Thread: How to get started on inlay for boxes

Hi Jill,
You can use either method but I find it easier to make my own inlay 2 to 3 mm thick and what ever width you need. Rout out the depth a little bit shallower ( to be able to sand down to level) than the thickness of your inlay piece and a snug fit (even if you have to sand a small taper on bottom corners of the piece of inlay to get it to start) with the width.
Regards
Harold

Hi Jill,
Check this site and dool
Veneer Inlay Australia

Regards

Thanks Harold, how do you make inlay a couple of mm thick, and say 5mm wide?

Hugh, many thanks for link, I have found it very interesting

Jill, I've seen heaps of inlay vids on YouTube. Worth a quick search.

I make my marquetry veneers by sawing offcuts on the bandsaw. If the pieces are too thin to bandsaw I just sit them on a piece of MDF and run them through a drum sander. You can cut the veneers to width on the table saw.

Hi Jill, to get them to 2 x 5mm run them through the thicknesser, as most thicknessers wont allow you to bring it thinner than 3 mm you make a false table top for your thickness out of 3 mm Masonite or MDF glue a piece of timber across one end to stop it being carried through with your material this allows you to bring it down to the 2mm.
The 5 mm I would strip down out of a 24 mm piece on the band saw.

Regards
Harold

If all your pieces are the same length, put stops at each end of a false table, at a distance that will hold the piece slightly bowed up. As you feed it through the thicknesser the bow will move from one side of the cutter to the other.
The end stops can be slightly undercut, and the grain in them must run in the same direction as the work.

Jill,

I have a book published in the US called "Creating Beautiful Boxes With Inlay Techniques" written by the box master Doug Stowe. Not only does he talk about making boxes but how to actually make the inlay and various techniques for using inlay. If you can get a hold of this book, you will have a wealth of information about inlays and box making. It is available from Amazon.com at a good price.

Hope this helps,
Bob

Thanks for this book info Bob, have looked everywhere for it, the local library, Amazon who wanted $18 for shipping, and finally ordered it from Carbatec for $47 including $12 postage, $5 more than Amazon total, but prefer to keep the local trade going. It is out of print, so am glad that I was able to get a copy.

None of the following had it in stock: Dymocks, Angus & Robertson, Booktopia, Fishpond or Kinokunia, so it is getting a bit rare. Mty message is to get in quickly

Jill if you are looking for books again try fishpond, cheap and free postage also an Aussie website

I have the book "Creating Beautiful Boxes With Inlay Techniques" written by the box master Doug Stowe it’s a great book (I have a few of Doug’s books all good) but get the DVD “Fundamentals of Inlay: Making Ornamental Bandings With Steve Latta" it is by far the best instructional information I have found to date on how to make custom and traditional bandings. It even has jigs that they show to make them. Here is a clip from U-Tube.

Preview of Fundamentals of Inlay: Making Ornamental Bandings ...

The part in the beginning is a large scale interpretation to show you how to put them together to make them. He is supposed to be making a more advance one in the near future.

Good luck! It’s fun to make them.

Thanks for the book advice, everyone. In the end Carbatec didn't have it in stock, and were going to back order it. I told them it was out of print, and ordered a 2nd hand one through Amazon , total delivered price $23

Will keep an eye out for the accompanying DVD