Inlay

Redford,

If its one of those plastic templates there is a special bushing and bearing adapter for your router base plate.

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

The bushing, bearing, and adapter looks like this ….

-- "there aren’t many hand tools as awe-inspiring as the #8 jointer. I mean, it just reeks of cast iron heft and hubris" - Smitty

Actually the inlay is not a template but a 1/8 inch oval to which one lays in a routed space to the inlay is even with the surface of the wood.

DR

I’ve had luck with tracing the inlay and cutting the outside with a chisel and/or gouges, and then removing center material with a router base on my dremel. I wouldn’t start with a router unless you stay away from your outline and then hand-cut that afterward. In my experience, the inlay is better a little tight than a little loose. Also, depending on the wood types, they may swell a little from glueing so not super-tight. Patience will be reflected in the final result.

try to make another one from cheap wood and practice practice practice. Trace the outline cut out the middle with a router and a down cut spiral bit but leave the lines from the tracing and cut to those with a chisel and a exacto knife make shure you only cut as deep as the inlay is thick or a little shallower then put a chamfer on the bottom of the inlay if thick enough just to make it easy for you to put the inlay in test fit first if alls good put the glue and inlay the piece clamp with wax paper between the clamp and inlay make shure you have pressure on the whole inlay from left to right and up and down wait a few hours to dry and take the clamp off to see what you have. If your doubting your skillz do what I said and make copies from other wood and practice till you like what you got. good luck and keep us posted through the whole process.

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com

I’ve used many of these purchased inlays over the years and I’ve found that because you are only cutting to a depth of about 1/16”-3/-32” you can free hand most of the wood out for the inlay with a trim router, then attack it with some hand chisels for the final fit. Works great. Just hang on to the trim router and you guide it instead of letter it run away from you.

-- Don, Diamond Lake Custom Woodworks - http://www.dlwoodworks.com - "If you make something idiot proof, all they do is make a better idiot"