How to Use Router Guide Bushings – Ask Matt #18
How to Use Router Guide Bushings – Ask Matt #18
Guide bushings are a great way to make your router even more versatile. In this video we look at what a guide bushing is, how to set them up, and we’ll look at a few examples of how to use them.
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Thank you! what model of bosh router do you use?
I bought a metobo router that came with the bushing. I didn’t know the use of them, I was ready to through them away. Watching you video save the bushings.
At 1:35 you mention that you can use guide bushings to turn any bit you want into a pattern bit.
1. What is a pattern bit?
2. How does a guide bushing turn any bit into a pattern bit?
Thanks for an informative video. Please advise where I can obtain a G4 Bosch router adaptor to enable me to use my Porter Cable dovetail jig guide bush. The link above is no longer connecting. Thanks
Matt- so this guide is essentially a quick fix for my router bits that don’t have the spinning bearing guide attached to it? Ty for the clear and concise explanation
Super, super helpful!
Great video, perfectly explained, succinct and knowledgeable.
Those bushings can come loose, had one came off and ruined my 1/2 bit and base plate (screwed the threads on it when it came loose ) I’m looking for a router that you can screw the bushing plate onto the router it self, which router ?
Thanks for the great info
Very direct and concise! Thanks a ton man!
Thanks! I wondered what the hell those were for!!?! 🙄
Very helpful Matt
Good explanation. I learned about guide bushings years ago, and never needed them, then over time forgot the details. Now, currently have a project where guide bushings look like the best option.
Any way to make 2 related templates, one that cuts a slot for a bow tie and the other that makes perfect bow tie for the slot?
hello, i want say thank you for explained guide bushing work, i have a question, can i use guide bushing on trim router?
Cool video Matt, I just got a used router and it didn’t come with a manual that showed me what these were that came with it. The video explained it well and now I just need to get used to using this new knowledge to come up with some cool new projects using these guide bushings.
Great video man! That’s definitely going to make joinery much easier!
Learned something new in 2021! Thanks!
I had to route a 3mm deep area in a flat surface….I stacked a bunch of sheets of MDF on top of each other, just to make a template, cus there were no bearing cutters that were shallow enough. Then I decided to "invent" something like this. As soon as I started thinking about it, I realised what the thing in the router case that looks exactly like a guide bushing was.
Hey Matt, hope all is well. I know this video is old but I always come back to it for reference. I wanted to ask if this same concept of using a guide bushing to create a repeatable cut/pattern if you have a template, can be used in an inverted way. For instance, if I have a template of a circle (6in), and I need a circle BUT bigger (7in), can I use a guide bushing around the outside of the current 6in circle template I have to create said wanted bigger circle? I hope I am making sense lol. Thanks, and stay warm 🙂
Great video. Does the size of the bit impact the size bushing needed? I’m other words, if you have a 1/2 vs 1/4 shank bit in the same guide bushing, would the mortise size be the same? All else equal.
Great explanation
Thank you
i know my way around tools
but at 6:19, how on this green earth did the cutout have square corners (and not rounded ones) ?
thank you in advance for anyone who can shed some light
Thank you for this video. Learned something new again. ✌️
Matt, thank you for this informative video. As a novice, I had heard of these bushings but have never known how they are used or how versatile they were. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Is there a router that the bushing won’t come loose???????????????????? besides using plumbers tape or lock tite
Good breakdown Matt. Thanks.
I’ve watched this a while ago but wasn’t logged in at the time.. Great Job as always Matt.
I have a question regarding a pattern. I have areas where I need a 1/32" or even 1/64" bit to make fine detail but obviously there are no bushings like that. The piece I’m creating is about 6" wide by 2" tall. Most area’s a 1/8" bit will work but how do you calculate pattern size based on the final cut thickness of the small bits? 5/16" OD is my smallest bushing so…. if I’m chugging along with a 5/16" OD 1/4" ID bushing using a 1/8" bit then switch to a 1/32" there will be an ugly "step" or "offset"
actually, so I don’t type a novel I’ll just tell you to look at the Seattle Seahawks logo, if you were to pattern that to get the sharp corner detail using a trim router, what would be your technique?
Thanks Matt. Always something new to learn.
Thank you. You do an excellent job of explaining.
thank you
Five years to late to maybe ask this question but how to figure out the cutting edge. Wouldn’t it be to the edge of the bit is the space between the bit and the bushing (in your case 1/4") + the 1/8" bushing thickness? Or is the 3/4" the outside diameter of the bushing in which case 1/4" – 1/8" would be only 1/8".
Bro, your videos are awesome. Just a regular dude sharing your knowledge. Thanks man.
Great informational video. Thank you for sharing your knowledge!
Great video! Easy to understand with no fluff! Awesome!
Awesome, pulled down a Porter Cable template kit Id’ forgotten on the shelf for my B&D plunge router and now know it will make it easy to do 1/4" dowel holes with a bit and a scrap board as you demonstrated. I have a nice separate guide for end grain holes, but wanted a better way to get accuracy out on a large mating flat. I’ll do the end grain ones first, then use dowel center markers to transfer the locations accurately out onto the flat. Easy peasy
Great video. I just got a plunge router to try to rout out a lip for my kreg lift into my MDF workbench. Trying to soak in as much info at possible and this is definitely the best video I’ve seen yet.
Love the explanation Matt!
Do you normally use a bushing/bit combination requiring an offset i.e. leaving plenty of room between bushing and bit? Asking because my Harbor Frieght plunge router is off center, the base is non-normal so does not allow way to center a plate … and because of this I chewed up a 5/16 bushing using a 1/4 bit. Seems that using larger bushing and leaving plenty of room would be the answer to not doing that again.
Loved the video … infinite thumbs up.
Thanks Very informative.
The explanation was awesome. Learnt a lot about GB. Very well put. Ta😊
So do all routers need a centering cone? Makita XTR01Z, Ryobi P601, SKil 1830. Do they need a generic centering cone or a specific one for each model? thanks
I learned something today.
Much Thanks
Matt, I built a template guide similar to yours for the mortise. Mine is longer to create a slot in the workpiece. My bushing is 3/4” ID and I’m using a 5/8” bit. I’m having problems with getting the bushing to slide in the template smoothly. I think sawdust coming up and getting stuck between the bushing and the template. The bushing slides smooth and free when the router is not on, but binds when I’m cutting. Any suggestions or thoughts? Thank you.
Interesting about the guide bushings, nice video! Could you provide a video regarding planer snipe? I’m build my first workbench with a 4” thick hard maple top that will be 6’ long without the end cap. All is made out of 8/4 h. maple. Also I am using a DeWalt DW735 planer. I value your comments very much! Thanks!!!
thanks matt good to know
thank you
Great watch thank you 👍
“You can’t get a pattern bit that’s only an eighth of an inch wide”…..Oh hello Dremel….didn’t see you there 😂