# Guide bushing length



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

Apologies if this has been discussed here before but I could find no references to this particular issue.

I had another look at my set of guides which are basically the PC-style guides made in steel. For the first time I noticed that the length of the central barrel (the actual bushing?) varies greatly from guide to guide: I measured lengths between 0.14" and 0.6". 

I was inclined to write this off as yet another triumph of the Middle Kingdom engineering:bad: but when I looked at the same type bushings on the Lee Valley site here:

Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement

I noticed that the barrel length (height, minimum template thickness) also varied quite a lot. Yet the same guides in the 1-1/2" version have a uniform barrel length of 0.25":

Lee Valley Tools - Important Announcement

So, a number of questions:

1) What is the purpose of the deeper guides? Does anyone really make templates from a 9/16"+ material?

2) Has anyone "adjusted" the length of their barrels to suit better? I should think that a few minutes on a milling machine would do the job. Or in a lathe.

3) Is it a good idea to use steel guides anyway* (I would expect to be more generous with the clearance between the bit and the bushing but still...)?

4) Does anyone sell these guides with a uniform barrel length?

* They are free!:yes4:


----------



## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Hope this isn't a test, I just going for question 2 and 4.
I had some questions about barrel length some weeks ago as I like making templates from hardboard or 1/4" MDF. Basically because it's cheap. Bj tipped me to just cutting off the barrel to length with a tubing cutter. That won't work very well with steel bushings, I know, I tried.:sarcastic: However a bandsaw does work. I drilled a hole in a piece of hardboard the size of the largest bushing I was going to shorten and used it as a shim to set the barrel length and pushed it through. Tip, wear gloves with the steel ones, they get hot. 
On question 4, eagle america has a set with a barrel length of .201, I'll see if I can find them and post a link later. 


Edit - http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/400-1419/router_accessories


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

The length isn't at all critical so long as it protrudes well into, but not beyond the thickness of the template.


----------



## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

+1 to Harry's reply.


----------



## crquack (Oct 10, 2008)

I get that but it does not really explain why anyone would want a 9/16" barrel.

Anyway, I chucked three of the guides in my Taig today and within minutes had barrels of 0.210". I parted off the longer ones and faced them down to dimension, the shorter ones I just faced off.

The other interesting question is: What is an acceptable excentricity of the bits within the guide? When I tried them they were slightly off centre. I tried re-centering the plate with the kit provided but could not get it better than 1/64" or so. In the end I think I got a better result by eye-balling the centering peg within the guide and some feeler gauges.


----------



## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

It all depends on the thicknes of the template. and the rigidity. useally the templates range from 1/8, to 1/2 in. Edges must be sanded smooth to keep thecut smooth. use the longest barrel that you can. a short barrel on a thicker piece, can pick up the ruffnes of a material easier.


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi

1. = yes and yes,many templates need them longer (letter/signs for just one ) 
2. = yes ,I do it all the time
3. = no, the steel guides are thin the norm.
4. = yes ,all the bigger brass guides (1 1/2" ) are 1/4" long

=========



crquack said:


> Apologies if this has been discussed here before but I could find no references to this particular issue.
> 
> I had another look at my set of guides which are basically the PC-style guides made in steel. For the first time I noticed that the length of the central barrel (the actual bushing?) varies greatly from guide to guide: I measured lengths between 0.14" and 0.6".
> 
> ...


----------



## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

As you have realised, it's easier to shorten one than to lengthen one! As for eccentricity, if it looks OK the chances are that no problem will be observed on the finished article.


----------



## Mike Wingate (Apr 26, 2009)

I am tempted to turn mine down to a standard length. If you want a long one , add a tube around a smaller dia guide, and grub screw that to the original. I am tempted to buy another set and turn them down flush, to use as minimum clearance router plate inserts. Then keep 1, or buy 1 long guide specifically for a jig guide on the table, so many ideas, so many guides, but prob still not as many as Bobj3.


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Mike

I'm a cheap old SOB and I was going to do the same thing but it's better to just buy them, your money ahead of the job that way , then rework them if you want to 

1-3/16" Router Plate Inserts - Lee Valley Tools
1-3/4" Router Plate Inserts - Lee Valley Tools


======



Mike Wingate said:


> I am tempted to turn mine down to a standard length. If you want a long one , add a tube around a smaller dia guide, and grub screw that to the original. I am tempted to buy another set and turn them down flush, to use as minimum clearance router plate inserts. Then keep 1, or buy 1 long guide specifically for a jig guide on the table, so many ideas, so many guides, but prob still not as many as Bobj3.


----------



## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

I have 2 sets and a bunch of strays. 1 set is cut down the other left alone. Many of the templates I've made over the yrs have been out of 1/2" AC. I've done 5 or 6 sets of inset stairs in the past but never enough to warrant the cost of the factory jigs made for that purpose. Now most of my templates are of 1/4" luan, more like 7/32 or less.

I think smaller routers can handle cut down guides easy, but I feel safer using the longer guides on the 3hp router.


----------



## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Mike... I've got the 1-3/4" ones Bob refers to... very nicely machined.


----------



## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

In reading the posts above, I just finally understand why they make guides so long, I've never climbed Insert to place routers on my table, always with the sole of the router flush the top of the table


----------



## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

?????????? say what ????

=======




Santé said:


> In reading the posts above, I just finally understand why they make guides so long, I've never climbed Insert to place routers on my table, always with the sole of the router flush the top of the table


----------



## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

I would say that guide bushing with a free hand router, you need only 1 / 4 "long, but with the router under table with metal insert, you must add the thickness of the insert.


----------



## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

That is an photo of my first table with my first litle very old router (Kress 450w and 25 / 30 years old ? and it still works very well) 
You can see that it is no insert plate.


----------



## Tom76 (Aug 28, 2009)

Santé said:


> I would say that guide bushing with a free hand router, you need only 1 / 4 "long, but with the router under table with metal insert, you must add the thickness of the insert.


In answer to your two postings above

Pour répondre à vos deux messages ci-dessus

De nombreux jeux de guides de modèle vendu avec le certains plus longue que les autres et évidemment qu'ils avaient une bonne raison de la variétéCertains ont été conçus pour être utilisés avec ces gabarits comme dovetail gabarits ou joints de doigt. Personnellement je n'ai jamais utilisé les guides dans la table et je pense qu'ils sont utilisés avec les coupeurs de droites simples

Vous êtes tout à fait correct que certaines des guides plus nécessitent un modèle plus épais et qui va limiter la profondeur, que vous pouvez obtenir avec la sécurité, en particulier lorsque les coupeurs de ¼ "sont utilisés. Je suggérerais il y en a plusieurs qui peut être réalisé avec utilisation des guides modèle lorsqu'ils sont utilisés dans le mode de plongée

Avez vous donné toute considération à l'utilisation de la main de routeur détenue. Cette opération ajoute une plus grande sensibilisation de sécurité lorsque vous utilisez le routeur. J'ai déposé une variété de projets sur You Tube pour tous à voir (routage avec Tom O'Donnell)

Tom 
(Template Tom)


----------



## Santé (Jan 14, 2010)

Thanks Tom for answer in french ! You can answer in English, it helps me improve my English, it's not too late! (I 75 years)
yes, i have see a part of your videos on Youtube (Routing with Tom O'Donnell). that is very interesting !
Thanks for all
Daniel (Santé )


----------

