# What guide bush



## drummy (Jun 20, 2013)

Anyone have a recommendation for a guide bushing set? My friend bought a Shop Fox set and said it was not good and has sent it back. Threads were messed up and sizes varied from the specs.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Unfortunately America at this point in time appears to be locked into the Porter Cable type template guides which have severe restrictions so far as the ability of the router collet to pass through and so restricts the depth of cut and types of bits that can be used. Sure, there are after market sub bases that accept more sensible guides but in my perhaps not so humble opinion America should come into the 21st century so far as routers are concerned. It's an established fact that countries that are first with a technology invariably end up with the worst as other countries develop the technology, just take as an example the American NTSC colour television system which is inferior to the German designed PAL system, even the French SECAM system is Superior. Now I'm not American bashing, many of my friends are American, it's just that not enough woodworkers are demanding PLUNGE routers with LARGE openings which take LARGE template guides. Many of the current American routers do have LARGE openings but then cover them with a SMALL hole to take the above mentioned PC template guides.
I consider the following sizes combined with a good selection of bits will allow just about any project to be designed with a very wide range of offsets.
16mm,20mm,25mm,30mm,35mm and 40mm. A mixture of metric and Imperial bits and guides makes for the ultimate set for the serious routologist. Skis should be used when the router base is sat on the template less than about two thirds.


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

Hi Harry - didn't take your post as American bashing at all. I always assumed the NTSC alphabet soup stood for *N*ot *T*he *S*ame *C*olor.

Sherwood - I prefer short barrel guides as sold by Eagle America and WoodCraft. Be aware there are at least two thread pitches so lock rings from one maker may or may not fit bushings from another. Another option would be to look into the Milescraft system which does not use lock rings but you do need to use their baseplate.
Amazon.com: Milescraft 1211 Base Plate Metal-Nose Bushing Set for Routers: Home Improvement)


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## drummy (Jun 20, 2013)

Thank you guys. Food for thought and you got me looking at my options. I'm new to this whole bushing thing.
Thanks again


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## Carlswoodturning (Mar 6, 2013)

I'm also new to routing, I haven't used guide bushings yet. I have a Triton ( the larger 31/4 hp). Will this accept the better guide bushings as described by Harry?


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

I too have a Triton TRA001 but it is permanently under the table where it was obviously designed for and does a wonderful job. However, as a hand held plunge router it's way down on my list. Originally they did not take template guides but there is now a replacement base plate and a set of guides but I think that the largest one is only 3/4", too small for a serious routologist and hopefully all new members of this forum will soon realize how exciting and relaxing it is to become proficient with a hand held PLUNGE router, especially a large high power machine which I as a mere 5'3" 80 year old have no difficulty handling.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Most tools or accessories have a "standard" that they copy. Porter Cable is simply the standard (US) template guide. that the others try to follow. Ergo, most are made similar. The upside of PC is that most routers can use them or be retrofitted to use them. Like all tools they have good/bad features. I haven't had a situation yet where I couldn't use them. Sometimes you do have to be creative though. If you get into buying accessories that are out of the "standard" type you may end up with something that can only be used on one tool. I am curious as to why I would need something bigger than the largest PC guide for template/pattern cutting. Maybe someone can educate me on that issue, I'm always willing to learn new methods and techniques. I'm also not familiar with the offerings of our overseas neighbors. Might be a tool out there that I've just got to have. lol Oh, on the issue of barrel length, I have a set I shortened with my grinder. Being a wood turner I have a variety of "home made" tools & devices in my arsenal.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

To start with, a large guide allows the collet to penetrate giving a much deeper cut, it also enables one to SEE what the bit is doing, plus of course larger bits can be used and the dust does not compact which when it does increases the temperature of the bit.
For many examples of the use of large guides, 40mm/1.5" take the time to wade through my large number of uploaded projects going back several years.


