Penguin Tool Chest #4: Penguin Inlay

My Dad spent a year at the South Pole as part of his job. Ever since he got back, friends and relatives have been jokingly giving him penguin-themed gifts (despite the lack of penguins at the South Pole), so it seemed like an appropriate subject for trying out wooden inlay.

I used the router inlay technique of the Wood Whisperer, which routes out a matching groove in solid stock, though doesn’t use a template like some router inlay systems. Here is the pattern I came up with, traced from some penguin image I found on google:

I cut some walnut veneer for the inlay myself on the bandsaw, making it about 1/8” thick for extra support on the thinner regions (beak, toes, etc). I used the scrollsaw to cut out the penguin shape from the veneer, and cut out the wing shape with an inside-cut to add some extra detail. I used a small drill bit to make a hole for the eye. After tracing and routing the recess, it looked like this:

After gluing, sanding/scraping, and filling the wing/eye with putty, the inlay really came out well:

I think this will give the tool chest a little more visual interest.