Short answer: An acrylic router template is a clear, laser cut pattern that you stick to a board with double sided tape, then trace with a bearing guided router bit. The bearing rides along the edge of the template while the cutter below it removes wood, so the recess in your board matches the template exactly. Fill the recess with epoxy or a contrasting wood, sand flush, and you have a clean inlay without a CNC. The three things that make it work: a 1/4 inch thick template, a plunge flush trim bit with the bearing on the shank, and tape that does not let the template shift.
Bear Hollow Supply cuts acrylic router templates in our shop in Fredericksburg, Ohio. We make several hundred designs, from letters and state outlines to serving board layouts and valet trays, and we stock the router bits and template tape that go with them. This guide covers how to use them, which bits to buy, and the mistakes that ruin a board.
What an acrylic router template is
A router template is a stencil for a router. Ours are cut from 1/4 inch clear cast acrylic on a laser, so the edges are smooth and square and the shape is exactly the same every time you use it. Clear acrylic matters more than it sounds: you can see the grain, knots, and edges of your board through the template, so you can place a design exactly where you want it instead of guessing.
Templates are reusable. Acrylic is hard enough that a bearing riding along the edge does not wear it down in normal use, so one template can produce hundreds of boards. That is what makes them practical for small shops and craft sellers: you get CNC consistency for the price of a single template and a router bit.
Types of templates and what they are for
- Design and inlay templates. Shapes like mountain ranges, crosses, animals, letters, and numbers. You route a shallow recess in the board and fill it. Most of our catalog is this type. Letter templates come in small and large sizes, sold individually or as a full alphabet.
- State outline templates. The same idea, but the shape is a US state. Popular for cutting boards and signs.
- Serving board and layout templates. These define the outside shape of a board, such as a oblong serving board, a pizza board, or round boards. 10 by 18 and 12 by 24 layout templates give you a repeatable rectangle with consistent corners.
- Handle templates. Cut a matching handle into every charcuterie board, like the classic handle.
- Tray and dish templates. The valet tray template routes a pocket instead of a thin recess, so you get a shallow dish with a clean border. These pair with a bowl and tray bit.
- Wine caddy templates. Cut the slots and bottle holes for a tabletop wine caddy, such as the classic or modern styles.
What you need
A router
A trim router is ideal for most inlay templates. It is light, easy to see around, and the small bits these templates call for do not need much power. A plunge base makes starting a cut inside a closed shape much easier, because you can set the bit over the opening and lower it straight down. With a fixed base you have to tilt the router in, which works but takes practice. For larger layout and serving board templates, a full size router is fine too.
The right router bits
Template work uses plunge flush trim bits. These look like a straight bit with a ball bearing mounted on the shank above the cutter, and the bearing is the same diameter as the cutter. The bearing rides on the template edge, the cutter follows underneath it in the wood, and the cut comes out flush with the template. The plunge tip lets you start the cut in the middle of the board.
- 3/16 inch miniature flush trim plunge bit. The Amana 47222-S is the bit we recommend on most design templates. The small diameter gets into tight inside corners that a bigger bit rounds over. It has a 1/4 inch cutting height and a 1/4 inch shank. Because the bit is so small, run it at reduced RPM and a slower feed than you would a normal bit, and do not try to hog out a big area with it. It is a detail bit.
- 3/8 inch flush trim plunge bit. The Amana 45475-S is the all purpose template bit. Use it to clear the bulk of a recess quickly, then switch to the 3/16 inch bit for corners. Also 1/4 inch cutting height and 1/4 inch shank.
- Spiral down cut bit. The Amana 46297 shears downward as it cuts, which leaves a crisp top edge on the recess with less fuzz and tearout. It is worth having for boards with figured or splintery grain.
- Bowl and tray bit. For valet trays and dishes, the Amana 45983 has a 1/8 inch radius on the bottom corner, so the floor of the pocket meets the wall with a smooth curve instead of a sharp inside corner.
If you are starting from zero, the beginner starter pack bundles the 3/16 and 3/8 inch bits, and the starter pack adds the spiral down cut. Bits are never included with templates.
Template tape
The template cannot move while you route. A template that slides even 1/32 inch ruins the recess. We use and sell double sided template tape for this. Put strips on the underside of the template, press it firmly to the board, and it will not shift under the sideways load of the bearing. Peel it off when you are done. Screws and clamps are not a good substitute because they get in the way of the router base.
A sharp chisel
Any round router bit leaves a radius in an inside corner. A 3/16 inch bit leaves a 3/32 inch radius, which is small but visible on a sharp cornered letter or a mountain peak. Keep a sharp chisel on hand to square those corners before you fill the recess.
How to rout an inlay with an acrylic template, step by step
1. Prep the board
Flatten and sand the board to its final thickness before routing. If you sand heavily after inlaying, you can sand through a shallow inlay. The board face should be flat so the template sits tight with no gaps for the bit to dive under.
2. Position the template
Set the clear template on the board and move it until the design sits where you want it relative to the grain and edges. Mark the template outline lightly in pencil so you can put it back if it shifts during taping.