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

I like the one from Woodcraft, the barrel is just shy of 1/4 inch so you can make templates of 1/4 inch stock (Masonite). Here's the link: Buy 10 Piece Router Bushing Set With Case at Woodcraft


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## jschaben (Jun 21, 2009)

I agree with Harry, the larger guides very handy to have. Unfortunately few routers marketed in the US can use them right off the shelf. I have guides up to 1.5" in diameter and have made baseplates for most of my routers to accept them. It is also a PIA when I need to go from a bushing smaller than 1" to one greater than 1" as I need to swap baseplates and center as necessary. To get around this, I usually set one router up with PC bushings and the other up with the larger ones and then I just need to swap bits and reset bit height. The other issue with the larger guides is the only North American supplier I know off is Lee Valley and they tend to be pricey. I don't know of a North American supplier of metric bushings.
Making baseplates is fairly easy though, you just need a 1½" through hole and a 1¾" counter bore for the large bushings, otherwise the process is the same.


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## TWheels (May 26, 2006)

harrysin said:


> Unfortunately America at this point in time appears to be locked into the Porter Cable type template guides which have severe restrictions so far as the ability of the router collet to pass through and so restricts the depth of cut and types of bits that can be used. Sure, there are after market sub bases that accept more sensible guides but in my perhaps not so humble opinion America should come into the 21st century so far as routers are concerned. It's an established fact that countries that are first with a technology invariably end up with the worst as other countries develop the technology, just take as an example the American NTSC colour television system which is inferior to the German designed PAL system, even the French SECAM system is Superior. Now I'm not American bashing, many of my friends are American, it's just that not enough woodworkers are demanding PLUNGE routers with LARGE openings which take LARGE template guides. Many of the current American routers do have LARGE openings but then cover them with a SMALL hole to take the above mentioned PC template guides.
> I consider the following sizes combined with a good selection of bits will allow just about any project to be designed with a very wide range of offsets.
> 16mm,20mm,25mm,30mm,35mm and 40mm. A mixture of metric and Imperial bits and guides makes for the ultimate set for the serious routologist. Skis should be used when the router base is sat on the template less than about two thirds.


Harry, and to all others:
I agree completely with everything you said that I am competent to agree with. I wish I could find a supplier of the template guides you recommend. I am about to get serious about making my own base plates. 
Lee Valley sells a subset of the now defunct Oak-Park sized template guides, and they have a similar set of Porter Cable sized guides.

Your comment about the US NTSC television standard has been an under my skin irritant for years. , I too have long remembered NTSC as Not Twice Same Color, from the days I was considering a career in broadcast engineering.


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Triton TGA150*



Carlswoodturning said:


> I'm also new to routing, I haven't used guide bushings yet. I have a Triton ( the larger 31/4 hp). Will this accept the better guide bushings as described by Harry?


These are available in US.


Triton Tools | Router Accessories | TGA150 | Accessories Kit

With the supplied adapter, they will also take PC style guide bushings.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Thanks Harry. I've never seen the large ones you describe. I'll check Lee Valley to see what John is talking about. I prefer to make my own base plates out of a clear material so I can see the bit as you said. There are many things (tools, cars, airplanes) available on your side of the pond that I wish we had easier access to. I have friends who studied their woodworking craft under the English apprenticeship programs and are a wealth of knowledge. That is only available over here in a very few specialty colleges.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Gary, manufacturers produce what consumers demand, that's simple economics, so until woodworkers start demanding plunge routers with large openings to accept large template guides there is no way that they will tool-up for 21st century products. If retailers keep getting asked for such tools it won't take long for the message to reach the manufacturers. It's like metric, whilst there is no government plan to change, I notice that more and more tools in America are being advertised in metric and Imperial, it's a start.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

John, I Googled Lee Valley. Are the 1 & 3/4" guides the ones you are referring to ?? Or did I miss something. I've had the problem Harry referred to (collet hitting the guide) on a few projects. Wore a hole in a brass template in a hurry. I'll go over Harry's posts to learn more. Maybe Harry can give us a few web sites to browse for the guides he is talking about.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Harry: Amen to that. I use both metric and SAE in a lot of things I do. It would be nice to have one standard. Metric is easier, once you get used to it. Most American manufacturers produce only that which gives them a higher bottom line. Unfortunate. I'm reading your posts but that's gonna take a while. lol


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## Carlswoodturning (Mar 6, 2013)

Harry, glad to hear you like the Triton with a table, it's my first real router, and I've done a lot this spring with my home made table.

