# Should I bother with templates?



## Gweedz (Jul 6, 2010)

I understand the benefit of using templates if you're making multiple identical parts, however lets say I plan on building something with no intentions of ever making it again... wouldn't it be better to put my time and materials into making the actual part instead of making a template first?

Which leads to my second question... if I have no templates and don't have intentions of making any, is there any advantage to having an assortment of guide bushings? Don't some router bits come with bearings that essentially accomplish the same thing?


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## istracpsboss (Sep 14, 2008)

There are plenty of occasions when a template will make a job easier. Say you want to cut one or more rectangular holes in something. Making up a rectangular template from four pieces of material glued together will give you something to guide your router and maintain the size limits. If you are likely to need one again, there are designs for making them adjustable. Time spent making templates is never wasted. You don't need to buy them. It's surprising what you can knock up out of some MDF or plywood and some coach bolts.
Yes, some bits have bearings, but most do not. You are also limited to the bearing size provided, whereas a set of guide bushings will enable you to vary the offset. In addition, the bearings are more often than not on the bottom of the bit, meaning that they will bear on a surface below the workpiece, which may be difficult to see. Guide bushings work from the top, which is easier to watch. Guide bushings enable you to use all your different profiles. Many bits, including most profile bits, don't have bearings and without guide bushes you are going to be limited to just using your fence as a guide.

Cheers

Peter


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Hello Guido! I think that You would always get the bushings. You may only need one piece, but You can't always measure and cut. Sometimes, it does make sense to make a template, so You can check that a part cut to those specks, will fit properly. Special wood isn't cheep. I would rather throw a bad template out, that a highly figured wood that You paid a arm, and a leg for ! Just a thought.


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

I would say just concentrate on the part if it's the only time you will make it. The other side of the coin is if you mess up your only part & had a template it would only take minutes & you are back on schedule. That's something you will have to decide. If it is an easy part I would just make the one part. For me I only make a template of something I need multiples of.


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## Chuck-grmi (May 18, 2010)

I think like a lot of things. That is a personal choice. If you're never going to make the part again or don't have the room to store them. Why spend the time making a template. But having said that. I have about 40 templates hanging on the wall and probably 30 of them I have only used once. But you never know!!!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Guido

Just my 2 cents

" guide bushings? " they are like having more than one type of screw driver or just one type of hammer, if you don't use them you are missing out on some of the neat things the router can do for you..

Template is just another name for jigs, many times you need to do the same on two parts of a protect, a right hand side and left hand side or the front and the back side the norm, many,many templates can do more than one type of job, lets take a oval template. if you make a big oval master template you can use it for many ovals just by using a big guide to make the oval smaller.

I can't tell you how many I have but I have tons of them, and use them for many types of jobs not just one type of job..when you make a template use your head so it can be used in many ways.. 

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Gweedz said:


> I understand the benefit of using templates if you're making multiple identical parts, however lets say I plan on building something with no intentions of ever making it again... wouldn't it be better to put my time and materials into making the actual part instead of making a template first?
> 
> Which leads to my second question... if I have no templates and don't have intentions of making any, is there any advantage to having an assortment of guide bushings? Don't some router bits come with bearings that essentially accomplish the same thing?


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## GTVi (May 14, 2010)

In addition to all of the points made above, making a template that can be used to make your piece, also acts as a "practice run" to avoid accidentally ruining your expensive material.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Gweedz said:


> I understand the benefit of using templates if you're making multiple identical parts, however lets say I plan on building something with no intentions of ever making it again... wouldn't it be better to put my time and materials into making the actual part instead of making a template first?
> 
> Which leads to my second question... if I have no templates and don't have intentions of making any, is there any advantage to having an assortment of guide bushings? Don't some router bits come with bearings that essentially accomplish the same thing?


Plunge routing with templates and guides forms the major part of my routing hobby and has for many years however, there are occasions for a one off when I use the fastest way that I can think of at the time. If you intend to make routing your hobby or method of making money, then I don't see how you will be successful without the use of templates, guides and a PLUNGE router. I produced this simple set-up some time ago for a member who was new to routing and asked how to rout a slot, rather than confuse him with a template and guide.


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## Gweedz (Jul 6, 2010)

OK so it seems guides are more versatile than I first imagined. Still not exactly sure how I'll use them, but chances are I'll go to do something one day, use the guides and say "wow, those guys really know what they're talking about". 

