an ID that's a tight slip-fit on a piece of drill rod equal to the collet ID? There are a couple of sources offering something similar except the OD of the disc fits in the c'bore of the baseplate that accepts the flange of the PC guide bushing.

Tom


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

It sounds like I have the solution to hand. I already have a DE6301 along with the centring gadget. I simply didn't think to check its max OD. Doh!
I've ordered a Trend GB40/B so, all being well, I've only now got to make the box jigs and skis.
For those that are interested in what I'm doing. I'm making some wooden door jambs to suit the tumbleholm of some heritage railway carriages. Originally the carriage works made such large quantities they could justify sophisticated dedicated tooling. Nowadays a batch is made in such penny numbers the tooling cost have got to be kept way low.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

The original way would probably have been on a spindle moulder with a ring fence - they were adopted rapidly by railway workshops after they appeared in the 1860s. One local station round here still has the original S-shaped booking office in place with the original L&Y round on round mouldings. I've made that sort of thing only a few times in my life. An interesting problem to solve. Mind if I ask which railway, Brian?


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

BR Mk1 TSO on the SVR.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Are they steel panelled, Brian?


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

Phil P said:


> Are they steel panelled, Brian?


BR Mk1s are steel panel welded to a Z section framework. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Railways_Mark_1
The doors jambs being timber for ease of adjustment.

Back on topic: I have now received the GB40/B guide bush only to find it doesn't fit the DW625 base. Drat! 
It would, however, fit the DW615. It looks like I'm back to having to turn up a guide bush or an adaptor to make the GB40/B fit the DW625 after all. The saving grace is (as mentioned above) I already have a centreing gadget.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

boldford said:


> I have now received the GB40/B guide bush only to find it doesn't fit the DW625 base. Drat!
> It would, however, fit the DW615. It looks like I'm back to having to turn up a guide bush or an adaptor to make the GB40/B fit the DW625 after all. The saving grace is (as mentioned above) I already have a centreing gadget.


It should do, Brian. The older DW625s were supposed to come with an adaptor plate like this:










I had one of these supplied with both my Elu MOF177e type 4 (which also had the tube guide bush and adaptor) and the DW625el type 5 I have (although that *didn't* come with the tube guide bush/adaptor). My mate's type 6 (latest model) came only with a 30mm guide bush designed to fit the base directly so he had to buy a Trend DW625EK/T10 in order to use the 16mm GB he has for one of his jigs. This item is effectively the same item as my supplied DW adaptor - a plate allowing fitting of MOF96/Trend guide bushes. Sorry, but I assumed that as you had an older DW625 (type 4?) that you had the same in the tin that I received. DW are obviously not that consistent

Regards

Phil

Edit: Just talked to the technical guy at DW in Slough who informs me that he thinks that whilst on the type 4s and a few type 5s they did supply an adaptor plate, the items was delisted as soon as DW came up with their own directly fitting 30mm guide bush. The tube adaptor was dropped at the end of the type 4 run although he thought that some type 4 Elus were sent out with both the adaptor and the tube guide. DW has rationalised its' spare parts listing and as most DW dealers are also Trend dealers he advised me to buy the Trend part I referred to above. :angry:


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

Fearing that a simple query about guide bushes was turning into something epic I've now ordered a Trend WP-T10/075 Router Guide Bush Adaptor. .


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

I now have everything I need to hand; only needing to sort out the fixing screws. Thanks for the help from all those that posted.


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## boldford (Jan 21, 2009)

5mm screws sourced and guide bush fitted concentrically. Issue resolved. Many thanks to all the contributors.


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## Phil P (Jul 25, 2010)

Good to hear it


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