3. Tape it down
Flip the template, apply strips of template tape around the design opening and at the corners, flip it back, align to your pencil marks, and press down hard across the whole template. More tape is better than less.
4. Set the bit depth
With the router unplugged, set the bit so the bearing will ride on the 1/4 inch template and the cutter extends below it into the wood by the depth you want. For an epoxy or wood inlay, a recess around 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch deep is typical. Shallower inlays risk being sanded through; deeper ones waste material and weaken a thin board. Make sure the bearing will stay on the template through the full depth of the cut. The bits above have a 1/4 inch cutting height, which is matched to a 1/4 inch template.
5. Rout the outline first, then clear the middle
Start the router, plunge in near the edge of the opening, and run the bearing along the template edge all the way around. Move the router against the rotation of the bit (for a handheld router, that means moving left to right along an edge you are facing). Once the outline is cut, clear the interior with overlapping passes. The interior does not need the bearing; you are just removing waste to a consistent depth. Use the 3/8 inch bit for the bulk and the 3/16 inch bit for the corners and fine details.
6. Clean the corners
Remove the template, vacuum the recess, and square up any inside corners with the chisel. Check the floor of the recess for ridges and clean them up if the inlay will be wood. For epoxy fills, small ridges do not matter.
7. Fill the recess
For an epoxy inlay, tape off the board around the recess if you are worried about drips, mix a small batch of epoxy with pigment, and overfill slightly. Let it cure fully. For a wood inlay, cut a contrasting piece to fit the recess, glue it in, and clamp.
8. Sand flush and finish
Sand the cured fill flush with the board, working up through the grits. Keep the sander moving so you do not dish the inlay. Finish the board as usual. On cutting boards, use a food safe finish.
Using layout and serving board templates
Outline templates work the same way but with the bearing running around the outside of the template instead of inside an opening. Rough cut the board about 1/8 inch outside the template line on a band saw or jigsaw first, then tape the template on and route the edge flush. The bit only has to remove a sliver, which keeps the edge clean and saves your bit. Follow up with a round over bit if the design calls for a softened edge.
Common mistakes
- Not enough tape. The number one cause of a ruined recess is a template that shifted. Tape generously and press hard.
- Using a bit with the bearing at the tip. Standard flush trim bits have the bearing at the bottom. For template work on top of the board, you need the bearing on the shank, above the cutter, so it rides on the template. Plunge flush trim bits are built this way.
- Taking the full depth in one pass with the 3/16 inch bit. It is a small bit and it will break if you push it. Two light passes beat one heavy one.
- Running the small bit at full RPM. Slow the router down. A smaller bit wants a slower speed and a slower feed.
- Routing a board that is not flat. If the template rocks, the bearing can slip under it and gouge the design.
- Sanding too much after the inlay. Get the board to final thickness before you route.
Buying templates
Browse the full acrylic router template collection. Most individual templates are cut on a standard 11.75 by 7.875 inch blank. If you need a shape we do not make, we also cut custom router templates from your artwork.
Frequently asked questions
What router bit do I use with an acrylic router template?
A plunge flush trim bit with the bearing on the shank, so the bearing rides on top of the template while the cutter works below it. A 3/16 inch bit handles fine details and tight corners; a 3/8 inch bit clears material faster. Both should have a 1/4 inch cutting height to match a 1/4 inch template.
How do you attach a router template to wood?
Use double sided template tape on the underside of the template. Apply several strips, align the template, and press it firmly to the board. Clamps and screws get in the way of the router base, and a template that shifts even slightly will ruin the recess.
How deep should an inlay recess be?
Around 1/8 inch to 3/16 inch is typical for epoxy or wood inlays in cutting boards and signs. Shallower recesses risk being sanded through during finishing. Make sure the bearing stays on the template at your chosen depth.
Do I need a plunge router for template work?
A plunge base makes it much easier to start a cut inside a closed shape, but it is not required. With a fixed base trim router you can tilt the bit into the opening carefully. Most people doing a lot of template work end up with a plunge base.
Can I use these templates on a CNC?
They are designed for handheld routers. If you already own a CNC you do not need a physical template. The point of an acrylic template is to get repeatable CNC style inlays without the machine.
How many times can I reuse an acrylic template?
Many times. The bearing rides on the edge of the acrylic without cutting into it, so a template lasts through hundreds of boards in normal use. The main way to damage one is to let the cutter contact the acrylic, which happens if the bit is set too high or the template slips.
What is the difference between a flush trim bit and a plunge flush trim bit?
A standard flush trim bit has its bearing at the tip, below the cutter, and is used with the pattern underneath the work. A plunge flush trim bit has the bearing on the shank, above the cutter, and a cutting tip that can plunge straight into the wood. The plunge style is what you want when the template sits on top of the board.
Why are the inside corners of my inlay rounded?
A round bit cannot cut a square inside corner. The smaller the bit, the smaller the radius it leaves. Use the 3/16 inch bit for corners, then square them with a sharp chisel before filling.