Thread: Template Guide Calculator - Download

So far as I'm aware, template guides for the Makita 3612/C and 3600BR fit the RP2301FC and these have been around for many years. Guides in many sizes, including 40mm can be ordered from any Makita retailer.
Bits with bearings are a SUBSTITUTE for a plain bit and template guide, they are NEVER used together
This shot shows my template guides, all but the black one home made, and even that one I've sleeved to make into a useful metric size. Whilst bearing bits certainly have their uses, routing with template guides is far more versatile, accurate off-sets can be achieved by mixing guides and bits, metric and imperial.

Thanks harrysin it only dawned on me yesterday that you wouldn't use both at the same time, while mentally visualising doing an edge.

I haven't even turned my router on yet let alone putting a bit in it, I think it would have been fairly obvious to me if I had some routing experience to fall back on.

Quite surprised no one else spotted it either, quite a few people downloaded it. So in the official release I will remove any mention of the bearing.

Nice collection of guides... So no one does aftermarket guides for the Makita?

Originally Posted by HeadScratcher

Don't know if anyone else spotted it but there is a very obvious flaw in my software idea...

If the router bit is using a bearing there is no need for a template guide, as the bearing is going to dictate the cut and not the guide.

Can someone please confirm my suspicions, as I believe a re-write of the software may be in order.

Also does anyone know where to buy a router guide kit or individual guides for a Makita RP2301FC router, I can't find them anywhere... Preferably in Sydney. Thanks.

My computing skills are not as good as my routing skills and I am unable to download the file.
Tom

Originally Posted by HeadScratcher

Thanks harrysin it only dawned on me yesterday that you wouldn't use both at the same time, while mentally visualising doing an edge.

I haven't even turned my router on yet let alone putting a bit in it, I think it would have been fairly obvious to me if I had some routing experience to fall back on.

Quite surprised no one else spotted it either, quite a few people downloaded it. So in the official release I will remove any mention of the bearing.

Nice collection of guides... So no one does aftermarket guides for the Makita?

There are aftermarket sets of template guides available from many places including Carba-Tec in all states. However, I have never recommended these three piece brass sets because it isn't possible for the router's collet to penetrate the guides which, apart from limiting the depth of cut, are potentially dangerous in as much as it's possible to plunge too deep and have the rotating collet unscrew the guide, I know, it's happened to me, not once but twice, and that considering that I use them very rarely when I'm stuck for a small imperial size. Notice the last shot where the collet has entered the large one piece guide.
I don't want to sound disrespectful, but I really do think that you should gain a fair amount of routing experience before embarking on the quite complex job of routing all those tapered discs which are to form the horns for your speaker project.

Another thought just occurred to me, a not uncommon method, especially in America is to use a sub-base which can accept easily available template guides. These sub-bases which can be purchased to suit various routers, can be easily made even by a routologist with limited experience.
In the router jigs section I've posted a pdf showing the making of an illuminated router base, ignoring the lighting part, the rest is basically a sub-base, in this case of course identical to the base of the Makita router, but can be made for any template guides at all.
This link will give you a better idea of what I mean.


Trend Machinery & Cutting Tools Ltd

Hi Tom if you go to post #13 (don't use the one in post #1) and just click on the zip file at the bottom of the post it should offer to download it for you. Just save it to a location you remember i.e. your desktop or your download folder.

From there you need to unzip the file, using something like Winzip or the Windows build in file extractor, if you can get that far I can guide you more....

Regards,
Paul

Hi Harry, I have decided against doing that taper idea I mentioned in an earlier post, I will now be using a far simpler method of construction.

I envisage that if I do the slices horizontally I could build each speaker with only one template. If you look at the option1.jpg in post #19 https://www.woodworkforums.com/f99/no...ml#post1444146 you will see that if I make the template the same as the top shape all I need to do is repeat the same shape about 8 or 9 times and glue them together.

For the top and bottom I just route the outside shape and not do the inside, giving me a solid lid.

I had seen those ones with the screw thread and figured they were for a different model since the Makita I have doesn't seem to have a screw fitting.

Thanks for the advice and I will avoid going that way if someone like yourself has safety issues with them.

I guess its not going to hurt to ask Makita how much they want for genuine ones.

Originally Posted by HeadScratcher

I had seen those ones with the screw thread and figured they were for a different model since the Makita I have doesn't seem to have a screw fitting.

Thanks for the advice and I will avoid going that way if someone like yourself has safety issues with them.

I guess its not going to hurt to ask Makita how much they want for genuine ones.

Try this site Find a Makita Dealer

Then ring your local dealer and ask for template guides from the general section of their parts book.

Paid about $50 recently.

Arie.

Hi Paul, Try these people Norwest Tool Centre - Professional Quality Tools

and as Harrysin has mentioned buy the brass template kit and they will fit the RP2301FC.

Regards
Harold

WOW Harold, that's the biggest selection of guides that I've seen under one roof (although I suspect that that they aren't kept in stock) The web page is very poor, surely the sizes should be shown on the main page, hopping back and forth to find a specific size is a real pain, and the prices, no wonder I make my own!

Originally Posted by HeadScratcher

Hi Harry, I have decided against doing that taper idea I mentioned in an earlier post, I will now be using a far simpler method of construction.

I envisage that if I do the slices horizontally I could build each speaker with only one template. If you look at the option1.jpg in post #19 https://www.woodworkforums.com/f99/no...ml#post1444146 you will see that if I make the template the same as the top shape all I need to do is repeat the same shape about 8 or 9 times and glue them together.

For the top and bottom I just route the outside shape and not do the inside, giving me a solid lid.

I had seen those ones with the screw thread and figured they were for a different model since the Makita I have doesn't seem to have a screw fitting.

Thanks for the advice and I will avoid going that way if someone like yourself has safety issues with them.

I guess its not going to hurt to ask Makita how much they want for genuine ones.

Please don't misunderstand this post, I really am trying to help you. My suggestion is that you temporally cease your efforts on the speaker boxes and instead make a couple of simple routing projects. The idea being that when you return to the speaker boxes, you will be better equipped to know what your routing abilities are. I would suggest that you make at least two of the projects that I posted in pdf format under the heading "routing tutorials for beginners" in the routing forum.

Thanks pal... had to laugh they are one of the resellers that I used to populate the database and couldn't think of their name the other day.

I have just rebuilt my PC so I haven't reinstalled VB or Office to get access to the data.

Harry since wood is relatively cheap and I only need to create a couple of temporary boxes I was thinking of doing a rough version of my current design just to get an idea of what the finished product might look like. If I chip a few edges or things don't work out perfect I can use those lesson on the next lot.

The tweeters boxes really dont need to be anything flash other than pointing the tweeter in the right direction. Just with a fairly decent outlay on the tweeters I don't want them kicking around the floor to be damaged for too long.

Originally Posted by harrysin

WOW Harold, that's the biggest selection of guides that I've seen under one roof (although I suspect that that they aren't kept in stock) The web page is very poor, surely the sizes should be shown on the main page, hopping back and forth to find a specific size is a real pain, and the prices, no wonder I make my own!

Hi Harry
yes you are right they don't carry them all in stock. The only one I bought was the 40mm one. The rest of my guides for the RP2301FC are a couple of the brass sets.One set ranges in length (template follower) from 5mm to 15 mm the other set is all 5mm.

regards
Harold

Hi Paul,
Finally found the time to break out my camera.
The first shot is one of the sets that I have, the second is of the
Template Guide adapter in the base of the RP2301FC the third and fourth shots are self explanatory.

Regards
Harold