# Making a template, where did I go wrong?



## Thom2 (Nov 12, 2004)

I need a little help here guys, I'm not sure where my thinking went wrong and I'm still not really sure why this didn't work. Somebody enlighten me.

In order to inlay a router plate, rather than taking the normal plans of attack, I decided to try a trick that I'm sure I've used before with success.

Here's the process.

1.) lay a plate blank on a piece of 3/8 BB while using 1/4" bit with a 1/2" O.D. guide bushing, route an opening around the outside of the plate.

2.) take the template with the opening, lay that on router top (in this case a test piece of 3/8 BB, THANK GOD), switch the guide bushing out to a 1" O.D. while keeping the same 1/4" bit and route around the inside of the template.

3.) My mind tells me that this should essentially allow me to have a perfect inlay for the blank that I started with. 

I'm sure I've done this same procedure at least once before inlaying a rectangular plate with success. This is a Jessem router plate and has rounded corners and the finished hole is CLOSE ... VERY VERY close, but the plate just won't fit (possibly the rounded corners being a problem?) . I'm not sure where I went wrong but was hoping one of you could whack me in the head and get me thinkin' straight 

BTW: I'm familiar with all the ways of mounting a router plate, but I saw other uses for this 'inlay' type of process and specifically want to know why this procedure isn't working  

Thanks guys,

Thom


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Tom

The guides are the key to doing inlay work along with the right bit..

1/8" bit, 17mm guide and 24mm guide

You can switch bits to a bigger one to hog out the pocket for the inlay but you should use the 1/8" to start with, this will make the pocket and the inlay part fit just right...
If you switch to a bigger bit to hog out the pocket, take care and don't touch the edge of the pocket,,, a small help tip, use some of the same stock you are using for the inlay and some double sided carpet tape and stick some of the stock in the pocket around the inside edge, this will help keep you from clipping the edge with the router bit,it's a bit more work to put some stock in the pocket but it's just some insurance, if you clip the edge it will show up like a sore thumb....most inlays are right up front...and the 1st. thing someone looks at....

Good Luck...

Bj 

Many of the inlay kits come with the right guide(s) or a brass ring that sides over the main guide along with the 1/8" bit, plus they almost always come with info how to used the kit, stick with that and it should work ever time....


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

Thom,

you want to also make sure that the guide bushing is centered properly to the cutter...also try to maintain the same contact point between the guide bushing and the template as much as possible.


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

Thom,

*W e l c o m e . . A b o a r d !!​*


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## Thom2 (Nov 12, 2004)

Joe Lyddon said:


> Thom,
> 
> *W e l c o m e . . A b o a r d !!​*



Thanks Joe, gosh .. you look familiar ... haven't I seen you somewhere before 

I'm a lurker here from time to time, just don't do much posting.


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## Thom2 (Nov 12, 2004)

Bj,

Thanks, I sort of agree about the use of an inlay kit, but only if I were doing something a lot smaller with a final cut depth of 1/4" or less. Those 1/8" bits just aren't gonna hold up to what I'm doing.

The principle between the inlay kit and what I'm doing is exactly the same. I'm just switching guides to change the offset rather than having a handy dandy slip on collar.

Greg,

Good point and one that's crossed my mind, but I did center the base on my 618 when I started out. Perhaps not well enough tho'. 

At this point I'm more curious as to whether my theory is sound and I'm not overlooking anything. I can see this setup working for sure if I were using the same template to route the recess and then the inlay, I just wonder if there isn't a problem with my choice of guide when making the template from the plate.

Thanks Guys,

Thom


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

Thom2 said:


> Thanks Joe, gosh .. you look familiar ... haven't I seen you somewhere before
> 
> I'm a lurker here from time to time, just don't do much posting.


I don't know Thom...

Could it be my website?

I also have a BT3...


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

Thom,

Something else you may want to consider is that when you make an inlay you want it to be a nice fit with no gaps, but a router plate should be able to slip in and out of the recess freely...

you probably could have used a couple of wraps of tape around your router plate when using it to make your template to give you a slip fit in the table recess.


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## template tom (Sep 18, 2004)

Thom
When I look at you calculations your procedure is 100% correct the only thing I can say is maybe your 1/4" cutter had been sharpened a few times and therefore was slightly smaller
Tom

*First cut would leave a 3/8" difference therefore a 3/8" offset was required with the second cut and that was what you had with the 1" guide and the 1/4" cutter.*


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## Thom2 (Nov 12, 2004)

gregW said:


> Thom,
> 
> Something else you may want to consider is that when you make an inlay you want it to be a nice fit with no gaps, but a router plate should be able to slip in and out of the recess freely...
> 
> you probably could have used a couple of wraps of tape around your router plate when using it to make your template to give you a slip fit in the table recess.


THANKS Greg!!!

Such a forehead slapping solution  .... I just wrapped the 1/2" guide with about 3 wraps of masking tape and had a go around my blank again. PERFECT fit this time!!!!

*woohoo* ... 24x42 1 1/4" commercial desktop with jessem lift installed ... time to make the cabinet and get ready to mount the Jointech!  

Thanks for all the input guys, I thought I was on the right track with this. I just needed a good kick in the pants.

Thom


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## gregW (Mar 14, 2007)

That's great Thom...it sounds like it's going to be a real nice setup


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