Is There An Appropriate Material For Template Making?

[onocoffee]

My interest in woodworking is to ultimately make chairs (at least for the time being) and I've seen videos of people using MDF to make the templates. It looks to me that they're using 1/4" MDF but I was watching a video tour of Sam Maloof's workshop today and noticed the grain in the templates hanging on their wall, leading me to believe they were/had used 1/4" plywood.

Swung by my local Lowes and Home Depot yesterday but they don't have much in the way of 1/4" MDF (1/2" and 3/4" - plenty) and the nearest sheet goods distributor is a solid 40 minute drive from me, so I haven't been there yet.

Is there a "proper" material for template making? Thanks!

 

[woodferret]

Baltic birch (Russian grade) used to be a cheap sturdy option.  The BB available now is not, nor is it proper.  Stick with MDF.

 

[Crazyraceguy]

I use 1/4" MDF, mostly because it actually measures 1/4". Most 1/4" plywood is far thinner, often as thin as 3/16". This matters because of the length of the collar on the bushings. I much prefer the brass ones. I machine them all down to just under 1/4" and they don't rust, from violating the plating of the steel version.
I have never gotten a good explanation as to why the larger diameter ones have such odd lengths? Seems like they are all like that? Like way back, they were intended for some specific purpose, which became the standard?
1/4" MDF may not be a typical big box store item, but regular lumber dealers will have it.

 

[woodferret]

In a pinch, I've used the 5mm fibrex HDF.  Just a note that any large sheet under 1/2 is going to be HDF instead of MDF at the big box, just because handling.  If your template is going to see a lot of bearing work, you can reinforce it by applying thin CA glue and letting it seep in.  Sand back to smooth. 

 

[Packard]

How are you using your templates?  To trace around for a shape to be cut on your bandsaw?  Or as a router template?

Illogically, I prefer 1/2” thick on the router table for small parts and 1/4” for large parts.

For the small parts I find the 1/2” stuff easier to grab onto.

For the large parts, the 1/4” is lighter.

I find MDF is easier to shape that plywood.

For long production runs I would probably opt for phenolic.  It’s expensive, but far more durable.  Heavier and more expensive than the other options, so I would only use it for a design that has been proven and will be used frequently.

 

[Cheese]

It really depends upon how you're going to use the template.

I've used paper, cardboard, mat board, plexiglass, MDF, regular ply, Baltic Birch, Masonite, aluminum and probably a few others I can't remember.

Is this a temporary pattern or will it be used again?

Will this be used for a single item, 10 items or 100 items...that all makes a difference. I tend to use a substrate that will withstand multiple pattern copies because if you ever need to revisit the pattern, it will still be beneficial and work as intended.

 

[onocoffee]

Thank you all for your thoughts. Guess I will make the trip down to the sheet goods guy once next week's predicted snowfall passes.

[member=74278]Packard[/member] - Not sure just yet, still trying to plan and figure out how I will do what I would like to do. The first project will be to recreate this chair that I was originally refinishing and thought it would make a good project to learn on. The plan is to disassemble it, trace the form onto the board, cut it out and sand the template to the finished dimension.

From there I figure I would trace the pattern onto the wood and rough cut it with a band saw, reattach the pattern and use it with a trim router bit and then shape. But since I have not yet done any of this, I'm still open to best practices.

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - I'm thinking that I will reuse the templates that I create to make more chairs. 10 or 100? That is yet to be determined but at least one, maybe four?

 

[Cheese]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - I'm thinking that I will reuse the templates that I create to make more chairs. 10 or 100? That is yet to be determined but at least one, maybe four?

Then I'd consider 1/8" thick Masonite...inexpensive, easy to machine, yet very hard & thick enough to work with a router bit bearing. If you want to incorporate drill guide holes in the pattern, then obviously a thicker material is required. With care, this will work for hundreds of chairs but if more are warranted then switch to aluminum.

 

[Packard]

[member=44099]Cheese[/member] - I'm thinking that I will reuse the templates that I create to make more chairs. 10 or 100? That is yet to be determined but at least one, maybe four?

