Woodworking: Make Custom Router Letter Stencils // How -To

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

This video is a detailed How-To video showing how to make custom router stencils. There is a separate shorter video where I use those stencils to make the sign in the thumbnail. Link to that video is in the description. I make these videos in parts to keep the length times down. Also, some people want to watch a detailed how-to video full of explanations, while others just want to watch a build video.

[@Jasonsdesignshop]

Ya I run into that same issue.

[@petermcmurray2807]

HoneyBadger is a brilliant choice of name as I found you right away amongst the hundreds of KZbins I watch. I have been a computer consultant for over 50 years - yes before the PC was invented - Today you showed me how to use 400 point font. I cannot believe that I had thought 72pt was it. I just never looked. Now I am going to be routing letters your way. Thank you.🥰

[@derekpeterson8005]

I love how careful and thorough you are in planning out your projects, how meticulous you execute your plan and when you run up against an unforeseen issue you explain in detail how you overcame it. I always learn something new from you, thank you for sharing your time and talent! I would love to see the finished sign

[@petermcmurray2807]

Thank you very much. Your attention to detail that will save me effort down the track is terrific 🥰

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Thanks!

[@MrHighflyingclive]

I think that you are very brave in attempting to make your own letter stencils! Well done! However, as a one-time typographer, please don't be offended if I offer some professional tips. You laid out a single base-line but there is a better way. For upper-case letters, mark lines from the top and base of the upper-case E. Your "square" letters will fit between these two lines - but, and here is where it gets tricky, "round" letters, such a O, Q, G. etc are always taller than "square" letters, and they should overlap your upper-case E guidelines, top and bottom. It's an optical illusion thing. If you sit an O on the baseline, it will look wrong. The same applies to your lower-case letters, but in this case, base your guidelines on the top and bottom of the lower-case x. Beware of letters such as lower case q. This is a "round" letter, so the round part should overlap both the upper and lower guide lines. Letter spacing is never regular and is best done by eye. Aim to have a visually similar area of empty space between each letter and you won't go far wrong. But if you impose regular space between each letter your typography will look very wrong. This is why commercial letter templates always produce poor results. I do hope that this helps.

[@bobnicholas5994]

Nothing fancy just reality. I love recycling things such as the fridge plastic.

[@CaptMike]

I hope you are still monitoring these comments because this is an excellent tutorial. I do not like any of the commercial templates advertised for sale today and I have the materials and can handle a scroll saw quite well. Thanks so much for sharing!

[@velvetnightmare3133]

I have a laser engraver, I'm so excited to try doing this but using that to cut the letter stencils

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

That would be the ideal way to do something like this.

[@tylerquarterman8571]

Came for the beautiful sign design. Stayed for the detailed explanations! I loved hearing how the design developed and what tools or designs you changed in the process

[@gordroberts53]

Thanks for this, will be very useful in my next project as I want to inlay my great-nieces' initial into the lid of a keepsake box I am planning. Thanks for sharing!

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

No problem! Sounds like a great project!

[@bcu567obzx]

You speak so clearly and your explanation is excellent, thanks for taking the time to do this video, loved it.

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Thanks Man!

[@jetthelooter]

Found this extremely informative on how to make a stencil. Thanks

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Awesome! Comments like this seriously make my day.

[@markielinhart]

That looked like fun! Nice one 👏🌹🇦🇺✌️

[@Blue60]

Great video, great setup and great personality cheers 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

[@timsullivan550]

Thanks for the details

[@TheDrPopEye]

A little snippet of Judah & The Lion music at the end of video was a nice touch!

[@KedaWoodDye]

You are my hero for the day! I am cutting some wooden lettering out on my scroll saw, and this REALLY helped with the letters like g, e R, etc and keeping the negaive parts of those type of letters. So once I get that done, gonna dye the wood with the 5 color wood dye kit to really brighten er up ;) Anyways, YOU ROCK! Thank you for sharing this

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Awesome!

[@vanceedwards4779]

Very creative and thorough video. You are breaking a woodworking KZbin norm by telling people to subscribe to see the finished product, and I think this is reflected in the number of thumbs-down you received. The norm is to show the finished work and then tell folks if they would like to see how it was done, they can follow the link in the description. I can't articulate why, but it is off-putting to be told to subscribe to see a finished product. Hoping you continue to make videos. I really appreciate your attention to detail.

