[TarterWoodworking]

I made this post to let people know about Multiple Layer Inlay Stencils that help you create wood inlays with your router that really add something special to your woodworking projects.

I currently work with my Dad who is a much more seasoned woodworker than I am,
designing wood inlay templates for woodworkers from beginner to pro.

He had already started creating an entire set of letters and numbers because he wanted to inlay my sons name into a bookshelf and simply couldn't find a good set of templates when he asked me to join him.
Here's the results of the numbers and letters using the templates...

Heres the templates...called Multiple Layer Inlay Stencils(MLIS)that are used to make the inlays.

As you can see...
The underlying idea is that you need multiple layers in the templates to achieve sharper corners and to have a more intricate design. We soon found that there is a lot you can do with multiple layers...

The clear plates with the design engraved on them definitely allows you to visualize the finished inlay better, and lasts much longer than an MDF template.
We also discovered that there are certain things you should do to make sure you finish with a tight inlay with virtually no gaps to fill. We found the ideal double sided tape to hold the templates in place as well as the ideal inlay kits. We made positioning plates to make placement and replacement of plates quick and simple...
We have many more designs we are planning to release in January but would love to get feedback and suggestions from router woodworkers who are looking for templates that help them inlay what they want.

Please leave feedback here and submit ideas to the contact us page to help us make the Multiple Layer Inlay Stencils you want and will enjoy making.

visit tarterwoodworking.com to see more and what's new.
Thank You,
Larry Tarter Jr.

P.S. Our designs seem complex to the naked eye even though they are easy enough for me(someone who never used a router in woodworking before) to create the lion that you will find in the art section as my first inlay! So... we made a video and put it in the how to section to make it simple to understand.
I would post links but I'm new to router forums.com

 

[TarterWoodworking]

Great idea Larry - this is hard to do trying to get layers to match when cutting the patterns out of wood. Do your layers fit inside a jig or do you have to spot each one by markers?
What type of double sided tape do you recommend? Ive tried many and it is hard to find ones that have the holding power and dont leave any residue.
Dennis

Dennis,
We use 2" thick double sided tape that is 9mil thick instead of the thinner strips. There is masking tape that works well with holding the wood together without movement. The clear works good for holding the acrylic templates in place as well as holding the wood. Sometimes there is a very minor amount of residue when you pull off the tape... but very little that gets sanded off easily anyways.
Tip: when applying the tape, and peeling the backing off, put the tape on the template or project wood, then use your finger or a putty knife and hard press the tape onto your finger or the putty knife and twist. Then the backing is easy to peel off.

Also, I use positioning plates to hold the templates in place during the process of using multiple plates to make them easier to align consistently.

 

[TarterWoodworking]

Question: With multiple layers like this doesn't it reduce significantly the depth you can rout to, or are the perspex layers thin enough for this not to be a problem?
Cheers
Paul

Good Question. The multiple layers give you the ability to create the complex design. You actually only use the router with one template stacked at a time. Each plate is about .22" thick so you can use any router inlay kit that has a bushing depth of less than that. For example: You would place the first plate into place, and rout out the pocket and press in the inlay. Then move to the next template plate in the set and do the same thing. Continue until you have walked through the creation of the design.

Check out an in depth video of the process here: How to create a wood inlay using a Multiple Layer Inlay Stencil (M.L.I.S.) or Router Inlay Template

 

[TarterWoodworking]

Paul, Just trying to help answer your question. I thought that the video would make it clearer for you to understand what I meant. I realize that this is a help site. If anyone wants to know about router inlays than I can definitely help, but sometimes it takes a link to a video to do so. Good luck with your future projects!
Larry