# Anyone using Route-R-Joint template jig?



## the_nite_owl (Oct 19, 2009)

I picked up the Route-R-Joint system at a woodworking show over the weekend and am having a devil of a time with it.
My joints come out looking great and seem to line up well with each other but are too tight to put together without cracking the wood even using the smallest diameter guide bushing.

Anyone else use this successfully?


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## xplorx4 (Dec 1, 2008)

Greetings Trent and welcome to the router forum. Thank you for joining us.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Trent

They are very tricky to cut,,you should have a air blow gun by to blow out the sockets, just a little saw dust in the pocket will stop the guide from doing it's job, one little chip will give you a error at glue up time and it only takes one socket to be off that little bit..

Be sure to use the right guide,,you will need to mike the ones you got with the jig...and RTM to know what one needs to be in place..

One Standard .308" OD Bushing
One Tighter Fit .311" OD Bushing
One Dovetail 7/16" OD Bushing

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the_nite_owl said:


> I picked up the Route-R-Joint system at a woodworking show over the weekend and am having a devil of a time with it.
> My joints come out looking great and seem to line up well with each other but are too tight to put together without cracking the wood even using the smallest diameter guide bushing.
> 
> Anyone else use this successfully?


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## George II (Nov 8, 2007)

the_nite_owl said:


> I picked up the Route-R-Joint system at a woodworking show over the weekend and am having a devil of a time with it.
> My joints come out looking great and seem to line up well with each other but are too tight to put together without cracking the wood even using the smallest diameter guide bushing.
> 
> Anyone else use this successfully?


I have one, Trent and it has been awhile since I used it I would have to go over the instructions and watch the DVD, with that said, I would call Woodline as there customer support if fantastic. I will go to my "Man Cave" and have a look at my instructions and get back to you..By the way, what joint are you attempting?

Regards,
George Cole
"Regulae Stultis Sunt"


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## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

Have you accurately centred the guide bush?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

see video

Fast Joint Precision Joinery System

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## the_nite_owl (Oct 19, 2009)

I have been using the .308 guide bushing as it is recommended when the joints are tight but no luck.
I make multiple passes cutting to clear out the dust and chips. I keep going till it's all clean and is not taking off wood any longer.

My guide bushing is centered, it fits very snugly into the plate and does not move around.
The one issue I DO have is that my PC router in the table does not adjust freely. Every time I raise the bit the router is tipping in the base and going off center and I have to fiddle around with it to get it centered again. Cannot figure out why it is doing that but it is new and I am about ready to bring it back. 
In any event, I made sure the bit was straight up through the center of the guide, the guide did not move and I used the smallest guide. But these joints come out tight.

I need to practice more but I do not have suitable scrap. All I have in the area is Home Depot and all their wood is 1". I have a jointer/planer combo on the way but not sure how long it will be before it arrives.


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## Fredw (Jun 24, 2007)

the_nite_owl said:


> I picked up the Route-R-Joint system at a woodworking show over the weekend and am having a devil of a time with it.
> My joints come out looking great and seem to line up well with each other but are too tight to put together without cracking the wood even using the smallest diameter guide bushing.
> 
> Anyone else use this successfully?


I'm also having a problem w my new Route-R- Joint sys.... first off my bit won't center in the guide bushing -- and joints seem cut smooth and clean I can't get the 2 pieces to seat even w a big fine adjustment tool..


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## the_nite_owl (Oct 19, 2009)

Fredw said:


> I'm also having a problem w my new Route-R- Joint sys.... first off my bit won't center in the guide bushing -- and joints seem cut smooth and clean I can't get the 2 pieces to seat even w a big fine adjustment tool..


That's what is happening with me.
The main problem with centering the bit is with the guide bushing in the plate.
I have a Woodpecker plate and the PC style bushings I picked up at WoodCraft just do not seat down properly and I think it is tilted to one side a bit.
The guy that makes the Route-R-Joint system said I could send him my plate and he would machine it out for a perfect fit. I am going to have to take him up on it. Not sure if it is the Woodpecker plates or the WoodCraft bushings but both claim to be PC style. I have three of those size throat plates so I can send one to have it precision machined and still have two with original sizing.

Another problem I had with the system is that most of the templates were mis-cut. One side is deeper than the other so it goes at a slight angle. Have to exchange them for properly cut ones.


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

I'm not familiar with that particular jig (I use the Incra and Katie jigs), but here's a couple of ideas to check...

As for tightness of the joint, as BobJ says "The deeper the bit the tighter the fit."

The other thing is to measure your bit carefully. If the bit is off-tolerance you can see that. In a precision joint like a dovetail, precise dimensions are important.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

That jig is a hard one to use and setup  the bit MUST be dead on center and I mean dead on, that little 3/16" bit must do a lot work, I would say get the air blow gun out and blow out the template b/4 you remove the stock from the clamp template and than run it by the bit one more time, if it's off by .001 the parts will not fit..
Note be sure to use the right guide
You may want to check out the video below on the MLCS web page it may help..

Fast Joint Precision Joinery System


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the_nite_owl said:


> That's what is happening with me.
> The main problem with centering the bit is with the guide bushing in the plate.
> I have a Woodpecker plate and the PC style bushings I picked up at WoodCraft just do not seat down properly and I think it is tilted to one side a bit.
> The guy that makes the Route-R-Joint system said I could send him my plate and he would machine it out for a perfect fit. I am going to have to take him up on it. Not sure if it is the Woodpecker plates or the WoodCraft bushings but both claim to be PC style. I have three of those size throat plates so I can send one to have it precision machined and still have two with original sizing.
> ...


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## the_nite_owl (Oct 19, 2009)

bobj3 said:


> Hi
> 
> That jig is a hard one to use and setup  the bit MUST be dead on center and I mean dead on, that little 3/16" bit must do a lot work, I would say get the air blow gun out and blow out the template b/4 you remove the stock from the clamp template and than run it by the bit one more time, if it's off by .001 the parts will not fit..
> Note be sure to use the right guide
> ...


I had problems with my PC890 router adjusting up and down causing it to kink a bit off to one side and figured this was part of the problem. Now I have a PRL-V2 lift and gave it another try. The PRL-V2 does not appear to have any kind of adjustment for centering to the plate though so any fine tuning would have to be done with the PC bushing. My bushings do not sit down into the Woodpecker plates though. I noticed if I took the locking ring out and rotated it 180 degrees it centered better. Not sure if that is the bushing being off or the locking ring.

Any idea if the PRL-V2 lift can be adjusted? They did not send any kind of documentation with it, only how to install the mounts for your router and the instructions seem to be slightly outdated.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Trent

I'm sorry I don't have that lift but many on the forum have, maybe some one will come in and tell how it can be done..

" rotated it 180 degrees it centered better" 
I will say that will not do it .must be dead center  like they say junk in junk out ..
Most plates can be adjusted but making the holes a little bit bigger and using Alllen flat screws they have a smaller OD on the head diam. it only takes a little bit..to get in on center.. 


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the_nite_owl said:


> I had problems with my PC890 router adjusting up and down causing it to kink a bit off to one side and figured this was part of the problem. Now I have a PRL-V2 lift and gave it another try. The PRL-V2 does not appear to have any kind of adjustment for centering to the plate though so any fine tuning would have to be done with the PC bushing. My bushings do not sit down into the Woodpecker plates though. I noticed if I took the locking ring out and rotated it 180 degrees it centered better. Not sure if that is the bushing being off or the locking ring.
> 
> Any idea if the PRL-V2 lift can be adjusted? They did not send any kind of documentation with it, only how to install the mounts for your router and the instructions seem to be slightly outdated.


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