Then I'd consider 1/8" thick Masonite...inexpensive, easy to machine, yet very hard & thick enough to work with a router bit bearing. If you want to incorporate drill guide holes in the pattern, then obviously a thicker material is required. With care, this will work for hundreds of chairs but if more are warranted then switch to aluminum.

At the big box stores, I believe it is called “hardboard”, and the “tempered” version is stronger.  I know the pegboard version is available in tempered and non-tempered, I don’t recall if the 1/8” non-perforated is too.

 

[luvmytoolz]

I use MDF for pretty much all my templates, and before I got the CNC, when I made a template I'd use that one to make a second as a working one, and keep the original mint to make more working ones as needed down the track.

 

[jeffinsgf]

I like 8mm Baltic Birch. The extra thickness gives me a fudge factor on bit position. Sometimes you get a bit with a larger than normal gap between the end of the cut and the edge of the bearing. That can get dicey with "1/4" inch plywood that isn't 1/4".

For one offs or a handful, MDF is fine, but if I were investing in material and time to make a set of chairs, I would make plywood templates.

 

[Tom the Remodeler]

As [member=58857]Crazyraceguy[/member] points out, you'll need to take your guide bushing length into account. I've been burned in the past when I produced a template, only to realize my bushing was longer than the thickness of the template.

As mentioned above, various thicknesses of MDF are common, easy to find at the Big Box stores, and easy to machine.

I happen to like using MDO plywood for hinge templates and lock mortising templates. My local lumber yard has 1/2" and 3/4" MDO, with a white primer on both faces. The smooth, white faces makes layout a lot easier, and the veneer cores and glue are rated for outdoor exposure, so the templates are durable and will better tolerate on-site use where they might be exposed to moisture.

The last time I visited the yard they were out of the 3/4" MDO I wanted, so instead I picked up some sheets of HDO, which has the same outdoor rated veneers and glue, but instead of the MDF faces it had a phenolic face. The phenolic face was nice and slippery, great for a router to slide around on, but hard to mark with a pencil. When I asked who's buying the HDO product, the yard guy suggested it was mostly concrete contractors, using the HDO for concrete forms. Makes sense, since I imagine few things would stick to the phenolic face. At $75/sheet, they were only $5 more than the MDO I was buying.

While the phenolic face on the HDO was nice, I'm going to go back to using the primed MDO plywood whenever possible, on account of how easy it is to mark the faces.

 

[peter halle]

You have gotten great advice but one other thing I would suggest you consider  is the combined thickness of the template + project material + consideration of router bit cutting length + top or bottom bearing or use of guide bushing and bearing less bit+ (finally) work flow (will your router bit selected be one to achieve your trimming all using one template placement or a combination of a shorter bit and using a top bearing or bushing initially for a partial cut and then a flip and not template and bottom bearing (this would usually only come into play with thicker materials which could be the case with chair construction. (Yes, I know that was a long sentence - was done intentionally to illustrate the many things that thickness alone can affect.)

I typically like 3/8 mdf, but it is cheaper to but the 1/2 especially if you can find it in the big box stores.  Baltic birch is still silly expensive in my area. One other thing to look out for MDF templates is that over time if you look at the edges where bearings ride you will see slight compression.  I doubt that would have any affect on your situation but the edges are softer than the face in practical usage.

 

[Vondawg]

Very important point(s) Peter makes on the bit length and template thickness…this is what has to be dealt with the most for me

 

[heidtwd]

If you use ⅛" Masonite (HDF), consider saturating the edges with CA glue which results in a harder and more wear resistant surface.

 

[Packard]

Also note, that with 1/4” or thinner materials you have to take care on your router bit depth of cut.  If you are not careful on the depth of cut, your template will get chewed up by the cutter.

Also, consider whether you are going to use a top bearing or a bottom bearing bit. I use the top bearing bits almost exclusively. 

How will you attach the template to the work piece?

So far, all the pieces I have cut with a template, had a couple of places where I could drive screws, creating a solid attachment.  I have tried carpet tape, but if the situation allows it, I prefer the screws.

 

[Packard]

I would suggest some preparatory (and useful) homework to build some skills.