I'm looking foreword to getting another for learning plunge work. You and others on this site have convinced me that there's a lot of projects in my future. Sounds like I should go with PC, are the older models (used) as versatile as the new?


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## jw2170 (Jan 24, 2008)

*Which router...?*



Garyk said:


> John, I Googled Lee Valley. Are the 1 & 3/4" guides the ones you are referring to ?? Or did I miss something. I've had the problem Harry referred to (collet hitting the guide) on a few projects. Wore a hole in a brass template in a hurry. I'll go over Harry's posts to learn more. Maybe Harry can give us a few web sites to browse for the guides he is talking about.


Hi Gary.

I just checked your profile and you do not show what make/model router you have.

If you could add this information to your profile, we would be in a better position to help you.

Making a new base plate is easy, but it depends on the diameter of the hole in your routers actual base.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Guys, please spend a couple minutes looking at the guide bushing identification thread I posted in our Guide Bushings and Templates section. You will see photos of all these guide bushings.

The sticky threads at the top of each section of the forums are loaded with great information. Seems like I may of mentioned this once or twice before...


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Carlswoodturning said:


> Harry, glad to hear you like the Triton with a table, it's my first real router, and I've done a lot this spring with my home made table.
> 
> I'm looking foreword to getting another for learning plunge work. You and others on this site have convinced me that there's a lot of projects in my future. Sounds like I should go with PC, are the older models (used) as versatile as the new?


Carl, if your wish is to become a competent routologist, then I would advise you to buy a router with a large bottom opening that accepts template guides larger than the PC style, for instance the Makita RP2301FC which in my opinion is worth saving for.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Garyk said:


> John, I Googled Lee Valley. Are the 1 & 3/4" guides the ones you are referring to ?? Or did I miss something. I've had the problem Harry referred to (collet hitting the guide) on a few projects. Wore a hole in a brass template in a hurry. I'll go over Harry's posts to learn more. Maybe Harry can give us a few web sites to browse for the guides he is talking about.


Gary, unfortunately because you haven't completed your public profile I don't know what tools you have or what experience you have. Asking for these details isn't out of curiosity, it simply makes it possible for members to give you meaningful answers.


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## Garyk (Dec 29, 2011)

Sorry for the delay in responding but we are currently in an area where wifi signal is almost non existent. I have updated my profile as suggested. I will be away from my home base for the next 2 months and in travel mode so I can not check the forum on a daily basis.


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

That's so much better Gary, you're now one of us!


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## Spectric (Jul 11, 2013)

Hi all

Well this thread has made me realise that the threaded guide bushes are not all they seem to be, initially I was thinking of going down this route as the bosch ones are not well made, so looks like I will be buying a uni base and trend bushes.

Roy


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Roy, the Bosch bushings work fine but are best for rough construction use. Since you are in the UK your best solution is the Trend Unibase and their plastic or steel bushings. Since you can buy the metric bushings in sets of evens or odds and an Imperial set this gives you the widest selection of bushings of any brand. They are shown here with my Trend T4 router.


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## drummy (Jun 20, 2013)

Mike said:


> Roy, the Bosch bushings work fine but are best for rough construction use. Since you are in the UK your best solution is the Trend Unibase and their plastic or steel bushings. Since you can buy the metric bushings in sets of evens or odds and an Imperial set this gives you the widest selection of bushings of any brand. They are shown here with my Trend T4 router.


Hi Mike
What is it that makes the Bosch bushings good for rough construction and another brand better? What should I be looking for?


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