I can also see the benefits of templates, especially for simple, repetitive cuts.
For now my most expensive wood is maple veneer plywood, so I'm not too worried about ruining some exotic wood. I'm sure once I get better with the router and notice I'm repeating many of the same cuts, I'll be in a better position to see what can be simplified with a template.

Are there any books that deal with strictly templates and jigs?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

" Are there any books that deal with strictly templates and jigs?"
No, not that I know about but you have one of the best, on this forum 
take some time and read some of the best in the link below.

Guide Bushings and Templates - Router Forums

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Gweedz said:


> OK so it seems guides are more versatile than I first imagined. Still not exactly sure how I'll use them, but chances are I'll go to do something one day, use the guides and say "wow, those guys really know what they're talking about".
> 
> I can also see the benefits of templates, especially for simple, repetitive cuts.
> For now my most expensive wood is maple veneer plywood, so I'm not too worried about ruining some exotic wood. I'm sure once I get better with the router and notice I'm repeating many of the same cuts, I'll be in a better position to see what can be simplified with a template.
> ...


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## xvimbi (Sep 29, 2009)

Gweedz said:


> Are there any books that deal with strictly templates and jigs?


Actually, there is a bunch of books that deal with jigs and fixtures:

Amazon.com: Taunton's Complete Illustrated Guide to Jigs & Fixtures (Complete Illustrated…
Amazon.com: Jigs & Fixtures for Curvilinear Woodworking: David J. Marks, Chris Rowe: Movies & TV
Amazon.com: Danny Proulx's 50 Shop-Made Jigs & Fixtures: Jigs & Fixtures For…
Amazon.com: Woodshop Jigs & Fixtures (A Fine Woodworking Book) (9781561580736): Sandor…

They are not exclusive to routers, just as jigs are not exclusive to routers. Once you look over what jigs people have come up with over the decades (centuries?), you'd wonder how anything can be accomplished without them.

I don't know of any books that deal with templates exclusively, but here is a well-known router book that covers exactly what you are after:

Amazon.com: Router Magic: Jigs, Fixtures, and Tricks to Unleash Your Router's Full Potential (0071138001856): Bill Hylton: Books

Anything by Bill Hylton is highly recommended (IMHO).

Cheers - MM


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## jlord (Nov 16, 2009)

The wood magazines will put out specialty editions every once in awhile. Some times they are all router related or contain jigs & templates for multiple machines such as tablesaw, bandsaw, router table, etc. Taunton Press puts out a big hard cover titled Jigs & Fixtures by Sandor Nagyszalanczy. It's a couple of hundred pages full of jigs & fixtures, it contains other shop machinery as well.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

"Are there any books that deal with strictly templates and jigs?"

Not that I'm aware of that is why for over three years I have been posting regular projects, all fully illustrated, using the plunge router, template guides and templates together with details of how I make templates.


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## bridger (Nov 26, 2010)

Gweedz said:


> I understand the benefit of using templates if you're making multiple identical parts, however lets say I plan on building something with no intentions of ever making it again... wouldn't it be better to put my time and materials into making the actual part instead of making a template first?


yes


> Which leads to my second question... if I have no templates and don't have intentions of making any, is there any advantage to having an assortment of guide bushings? Don't some router bits come with bearings that essentially accomplish the same thing?



[/QUOTE]
yes


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

Once you have a full set of guides and just some templates a new world will open up to you , and you will say I didn't know I could that... you will be amazed what one template can be used for..i.e. if you want to make the item bigger or smaller all with one template or just using part of the template..


In my uploads you will see many ways to use them..it's worth the time to make them, like they say anyone can make one off but it's hard to make more than one the same way without one..

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bridger said:


> yes


yes


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## Tom76 (Aug 28, 2009)

Gweedz said:


> I understand the benefit of using templates if you're making multiple identical parts, however lets say I plan on building something with no intentions of ever making it again... wouldn't it be better to put my time and materials into making the actual part instead of making a template first?
> 
> Which leads to my second question... if I have no templates and don't have intentions of making any, is there any advantage to having an assortment of guide bushings? Don't some router bits come with bearings that essentially accomplish the same thing?


With the aid of templates and template Guidescyou will add greater Safety Awareness with the use of the router.


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