Hi all,
I’m attempting to use one of those inlay kits for use with a router, where you first route the openings in the base with the coller over the guide bushing, and then you route the inset pieces with the collar removed. It is the Freud kit, although they all seem pretty similar.
The problem I’m running into is when routing the inset pieces. The inset material must be mounted to some sort of substrate material, before routing. The problem I’ve having is, how to attach it to the substrate? Ideally, this would be some method that would allow the inset piece to be removed from the substrate in a straightforward manner, but would secure it while being routed.
I tried double-sided carpet tape. It holds it in place, but the tape is so thick, it allows the piece to “wiggle”, and as a result it is not accurately routed. I tried double-side cellophane tape, but that doesn’t have enough holding power.
So has anyone come up with the killer technique for this? I could just yellow glue it to the substrate and then resaw the inset pieces off on the bandsaw, but there has to be a better way,
Replies
Try placing a sheet of paper with glue on both sides between the
workpiece and the substrate. I learned this trick about 30 years ago,
and have used it many times in situations like this one. It has an amazing degree of holding power, yet detaches fairly easily when required.
Good Luck!
I like with your method.. Although I do it this way...I make my stock for the insert a few thousands thicker that I would need and just sand or plane the stock away that is holding the routed part..
BarryO,
I make my insert piece out of thicker material, then route to a depth that does not go all the way thru the material. This way there is no wiggling or movement. Once the shape is completed, I place the the piece on edge and rip it on my table saw (like slicing meat at the butcher's). When you cut the bottom out, the inlay piece will fall right out and then it is ready for you to glue it in.
I have also used paper and glue. But if the inlay piece is thin, you may have a hard time seperating it from the substrate. Use a brown grocery bag. Then thicker paper will be easier to seperate, then say, writing paper.
Hope this helps.....
Joe
Is it really saw dust or wood dust?
Thanks, guys. Just as I thought, the collective wisdom here came through!
Joe,
this technique worked the best; thanks for the tip.
Unfortunately for me, I broke the spiral router bit today (I hate making a 30 mile round trip to get another, especially with gas prices these days).
BTW, I found another interesting thing today. Not all 1/8" router bits are 1/8". I had another 1/8" besides the Freud that came with the kit. The other one is a CMT carbide spiral downcut. It's great for leaving little tearout, but things weren't fitting quite right with it. Guess what? It turns out to be about 0.012" over 1/8". That's enough to make the fit very sloppy.
Barry,
Glad I could help. Yes not all bits are create the same. I try to stay with the same manufacture when I replace a bit. But not always easy when you aare in the middle of a project, and the Mrs is wondering you it is taking you so long (hehehehehe).Joe
Is it really saw dust or wood dust?
Follow-up post:
Here's the inlay I did on the still-under-construction tack box for my daughter. It's unfinished (and pay no attention to the glue residue around the corner joints), but I'm pleased with how the inlay turned out.
Some fine points:
-- I changed from the Freud spiral upcut that came with the kit to a Freud spiral downcut. It left a much smoother edge, with no tearout when routing across the grain. The only tricky part was that when you plunge the bit into the wood, make sure that the bit is moving, so that the routed out waste has somewhere to go. If you plunge it into the piece first, and then start moving the router along the template, you will likely have an enlarged hole in the wood right where you first plunged it in, as the waste wood has no where to go and expands the hole slightly.
-- Some of these kits come with a centering aid, to make sure the bit was centered in the guide hole. I found that the bit diameter and the guide bearing I.D. were close enough that it is easy to "eyeball" the alignment very well.
-- I first routed out the design on a piece of scrap baltic birch plywood. I drilled holes in this, so that I could push the inlay pieces back out with some nails from the other side.
-- I then routed out the inlay pieces themselves, using Joe's suggestion of cutting them off a thicker board with a tablesaw. Blue tape across the face kept the pieces in place after they were cut from the substrate, and prevented them from falling against the blade and getting chewed up, or flying away. These pieces were tested on the plywood substrate, and re-done if they turned out to be loose, or otherwise screwed up. if they turned out too tight, I just assumed I had routed the scrap substrate to small, and kept the piece for final assembly.
-- I then routed out the pattern on the real substrate material, and carefully test-fit each piece. Sometimes a piece was a little too tight, and re-routing the substrate with a bit more sideways pressure on the template would get it to fit.
Edited 9/4/2005 1:12 am ET by BarryO
Edited 9/4/2005 1:12 am ET by BarryO
BarryO
Very Nice. Please send a picture when it is completely finished. Did you make the template from scratch? Looks real good.
You have given me some ideas............Joe
Is it really saw dust or wood dust?
I made the template from a piece of clip art in the Microsoft online clip art gallery. There's alot to choose from, and the copyright licensing terms are surprisingly liberal (basically, you can use a drawing for anything for free, other than including it for sale in your own clip art collection).
Using the standard drawing edit capabilities in Word, I enlarged the drawing to the size I wanted, and then Ungroup'd the drawing to break it into constituent pieces. Each shape that made up the drawing then had its line width increased to 40.5 points (9/16"), in order enlarge it per the router kit's instructions.
Three separate template were actually needed, as some of the individual pieces were too close together, and some overlapped the others. The attached "red", "green" and "blue" files were the templates. The "red" and "blue" templates were routed first, and the inlay installed. After scraping those flush, I then routed the "green" template.
The template material I used was 1/4" Melamine, with an MDF core and laminated both sides.
That Mustang is NICE!
Have you tried a glue gun? That's what I use when scrollsawing multiples.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Another proud member of the "I Rocked With ToolDoc Club" .... :>)
For template routing I've been using blue tape on the template and workpiece to ensure clean removal (holds just well enough), in turn stuck to a sacrificial piece of plywood with carpet tape (holds like crazy). So far no problems with movement, removal, or adhesive residue. My one roll of carpet tape has lasted for a looong time, doesn't take much.
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