Fastening a template without clamps

[John Makar]

I need to fasten a 1/4 MDF template to a piece of walnut in order to route an in-lay. I have routed many templates, but I will not be able to use clamps on this one, it has to sit flush and flat on the routed surface, the router sitting on the template. I was thinking about using double sided tape to hold the template in place, but not sure that's enough.

So, assuming you wanted to do something like this, how would you do it?

[Paul F Franklin]

I've used double stick tape in this fashion with no issues, as long as the walnut is smooth and you have a reasonable amount of area for the tape. Make sure to wipe or blow any dust off the surfaces before applying the tape.

[Prashun Patel]

Double sided tape will be fine as long as you route in the right direction and it doesn't run on you.

[Bill Dindner]

Double sided tape is fine, I’ve used it many times for similar operations.

[Bob Lang]

Double sided tape is great, but not all variations of it are created equal. If you're shopping at a "big box" store look for a cloth-backed tape intended to hold rugs in place. Fastcap makes some really strong double sided tapes, including one that makes a permanent bond. These tapes are pressure sensitive, so they hold better if you smack the template with a rubber mallet after you have it in place. If you have trouble releasing it, squirt a little lacquer thinner in the intersection of the template and your work.

[Frank Pratt]

Home Depot carries 2 versions of 3M carpet tape; the outdoor version is fabric backed, is thicker and has a stronger bond, while the indoor is very thin with no fabric. I keep both on hand. If the wood is smooth & flat, I favor the thin stuff and the bond is more than strong enough. The thick tape works better if the surface is a little rough. The down side to the fabric backed tape is that there is more creep to it.

[Jacob Mac]

I've had good luck with the double sided tape from taytools. They sell it on Amazon and it is cheaper than on their site.

[glenn bradley]

I have used double-sided tape for that purpose for years. Avoid carpet tape or tapes with a thick rubbery adhesive; they allow too much movement for template routing. Intertape is my go-to but, there are some 3M products that have the rigid film backing I prefer. The problem with rubbery adhesives on load bearing templates for routing is that it telegraphs any slight movement of the template into a flaw on the keeper.

[Jim Becker]

Unless this is a tiny workpiece, the combination of double sided tape appropriate for the load and the workpiece blocked up above the table so you can use a few clamps away from where you are routing will help. If you need to do all tape, pre-size the workpiece through another means so that you are only taking a very light finishing cut to get it to final contours.

[Thomas McCurnin]

With walnut, I would also consider a pin nail. An 18 or 22 gauge pin or two would hold the template fine, and would not be noticeable, unless you had really good eyes and were looking for it. After finish, I doubt even you could find it.

[Edwin Santos]

A small bead of hot glue on each side of the template in addition to the double stick tape should keep it from shifting. Remove the hot glue with a little denatured alcohol and peel it off. There will be no trace of it left.
Of course if you don't have a hot glue gun, then this suggestion was useless.
Edwin

[Jim Becker]

It occurs to me that I forgot to mention the masking tape and super glue method....VERY effective for template routing. Tape on the workpiece and template at the same places, rubbed down for good tape adhesion, a bead of med/thick super glue on one side, shoot the other side with some accelerator and stick them together.

[Robert Engel]

If you apply a little clamp pressure over the tape for a few seconds, that helps.

But every time ai do it, it’s still a bit nerve wracking.

Good quality tape does matter a lot.

I don’t use carpet tape as it tends to slip and can be a mess to remove.

The one time I tried the tape and super glue method was a disaster.

[Jim Becker]

The one time I tried the tape and super glue method was a disaster.

I'm curious about the trouble you've encountered because I've used it quite a few times on my CNC machine and know some pro guitar builders who use that method to attach routing templates to guitar bodies to route out cavities. It's never failed for me. The only bad thing is the fumes but they don't bother me too much and I insure there is ventilation.

[Jacob Mac]

I've used the blue tape trick, you have to be careful lining things up. Otherwise, it works really well