I would suggest decorations for an infant’s bedroom.

You can pick any cartoon, but this one of Mikey Mouse offers enough trials to get you going (and will make a wonderful gift to new parents).

Make the face and ears as one piece from 3/4” thick MDF.

Choose a template material (1/4” or 1/2” MDF will work fine).

Make it large—maybe 12” to 18” across.

Nothing in the drawing is round.  So you will have to use some proportional dividers to get the right shape.

Intermission:  More to come.

The video shows how to use the proportional dividers.  I got mine from Amazon (plastic ones) for about $10.00.  I’m sure that the brass ones in the video are more expensive.


After you have drawn the shape onto the template, cut it out with a jig saw or band saw.  Use a sanding block to smooth out the contours.

Attach the template to the 3/4” MDF and trace around it.  Remove the template. 

Cut to shape using your saw, then re-attach the template and use your router or router table to get the 3/4” stock to exact size and shape.

Make a second template for the painting pattern.  That can be made from anything you have in your shop—preferably something in the 1/8” to 1/4” thickness.

Your router bit will not reach into the crevices where the ears attach to the face.  You can use your saw to get in there and sand paper to smooth it out, or a hand saw (pull saws work great) or attach some sandpaper to thin material and use that.  In any case, you cannot count on the router to get into small spaces.  You will have to use your imagination to come up with solutions for that (or post a question here, if that comes up).

Use a round-over bit on the edges of the face. 

Use Sealcoat or shellac based primer (B-I-N) as water based paints and primers will “raise the grain” and make the surface look like rough sandpaper.

Don’t fool yourself into thinking that this will end up being a one-off.  Make it nice enough and it will be in demand for every parents’ new nursery. 

The painting template is simply for tracing the design onto the mouses face.  I would freehand the paint job.  Corrections are easy by painting over the errors. 

A simple project like this, will give you the template making skills, the template cutting skills, and the drafting skills to make most projects. 

If Mickey Mouse does not suit you, there are tons of other cartoons.  Some will be difficult as they are drawn in three dimensions, but most are adaptable.

Note:  I would make a hard pass on including the background.  Let the parents just hang the piece on the wall.  The bigger you make this, the easier it will be to produce.  The 12” to 18” is a good size range, but larger would be more impressive and easier to cut (with a jigsaw).  Too big may be problematic for finding wall space.  I like French cleats for mounting on the wall.

 

[woodferret]

Since you're new to this all, and it's turning into a mega thread with mentions of top/bottom bearings.  Note that for furniture on solid wood, you're going to want both, or a combination bit.  Mainly you'll be flipping the template up/down depending on grain direction and to avoid a climb cut.

Katz Moses has a pretty detailed intro to template work.  There's a bit of sales in there, but not too distracting. https://kmtools.com/blogs/news/template-routing-basics

edit: and for the love of god, don't use carpet tape.  Intertape 591https://www.itape.com/product/591/ which can be grabbed from amazon for expensive, or any industrial supply store for cheap.

 

[Packard]

Since you're new to this all, and it's turning into a mega thread with mentions of top/bottom bearings.  Note that for furniture on solid wood, you're going to want both, or a combination bit.  Mainly you'll be flipping the template up/down depending on grain direction and to avoid a climb cut.

Katz Moses has a pretty detailed intro to template work.  There's a bit of sales in there, but not too distracting. https://kmtools.com/blogs/news/template-routing-basics

edit: and for the love of god, don't use carpet tape.  Intertape 591https://www.itape.com/product/591/ which can be grabbed from amazon for expensive, or any industrial supply store for cheap.

And I would add that 1/2” shaft pattern bits are best for deep cuts, but won’t get into tighter crevices. 

And, as I recently learned, you have to pay attention to the direction of the wood grain when using the pattern bits.  Go the wrong direction and it will chatter and chop up the edge being cut.

 

[squall_line]

edit: and for the love of god, don't use carpet tape.  Intertape 591https://www.itape.com/product/591/ which can be grabbed from amazon for expensive, or any industrial supply store for cheap.

Why not carpet tape specifically?  Too sticky? Too thick?