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

That subscribe for the finished product was from when I originally posted the video and I hadn't put the video up of the finished piece up yet as a way of telling people a video showing the finished piece was coming next week. In retrospect I should have posted that one first. People are bent about this video because the title says it is about making router stencils, but the thumbnail shows the finished piece and they want to see that which I understand. But, there is no easy way to change uploaded videos so that is just how it is going to stay. I have a link to the other build showing how I made the light in the description, but I think when viewed on certain formats it doesn't pop up. Thanks for the compliments!

[@IanKWatts]

your video at the start might appeal to some but to some I think it's a bit over the top . Or am I just being a grouch. Great content ,,, nicely presented.. very informative. Thanks

[@69kaveman]

Great video, I loved the Honey Badger mask part. How did you come up with HoneyBadgerWoodWorks as a name for your channel?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Not a great story. It mainly involved finding a unique name in order to get a URL that wasn't already taken.

[@RestorationsFOD]

Good skill

[@joequillun7790]

Lots of talent. Good job. Thanks for sharing.

[@reddsmorris7053]

Very smart

[@petedazer3381]

Very cool!

[@davidmahoy4478]

I suppose a person could make stencils using outlines of vehicles, pets, barn, etc. etc. etc. something I would like to have and have not seen on the market.

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

If I was to do this project today. I would make all those stencils on a laser. It would take a quarter of the time, and be more accurate.

[@FlukeTog]

Very cool , nice badger uToobWoodworker branding too ! Hahaha love the mask / respirator .

[@rogersalgado10]

hello i wish i could be able to inform some link to buy these cutters and which models to use and if u can post here the pictures of the cutters in the comment. thanks Brasil

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

You can't post pictures in these. The bit was a downcut spiral bit, but there are a variety of bits that would work with a template like this. The bearing guided bits would work as well, with a thicker template.

[@rogersalgado10]

@@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks thanks, here in brazil they are very expensive the cutters you work with or do as a hobby congratulations your works are great 

[@deadpixeloc5047]

what is the tool called for cutting please?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Router

[@chrisd4459]

What bit did you use?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Down-cut spiral bit.

[@Jasonsdesignshop]

You inspired me, fellow content creator! I made my first sign! Just posted check it out. love your work and your explanations that are helping me learn.

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

I'll check it out.

[@pritpalsingh6589]

Very nice g

[@fixbuildbypaolobradadiy7976]

Nice work!

[@The_man_himself_67]

Thanks. Good job!

[@petersmith5199]

You're good, thanks for this.

[@darrellhale3880]

I'm noticing that when you draw the straight guidelines (~ 1 minute in) the use of multiple measurement tick marks. If all edges are already straight, only two ticks at really needed at each end, with maybe a third in the middle as a reassurance that the two end marks are hitting the middle of the overall run as expected. If the edge of the material is smooth along the whole run, just slide the combination square along the entire edge of the material while holding the marker at the end of the square. This eliminates the need for a separate long straight edge/ruler, and trying to align the straight edge at half the width of the marker tip back from the initial marks to account for the line thickness you are about to draw thru the center of the ticks. For one or two lines this doesn't really matter, but if your making a bunch of lines over and over it can start to cut out a few extra bits of extra work. This is demonstrated at 25 seconds into the video below. kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4qxpKp6lMp4eJI

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

I worked with a carpenter once that taught me that trick, and it works great. Sometimes I fall back into old habits and do it the Stone Age way.

[@Andy-in8ej]

Darrell is a cock

[@jwfortenberry2640]

What part of the country are you at.

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

South Eastern PA, about 40 mins. outside Philly.

[@patochap2377]

Hello what is the name of the machine please?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Router

[@bridgepainter4753]

That’s a lot of work, but good for multiple times

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Yeah, it's is only truly practical if you plan on using it more then once.

[@noahcantrel4025]

When marking out a straight line on the sign, why would you not just put a mark at each end instead of multiple marks all along the edge? If your straight edge is straight, the added marks are extraneous.

[@FazalAhmed-ks8fk]

What is this font name pls?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

I think this was Gregorian, or something similar to that.

[@Patty-qd1lz]

Nice video! Where is all the sawdust going? I am a Newbie!!

