Crosses Router Template (Clear Acrylic)

Cross Inlay Router Template - Clear Acrylic Woodworking Template

Create clean, meaningful cross inlays with this reusable clear acrylic Cross Inlay Template. Designed for routing recessed inlay pockets, this template is a practical choice for signs, memorial pieces, keepsake boxes, cutting boards, charcuterie boards, serving trays, live edge wood, wall art, and epoxy-filled woodworking projects.

This template includes cross profiles that work well for smaller accent inlays, repeated layouts, border details, and decorative placement on custom woodworking pieces. The clear acrylic helps you position each cross accurately on the surface of your project so you can line it up with the grain, layout marks, edge, or centre point before routing.

What You Can Make With This Template

• Cross inlays for signs, plaques, and wall art
• Epoxy-filled cross details in live edge wood
• Memorial pieces, keepsake boxes, and custom gifts
• Charcuterie boards, serving boards, and decorative trays
• Repeated cross accents for borders, corners, panels, and faith-inspired projects

Why Use a Clear Acrylic Cross Inlay Template?

• Designed for recessed inlays: This template is made for routing pockets into the surface of your project, not for cutting out a full board shape.
• Clear for accurate placement: The transparent acrylic lets you see the wood grain, knots, figure, live edge, and layout marks underneath before routing.
• Useful for repeat layouts: Multiple cross profiles make this template helpful for repeated accents, matching details, or small batch projects.
• Great for epoxy-filled details: Route the cross pocket, fill it with epoxy and pigment, let it cure, then sand it flush for a clean finished inlay.
• Reusable shop template: Made from 1/4" thick acrylic, this template can be used again and again when handled carefully and stored flat.

Recommended Products to Use With This Template

• Template Tape - Use this to secure the acrylic template to your wood before routing.
• Pocketing Bit - Helpful for removing most of the material in larger open areas of the cross inlay.
• Small Detail Pocketing Bit - Useful for tighter corners, smaller openings, and finer areas around the cross profiles.
• EcoPoxy UVPoxy - A good epoxy option for filling routed inlays up to 1/4" deep.
• Beaver Dust Pigments - Add colour, contrast, shimmer, or a bold filled look to epoxy inlays.
• Dimensional Wood - Great for signs, boards, trays, panels, and repeatable inlay projects.
• Live Edge Wood - A natural fit for rustic signs, memorial pieces, charcuterie boards, and epoxy inlay projects.
• Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil - Recommended for food-contact boards after sanding and finishing.
• Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil - A strong choice for decorative and non-food-contact projects like signs, plaques, wall art, trays, and display pieces.

How to Use This Cross Inlay Template

1. Prepare your wood: Start with a flat, clean surface. This template works well on dimensional boards, live edge boards, signs, plaques, trays, charcuterie boards, cutting board blanks, and decorative panels.
2. Position the template: Place the clear acrylic Cross Inlay Template on your project and use the transparency to line up the cross with the grain, live edge, board edge, centreline, or layout marks.
3. Secure with template tape: Apply template tape to the back of the acrylic template and press it firmly onto the wood before routing.
4. Route the inlay pocket: Use the larger pocketing bit to remove material where there is enough open space. Use the small detail pocketing bit for tighter corners, small openings, and finer areas around the cross profiles.
5. Remove the template: Carefully lift the template from the wood after the pocket has been routed.
6. Fill the inlay if desired: For an epoxy-filled look, mix epoxy with your chosen pigment and fill the routed cross pocket. Leave enough material to sand flush after curing.
7. Sand and finish: Once the epoxy has fully cured, sand the inlay flush with the wood surface. Use a food-safe oil for cutting boards and food-contact pieces, or a hardwax oil for decorative and non-food-contact projects.

Watch How We Use Acrylic Inlay Templates

This video shows the general process for using clear acrylic router templates to create clean, repeatable inlay pockets.

Template Details

• Design: Cross profiles
• Each cross profile size: Approximately 3" wide by 4" tall
• Template size: 11.75" wide by 7.875" tall
• Material: 1/4" thick clear acrylic
• Use: Routing recessed inlay pockets, tracing, and repeatable layout work
• Template SKU: 04-005

Helpful Router Template Guides

• Template Guides - Browse our main hub for router template tips, project ideas, and related guides.
• Router Template Guide - Learn how router templates work and how to get cleaner, more consistent results.
• What Router Bit Do I Need? - Choose the right router bit for pocketing, detail work, and template routing.
• Template Routing for Beginners - A beginner-friendly guide to getting started with acrylic templates and routers.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this cross template for cutting out full board shapes?

No. This template is designed for routing recessed cross inlay pockets into the surface of your project. It is not intended as a full board outline or cutout template.

Can I fill the cross inlays with epoxy?

Yes. After routing the pockets, you can fill the cross inlays with epoxy and pigment. Once the epoxy cures, sand the inlays flush with the wood surface for a clean finished result.

Which router bit should I use with this template?

Use the larger pocketing bit where there is enough open space to remove material efficiently. Use the small detail pocketing bit for tighter corners, smaller openings, and finer areas around the cross profiles.

How do I secure the acrylic template while routing?

We recommend using template tape. It holds the clear acrylic template firmly to the wood while routing and avoids the need for screws or clamps in most inlay layouts.

Can this template be reused?

Yes. The template is made from 1/4" thick acrylic and can be reused many times when handled carefully, cleaned after use, and stored flat between projects.

What projects work best with cross inlays?

Cross inlays work well for signs, plaques, memorial pieces, keepsake boxes, cutting boards, charcuterie boards, live edge boards, wall art, trays, and handmade gifts.

What finish should I use after sanding?

For food-contact boards, use a food-safe cutting board oil such as Walrus Oil Cutting Board Oil. For decorative or non-food-contact projects, Grand Finishing Hardwax Oil is a good option for a durable, natural-looking finish.

Create clean, repeatable cross inlays with accurate placement, consistent routing, and a professional finished look. This clear acrylic Cross Inlay Template is a practical shop template for signs, plaques, memorial pieces, boards, trays, wall art, and epoxy-filled woodworking projects.