# Template Guides



## M Howard Benton (Mar 7, 2011)

I bought a set of template guides from Porter Cable for my Porter Cable router. I have installed one of the guides the only way I can figure to install, with the screw ring on the inside and the guide on the outside. When I try to use a small round bottom cutter with a template, the collet bottoms out on the inside ring with about an eighth of an inch of the bit projecting to make the cut, not enough to do any good. What am I doing wrong? Please help. I am trying to cut some run off grooves on a cutting board for carving roasts.


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

Howard, 

Two options come to mind. First, you can try by not chucking up your bit so far into the collet. This might give you the room you need.

Another option could be to try a larger diameter guide, but that would require you to redesign your template.

It sounds like you have the template installed right, but a picture of your setup will help for sure. Make a handful of replys to introduction posts, and then attach a picture of your setup. 

Hope this helps,


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## 01stairguy (Apr 18, 2010)

*try this vid*



howardbenton said:


> I bought a set of template guides from Porter Cable for my Porter Cable router. I have installed one of the guides the only way I can figure to install, with the screw ring on the inside and the guide on the outside. When I try to use a small round bottom cutter with a template, the collet bottoms out on the inside ring with about an eighth of an inch of the bit projecting to make the cut, not enough to do any good. What am I doing wrong? Please help. I am trying to cut some run off grooves on a cutting board for carving roasts.


hi howard, try this vid it will help :thank you to understand the purpose of the tenplate guides :thank_you2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvCvYeRCtYA&feature=related


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

G’day Howard

Welcome to the router forum. 

Thank you for joining us


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## M Howard Benton (Mar 7, 2011)

*roter guides*



jw2170 said:


> G’day Howard
> 
> Welcome to the router forum.
> 
> Thank you for joining us


If I extend the bit by pulling it out of the collet it goes against all the instruction I have seen as to how to properly insert a bit into the collet. Using a larger diameter guide will not help because the collet is butting up against the retaining ring on the guide. I had an old craftsman router and the guides on that one screwed to the plate and did not extend into the space between the plate and the collet. Maybe I need a collet extender but everything I have read about them sort of scares me.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

howardbenton said:


> I bought a set of template guides from Porter Cable for my Porter Cable router. I have installed one of the guides the only way I can figure to install, with the screw ring on the inside and the guide on the outside. When I try to use a small round bottom cutter with a template, the collet bottoms out on the inside ring with about an eighth of an inch of the bit projecting to make the cut, not enough to do any good. What am I doing wrong? Please help. I am trying to cut some run off grooves on a cutting board for carving roasts.


Whilst I don't normally respond to members without a first name, safety can be a factor here based on my own experience and that of other members. Firstly, in my opinion, when the rotating collet can't fit inside the three piece guide and it plunges just too far and hits the guide, it can and often does unscrew the guide! Not a good situation. I took these shots today to demonstrate why I have always advocated BIG diameter guides, my favourite being the 40mm.


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## Quillman (Aug 16, 2010)

I suspect the extension (the part that slides on the templet) on the bush is the culprit.
Install the collar and nut on the subbase.
Remove the subbase, clamp in a vise.
Saw the extension down to a 1/4" or so.
See short length sawn collar.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

If you have selected the bit you want to use and it's to big for your guide take the guide out and just use the side of the router base for the guide..
OR
Just use a longer bit
MLCS core box and round nose router bits
OR
Just use your ski jig ..see ski jig below..

===========


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## kp91 (Sep 10, 2004)

howardbenton said:


> If I extend the bit by pulling it out of the collet it goes against all the instruction I have seen as to how to properly insert a bit into the collet. Using a larger diameter guide will not help because the collet is butting up against the retaining ring on the guide. I had an old craftsman router and the guides on that one screwed to the plate and did not extend into the space between the plate and the collet. Maybe I need a collet extender but everything I have read about them sort of scares me.


As long as the bit passes fully through the collet, you're not going to get any additional bite on the shank by putting it in any further.

But, trust your gut. If you aren't comfortable doing something, don't do it.


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## Marco (Feb 21, 2009)

Howard you are not doing anything wrong......... your bit is too short.

I found out and learned the hard way that when your bit is too short and you hit the guide bushing nut a time or two and it loosens............ all hell breaks loose in a flash! luckily the guide bushing and nut were brass and gave a little. Fortunately the only thing hurt was the guide bushing, guide bushing nut, router bit and the carbon coated pride.

Someone linked a good price on the longer bit you were using...... get that and you will be good to go. BTW...... a Collet Extension won't help in this situation as you will be dealing with the same amount of bit extending from the collet.

True a large guide bushing would/could allow the depth you need but your template would have to be re-done


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

bigger guides, lets the bigger bits works easy ..

========


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## Village Carpenter (Jan 9, 2011)

Hi, I notice that you are concerned about using an extension collet. Don't be. Trend produce high Quality collet extenders for 8mm and 1/2" collets. I use one all the time in my router table. The bad press has come from people use low quality routers without proper bearings. Dewalt, Elu, Trend and any top quality router does not have a problem. You should also have a reasonable distance between to router bit and the guide bush, This for two reasons,first is safety, so you don't rout the metal, and the other is to allow waste to disperse. 
A simple guide for working out your offset for guide bushes and cutters is 
E = size of guide bush (D) minus the size of cutter (d), divided by two.
E = (D-d)/2


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