# Inlay Question



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

Hi folks!

I'm planning on putting in a strip of brass around the top of a long bench I'm making. However, most strips of brass inlays I've found only come in 36" strips and I'll need a strip around 50" in order to make it end-to-end.

My question: is there a technique to make the ends of brass inlays look completely seamless, so it will look continuous? I know if it was a wood inlay with a pattern it would be somewhat easier, but it seems pretty hard to hide a break with a solid shiny brass strip. :huh:


----------



## Corbin3388 (Jan 22, 2011)

Buy a longer strip of brass. If your in SoCal, IMS ( industrial metal supply) in sunland has everything literally. If your dead set on using pieces that require a joint I would braze them together grind, sand then sand some more. I've found brass to be a lot like aluminum in that it's welding point is very close to it's melting point.


----------



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

Corbin3388 said:


> Buy a longer strip of brass.



Ha! Thanks for that. However, that was an unwritten question as well. Where could I find such lengths?


----------



## Dan K (Jan 3, 2011)

If you find you need to piece it I would make it out of more than 2 pieces and make that part of the pattern.


----------



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

Dan K said:


> If you find you need to piece it I would make it out of more than 2 pieces and make that part of the pattern.



Thanks. But the pattern needs to be a simple strip that goes around the top, which is a simple rectangle. The only places that would form ends would be the corners.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Masada said:


> Hi folks!
> 
> I'm planning on putting in a strip of brass around the top of a long bench I'm making. However, most strips of brass inlays I've found only come in 36" strips and I'll need a strip around 50" in order to make it end-to-end.
> 
> My question: is there a technique to make the ends of brass inlays look completely seamless, so it will look continuous? I know if it was a wood inlay with a pattern it would be somewhat easier, but it seems pretty hard to hide a break with a solid shiny brass strip. :huh:


You didn't say how thick, or how wide.












 







.


----------



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

Didn't know that part mattered. Inlay strips come in many widths that I've seen, and thickness doesn't matter too much since I can adjust my router accordingly. 

I'd say around ½' to ¾" in width would work. Depths that would work would be anywhere around 1/32" to 1/8". 

Seeing is it I can only find them in lengths of 36", it seems odd that no one has ever needed a strip longer than that.


----------



## mdntrdr (Dec 22, 2009)

Break it in the center with a 1/2" to 3/4" gap.

Call it a design element. :smile:


----------



## Corbin3388 (Jan 22, 2011)

Masada said:


> Ha! Thanks for that. However, that was an unwritten question as well. Where could I find such lengths?


Rockler.com
Industrialmetalsupply.com


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

You can get an all brass laminate, or a brass with HPL backer that machines like Formica. They sell full sheets and I'm pretty sure they have varied width strips.
http://chemetalco.com/800.htm












 







.


----------



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

Corbin3388 said:


> Rockler.com
> Industrialmetalsupply.com



Thanks. But Rockler's site says the max length is 36". That was the first site I went to. Industrial Metal Supply has a hard time responding to emails so I moved on.


----------



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> You can get an all brass laminate, or a brass with HPL backer that machines like Formica. They sell full sheets and I'm pretty sure they have varied width strips.
> http://chemetalco.com/800.htm



Thanks. But the fake stuff won't cut it. I'll need the real thing since I need to darken it and most solutions don't work on laminates.


----------



## jlord (Feb 1, 2010)

Masada said:


> Thanks. But Rockler's site says the max length is 36". That was the first site I went to. Industrial Metal Supply has a hard time responding to emails so I moved on.


IMS is not known for their speedy responses, but they do carry a large inventory. If they do not carry it in stock & somebody makes it they can get it.


----------



## Masada (Jun 20, 2011)

Thanks. But I'm not known for my patience. I decided to go with onlinemetals.com.


----------

