Precision Machined Brass Router Guide Bushings - Some Guidance Needed Please

T

TinyTiger

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Mar 10, 2013
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I'm looking for some guidance from our brain trust here (please!) I also posted a similar thread on Routerforums.  I searched quite a bit for the answer and didn't find it in any of the existing threads. Perhaps I missed it. If so, please point me in the right direction....

I want to cut dadoes on cabinet sides using an exact-width dado jig. The jig involves running a straight bit and guide bushing along the jig. I've been using a router with a standard PC (1-3/16") hole in the base and a brass bushing. Easy peasy, huh? Wrong - I fought with it and fought with it and couldn't get things to fit properly. It turns out that the bushing was of such poor machining that it slops side-to-side inside the base hole, even when tightened.  >:(  The base plate is fine - another PC bushing I have works well.  Bottom line - I need some better and more accurate bushings!

I'm looking for advice based on your experience - which brand(s) of PC-style brass bushings have the most precise machining so they fit well in the base and won't move side-to-side on me? I want the best quality I can get. I'm looking for a complete set and have been looking at all the usual suspects - Lee Valley, Hartville Tools (which advertises CNC machining on theirs), Woodhaven, Rockler, MLCS, etc., etc. Unfortunately Whiteside and Leigh only make a few sizes and not a complete set.

Please let me know who does the best job of machining them.  Thanks a bunch for your help!
 
Unless P-C has published a standard size and tolerance somewhere, and I have never heard reference that they have, everyone is reverse engineering their bushings to what they have available to measure against. Of course the router manufactureres are probably doing the same thing when they make the receiver portion in their bases. The tendency over time will be to have more and more slop in the mix as no one wants their tools to come back because they are too tight to assemble. The best thing for you to do, IMO, is take a close look at your router base and the bushing to see which diameter is designed to pilot the bushing. It should not be the thread. Once you determine which diameter locates the bushing and what size it is (it will be a shallow counterbore, I will try to check one of mine tonight to give you an idea what size it should be) you can try to check several suppliers to see what size they are targeting for their bushings, and to what tolerance. Then you can decide which source to use.

If I had to guess I would say Lee Valley may be the most responsive to supplying the information about their bushing sizing philosophy. You did not say what router you are using. If it is a Festool you may just be better off using one of their own bushings with whatever cutter you wish and then calculating out the ideal size for setting your jig. The exersize is the same no matter what bushing you use but the issues of unwanted movement should go away with a Festool bushing in a Festool router.
 
If this is a production application, go to a local machine shop and give them your specs, along with tolerances.

I got this idea from Brian Boggs, who was also frustrated with the poor machining on the bushings.  He said the cost at the machine shop was much less than he thought it would be.
 
greg mann said:
Unless P-C has published a standard size and tolerance somewhere, and I have never heard reference that they have, everyone is reverse engineering their bushings to what they have available to measure against. Of course the router manufactureres are probably doing the same thing when they make the receiver portion in their bases. The tendency over time will be to have more and more slop in the mix as no one wants their tools to come back because they are too tight to assemble. The best thing for you to do, IMO, is take a close look at your router base and the bushing to see which diameter is designed to pilot the bushing. It should not be the thread. Once you determine which diameter locates the bushing and what size it is (it will be a shallow counterbore, I will try to check one of mine tonight to give you an idea what size it should be) you can try to check several suppliers to see what size they are targeting for their bushings, and to what tolerance. Then you can decide which source to use.

If I had to guess I would say Lee Valley may be the most responsive to supplying the information about their bushing sizing philosophy. You did not say what router you are using. If it is a Festool you may just be better off using one of their own bushings with whatever cutter you wish and then calculating out the ideal size for setting your jig. The exersize is the same no matter what bushing you use but the issues of unwanted movement should go away with a Festool bushing in a Festool router.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the info Greg!  I'm using a Dewalt DW618 Router for this operation.  My Festool Router is on my "future purchases" list for now....
 
rvieceli said:
Perhaps you'd be better off using a bit with a top mounted bearing instead of using the plate mounted guide bushing.
Click to expand...

Yeah, that's what I ended up doing after getting ticked off with the situation I mentioned.  It works really well now!  At least it got me out of this bind.
 
Jesse Cloud said:
If this is a production application, go to a local machine shop and give them your specs, along with tolerances.

I got this idea from Brian Boggs, who was also frustrated with the poor machining on the bushings.  He said the cost at the machine shop was much less than he thought it would be.
Click to expand...

No, it's just my home woodshop use.  It's still a great idea, though.  Thanks for sharing this!
 
I got my guide bushings from Infinity.  They put them on sale fairly often for a good price.  Quality seems very good to me.

I use them on a Pat Warner base on my Bosch router, so not sure how well they work with what you've got.
 
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