I'm trying to rout a square hole 6" x 4" x 1/8" deep, for an inlay on a jewelry box lid. What kind of bit should I use? The lid is 3/8" thick.
Submitted by roberttalmadge
Answer:Any straight bit will do the job. If the material you're routing into has a tendency to chip, I'd recommend a down-cut spiral bit, which will reduce chipping. If the inlay has square corners, until such time as a square route bit is invented, you'll need to hand chisel the corners square after routing.
George
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To square the corners, I always use my razor sharp wood carving knives, currently use Flex Cut.
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I agree with Cliff, but not about not using a mortise chisel. You should not pound on the back of them unless you want to buy a new one. Alternatively, you might consider these "Square Hole Punches" from Lee Valley [https://tinyurl.com/bdd2963z]. To use them, you first drill a hole (the size matters; they tell you what size), then place the Square Hole Punches at the right location and pound away.
you could use a mortise chisel to square the corners either before or after you router out the rest of the material