How do I use my "male" template to make a "female" piece

[slodat]

I have a 1/4" thick template that is a "rounded corner-ish rectangle". I want to make it's mate - an opening in a larger piece of sheet that this template would exactly fit in.

For the life of me, I can't figure out how to do this.

Photo of template:

[Soloact]

There are a few options,depending on what you're wanting to do with the final pieces,ie: paint,wrapped in some kind of fabric,etc.A router with a flush trim bit and bearing would work great.

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[Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX]

Originally Posted by Soloact

A router with a flush trim bit and bearing would work great.

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This

Make a negitive of the plug out of scrap, (so you've got the doughnut, not the hole) THEN, router around the inside of the template, leaving a hole for your plug..

[Mic10is]

Trace on to wood. rough cut it. Cover the male piece is tape and release agent. put it in the other piece. bondo around the edges to fill in all the gaps,
let dry
remove other piece. lightly sand.

Now you have an exact piece that you can either use or use as a router template

[emilime75]

Originally Posted by Mic10is

Trace on to wood. rough cut it. Cover the male piece is tape and release agent. put it in the other piece. bondo around the edges to fill in all the gaps,
let dry
remove other piece. lightly sand.

Now you have an exact piece that you can either use or use as a router template

What he said.

[emilime75]

Originally Posted by Soloact

There are a few options,depending on what you're wanting to do with the final pieces,ie: paint,wrapped in some kind of fabric,etc.A router with a flush trim bit and bearing would work great.

Sent from my ADR6350 using Tapatalk 2

This is only half of the process as it would result in a piece with a hole that is too big. The second step would be to use a template bushing to route the actual piece. Your template bushing size would be determined by the router bit size you use to make the template in step one.

Originally Posted by Aaron'z 2.5RS/WRX

This

Make a negitive of the plug out of scrap, (so you've got the doughnut, not the hole) THEN, router around the inside of the template, leaving a hole for your plug..

This too would result in a piece that is the wrong size. The amount of size difference would be determined by the size of the bit used.


Your 2 best methods to try would be either the oversize template with a guide bushing, or what Mic 10is said with the rough cut template and filler. They would both result in what you're looking for, just 2 different routes(pun intended) to get there.

[slodat]

Here's what I did.. I stapled the buck to 1/4 luan. I cut 5/16" wide strips of 3mm PVC board and chipboard. I put the chipboard around the border of my male template and stapled the PVC firmly to the edge all the way around - heating it to get it to conform to the corners. It worked well. Would have been easier if I would have had 6mm PVC board.





I removed the male template and the chip board and took the rest to the router table. Using a flush trim bit, I guided the bearing carefully against the PVC. The chipboard gave even material clearance all the way around.




I glued a piece of 3mm PVC to the luan and routed the opening with the flush trim bit. Everything looked good so I glued 1/8 closed cell foam to the top. Once the glue set up for a while, I used a 1/2" round over bit on the router table to round the edge of the stack of materials that make up the opening. Then I wrapped it in a piece of vinyl to check everything out.



This was a test panel to ensure my method was going to get me the desired result. I do this often. It really helps to work the kinks out on a small test piece.

[emilime75]

Well, it looks like you came up with your own way to do it, looks good.

By the way, what's PVC board? What is it typically used for?

[slodat]

I am a custom car upholsterer. PVC foam board is sold under brand names like Sintra and Komatex. You can get it from plastics suppliers and perhaps sign shops. I use it for making panels. Especially for panels with shape and curves. Right now I am making a "hard" headliner for a '34 Ford pickup. You can form the PVC with an industrial heat gun and machine it with woodworking tools. Holds it's shape well. Is light weight. All around great material. 3mm is about $26 for a 4' x 8' sheet where I live.

I used it in the process I showed two posts up because it conformed to the curves of my template very well.

[kwhitelaw]

Originally Posted by Mic10is

Trace on to wood. rough cut it. Cover the male piece is tape and release agent. put it in the other piece. bondo around the edges to fill in all the gaps,
let dry
remove other piece. lightly sand.

Now you have an exact piece that you can either use or use as a router template

billy brown training

[slodat]

Originally Posted by kwhitelaw

billy brown training

I don't get the reference...

[quality_sound]

Originally Posted by Mic10is

Trace on to wood. rough cut it. Cover the male piece is tape and release agent. put it in the other piece. bondo around the edges to fill in all the gaps,
let dry
remove other piece. lightly sand.

Now you have an exact piece that you can either use or use as a router template

Or you can do this but with a slightly larger rough cut. Then you put a layer of double-sided tape in the plug (don't peel the tape from both sides though) before you add your filler. This will give you the clearance to wrap the pieces. If you need more clearance (vinyl/carpet on both sides) then you would use two layers.

That's how the RF guys showed us how to do it and it's quick and easy.

[Mic10is]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

Or you can do this but with a slightly larger rough cut. Then you put a layer of double-sided tape in the plug (don't peel the tape from both sides though) before you add your filler. This will give you the clearance to wrap the pieces. If you need more clearance (vinyl/carpet on both sides) then you would use two layers.

That's how the RF guys showed us how to do it and it's quick and easy.

agreed

lots of lil tweaks and ways to do things just depending on how it will be finished.

[kmarei]

I was going to suggest adding a nasally nagging voice
And making it in a horrible mood once a month
But I think the other suggestions are better

[taibanl]

Originally Posted by kmarei

I was going to suggest adding a nasally nagging voice
And making it in a horrible mood once a month
But I think the other suggestions are better

Too funny

[slodat]

Originally Posted by quality_sound

Or you can do this but with a slightly larger rough cut. Then you put a layer of double-sided tape in the plug (don't peel the tape from both sides though) before you add your filler. This will give you the clearance to wrap the pieces. If you need more clearance (vinyl/carpet on both sides) then you would use two layers.

That's how the RF guys showed us how to do it and it's quick and easy.

I accomplished the same thing by using the chipboard around the outside edge of the buck. The end result is what I was going for.

[Mic10is]

Originally Posted by kwhitelaw

billy brown training

Hilarious that you referenced that....I was never able to go.I picked it up from someone or somewhere else tho.

[iasca judge]

Hey mic, you didnt miss much. Billy learned most of his tricks from jeff head

[oldturd]

His class was still fun. I got to go when I worked at Tweeter. the little class exercise pieces we build are still in my tool box somewhere.

[Mic10is]

Originally Posted by iasca judge

Hey mic, you didnt miss much. Billy learned most of his tricks from jeff head

Ironic, I think i learned it from Steve Head...lol

[abdulwq]

nice job