Shopsmith Forums

Knowing nothing can be fun. After I picked up my dovetailing fixture a couple weeks ago, I found out that I also needed to buy router guide bushings to even use it. After researching, I found out that my ancient $8 Craigslist Craftsman model 315.25066 router did not have a baseplate that would accept the standard Porter-Cable style 1-3/16" OD guide bushings. The Craftsman base has a larger 1-5/8" center hole. Couldn't locate that diameter guide bushing anywhere.

Went over to routerforum.com for some advise. Their Nick Engler equivalent directed me to purchase a $20 universal mount baseplate / guide bushing combo kit. It's a Milescraft 1211. Picked it up from Amazon. It's shown here with the baseplate mounted to my Craftsman.
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It came with 8 various ID/OD/Length guide bushing combos along with an adapter to accept any of the standard Porter-Cable style.

Looking forward to give the thing a try.

Hi,

I have that set, well almost. I purchased the original version which had all plastic bushings. I later upgraded to the brass barrels so the "almost".

I have several other items from them, I have two different sign making sets, circle guide, off-set router base, spirocrafter, inlay pattern set, and the crown miter jig deal.... hey maybe even a few others that I'm not remembering right now. I've reasonable happy with there stuff other then have to upgrade a few of the things like the lettering set and guide bushings to get what I wanted. I also now have quite a few baseplates as it seem every time I purchased something it came with another baseplate....

The kit should have come with a device to center the bushings. This is critical to get right and will need to be done each and every time the base plate is removed and put back on. It also has an adapter to use pc style bushings which was one of the reasons I got the set. The other other issue with this set is that you still don't have any standard bushings for use.

Now I should also mention that this set has barrels that match the Porter Cable lengths. This is good if you have Porter Cable jigs.... not so good if you want to use the template bushings for general template routing. If and when you get to that point you will want shorter barrels, so figure that you might want to note that down somewhere.

On sears bushings, as it just so happens sears sells them but the selection is very limited as to sizes and they can be a must buy in some cases where you have a matching craftsman jig.... Sears also sells adapter plates if you should even get a none sears router table that requires it.

Ed

reible wrote:Hi,

I have that set, well almost. ......

The kit should have come with a device to center the bushings. This is critical to get right and will need to be done each and every time the base plate is removed and put back on. It also has an adapter to use pc style bushings which was one of the reasons I got the set. The other other issue with this set is that you still don't have any standard bushings for use.

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Ed

Yes I've got the centering device also. Forgot to show it in the pic. I can see where the centering is critical. Being off would in effect change the relationship of the bit to the OD of the bushing. The instructions didn't really stress that. I could see it visually through. You really need to set it up with a bit that is the same size as the sleeve ID so that you can center properly. Even then, for every .001" your off, your routed slot will be .002" wider than planned (assuming a double pass slot).

The Porter-Cable adapter is the one on the lower right in the photo.

Tell me about the 'standard bushings' you mention that I am still missing. Don't know enough yet to understand. Which are considered standards?

I was glad that it had the 7/16th OD bushing since that is what my dovetail machine needed.

Glad to hear your generally pleased with yours. The routerforum guy said the kit keeps what would be an unusable router from going to the scrap heap.

Hi,

Well the best way I can explain the idea of standard sets is one that will fit the standard base plate. Like if you were to purchase a Porter Cable router you will have the option of replacing that base plate with the new one you have now and use the guide bushings you have, the other option is to get a standard set of porter cable bushings which would already fit the new Porter Cable router with its standard baseplate. So when you get the next router and the next you don't have to keep getting new adapter plates you can just use the one that comes with the router(not all routers use the PC style bushings so this could also be a problem depending on which new router you purchase).


If you get a router table that has the ability to use guide bushings it might take the porter cable ones but it is very unlikely to take the bushings you now have.

The more you get into router the more likely you will be to want to own a set of standard bushing. It is also likely you will want short barrels.

Ed

Got ya Ed. I understand.

I view this as a stepping stone low cost start. For the $28 investment (router, new base and gudes), I'm able to do some basic stuff. With all I've read about router purchases, like everyone, I'll be adding to my arsenal in the future.

beeg wrote:I'm getting the idea here that if ya buy a router. You can't really use it without out buying MORE stuff for it.

The router is the cheap part it is the rest of it that cost the money. Just think of it like this, the router costs you $200, then you buy a few cheap bits for say $50 for 25 bits but then you start getting interested in better bits and matched set bits and soon you have 100 bits and the average cost of $2 a bit has moved to more like $15 a bit average. First investment in bits $50, added bits 75 of them at $15 = $1125. Total invested in bits $1175, makes that router look cheap.

If you really get hooked on routing like I am you don't even want to think how much you have invested... it would probably make a new shopsmith look cheap even with the new headstock and a couple of SPT's.

Ed