How to use the coping template
- Enter your tube sizes, wall thickness, angle, and offset. The preview updates as you type.
- Click Print template and print at 100% (actual size). Check the 1" square with a tape before you use it.
- Cut out the template along the outline and the curved notch line.
- Wrap it around the tube with the straight edge square and the ends meeting, then tape the seam.
- Line up the 0° mark with the open (wider-angle) side of the joint, trace the curve, and cut or grind to the line.
When a coping template makes sense
A paper template is handy for one-off joints, for checking a notch before you weld it, and for shaping a notch with a grinder or band saw. For repeat notches on a frame, cage, or chassis, a tube notcher is faster and more consistent.
Printing tips
- Turn off "fit to page." Any scaling makes the template the wrong size.
- Larger tubes print on more than one page. Line up the pages at the red overlap line and tape them together before wrapping.
- Use cardstock if you'll use the template more than once.
- Allow pop-ups for this site if the print window doesn't open.
Frequently asked questions
Why are the tips of the template flat?
A full-depth notch leaves the tips knife-edge thin, with nothing left to weld. The template trims them back so they keep enough wall. It uses the same rules as our notch depth and cut length calculator.
My joint is more than 90°. What angle do I enter?
Enter the smaller angle on the other side of the joint. A 120° joint is entered as 60°.
Does the template work for pipe?
Yes. Enter the actual OD, not the nominal pipe size. For example, 1" NPS pipe is 1.315" OD.
Does the paper thickness matter?
Not much. The template is sized to the tube's OD. Thick cardstock may overlap slightly at the seam, so just line up the edges and tape it.