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I need to find a source for the steel jig bushings that LMI was selling a while back, specifically the 1/4" i.d. one. Since they no longer carry them I have to look elsewhere. I tried Lee Valley, they have the kind you screw in, which are fine for some things but not this application.

Any ideas?

Thanks

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

McMaster Carr and Grainger both carry every sort of random part like that you could want. Travers does as well.

If you're looking for more precise stuff, Stevens Engineering specializes in that sort of thing.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

McMaster Carr has them but they want $10 bucks a piece!!!

I am definately in the wrong business, I even tried just sleeves and they where $7...

I might try the little local Machine shop where I get my bits from, if they don't have then I guess I'll just pony up some cash for McMaster Carr...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

Nature of the beast. Anything that has to be heat-treated AND accurate is going to be expensive because heat-treating changes the size and shape.

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John Watkins
CNC Guitar Parts

I bought some recently from McMaster, but they were only about $4 a piece.  I don't use the shouldered ones, just the plain press fit steel bushings, but they work fine.  They are less than $4 each if you buy 12 at a time.

Dave

Try your local Ace Hardware store. Look for bronze bushings. You'll find them in those little pull-out yellow drawers.

I think Lee Valley has them too ....

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Oops .. didnt read the part about the screw in type not fitting the application .. DOH.

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Tony Karol
www.karol-guitars.com
"let my passion .. fulfill yours"

Bronze bushings are bearings, not drill guides.

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John Watkins
CNC Guitar Parts

Indeed they are. I had "circle cutting" on the brain and was thinking of putting a pin in them and not needing the strength of a true drill guide.

Paul, I'm not sure what size you need but you can find some at Woodworkers Supply.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

[QUOTE=Don A] Paul, I'm not sure what size you need but you can find some at Woodworkers Supply.[/QUOTE]

Doh! I read your post again and they do have the 1/4".

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

You can also try Reid Supply Paul, I know they are about the same as McMaster Carr, but I don't think you need an account there.

Reid Supply - Drill Bushings

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Don....

Those are the ones and they have them cheap... Bingo!!

And Reid supply has the skinny ones I need as well...

'Supposedly' you can use them in polycarb as well, I'm going to have to test that a little and see :)

Thanks for the quick responses guys.

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars

MSC Industrial has them in a wide assortment.
Try http://www1.mscdirect.com/cgi/nnsrhm.

They have a HUGE catalog (I've used it to flatten curled wood! ) and it is also available on a cd rom(which won't flatten curled wood).

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Hank Mauel

Just a comment from the peanut gallery...

 Do we really need bushings? Yes, in the days of hand drills, the bushings helped guide the wobbly hand of the user, which would certainly wear out most any material, but today, 99% of us have a drill press(and the other 1% will be buying one soon), and I have found that even plain hardwoods like RW and ebony make long wearing guides. Once the bit is in, there's no side wear with a drill press. My headstock template is still on its original holes, those being made of some unknown hardwood. And my bridge pin hole jigs are made of ebony and BRW. Still not appreciably worn...

I DO use guides from drilling the neck bolt holes in both the necks and the body, because those are done with a hand drill. I get those from LeeValley.

Based on who's asking, I suspect these aren't being used for drilling at all.

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Good point Grumpy...

I'm creating jigs that require you too drill index holes, even with a drill press you can easily ream out Poly Carbonate, these are simply protection against that. The other use is that I can put in and remove index pins with these and they will stay secure.

I use the larger ones for bridge making, they provide me with the precision I need to align up wood on my CNC using index pins. In that case I do in fact use a hand drill with a stop collar so I get a precise depth, it's not that I don't use my drill press but sometimes the drill is just easier...

-Paul-

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-Paul-

Patriot Guitars