# How to make an inlay



## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Here's the technique I use to make the inlay on the corner of my humidors. I learned if from a fellow wood worker that builds Oud's. It's only right that I pass it along as well. Please enjoy.


The first step is to do a glue up with a light and dark wood in this order. Be sure to clamp it tight or vacuum bag it.








Next joint one edge and cut strips about 3/4 wide. Make extras for future builds.








They should look like this.








Next cut up small triangles like this at 30 degrees. Be sure to be accurate, don't make them short and don't make them with a flat spot at the tip.








Now sand off any burrs.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Now for the fun part. Test fit them in this order.
















Along a straight edge, glue up the halves.








Once dry, sand them just enough to flatten the edges to be glued together.








Now glue the halves together and clamp until dry.








Now run through the drum sander and slice on the bandsaw to the thickness desired for the project.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

VOLIA!!! AN INLAY IS BORN.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Next time we'll get a little more challenging with this one.


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## burkhome (Sep 5, 2010)

Beautiful, beautiful work!!


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## gideon (May 26, 2010)

Incredible. I saw your work in the project section and I was thinking "did he buy those inlays? Make them? How'd he do that?" 

I am really pretty new to woodworking but I'll have to try this out!


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## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Great write up! :thumbsup:

Thanks for posting. :smile:


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## Gonzo (Mar 2, 2011)

That is just about the coolest thing I have ever seen. Now I'm not so scared to incorporate an inlay into a design.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Glad you guys like it. I'll try to post other inlay techniques in the future. It all depends on the camera and the project being in the same place at the same time. I have a tendancy to leave the camera at work.:blink:


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## hedorah99 (Feb 7, 2011)

Wow! I thought you bought those!. Incredible work man!


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## dat (Nov 11, 2010)

:thumbsup:nice, very nice


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## rrbrown (Feb 15, 2009)

Thanks for sharing. Beautiful Work!


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## firehawkmph (Apr 26, 2008)

Keep the classes coming Bill. Your work is absolutely beautiful. It's nice to see it explained. Very nice.
Mike Hawkins


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## firemedic (Dec 26, 2010)

Very well done! I've never done anything like that but may just have to give it a go once my hand heals up! 

I always love learning new things and that deff throws some new knowledge in the ole library to kick around ideas with...

Thanks for your time!

~tom


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## TimPa (Jan 27, 2010)

professional, beautiful, and atractive as heck. did you slice off on table saw or band saw?


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## ChiknNutz (Apr 22, 2011)

Wow, gorgeous work there pal.


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## tcleve4911 (Dec 16, 2006)

Thank you for taking the time to post that for all of us.:thumbsup:


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

TimPa said:


> professional, beautiful, and atractive as heck. did you slice off on table saw or band saw?


 I used the bandsaw and drum sander. For those of you w/o these tools, you can buy veneers in 1/8"and 1/32 at woodcraft and woodworkers source.


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## Paul L (Feb 7, 2011)

Nice work Bill, very inspiring. I'm tring to think of projects I could add this or a similar design.
Thanks for this post Paul


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## Gene Howe (Feb 28, 2009)

A wonderfult tutorial, Bill. 
PLEASE remember to bring the camera home more often! Your pictures and explanations are great!


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## GWEE (Aug 30, 2009)

I love it thank you very much for showing us.


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## djg (Dec 24, 2009)

Like Gideon said, I too was wondering how you made those inlays for the corners. And as Gonzo said, I was a little afraid to try something like that. Thanks for explaining the process.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Thanks again everyone. I'm going to be starting a feature ring for a segmented turning here in the near future. I'll do my best to document the process.


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## mr. jinchao (May 3, 2011)

Those look great! I finally know how it's done. Those things make that box look like a million bucks. Thanks for sharing.


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## mossyoak (Feb 27, 2011)

Indeed and wonderful tutorial. That is awesome, I am going to have to try that for sure.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

I plan on doing a staved turning in the near future. I'll be using this pattern as spines running up the sides. We'll see how it works soon. I'll post it when I get to it.


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## sensei (May 8, 2011)

Bill Wyko said:


> Next time we'll get a little more challenging with this one.


Wow, that is very impressive. Very cool trick too. I love Ouds.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

PM me and I'll send you some more Oud info.


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## bigcouger (Jan 4, 2012)

Love your work there Im looking forward for some more here 
Roy


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## GoIrish (Jan 29, 2012)

Wow. How did you put it into the corner of the box?


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

I cut a 45 on the end of each panel. I laminated a 3/8" thick inlay to a solid piece then glued them together with a spline joint between the panels and the backed inlay.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Here's a shot of what I'm up to now. The same technique just different cuts. (Lots of cuts). 640 pieces in each one.


