Oval 2 Section Valet Tray Router Template (Clear Acrylic)

Oval 2 Section Valet Tray Template - Clear Acrylic Woodworking Router Template

Create oval valet trays, small dishes, desk organizers, and catch-all trays with this clear acrylic woodworking router template. The Oval 2 Section Valet Tray Template is designed for routing recessed pockets into wood, giving you a simple two-section layout that works well for keys, coins, watches, jewellery, office items, and everyday accessories.

The oval shape gives the finished tray a softer, more refined look than a standard rectangle design, while the two-section layout keeps the project practical and easy to use. It is a great template for hardwood tray projects, handmade gifts, craft show inventory, and small-batch woodworking products.

What You Can Make With This Template

This tray template is designed for routing recessed tray pockets into a wood blank, not for cutting a full board shape all the way through. The 2 section layout gives you a clean, useful tray design with two organized areas for separating small items.

• Oval valet trays for keys, wallets, watches, coins, and accessories
• Nightstand trays for jewellery, glasses, rings, and everyday carry items
• Desk organizers for clips, pens, coins, and small office items
• Entryway catch-all trays for daily essentials
• Small wooden dishes for decorative or display use
• Giftable tray projects made from walnut, maple, cherry, white oak, or mixed-species glue-ups

Why Use a Clear Acrylic Oval Valet Tray Template?

A clear acrylic router template helps you position the tray layout before routing. You can see the grain, colour, and natural features in your wood blank, making it easier to centre the oval shape and choose the best-looking part of the board.

The oval 2 section layout is a good choice when you want a finished tray that feels clean, simple, and practical. The two recessed sections make it easy to separate small items, while the curved outside shape gives the finished piece a more polished look.

• Clear acrylic helps with grain alignment and layout
• Reusable template for repeat tray and dish projects
• Oval shape creates a softer, more refined finished piece
• 2 section layout helps organize small items
• Works well with dimensional hardwood, laminated blanks, and multi-species glue-ups

Recommended Products to Use With This Template

For best results, secure the template properly, use the correct router bits, and start with a flat, stable wood blank that gives you enough thickness for a clean recessed tray pocket.

• Template Tape - used to secure the clear acrylic template to your wood while routing.
• Pocketing Bit - useful for removing the majority of the material from larger recessed pocket areas.
• Pocketing Bit for Inside Tray Profiles - used for the inside tray profile and leaves a 1/8" radius.
• Flush Trim Bit for Outside Profile - used when routing the outside profile of compatible template projects.
• Dimensional Wood - a natural fit for tray and dish projects when you want a ready-to-use hardwood blank.
• Cutting Board Strips and Accent Strips - great options for creating custom multi-species tray blanks.
• Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil - a good choice for food-contact boards and serving-style projects.
• Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil - a great option for decorative trays, valet trays, desk organizers, and non-food-contact projects.

How to Use This Oval 2 Section Tray Template

1. Choose a flat, stable wood blank that is large enough for the overall template size.
2. Place the clear acrylic template on the wood and adjust the position based on the grain, colour, and layout of the board.
3. Secure the template to the wood using Template Tape.
4. Use a larger pocketing bit to remove the majority of the material from the recessed tray pocket areas where needed.
5. Use the inside tray profiling bit to complete the pocket shape and create the 1/8" radius inside the tray pockets.
6. Rout in shallow passes for better control, especially when working around the curved oval shape.
7. Remove the template, sand the tray pockets and surface, then apply the finish that best matches how the tray will be used.

For food-contact or serving-style projects, choose a food-safe option like Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil. For decorative trays, valet trays, desk organizers, nightstand trays, and other non-food-contact pieces, Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil is a strong option.

Watch: How to Use Acrylic Router Templates

New to acrylic router templates or looking for a cleaner process? Watch this video for a helpful overview of how we use templates in the shop.

Template Details

• Template Name: Oval 2 Section Valet Tray Template
• Material: Clear acrylic
• Overall Size: 14.75" wide by 8.875" tall
• Border: 0.5" wide
• Template SKU: 10-020
• Best Used For: Routing recessed pockets for oval valet trays, small dishes, desk organizers, catch-all trays, and decorative tray projects
• What’s Included: One 14.75" wide by 8.875" tall tray template

Helpful Router Template Guides

Want to learn more about choosing router templates, router bits, and routing techniques? These guides can help you get cleaner, more consistent results with your acrylic woodworking templates.

• Template Guides
• Router Template Guide
• What Router Bit Do I Need?
• Template Routing for Beginners

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this template for cutting out the full tray shape?

This oval tray template is intended for routing recessed pockets into a wood blank. It is not mainly intended for cutting a full board shape all the way through.

What can I make with the Oval 2 Section Valet Tray Template?

This template works well for oval valet trays, catch-all dishes, jewellery trays, desk organizers, nightstand trays, and small handmade gifts. The two-section layout is useful for separating small everyday items.

How do I attach the acrylic template to the wood?

We recommend using Template Tape. It secures the acrylic template to the wood without needing screws, helping keep your project blank clean.

What router bit should I use for the recessed tray pockets?

Use a larger pocketing bit to remove most of the material where needed, then use the recommended tray profiling bit for the inside tray profile. The inside tray profiling bit leaves a 1/8" radius in the tray pockets.

Can I reuse this clear acrylic woodworking router template?

Yes. The template is reusable, making it a good option for repeat tray projects, handmade gifts, craft shows, and small-batch woodworking products.

What wood should I use for this tray project?

Dimensional hardwood is a great choice for tray projects because it gives you a stable, attractive blank to work from. You can also glue up cutting board strips and accent strips if you want a multi-species tray with more colour and contrast.

What finish should I use on the finished tray?

If the project may be used for food-contact or serving-style use, choose a food-safe option like Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil. For decorative trays, valet trays, desk organizers, and non-food-contact projects, Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil is a great option.

The Oval 2 Section Valet Tray Template is a reusable clear acrylic woodworking router template for turning hardwood blanks into clean, practical tray projects. Pair it with template tape, the proper pocketing and tray profiling bits, quality dimensional wood, and the right finish to create a polished tray for gifts, home use, markets, or small-batch woodworking products.