Bowtie inlay templates that fit
Design a butterfly key, pick your router bit and guide bushing (or inlay kit), and download laser- or CNC-ready templates for the recess and the key. Bowties.cc builds in the bushing offset and fit clearance, and shows you exactly where the corners won't match before you cut.
Red = cut, blue = score, black = engrave. True scale. Cut templates from 1/4" (6 mm) acrylic or MDF.
What a butterfly key does
A butterfly key, or bowtie, is a small hourglass of wood set into a recess across a crack. Its wide ends lock into the wood on both sides, so the crack can't open any further. On live-edge slabs and tabletops it does double duty as decoration, usually in a contrasting species like walnut in maple or maple in walnut.
The trick is getting the key and the recess to match. A router bit can't cut a sharp inside corner, a guide bushing moves every edge by a fixed offset, and the key needs just enough clearance to slide in with glue. Bowties.cc works all of that out and draws both templates for you.
Three ways to cut it
- Router + guide bushing: one template routes the recess in your workpiece, a second routes the key from contrasting stock. Works with whatever bit and bushing you own.
- Inlay kit: one template for a brass inlay kit (a bushing, a removable collar and a small bit). Rout the recess with the collar on, then the key with it off. More on inlay kits.
- Laser-cut keys: cut the keys themselves on your laser, with their corners rounded to match the routed recess, plus the recess template. Set your laser's kerf for a snug fit.
Starting sizes
There's no single correct bowtie, but these proportions look balanced on most work:
- 2" key: 13/16" ends, 5/16" waist
- 3" key: 1-1/4" ends, 1/2" waist
- 4" key: 1-11/16" ends, 11/16" waist
- 6" key: 2-1/2" ends, 1" waist
See the full butterfly key size chart in inches and millimetres.
Grain and depth
Run the key's grain along its length, so it lies across the crack. Rout the recess a third to half of the way through the slab, cut the key slightly thicker than that, glue it in and plane it flush. The step-by-step guide covers the whole process.
Frequently asked questions
What is a butterfly key or bowtie inlay?
A butterfly key (also called a bowtie, dovetail key or Dutchman) is a small hourglass-shaped piece of wood set into a recess across a crack or a joint. The wide ends lock into the wood on each side, so the key holds the crack from opening further. It is also used purely as decoration on live-edge slabs and tabletops.
Which way should the grain run in a bowtie?
Run the key's grain along its length, from one end to the other, so it lies across the crack. A key with its grain running across its width is weak at the narrow waist and can split there.
How big should a butterfly key be?
Size it to the piece and the crack. Bigger, longer keys look right on thick slabs and long cracks; small keys suit boxes and thin tops. Our size chart gives starting proportions from 1-1/2" to 8" long, and you can type any size into the generator.
How deep should the bowtie recess be?
Deep enough to hold, and less than the full thickness unless you want the key to show on both faces. Many woodworkers go about a third to half of the slab's thickness, often 1/4" to 1/2" on tabletops. Cut the key a little thicker than the recess is deep and plane or sand it flush after the glue cures.
Can I make bowtie inlays with a router and guide bushing?
Yes. Bowties.cc makes a recess template and a matching key template for any bit and guide bushing, with the bushing offset and a fit clearance built in. It also makes templates for brass inlay kits and can cut the keys themselves on a laser.
Why don't the corners of my bowtie fit?
A router bit is round, so the recess's inside corners keep at least the bit's radius, while a key cut on a bandsaw or laser has sharp corners. Use the Soft style with a corner radius at least as big as the bit's radius, round the key's corners to match, or square the recess corners with a chisel. The generator shows these spots in red.
What files does Bowties.cc export?
True-scale SVG and DXF in inches or millimetres, with red cut lines, blue score marks and black engraved text, ready for Glowforge, LightBurn, xTool Creative Space and CNC software.
Is Bowties.cc free? Are my designs uploaded?
It's free with no account. Everything runs in your browser, so nothing you make is uploaded, and the site has no analytics or tracking cookies.
Also from VARØ: Rideline
Need a template for a shape that isn't a bowtie? Rideline makes guide-bushing templates for any shape or SVG.
Open Rideline