[routerman1969]

I bought a set of 6 brass guide bushings with a lock nut from a Canadian company called "House Of Tools" . They were approx $17 USD and with the shipping it came to $25.

www.houseoftools.com and then search for canwood or canwood guide bushings

 

[routerman1969]

oops forgot to say that they are 1.5" and fit oak park table perfectly

 

[Mike]

Finding good prices on items is always a nice thing Scott. Please be sure to ask this company when their instructional router show goes on the air, and when they are planning on paying for a website that helps people worldwide learn to use all brands of routers, tables and supplies for free and with no advertising? My guess is you will get no reply or laughter at best. I enjoy paying low prices as much as the next guy, but I also enjoy knowing that companies I do business with give back to the community. Bob and Rick were a strong influence on me starting woodworking. They taught me many neat tricks about using routers long before they ever saw a dollar of my money. My guess is they did the same for you. They developed a system of tools that made it easy for us to create projects with super results. They paid the tooling costs to develop these items. I do not begrudge them charging fair prices for what they sell. I know the items I buy from Oak Park will be top quality and work as they are supposed to. I feel sometimes you need to look at more than just the price.

 

[routerman1969]

mike,
bob and rick have been a great influence on my woodworking and the joy it has brought me. i am not going to begrudge them anything, but i am a working stiff who is not getting goverment subsidies or corporate sponsorship, so after paying taxes, health insurance, mortgage and general living expenses for my family and myself i dont have alot of money to throw around... so when i do research things i feel that i am getting the most value for my money.

also i feel that 99.9% of the members are in the same position as i am and should be given information like this so that they can make there own descision. no politics should be involved. just like minded people sharing their knowledge

 

[harrysin]

Saving a few dollars

Well Mike, that told you! Personally I have to agree with you, for a few years I attended woodworking demonstrations at a large tool store and when the time came to make purchases I felt a sense of loyalty and providing the price was not hugely higher than at other stores I would and did spend my hard-earned dollars with the people who basically gave me free tuition. Harry

 

[fibertech]

I believe that Bob and Rick would go the extra mile (KM for our friends north of 49) to help with anything that you get from Oak Park. -Derek

 

[Mike]

Scott, you may have misunderstood what I was trying to say. Yes, you can find some items that Oak Park sells cheaper from other sources. This site encourages the posting of information about good deals for members. When I viewed the link and saw they had a set of 6 bushings and a locking ring for $20.95 USD + shipping I thought it a very good deal. They also sell patterns for $1 less than what Oak Park charges.
The point I was trying to make is there is added value in what you purchase from Oak Park, and that is something worth considering. I'm not sure where you were going with the government subsidies (which Oak Park does not get) or corporate sponsorship statements. Sponsors pay a large portion but not all of the $500-700 dollars per broadcast minute for the show. The balance was funded by Oak Park. Perhaps this shows you that Bob and Rick are more interested in promoting routing than they are in the profit.
Keep scouting for good deals and posting them as you find them. I do the same thing. I only wanted members to have a better understanding of the investment Oak Park makes in everyones woodworking future.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

I think what it boils down to is...

You get what you pay for...

I know that Oak Park is quality.

If you can get Oak Park on Sale, you are really getting a deal.

 

[routerman1969]

aye chihuahua,

it seems like i stirred up a little bit of a hornets nest. i now realize what i have done. it was bad form to recommend another product that competes with oak park on an oak park forum.

as far as brand loyalty goes i am not too big on that. i am more a quality/value ratio kind of guy. i dont think i own 2 major power tools from the same company. in fact oak park is the only company i have done business more than once.

router table with vacu-plate and assorted acessories
3" clamps
jointer fence
3 baseplates
extra lock nut and reducer

i am not even going to try to figure out what the retail cost on this stuff comes to, but the bottom line comes down to the fact that i just felt that the price they are charging for those guides is exorbitant and i needed to find an alternative. ( i even found the factory in taiwan were they are made) quality of them is actually excellent.

also, one last thing.. does anyone know if or when bob and rick will get to massachusetts or the new england area. i really would like to see them live.

 

[Joe Lyddon]

Scott, don't let it bother you... no harm done...

 

[routerman1969]

thanks joe... i didnt want to become a pariah before i even got into the game.

 

[Mike]

Scott, No worries, you did misunderstand what I was saying. We all look for the best values we can find. I will speak to Rick about the price of the guide bushings and see if there is any leeway in pricing. The fact that there is competition selling for less may cause him to lower the prices. You understand the quality and value of Oak Park merchandise since you own some. Please remember that these postings are read by many people who are not members and who do not comment on them. Often times they will never have seen "the Router Workshop" on PBS or www.thewoodworkingchannel.com
This is the reason I brought up what I call the added value of products from Oak Park. For information purposes, not to disuade you from posting about lower prices. It is no secret on the forums that I use several Rousseau mounting plates in tables I have built. Many people prefer using tables with lots of T tracks for attaching accesories. It's all good, they all work. Now the question is what are you working on for your next project and will you share photos with us? The more you participate the better the forums will be. I am glad you are with us Scott.

 

[steelhelmet]

You Buy Cheap, You Get Cheap!

 

[Doyle]

Cheap

You Buy Cheap, You Get Cheap!

T'aint that the truth. Thats why all my projects are made with scrap wood. my machines would not know how to handle good wood. (not true)..
I have purchased cheap tools thinking I was getting a deal. It never works out. I wind up with cheap looking projects.
You are right - buy cheap, you get cheap.
Doyle

 

[bobj3]

Guide bushings

They are all made the same way, some are brass and some are steel stock but they can only make them one way (to fit the router) and a nut to hold them in place, it's true they may not be all the same thread size but they must work....so to save money on bushing is always the best way to go.. I have about 8 sets of the brass ones and 2 sets of the steel ones and they are about the same but they all work in the router base plates....
Brass is Brass and it always will be, it just comes down to if you want to save money .. on guide bushing..


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