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## Evilfrog (Aug 2, 2011)

Are you doing the cuts on a scroll scroll?


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## cabomhn (Jan 14, 2012)

Bill Wyko said:


> I cut a 45 on the end of each panel. I laminated a 3/8" thick inlay to a solid piece then glued them together with a spline joint between the panels and the backed inlay.


You don't happen to have any pictures of this intermediate step do you?


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Sorry, no pics of the making of these. There are so many steps in this pattern that it would take me for ever to take pictures of the process. I still have 6 more to make. These are for a feature ring in a turning that will have somewhere around 20,000 pieces. I have a lot of work to do.:thumbsup:


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## bbandu (Mar 29, 2011)

Thanks for sharing, the work you do is outstandting. Sorry for asking a previously asked question but I did not understand your answer. 

How did you add the inlay to the top and bottom corners of the box, it looks like the box has contoured edges.


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## GROOVY (Apr 27, 2008)

20,000 pieces? you go Bill


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

I'll be making another humidor with this Koa in a couple weeks. I'll try to take more pictures.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

GROOVY said:


> 20,000 pieces? you go Bill


 
I have a new Powermatic 4224 lathe being delivered tomorrow. Gotta go big to test that big 24" swing. :thumbsup:


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## Dominick (May 2, 2011)

Twenty thousand pieces. I don't think I could count that high. Lol


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Thats actually the hard part. Usually I have to count multiple times, then I go with what ever number I get more than once.:thumbsup:


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## meimeilarry (Mar 30, 2012)

I saw your work in the project section and I was thinking "did he buy those inlays?

__________________
RS GoldCheap WOW GoldCoach OutletCoach Handbags


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## bigcouger (Jan 4, 2012)

Beautiful Just beautiful
Roy


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## Viorato831 (Dec 28, 2011)

Nice!! Looks easy to make I may try it


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## Shop Dad (May 3, 2011)

Bill, I somehow have missed this as it's bubbled up but man, you do some beautiful work. This is like a great magician revealing the secret to one of his tricks and yet still leaving one amazed and in awe. Thanks for sharing and shining a bit of light to those of us still in the darkness. I look forward to your next feat of magic. :smile:


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

I don't know how I miss these posts. 

For what it's worth, *ditto* everyone's reaction, questions and words. Wow!


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Glad everyone is enjoying it. I have to finish another humidor then I'll be on to the big segmented turning again. The humi has to make it in time for the Kentucky Derby so I don't have much time left. I'll be posting some pieces on Powermatics facebook page too. Great people there. (Just got a new PM 4224 lathe, what a pleasure to deal with them.)


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## JMartel (Nov 30, 2011)

So did you end up finishing it in time for the Derby?


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## Steve Neul (Sep 2, 2011)

That is really great work. I've been doing woodworking for 40 years and have never been asked to do any inlet work other than repair something someone else has done. From what you've shown here I'm inspired to try it myself. Thanks


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

It actually did make it. $163.00 to overnight it
I'm glad this has created a spark, I look forward to seeing other inlay creations. I have other inlay designs I'm playing with as well, I'll post them soon. I'll also post the humi tomorrow as well.


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

Absoultly inspiring!


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## dm112375 (May 14, 2012)

There is no way I can express how impressed I am..


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

*Bill inspired inlay*

Bill, thanks for the inspiration and the tutorial on the inlay. This is my first attempt at inlay. This will be a display for some of my small cutting boards that will be going into a gift store.


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

That is just sweet! I like the display unit's design too. It's beautiful.


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

????


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

autre said:


> ????


:smile:


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## thegrgyle (Jan 11, 2011)

autre said:


> ????


I think the post above your is that delicious canned ham..... SPAM!


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## autre (Jul 12, 2011)

thegrgyle said:


> I think the post above your is that delicious canned ham..... SPAM!


Yeah, I'm kinda gettin' the feel for (recognizing) them. My reply wasn't a request for a response from Mizer, but hey man, thanks for the smiley anyhoo!


Thanks Fabian.


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## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Sorry for the delayed reply. That came out fantastic, very well done and the design works perfectly with the piece. I really like the whole project.:thumbsup:


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## Mizer (Mar 11, 2010)

Bill Wyko said:


> Sorry for the delayed reply. That came out fantastic, very well done and the design works perfectly with the piece. I really like the whole project.:thumbsup:


Thanks for explaining the process so well that a wood butcher like me was able to do it.


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## Lola Ranch (Mar 22, 2010)

I knew it was done something like that. Now I know, thanks.

BTW, your work is exceptional.

Bret


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