Make guide-bushing templates that cut true
Pick a shape or upload an SVG, choose your bit and guide bushing, and Rideline builds a laser- or CNC-ready template with the bushing offset already applied. It shows where the bit will actually cut, so you can catch rounded corners and tight spots before you touch the wood.
Red = cut, blue = score, black = engrave. Files are true scale. Most laser beds need the template to fit within the cut area (a Glowforge Plus is 19.5 × 11 in).
How a guide bushing template works
A guide bushing is a short metal collar that screws into your router's base plate. The bit spins inside it, and the outside of the collar rides against the edge of a template. Because the collar is wider than the bit, the cut always lands a fixed distance from the template edge. That distance is the bushing offset, and getting it wrong is the reason most hand-drawn templates come out too big or too small.
With a 5/8" bushing and a 1/4" bit the offset is 3/16". So a 4 × 2 in pocket needs a template opening of 4-3/8 × 2-3/8 in, and a 4 × 2 in cut-out part needs a template of 3-5/8 × 1-5/8 in. Rideline does that math for any shape, including curves and uploaded artwork, with true round offsets rather than simple scaling. Scaling a shape up or down is not the same as offsetting it, and only works for circles.
Three template types
- Pocket / recess: the bushing rides inside an opening. Use it for hinge mortises, recesses for hardware, tray pockets, flush-mount pulls and through-cuts.
- Cut-out part: the bushing rides around the outside of a template piece. Use it to make many copies of one part.
- Inlay pair: a recess template and a matching plug template with a clearance you choose, for butterfly keys and decorative inlays. Read the inlay guide.
See the cut before you make it
Rideline runs a quick simulation of the bushing rolling along the template and the bit sweeping beside it. The shaded area is what the bit will actually remove. Anything shown in red is different from your drawing, usually a sharp inside corner the bit can't reach or a point that gets rounded off. Fix it in the design, pick a smaller bit or bushing, or plan to clean it up with a chisel.
Bushing offset chart
Common inch combinations. See the full offset chart with metric sizes.
| Bushing OD ↓ / Bit → | 1/8" | 3/16" | 1/4" | 3/8" | 1/2" |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5/16" | 3/32" (0.0938") | 1/16" (0.0625") | – | – | – |
| 3/8" | 1/8" (0.1250") | 3/32" (0.0938") | 1/16" (0.0625") | – | – |
| 7/16" | 5/32" (0.1562") | 1/8" (0.1250") | 3/32" (0.0938") | – | – |
| 1/2" | 3/16" (0.1875") | 5/32" (0.1562") | 1/8" (0.1250") | 1/16" (0.0625") | – |
| 5/8" | 1/4" (0.2500") | 7/32" (0.2188") | 3/16" (0.1875") | 1/8" (0.1250") | 1/16" (0.0625") |
| 3/4" | 5/16" (0.3125") | 9/32" (0.2812") | 1/4" (0.2500") | 3/16" (0.1875") | 1/8" (0.1250") |
| 1" | 7/16" (0.4375") | 13/32" (0.4062") | 3/8" (0.3750") | 5/16" (0.3125") | 1/4" (0.2500") |
Frequently asked questions
What is a guide bushing offset?
A guide bushing (also called a template guide or bushing guide) is a metal collar in the router base that rides against the edge of a template while the bit spins inside it. Because the collar is wider than the bit, the cut ends up a fixed distance away from the template edge. That distance is the offset: (bushing outside diameter − bit diameter) ÷ 2.
How do I calculate the offset for my guide bushing?
Measure the outside diameter of the bushing collar, subtract the bit diameter and divide by two. A 5/8" bushing with a 1/4" bit gives (0.625 − 0.25) ÷ 2 = 0.1875", or 3/16". Measure your actual bushing with calipers, because nominal sizes and real sizes are not always the same.
Do I make the template bigger or smaller than my part?
For a pocket, recess or opening, the bushing rides inside the template, so the template opening is bigger than the finished pocket by the offset on every side. For a part you cut out, the bushing rides around the outside of the template, so the template is smaller than the finished part by the offset on every side. Rideline handles both.
Why do my corners come out rounded?
The bit is round, so inside corners of a pocket always keep at least the bit's radius. Outside corners of a cut-out part come out rounded to the offset, because the bushing rolls around the template corner. Rideline shows these spots in red so you know before you cut. Square them up with a chisel, or design them in as rounded corners.
What file types does Rideline export?
SVG and DXF (R12), at true scale in inches or millimetres. Cut lines are red, score marks are blue and engraved text is black, which works with Glowforge, LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and most CNC software.
Can I upload my own shape?
Yes. Upload or drop an SVG with closed shapes. Rideline reads the file's real size when it has one (in, mm, cm, pt) and otherwise assumes 96 px per inch, with a 72 px per inch option for files from older Illustrator versions. Convert any text to outlines first.
What should I make templates from?
1/4" (6 mm) clear acrylic or MDF is the usual choice. Acrylic lets you see the layout lines underneath. The template must be thicker than the bushing collar is tall, or the collar will bottom out on the workpiece.
Is Rideline really free? Do you keep my files?
It's free with no account. Everything runs in your browser. Your shapes and settings are never uploaded, and the site has no analytics or tracking cookies.
Need a ready-made template?
VARØ Industries makes acrylic router templates, letter sets and laser files for woodworkers and leatherworkers.
Visit VARØ Industries