router - guide bush thickness

[mickthetree]

Afternoon all

Plan on using my router with a template and guide bush for the first time. I notice the guide bush I have is about 10mm thick meaning I will have to use 10mm - 12mm mdf for the template. Are there thinner guide bushes so I could use thinner MDF or ply for the template? As I have loads of scraps of thinner stuff.

Or time to get the grinder out?

 

[Steve Maskery]

It's easy enough to grind the bush down a bit, I've done it before. Just remember though, the thinner the template, the easier it is for the router to slip. Personally I wouldn't go down to 6mm, but 9mm would be OK for many things, I reckon.
S

 

[carlb40]

I think it may well be 10mm for a reason. You need a reasonable amount of meat on the guide to make sure it does not slip out of the jig. Anything more would restrict the depth of cut on some routers. Anything less might not offer the side to side support needed.

 

[mickthetree]

ah ha! I see. I have since found on Axminster's site that the trend ones are 6mm. However, I wouldn't want to risk the slippage you mention so I think I'll go for the thicker template for now.

Many thanks.

 

[woodaxed]

Ive been using the trend 6mm guide bush for years with no problems at all means i can use 6mm mdf for templates
as with most things takes a little practice, i normally use a 12mm cutter with a 16mm bush for the work i do but have used the largest size they make which is 42mm bush

 

[mickthetree]

Does the 16mm normally refer to the inside or outside measurement of the guide?

 

[woodaxed]

the outside which means theres not much clearance for extraction i use this setup just for the work i do as a 16mm bush will follow tighter curves tbh the bigger bush to the cutter size the better the extraction