# circular jig for inlay... first semi-lame attempt



## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

I tried inlay for the first time - I bought a little round flower and wanted to inlay it on a box top. 
I haven't got all that many tools here, so this proved trickier than I thought. I ended up using a section of pvc pipe, embedded in plywood, and used a router with the little collar attachment. Since it wasn't exactly the right size, I wound masking tape around the outside of the collar to shrink the area of the routed section down just a bit. It took me all day to figure this out. Any advice on how to do this more precisely and more efficiently, with few tools and a bone-headed operator of those tools, would be much appreciated.

also, on those little pre-fab inlays, one side is raw wood, the other is coated with poly (or something) and a little sheet of plastic. Which end up? What grade sand paper? how to fill little gaps?

Btw, the corners were done with TT's ever-handy dovetail spline jig.

I just added another pic, which shows the flaws more clearly. One edge of the inlay is a bit bunched up, and I managed to make little pits in the surface...

Thanks for any advice!


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## Jason W (Dec 18, 2008)

Hey that looks good. I've seen about the same with other cabinet makers work during the process. They do the inlay before the finishes and the clear coat will usually fill in small imperfections like the one you show.

A few more coats of finish will fill that up and make it go away.

Other than that, I think practice will tighten things up. Nice work.


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## Cdat (Jun 27, 2007)

This link is the easiest way to explain it:
http://www.routerworkshop.com/inlays112.html


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## 2long4u (Jan 15, 2009)

To fill the gaps: To glue the inlay in use elmers glue. Take the sawdust from the material you cut and mix it in the glue. That will tint the glue to match the wood you are using. Elmers dries clear so you can even use water based paint to tint it.

I use the router base for a Dremel when doing inlay. Stewart McDonald has some other really precise router attachments for the Dremel. http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Dremel_rotary_tools,_attachments/1/Precision_Router_Base.html


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## TexasTimbers (Oct 17, 2006)

Dog that looks nice. You'll get better at it. Mrs. Texas Timbers really likes the flower. I told her to log me out and log her in and tell you herself but she's busy filling orders. I didn't argue. :no: So anyway she sends her compliments on your work. 

What species did you use?


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## chesterboyd (Dec 3, 2008)

When I inlay circles I like to chisel them out by hand.If you cut the outline (diameter) with a compass and exacto knife attached to one leg of the compass you can get a very close fit.After cutting the edge, it is easy to chip out the waste with sharp carving chilsels.Since I am going through veneer, it is easy to get it fairly level.Using a router takes a lot of set up time and I usually build only one piece at a time.If you have several to do the router technique would be better.I may have missed it----did anyone tell you that the paper side is the out side?You sand the paper off when it's dry.Old hide glue works well to fill gaps also.Best of luck.


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## bramclean (Jan 13, 2009)

*good link*

Thanks for that link you posted . Very insightful




Cdat said:


> This link is the easiest way to explain it:
> http://www.routerworkshop.com/inlays112.html


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## Devildog (Apr 20, 2008)

thanks for the responses everyone...

paper side up, ok, got it! That's good info!

i'll try to develop my skills hand-chiseling... operative word being 'try', which leaves me the dremel option if I get (too) frustrated.

I am not sure what type of wood it is. Very heavy, but splinters kinda easy. It was scrap that I found in a pile... de-nailed it and voila, nice piece of wood. The white splines are made of padauk scrap - obviously not heart wood!

I do hope to get better at basic inlay stuff, it was fun. But it will probably take some time - we have just moved from Thailand to Singapore, from ranch to apartment, and so woodworking will be relegated to those times when I can get back to the house in Thailand. Alas, the dismal world economy forces us to make tough choices.


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## Gerry KIERNAN (Apr 20, 2007)

Hey Devildog. 

That looks pretty good for a semi-lame attempt. Nice dovetail work too.

Gerry


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