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Confusion adapting the 1617 to Guide bushings.

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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
Good morning,

I hate to bring up a topic that is probably beat to death, but the complaints of adapting the Bosch 1617 to guide bushings seem to be many.

As a new person to dovetails, boxjoints etc and routing I am attempting to determine which guide bushing method is stable and centered, and that is the problem with all the reading I have done. The choice seems to be a new baseplate or an RA1129 adapter. The complaints on both are many and the attempt to find a solution appears to be ongoing. The biggest complaint is are the RA1129 quick release is not stable and the new baseplates are not centered.

What would you suggest is the current best method of adapting the Bosch 1617EVS to guide bushings? Are PC or Bosch guides better? Would you think the RA1129 and RA1100 (PC bushing adapter) are a better combo than the Bosch guides?

thanks for any help

Donny
 
CharleyL

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#3 ·
In many cases, achieving a perfectly centered guide bushing to router bit adjustment is very difficult to maintain. Make a router height adjustment and the bushing center with relation to the bit will change. Change the base plate and that will change the adjustment as well.

For cutting dovetails on my Leigh D4R jig I have learned that keeping the router oriented in the same direction when making the cuts eliminates any bit to bushing offset errors from the dovetail joints. If there is an error, the fit of the dovetails to the pins will just be shifted slightly by the centering error between the bit and bushing. So, the joint is a perfect fit, and you might want to trim off a few thousandths of an inch from one board the edge of one board with a saw, but the dovetail joint itself will be perfect.

To solve this router orientation problem, I used a black dry marker and drew an arrow on the top of the router base, so I could point this arrow toward the D4R whenever I cut the joints. If the bushing to router bit centering has any error at all, the whole joint will be shifted, but the joint itself will fit perfectly.

Using the edge of the router base to slide against a straight edge guide can produce errors if you don't orient the router the same way each time too. Again, using this arrow mark to keep the router oriented the same way when making your cuts will eliminate any variation errors caused by a slight difference in dimension of the router base plate to router bit center dimension, since it will always be the same and you can allow for it when adjusting the fence to bit dimension. Always point the arrow in the same direction while making the cut and there will be no errors in the resulting cut.

Charley
 
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#4 ·
I agree with @charliel I used the PC bushing for years and still do occasionally now. I was taught to use a bushing instead of the edge of the router base, for the same reason Charlie mentions. At that time the PC 695 router was king and the standard of the industry too. Recently I got the Bosch set that Daninvan mentioned and it looked too complicated to me, and I have the whole set of PC bushings, so never tried it out. In fact I think I bought a base for the 1617 that I can use the PC bushings in.
HErb
 
Cherryville Chuck

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#5 ·
My Hitachi routers all have the adapter plate but my two DeWalts both have the bases for the bushings so I usually use them, but that limits them to about 1" diameter bits if the bit has to be retracted into the base. There is always a trade off of some kind.
 
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H

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#6 ·
Cherryville Chuck said:
My Hitachi routers all have the adapter plate but my two DeWalts both have the bases for the bushings so I usually use them, but that limits them to about 1" diameter bits if the bit has to be retracted into the base. There is always a trade off of some kind.
Click to expand...
I never thought of that,Chuck, when would a person use a larger bit with bushings?
Herb
 
Cherryville Chuck

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#8 ·
Herb Stoops said:
I never thought of that,Chuck, when would a person use a larger bit with bushings?
Herb
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The biggest one in my two sets is 51/64th I think. They're an odd size so I never use them. I still haven't figured out what that is for. I'd like to have a 1" or even a 1 1/4" but I'd have to make it myself I guess. I do have a lathe. I'm just not very proficient with it. Harry used to make a 40mm which would be a hair over 1 1/2" ( 1 1/2" = 38mm). If you could get one with an inch I D it would allow using a 3/4" diameter.
 
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#9 ·
Old Bull said:
Charlie, Danivan, Herb, Chuck, thank you, I have a lot to learn and will keep reading and watching.. So I take it most people prefer the PC bushing/base change rather than the Bosch adapter, is that right ? https://www.rockler.com/guide-bushing-router-plate

Do you prefer a trim router ???

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
Depends on the project, for sign making,probably, and doing inlay work. But if you have 200 doors with 3 butts each door and a mortised lockset,and recessed door bottom a standard router, bushing, and Stanley door jig would be my call. Also for Dadoing, Mortise and Tenon, cutting larger holes with a template etc. a standard sized router would work best. We used to cut window hole in the sheathing with a standard router and a Panel Pilot bit,which didn't require a bushing.
https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-85244-...panel+pilot+router+bits&qid=1599417300&sr=8-1
Herb
 
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#10 ·
Cherryville Chuck said:
The biggest one in my two sets is 51/64th I think. They're an odd size so I never use them. I still haven't figured out what that is for. I'd like to have a 1" or even a 1 1/4" but I'd have to make it myself I guess. I do have a lathe. I'm just not very proficient with it. Harry used to make a 40mm which would be a hair over 1 1/2" ( 1 1/2" = 38mm). If you could get one with an inch I D it would allow using a 3/4" diameter.
Click to expand...
I am not sure what job would that be required for. Maybe a bowl bit and template? or a super wide dodo or super sized lettering?
Herb
 
RainMan 2.0

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#11 · (Edited)
Old Bull said:
Charlie, Danivan, Herb, Chuck, thank you, I have a lot to learn and will keep reading and watching.. So I take it most people prefer the PC bushing/base change rather than the Bosch adapter, is that right ? https://www.rockler.com/guide-bushing-router-plate

Do you prefer a trim router ???

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...
I need bushing also as I just purchased a 1617 . I wonder if this works well

https://www.amazon.ca/RA1100-Thread...pe.auth_time,signed&returnFromLogin=1&serial=

Ok after reading it again, it looks as though you need a second adapter ? Not liking that
 

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Nickp

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#13 ·
Old Bull said:
Charlie, Danivan, Herb, Chuck, thank you, I have a lot to learn and will keep reading and watching.. So I take it most people prefer the PC bushing/base change rather than the Bosch adapter, is that right ? https://www.rockler.com/guide-bushing-router-plate

Do you prefer a trim router ???

Thanks for your help.
Click to expand...

See the notice at the bottom where Rockler lists the compatible routers...

Notice: This router plate does not work with the Bosch 1617 Plunge Base. If you are looking for a plate for that series please see Bosch RA1129 Quick-Change Template Guide Adapter Kit (#54217, sold separately). This item is not predrilled for the Bosch Plunge Base.
 
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dman2

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#14 ·
The biggest complaint is are the RA1129 quick release is not stable and the new baseplates are not centered.
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I use the RA1129 on both the Bosch 1617EVS and 1618 often. The plunge router is mostly used with a Whiteside inlay system to do pretty complicated inlays (some are seen here: https://dmasterman.com/wood/projects/). The PC-compatable RA1100 interface holds the inlay guide. Even small errors in routing will destroy the work, and I have never had a problem with the 1/8" bit being off center or the system being unstable.
The 1618 is used making dovetails with the Leigh jig CharleyL referred to, using Bosch guides -- without any problems.
 
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