Inlays can add an attractive element to your work, and using a guide makes the process easy. Create your pattern as described previously and rout the inlay recess with the inlay bushing installed on the guide. Then, remove the bushing and rout the inlay using the same template. The bushing automatically accounts for the offset when routing the recess and the inlay, allowing you to use a single template to cut a perfect-fitting inlay.

ROUTING THE RECESS. After selecting a template for your design, start by positioning the template on the workpiece and securing it with double-sided tape. Then, with the sleeve on the bushing, simply rout the outline of the recess and the remainder of the waste by following the template. If necessary, square up the corners with a chisel. Often mistakenly called a flush trim bit, a pattern bit has the bearing on the shank of the bit instead of at the tip. This allows you to secure a template on top of a workpiece and clamp them both to your bench to rout the shape. And pattern-style bits aren't limited to straight cutters. The bowl-routing bit shown below is simply a different profile with a bearing on the shank to follow a template. When joining boards to make a wider surface, you can add some interest to the final piece by using different woods and by joining them using a wavy shape instead of a straight edge. Simply make one pattern and then use it to create a mirror image. Use an inlay bushing to ensure perfect alignment. This will account for the offset; otherwise, you would need to make two separate templates. Routing a Cavity or MortiseYou might already be familiar with the idea of template routing from using a dovetail jig. In this application, a router equipped with a guide bushing follows the fingers of a dovetail template to cut perfectly spaced, tightfitting dovetails in minutes. This same concept opens up a lot of possibilities for creating matching inlays. Once you learn to make pieces, tight-fitting joints, or seam your own templates and choose the right router bit for the task at hand, there are almost no limits. Our templates are laser-cut for optimal precision, ensuring clean and crisp lines every time. Whether you're a professional woodworker or a DIY enthusiast, our templates will make your projects stand out and impress everyone who sees them. Introducing the Clear Acrylic Router Template - the perfect tool for woodworkers and resin artists looking to create stunning and intricate designs. Made from high-quality, durable acrylic, our router templates are designed to help you achieve precision and accuracy in your craft. One of the easiest ways to create a perfect circle is with a router. Our circle-cutting jigs, baseplates, and accessories take the hassle out cutting circles. We offer a variety of Jasper circle guides and jigs that simply replace the baseplate on your router, turning it into a precision compass for cutting and routing circles. Our Oval & Circle-Cutter with Vacuum Base is perfect for cutting circles from wide panels or sheet goods like plywood or MDF. The Milescraft RouterGuide Kit turns your router into a compass, edge guide, or offset-base router. Router Joinery Guides

Infinity Cutting Tools makes it easy for you to create your own signs, inlays, and accents. We offer a wide range of accessories for signmaking and creating your own wood inlays. Another primary task for your router is to create the joinery for your woodworking projects. Our selection of joinery guides provides the ultimate in precision for tight-fitting woodworking joints using your hand-held router or router table. From dadoes to dovetails and box joints, you can't beat the ease and precision of our joinery systems.The reason I prefer MDF is that it's perfectly flat and very easy to shape with files and sandpaper. The template I use for making curved rails for cabinet doors shown in the photo above is a good example. To make it, I simply laid out the curve with a compass, cut out the shape at the band saw, and smoothed the curve, first with a file and then with a simple, shop-made sanding strip, seen below. The thing to keep in mind when using a guide bushing is that it will create an offset between the template and the workpiece. This means you'll need to account for the distance from the edge of the bushing to the cutting edge of the bit in your template design.