Thread: Introducing the template Guides

Hi Tom,

<O</O
Another excellent write up. One small comment…<O</O
You have several docos on demonstrating the use of the template guide, I would have liked to see you discuss the guide itself in a bit more depth.
<O</O
I know to an old hand like yourself it is sometimes easy to overlook the obvious and simple things that a beginner may not know, like fitting the guide to the router i.e. maybe a few photos of you mounting the guide, cleaning around the mounting spot before fitting it, blowing out the screw holes etc. Maybe a bit more around whether you fit the guide first or the cutter first, those sorts of things.<O</O
<O</O
BTW in the document you answered a question I was wondering about… If the router bit tightening nut had to fit through the guide hole. Also I hadn’t thought about clearing the swarf from between the cutter and the guide on smaller guides. Guess I need to make sure I do smaller cuts to avoid clogging it where a bigger guide can’t be used. Again a really good basic doco for the novice like me, keep up the good work.<O</O

Originally Posted by Template Tom

The article I had written many years ago to introduce the use of the template guides; simply to create a rectangular picture frame. I also added videos on you tube to show the construction

Rectangular Picture frame Part 2 Routing with Tom O'Donnell - YouTube Rectangular Picture Frame
Rectangular Picture frame Part 1 Routing with Tom O'Donnell - YouTube Rectangular Picture Frame Pt1

Would there be any interest in the use of template guides with the router if the material written was produced with Imperial Dimensions? As most users may have purchased the only boxes of guides available in Imperial.

It seems that anyone who wishes to purchase template guides are restricted to the imperial sets that are produced. Some years ago and now just recently I had been approached to see if I would be prepared to write and convert my articles, which are based mainly on the use of the guides, from metric to imperial. I asked myself would it be worth while for a 78years old to make the changes? I did try a number of processes and I must confess it was not the least bit easy, even though I used the imperial measurements for over 20 years before making the change to metric. It is evident that the larger template guides are seldom used and therefore they remain in the box. Also the guides are mainly used with the straight cutters from the number of articles published in a number of magazines or books. Very little is shown where a 'face/edge' cutter is used.

Here is a simple project for consideration: Inserting an inlay 50mm/2" diameter into a solid piece of material

enclosed pic shows an elliptical insert

Tom, is there really a difference?

I mean if you have Metric templates and metric guide bushes but now want to use Imperial bits. If so then it's just a question of converting the Imperial bit diameter into a Metric one.

However if you are asking whether or not you should redo all your templates in Imperial, I say no.

The last bastion of Imperial is the USA (ironic that they're still using the system they fought so hard to eradicate?) and they are slowing converting to Metric inch by inch.

I have both Metric & Imperial bits and guide bushes.

Originally Posted by hilton

Tom, is there really a difference?

I mean if you have Metric templates and metric guide bushes but now want to use Imperial bits. If so then it's just a question of converting the Imperial bit diameter into a Metric one.

However if you are asking whether or not you should redo all your templates in Imperial, I say no.

The last bastion of Imperial is the USA (ironic that they're still using the system they fought so hard to eradicate?) and they are slowing converting to Metric inch by inch.

I have both Metric & Imperial bits and guide bushes.

"and they are slowing converting to Metric inch by inch".


The reason why I am at the stage of converting a sample of my written material into the imperial measurement is to get people interested in the use of the template guides as that seems to be the only sets available here and the world over. I am lucky i have both routers where i can purchase the metric guides. Makita and Hitachi

Hi Tom, I just watched about a dozen of your YouTube videos and as a newbie to this whole thing, what you make with the template guides is far more compelling a reason to take it up, than what unit of measurement you use. If you really wanted to replicate the idea, either way (metric to imp or imp to metric) simply get out a calculator (or use my app for auto conversion) and work it out if your really interested.

Your fine examples of making complex ideas look simple, is where the real gold is... You make things look so easy that I keep thinking to myself I should really have a go at that. The measurements don't make me think that, but the stimulation of ideas does.

Originally Posted by HeadScratcher

Hi Tom, I just watched about a dozen of your YouTube videos and as a newbie to this whole thing, what you make with the template guides is far more compelling a reason to take it up, than what unit of measurement you use. If you really wanted to replicate the idea, either way (metric to imp or imp to metric) simply get out a calculator (or use my app for auto conversion) and work it out if your really interested.

Your fine examples of making complex ideas look simple, is where the real gold is... You make things look so easy that I keep thinking to myself I should really have a go at that. The measurements don't make me think that, but the stimulation of ideas does.

It is great that you will get something from the many Videos I have submitted on You Tube in the past 2 years. All I can say is get a firm understanding how the guides are used and you will be able to produce anything OOPS better not say anything as there have been a couple of processes I have produced lately where the guides could not be used. I say "You can add 80% more potential to the use of the router if the template guides are used"
I have started to produce 3 articles where the imperial guides are used trying to create inerest in the use of the guides when the imperial set has been purchased.
To help others use the system I recommend that they make their drawings on 1/8" Grid/Graph paper for easy calculation where the details are written down and there is not the same need to look up a calculator.
Unfortunately I have not been able to down load your calculator to comment on the content

Hi Tom once I get some traction with my speakers I will be returning to finishing off the software I started.

I have attached a screen shot so you can see what I am talking about... It doesn't matter whether you enter metric or imperial guides or bits into the database it will do a dual conversion on the screen.

You could even have a combination of both and it will still display properly. I wrote a metric to imperial and a imperial to metric converter in the software so you don't have to worry if you are using imperial guides with metric cutters or vice versa.

Your videos have been quite inspirational so tomorrow I am going to start building myself a work bench / router / routing table.

Starting off I don't want to start bad habits and cut corners so I have decided to take a leaf out of your book and set myself up properly first, so I am not resting wood on the ground trying to stop it moving with my feet.

That will only lead to disaster so after I build the bench I will build a jig to hold the wood, then look at building templates.