On Saturday, July 30, 2016 at 8:59:31 AM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
DerbyDad03 wrote:
On Friday, July 29, 2016 at 6:33:48 PM UTC-4, Leon wrote:
On 7/29/2016 2:25 PM, DerbyDad03 wrote:
This is going to be a real rookie question, so please be gentle.

I've never used router template guide bushings before, but I am about to.

To install this bed rail hardware, I need to make a 5/8" mortise for the
slotted portion and then two 1/4" mortises right in the center of that
mortise to accept the hooks. My testing shows that a single pass with a
5/8" bit makes a nice snug mortise for the hardware.

Consider also not using a guide bushing at all. I use a jig the exact
size that I want to cut and then use a top bearing flush cut bit. The
top bearing rides along the jig sitting on top of the work. And you
only need one size bit. Use a jig with a wider opening for the wider
mortise. Obviously the wider mortise will take a pass or two down each
side of the jig opening.

Thanks for the tips, but...

Are you suggesting 2 jigs vs. 2 bits and a guide bushing for my situation -
one jig for the 5/8" mortise, requiring multiple passes with the 1/4" bit
and then one jig for the 1/4" mortise that needs to be centered in the 5/8"
mortise?

Yes. But good luck finding a top bearing flush cut bit in 1/4" size.
Does the centered mortise have to be 1/4" wide? Could it be 1/2"? And or
since the centered smaller mortise will not be seem could you free hand it
with a plain straight cut 1/4" bit after making the bigger mortise?



Yes to both suggestions regarding the smaller mortise.

I'll play with the 5/8 bushing this weekend, since I already have it and see
what happens. If it's a problem, I'll look at the top bearing option.

BTW - the bushing adapter I bought on eBay fits perfectly. There's just a tiny
bit of wiggle before the screws are tightened which seems to allow for some
centering capability. Of course, I don't have a centering cone...yet.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Router-Templ...-/111153232468