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PILOT TIPPED AND BEARING GUIDE BITS
The lower portion of a pilot tipped bit, as
shown in (Fig. 17), is a shaft with no cutting
edges. Bearing guide bits have a ball bearing
to pilot the bit.
This pilot slides along the edge of the work as
the rotating blades make the cut, forming
molding or decorative edges. The edge on
which the pilot slides should be perfectly
smooth since any irregularities are transferred
to the shaped surface.
TEMPLATES
Using template patterns lets you duplicate
designs or letters uniformly time after time.
This technique requires the use of an template
guide adapter and a template guide.
TEMPLATE GUIDES
(Not included, available as accessory)
The template guide shown in (Fig. 18), is
essentially a plate with a collar which is
inserted through the hole in sub-base and
template guide adapter from below and
fastened with a knurled retaining nut. The
template guide rides along the edge of the
templat while the router bit, protruding below,
cuts into the work.
KNURLED
NUT
ROUTER
SUB-BASE
ATTENTION: Be sure the thickness of the
templat is the same or larger than the guide
surface of the collar.
Do not use a bit that may touch the inside of
the collar. Select a bit that is about 1/16" less
in diameter than the template guide adapter
opening.
Template guides are used with a number of
special accessories, such as hinge templates.
In addition, special templates are easily
prepared for cutting repeated patterns, special
designs, inlays, and other applications. A
template pattern may be made of plywood,
hardboard, metal or even plastic, and the
design can be cut with a router, jigsaw, or
other suitable cutting tool.
Remember that the pattern will have to be
made to compensate for the distance between
the router bit and the template guide (the
TEMPLATE GUIDE
ADAPTER
"offset"), as the final workpiece will differ in size
(optional accessory)
from the template pattern by that amount, due
to the bit position (Fig. 19).
FIG. 18
TEMPLATE GUIDE
(optional accessory)
-15-
CUT
PILOT SLIDES
ALONG EDGE
OF WORK
FIG. 19
TEMPLATE
ROUTER BIT
OFFSET
FIG. 17
CUTTER PART OF
PILOT TIPPED BIT
COLLET NUT
ROUTER
GUIDE
SUB-BASE
TEMPLATE
PATTERN
WORKPIECE