My weekend was nothing more than a source of woodworking frustration. I knew better, but I did it anyway, tried a new to me technique on some nice curly maple instead of dirt cheap scrap oak…
Router inlay is completely new to me, and something I wanted to do. I am working on an urn for my beloved Labrador Retriever Deacon, and I wanted to inlay some dog inspired patterns, as well as cut in a recess where I can clear epoxy in his last ID tag and shots tags. He was one of those dogs that did NOT want you to take his collar off. I guess he felt naked without it… So I want it with him…
Anyway, thankfully I didn’t ruin the walnut yet…
Attempt #1. Tape template down with carpet tape. My template mind you is made from tempered hardboard, and I tried taping to the textured side. This was an epic fail as the tape allowed the template to move.
Attempt #2. Move template, hold down with clamps, and try again. I knew better, but I went counter clockwise anyway, should I have been shocked when the bit started walking inside the template?
Solution to this problem, practice practice practice on cheap oak and / or pine until I get the technique down, THEN move on to the nice maple…
Oh well, I know better, but sometimes I just don’t do better. When will I ever learn?!
-- Manufacturer of fine quality sawdust since 1984. Comments and advice on my shop welcome. Check it out at http://lumberjocks.com/dbhost/workshop. Gladly accepting shop build donations!
4 comments so far
Jim Bertelson
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3345 posts in 1361 days
#1 posted 638 days ago
Free hand routing, with or without a template, has got to be an art. Isn’t there a tutorial here on inlays? Seems to me, someone did one a year or so ago, a gal….......maybe it would give you some ideas.
-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska
dbhost
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#2 posted 638 days ago
That’s the thing. I was following a Fine Woodworking tutorial on inlays (hence the carpet tape). The results were less than stellar…
-- Manufacturer of fine quality sawdust since 1984. Comments and advice on my shop welcome. Check it out at http://lumberjocks.com/dbhost/workshop. Gladly accepting shop build donations!
Jim Bertelson
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3345 posts in 1361 days
#3 posted 638 days ago
Hmmm. Here is a mother of pearl inlay tutorial by Autumn, what I remembered:
http://lumberjocks.com/Autumn/blog/series/2081
Just thought you might get some ideas or hints. She uses a Dremel in a stand, I believe, which is not what you are doing. Wonder if you have too much router for the fineness of the work?
-- Jim, Anchorage Alaska
Tootles
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655 posts in 698 days
#4 posted 637 days ago
There is also this tutorial by TheWoodWhisperer on doing inlays freehand with a router. It’s long, but quite useful.
-- I may have lost my marbles, but I still have my love of woodworking
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