I've often thought about having a special bushing made for my router that adds the clearance needed after doing the two cut template method. Adding tape around the driver for the clearance to begin with never sits right with me.
Having Brad CNC a template already to use would be great. I'd pay for that.
Someone here had posted in another thread to use a 5/16" bit when making the router tracing of the driver then use the resulting pattern with a 1/4" bit to leave a 1/16" gap around the driver and recessed cut-out - This is a great shop tip.
I found two undersized 1/4" bits and two over-sized 1/4" bits and two correct sized 1/4" bits in my stash tonight using a set of calipers so I have them sorted for future use, now.
After this thread concluded, I modified one of my Craftsman offset collars in an attempt to get @dcibel 's "low waste" method to work out properly. I put together a long PDF showing my step-by-step procedure, but did not post it because it seemed too cumbersome with too many steps. The procedure requires a router table, a separate plunge router, the craftsman bushing/collar set, a special modified bushing/collar, two templates, and alot of time and patience. It works, and is very precise, but I have only made one final template with it so far and I am not sure I want to go through this hassle again.
The big one peice template works best and is fairly easy, just makes for a large price of waste material. I have access to a small CNC now so I just mill them out, making a template on CNC for this type of thing is about 10min job.
Comments
I've often thought about having a special bushing made for my router that adds the clearance needed after doing the two cut template method. Adding tape around the driver for the clearance to begin with never sits right with me.
Having Brad CNC a template already to use would be great. I'd pay for that.
I have had good success with this method for truncated drivers:
https://www.afterness.com/audio/routing_truncated_recesses.html
Someone here had posted in another thread to use a 5/16" bit when making the router tracing of the driver then use the resulting pattern with a 1/4" bit to leave a 1/16" gap around the driver and recessed cut-out - This is a great shop tip.
I found two undersized 1/4" bits and two over-sized 1/4" bits and two correct sized 1/4" bits in my stash tonight using a set of calipers so I have them sorted for future use, now.
Most of you have probably seen this thread, showing various methods to flush mount non-round drivers:
https://diy.midwestaudio.club/discussion/comment/32187#Comment_32187
After this thread concluded, I modified one of my Craftsman offset collars in an attempt to get @dcibel 's "low waste" method to work out properly. I put together a long PDF showing my step-by-step procedure, but did not post it because it seemed too cumbersome with too many steps. The procedure requires a router table, a separate plunge router, the craftsman bushing/collar set, a special modified bushing/collar, two templates, and alot of time and patience. It works, and is very precise, but I have only made one final template with it so far and I am not sure I want to go through this hassle again.
The big one peice template works best and is fairly easy, just makes for a large price of waste material. I have access to a small CNC now so I just mill them out, making a template on CNC for this type of thing is about 10min job.