Using the PC template bushings without modifiying them???

[cracker39]

I now have all of the router parts I ordered. Some of the Porter Cable template bushing guides (the part that rides the edge of the template) are actually too long to use on a 1/4" thick plywood template and let the router ride perfectly flat on the template. My thinwall 1/4" and 5/16" bushings have a guide about 1/8" deep and are OK to use as is. The thickwall 1/4" and 3/8" bushings have a guide about 5/16" long, a little longer than the template thickness, but that extra 1/16" may not pose a problem. The 1/2" and two 5/8" bushings have a guide of about 9/16" long, a little over twice the template thickness.

I added my original router base below the PC base I had just put on, and then measured the 1/2" bushing guide from below the router base and the guide still extended down a shade over 1/4" below the 2nd base, but looked usable.

One possible solution I cameup with to use the 1/2" bushing is to cut a piece of 1/4" plywood or preferably, masonite, which is slightly thicker than the 2nd router base and drill a hole for the cutting bit to stick through. Then, remove the extra base from the router and double stick the piece of plywood or masonite on it. That would make the extended portion of the guide 1/4" long or slightly less. Another is to use a forstner bit and shave the recessed portion of the base that holds the bushing about 1/16" deeper. I believe that that the base would still be strong enough to hold the bushing and that would help resolve all of the problems as long as I used the extra base with the longer 1/2" bushing.

Has anyone else faced this problem and how did you resolve it?

[madjack]

...same exact problem with the same bushing set...the cure...bench grinder
madjack

[cracker39]

Jack, the grinder was my first thought too, but I wanted to work with them without grinding down the guides incase I worked with thicker template material later on. So, I went ahead and modified the new base that holds the bushings, keeping my fingers crossed that I wouldn't screw it up.


I drilled a hole in a piece of 2x4 with a 1 3/8" forstner bit and the tolerance for the bushing was as close as with the hole in the router base. So, I went ahead and shaved out 16th of an inch in the base that appears to be made of 1/4" plexiglass. The bit actually left a slight ridge on one side, so I had to move the base a tiny bit from side to side while moving the bit up and down a tiny bit in the hole to cut down that ridge. The bit won't allow it to cut sideways, so there was no danger of enlarging the diameter of the hole. I finally got the bushing to fit snug and level. Now, the exposed portion is 1/4" for the short guides. With the extra base attached, the longer guide on the 1/2" bushing sticks out exactly 1/4" as well. Mission Accomplished for anyone else who needs to resolve the same problem.



I still think using double stick tape to attach a piece of 1/4" plywood to the bottom of the router base would work also, but wouldn't be a permanent fix.

[WoodSmith]

I have never understood why they make those da - er - stupid things longer than 1/4 inch. Most patterns are made of 1/4 material and if you do use thicker stuff, the 1/4 inch guide will still ride on it.

Lee Valey sells a set that only sticks out 1/4 or so, but it has an odd diameter (fits their base) so you have to make a custom base (or buy theirs) rather than use the PC base. http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.aspx?c=2&p=41778&cat=1,43000,51208 I'm with Madjack, grinder time.

[Larwyn]

I had the same problem. Cured it with a file, I took more time and care than actually necessary, but it worked out fine. There doesn't really seem to be much need for a perfectly square face as long as the bushing clears the stock to be cut. Naturally I did not come to this conclusion until I had taken great pains to keep the cut square.....

[cracker39]

For anyone who wants to fix this problem, I recommend doing what I did in the post above, IF:

1. You have a 1 3/8" Forstner bit that will make a perfectly flat bottom to the cut. A spade bit, if you can find one that size, might work, but I'd test it first in similar material. I'd much prefer the Forstner bit.

2. Your router base is thick enough that taking out an additional 1/16"-3/32" from the recessed area won' t weaken it appreciably. The PC base I got from MLCS was thick enough.

3. You have a drill press to use so that you can make a perfectly straight (90 degree) cut into the recessed area, and

4. The drill press has a preset stop mechanism that you can set to make sure you can't go deeper with the bit than you want to.

As for #4, I lowered the bit (drill NOT running) to the bottom of the recessed area in my base, then held it there and set the stop to allow the bit to go only another 1/16" deeper (yes, that takes 3 hands and is tricky to do it with just two). After drilling down the 1/16", I rechecked my bushing fit and found that it actually needed another 1/32", so I reset the stop for that much and drilled again. I know that those are pretty exacting measurements, but I didn't want to take out more material than absolutely necessary (Don't even think it...I'm a Capricorn, and yes, most of us are Perfectionists...Anal Retentive? Maybe).