Inlay can be one of the trickey items to do with the router I'm also sure you will make some firewood the 1st. time or 2nd time, your router must be setup on dead center, that's the hard part, not all guides are the same size i.e. 5/16 can be .299 to .320 o,d. BUT if you buy the set the small ring should fit just right, but do buy a extra 1/8" bit they do break easy and they don't hog out alot of stock in a pass ,so to say it's best to move up to a bigger guide and bit to remove the stock once you have the base parts cut out.(pocket)
But I should say it's fun to make inlay items once you get the hang of it.
I should note,,,make the male part a bit higher (thicker) and then you can sand it down to the top,you can't add to it if it's to low in the pocket, you can shim it if you run into that error (with poster board stock) but it's not the same.
Once you pop it in that's it will not come out without some damage to the part,you can drill a small hole (1/2" in top),in the center of the lnlay b/4 you pop it in so you can pop it out with care,then plug the hole with the same stock as the top once your done with the inlay.
Just a Note**** some of the Inlay kits come with a SMALL ring in the brass guide and the small brass ring has small snap ring to hold the ring in place, this is the best type (snap-on-type), some come with a Allen set screw to hold the small ring in place this type I DON'T recommend , because the set screw will deform the the brass guide if you don't take great care when you torq it down and you will put a lip/neck on the brass guide that makes it hard to get it on the next time you want to use it.
The brass guides and ring are machined parts and must stay true so can used them over and over .
One more small NOTE**** the male part of the inlay will have SHARP points and the female part (pocket) will have round corners so to say use the 1/8" bit but you will still need to clean out the corners so the the insert will just pop in clean,I use a Exacto knife to do this fine work, not a chisel.
Have fun with the Inlay
Bj
Brass Inlay Set, for 1 3/16" hole size (PC type routers) ▼
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/router_inlay.html
Brass Inlay Set, from Oak-Park for 1 1/2" hole size ▼
http://us.oak-park.com/catalogue.html?list=BG-ILPT-&product=IN027
http://us.oak-park.com/catalogue.ht...h%3D%26price_type%3D%26model%3D&product=BG034
nzgeordie said:
OK Guys. I've decided on a ship's wheel. If I'm reading you right Bj, do you mean rout a circular recess and lay the wheel in that? I hadn't thought of that approach but I would like to try an inlay if it's not too ambitious for a first timer. Tom, the box lid will be approx 12" x 10" (300 x 250mm) so I figure a wheel about 3" (75mm) dia. Here's a piece of clipart of the style of the thing.
(Sorry, it won't accept the format of the image but it's a very basic eight spoked wheel.)
