I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide bushing. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing which varies about .002 to ..003 in diameter as you go around it with a micrometer.

I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.

Thanks
Len

On Thursday, October 17, 2013 1:42:21 PM UTC-7, Len wrote:
I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide bushing.. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing which varies about .002 to .003 in diameter as you go around it with a micrometer.



I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.



Thanks

Len

Well, 0.438" = 7/16" (0.4375) so you could get a whole set of bushings, including a 7/16 bushing from grizzly for $30.

Regardless I doubt 2-3 thou are going to hurt a wood dovetail joint. Honestly there is probably 5 thou tolerance when they make that cheap bushing. Does the 0.438 show exact. I think you could wear off a few thou with minimal usage.

"Len" wrote in message
...

I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide bushing.
It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I can pay $25 ( 1/2 is
shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing which varies about .002 to .003
in diameter as you go around it with a micrometer.

I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a problem.
Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.

Thanks
Len


About 0.004 is all it takes to show up as a gap in a joint.

Tom

On 10/17/2013 3:42 PM, Len wrote:
I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide bushing. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing which varies about .002 to .003 in diameter as you go around it with a micrometer.

I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.

I have an Akeda and they're pretty fussy about the guide bushing. Check
it out and see if the wall is not thinner, and the barrel a different
size than a 7/16" PC guide bushing.

I'm pretty sure you will have problems by not using the Akeda guide
bushing, but it might be worth a try as long as the differences noted
above don't somehow damage the fingers or another part of the jig, so do
it with caution.

If it was me, I would spring for the correct bushing ... you need the
gods in your favor with any dovetail jig.

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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

Len wrote:

I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide
bushing. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I
can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing
which varies about .002 to .003 in diameter as you go around it with
a micrometer.

I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a
problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.
--------------------------------------------------------
Based on my limited experience with dovetail jigs is that if the
cutter bit and the guide bushing are not totally concentric with one
another and the depth of cut is dead on, you are screwed.

I'd sit tight and wait for the Akeda part to arrive.

This is truly a case of patience is a virtue.

Lew

On Thu, 17 Oct 2013 19:00:19 -0500, Swingman wrote:

On 10/17/2013 3:42 PM, Len wrote:
I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide bushing. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing which varies about .002 to .003 in diameter as you go around it with a micrometer.

I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.

I have an Akeda and they're pretty fussy about the guide bushing. Check
it out and see if the wall is not thinner, and the barrel a different
size than a 7/16" PC guide bushing.

I'm pretty sure you will have problems by not using the Akeda guide
bushing, but it might be worth a try as long as the differences noted
above don't somehow damage the fingers or another part of the jig, so do
it with caution.

If it was me, I would spring for the correct bushing ... you need the
gods in your favor with any dovetail jig.

I agree I actually picked up an extra accessory kit off e-bay I
haven't even opened just to have as many extra parts on hand as
possible. These jigs work really well, but I would hate to have to
add a factor for a wrong size bushing when trying to adjust for fit.

Mike M

On Thursday, October 17, 2013 4:42:21 PM UTC-4, Len wrote:
I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide bushing.. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing which varies about .002 to .003 in diameter as you go around it with a micrometer.



I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.



Thanks

Len
Try the PC bushing on some scrap and see if you like the results...A coupla thou ~might~ make a difference.

RP

Perhaps more critical, the flange diameter.
Eccentricity is your enemy alright, but if the flange
on the ring swims in the subbase counterbore, you're worse off!

Not positive on the error you're talking about.
Wall thickness or OD?
A variable wall thickness is innocuous. A screwed up OD can be a problem.

Centering your ring to the cutter, an issue?
See:
http://patwarner.com/precision_subbase_kit.html

On 10/18/2013 8:53 AM, wrote:

Perhaps more critical, the flange diameter.
Eccentricity is your enemy alright, but if the flange
on the ring swims in the subbase counterbore, you're worse off!

Not positive on the error you're talking about.
Wall thickness or OD?
A variable wall thickness is innocuous. A screwed up OD can be a problem.

Centering your ring to the cutter, an issue?
See:
http://patwarner.com/precision_subbase_kit.html

With the Akeda, also the _length_ of the flange itself needs to be
considered when deciding what will work, or not.

IIRC, there are some operation on the Akeda, finger joints for one,
that require a specific flange length for safe and accurate operation.

7/16" Porter Cable and Akeda guide bushing, side by side:

https://picasaweb.google.com/lh/phot...eat=directlink

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eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
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KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)

On Thu, 17 Oct 2013 17:47:32 -0700, "Lew Hodgett"
wrote:


Len wrote:

I have been using an Akeda dovetail jig and just ruined the guide
bushing. It is marked 0.438", which is the exterior diameter. I
can pay $25 ( 1/2 is shipping) or use an old Porter Cable bushing
which varies about .002 to .003 in diameter as you go around it with
a micrometer.

I find it hard to believe that that .002" variation would be a
problem. Anybody had this experience and how did you resolve it.
--------------------------------------------------------
Based on my limited experience with dovetail jigs is that if the
cutter bit and the guide bushing are not totally concentric with one
another and the depth of cut is dead on, you are screwed.

But the concentricity is controlled by the router base, not the guide
bushing. The depth is controlled by the router (and bit insertion). I
guess I don't follow this.

In a similar vein, I recently bought (still in the box) a PC dovetail
jig. They have their own guides and bits with no sizes, just numbers.
Are other bits usable?