I have a build coming up that will require a inlay, white paper Micarta in black paper micarta, the inlay is rectangular 1/2"x1 1/4" . What is the best way to do this?
Thanks.
Steve,
You can find a lot of inlay technique tutorials on YouTube. I tried to embed a video that I found, but couldn't get the code to work.......
|quoted:
Steve,
You can find a lot of inlay technique tutorials on YouTube. I tried to embed a video that I found, but couldn't get the code to work.......
Mostly what I find is inlay into guitar neck, they outline and chisel. I guess I would make the inlay I need to exact shape and size then attempt to mill the scale to receive the inlay?? Or (in my case it needs to go in a block) would I take the sqaure block and install the inlay before fitting to the tang?
Steve,
I would plan to make the handle with the inlays and install it on the tang once it is within a couple grits of finished. If you install the handle piece and mess up the inlay work, it will be much more trouble to have to remove the handle to replace it.
|quoted:
Steve,
I would plan to make the handle with the inlays and install it on the tang once it is within a couple grits of finished. If you install the handle piece and mess up the inlay work, it will be much more trouble to have to remove the handle to replace it.
That is a very good point, thanks for the help!
one technique I saw (possibly in the ABS journal) that covered pearl inlays used two pieces of flat steel for templates. The first is cut to the exact shape & size of the inlay. This is then scribed onto the second piece and cut out. It takes a lot of patience and careful filing to get the inlay pattern to fit exactly inside the cutout. Then you affix the cutout piece to the handle scale and using a rotary tool or other burr tool (with a template guide) cut out the space in the scale for the inlay. Cut deep enough that the finish sanding will just start hitting the inlaid material. Then take the piece that matches the inlay and affix it to the inlay material, scribe the outline, and cut/sand down to fit inside the scale. Another possibility is using plug cutters and fostner bits, but that creates round inlays and I think you said yours was rectangular.
Joshua States
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Steve,
Take a look at the stock templates and inlays on this site, you may find one that will work. If not, you can make your own template and then make an inlay to fit the template. Clamp the template on top of your handle material and use a 1/16 or 1/32 dia endmill ( larger or smaller depending on the radius on your inlay ) and route out the handle material. you can use a drill press but a mini-mill or knee mill works much better as you will only be able to cut .005 to .010 deep per pass depending on your handle material. With a tight fit on the inlay you maybe tempted to only super glue in place, however I recommend at least two pins of the same material you are inlaying ( assuming it is a metal inlay ) with tapered holes and peening the pins flush. Sound like the same thing Joshua saw.
http://usaknifemaker.com/handle-material-hardware-c-95/shields-corbys-other-fasteners-c-95-70.html
I have seen this method demo'ed twice at ABS Hammer-Ins and have used it myself once at an ABS folder class at Haywood. Let me know if you want more details or contact me and I can send you more info that I have.
Steve Seib