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Some of it will fly out, but in between cuts you have to remove the stuff that gets stuck in the letters.

[@thirdson2441]

This was quite good in explanation and execution. It gave me some solid ideas for some inlay work I am planning. One question...did you use any other fonts for your stencils? Thanks!

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

I haven't tired it with other fonts, but the original intention was to make multiple fonts, so I think it would work. Highly decorative fonts would probably give you a headache.

[@thirdson2441]

@@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks I got something to work with Lucinda script and made a template based on your idea. I will send you a Gmail when I am done. Thanks! Great job on the video.

[@bramparbi]

hello. very amazing i am a graphic designer and looking forward working with you

[@mypitssmash4804]

Honey badger you have skills! I wish i knew/ had tools like you. I'll b back to try a L.A Rams once☝🏼 I get tools 🤓 ORNIE BEAR 🐻 signing out 👍🏽😎

[@JonathanVuillemin]

Are you coots Redwings?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

No, Redwings are out of my league. Those are Wolverine steel toed, moc-toe, wedge boots. They are decent, I get mine to last two years, but honestly could be replaced after a year. If you do construction they won't last nearly as long. After my last pair I got a cheapo pair from Walmart because these are over a 100.00 a pair now. And the Walmart ones suck more then I thought they would so I have been shopping around for something else, but haven't really found what I want. So I'm in work-boot limbo at the moment.

[@ngochuyennguyenthi2130]

Light up the Darkness

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

More important message now then when I made it.

[@fishtank5050]

Well that was a waste of time. .always show the finished piece..

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Finished sign is the first few seconds of the video, as wells as the thumbnail bro. Link in the description to our video showing how we use the stencils to make custom signs.

[@fishtank5050]

HoneyBadger WoodWorks was hoping to see how the LED set up went in .I've a couple on here, koi carp,kingfisher and I think it would be easier to just draw around the letters with carbon paper underneath straight on to the wood ,just seemed a lot of work making the stencel ..but if it works it works and it did .nice job.

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

It was a lot of work. My original idea was to have the stencilsmade in order to produce multiple signs and in any saying. I can see how my description on this video could be misleading. I have two videos the one you saw with the making of the stencils and another routing out the sign and showing the lights. Here is the link if you want to check it out. kzbin.info/www/bejne/epbCgWmbeqmGj9E

[@fdc313]

Same for me wasted 13 minutes of my allotted time...

[@vincepresto759]

Cry Babies go too the other Room, You did See the Finished Project right from the start !

[@_dooley]

Bob Marley!

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Yeah Man!

[@timhooper3891]

your killing me smalz

[@christopherbunch8496]

Wheres the G

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Hiding.

[@b767greg]

Not trying to be critical, but for the amount of time spent to create these letters, you can buy templates for the whole alphabet for less then $60 on Amazon. Some times making it in the shop is not always the fastest or most accurate. Time is money, but nice job over all. www.amazon.com/Trend-TEMP-LUC-57-Template/dp/B001UQ5P08

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

I get your point and agree it is a lot of time to make, but once you make them you have them forever. The problem with the pre-fab letter templates is you are stuck with only one or two options of fonts, mostly comic sans which NOBODY wants on their signs. So I had to make custom stencils to get the correct/popular font.

[@b767greg]

@@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks Ah ok, I see the point in making them. Never thought about the limited fonts that are available.

[@osmanwang6989]

🤨

[@vathanye7834]

Vuthana Mear

[@vincepresto759]

Good Job Girlfriend !

[@andrewwalker8532]

Watched your video but what a waste of time. No finished product, why?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

This video is a detailed How-To video showing how to make custom router stencils, the build video for the sign is a whole separate video. Says so right in the description. I make these videos in parts to keep the length times down. Also, some people want to watch a detailed how-to video full of explainations while others just want to watch a build video.

[@danbranch5798]

Not a video

[@ravenmistymoonadventures5082]

Lol blue butt Lmao

[@ballout7952]

Looked like a bunch of useless lines

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

Interesting take.

[@Player-zg6gy]

Do you sell the router stencils? On website?

[@HoneyBadgerWoodWorks]

I don't make these to sell. I would find someone with a cnc machine if you want a set, and don't want to make them. Easiest and most accurate way to get an affordable set.