Inlay Using Thick Wood?

[kmmcrafts]

I've seen some awesome inlay work here so since I have limited experience in inlay I thought I'd ask if anyone has done inlay in thick wood? I was asked to make a cutting board with an inlay of the shape of Michigan in it.. Most cutting boards available in the area are just cut in the shape of Michigan and thus they are odd shaped and tend to be smaller than the traditional cutting board.. If I can figure out how to do inlay on this project.. then I'm also going to make my inlaws in Texas a Michigan shaped one as well... I know they'll love it  ..

I figured I'd make the cutting boards about 1" thick.. probably a tough one to do since the way I know inlay is sort of stack cutting with a slight angle set on the saw to make the piece fit good.. Maybe a better option would be to slice the board on the bansaw.. do the inlay and glue it back together so I'm not working with such thick pieces? 

How would you do a project like this.. I've done inlay on thin 1/8 and 1/4 inch wood before but nothing like this.. Be a great opportunity to try the tilting head of my Excalibur  

[meflick]

Good luck Kevin.  I will be interested in seeing what the experts tell you.  I haven't tried any inlay myself yet so know help.  I know @Jim Finn is one of the inlay experts here in the Village.  Perhaps he or others can give you good insight and help.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Done it with router. If doing with scrollsaw I always start with thicker wood then final piece needed so that when inlayed I can sand flat. 

[munzieb]

Kevin, I've done a few in the past and probably need a refresher but a router inlay collar/guide is the way to go. The collar has a removable external ring for doing the inside and outside cuts.  You make a template that the collar bushing can ride against and then establish the thickness or depth of the decorative piece you want to inlay into the cutting board. Then remove the external ring to cut the insert using the template. Leave the insert piece a little proud and after gluing and mounting sand flush. There are a "slew" of Youtube videos available on how to do this and Rockler sells a bushing kit. Have fun!

 

[tgiro]

I have done inlays with 1/2" board but never 1-inch. That doesn't mean it can't be done. The point may be - What does the other side of the board look like? Remember the inlay on one side of the board will be smaller (larger?) than the other side. When it comes to pointy shapes or small finger or fringe shapes, that can get a little weird.

When I do inlays in my intarsia projects, I'll resaw the board I'm inlaying. That gives me two slices 3/8" - 1/2" thick. I use one of the slices and inlay the pattern into it. Once that's set up, I clean up the backside of the inlayed slice and laminate it back to the uncut slice. I now have an inlayed board, 3/4' - 1" thick, but the inlay is only 3/8" - 1/2" deep.

 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, tgiro said:

I have done inlays with 1/2" board but never 1-inch. That doesn't mean it can't be done. The point may be - What does the other side of the board look like? Remember the inlay on one side of the board will be smaller (larger?) than the other side. When it comes to pointy shapes or small finger or fringe shapes, that can get a little weird.

When I do inlays in my intarsia projects, I'll resaw the board I'm inlaying. That gives me two slices 3/8" - 1/2" thick. I use one of the slices and inlay the pattern into it. Once that's set up, I clean up the backside of the inlayed slice and laminate it back to the uncut slice. I now have an inlayed board, 3/4' - 1" thick, but the inlay is only 3/8" - 1/2" deep.

 

That is kinda hat I was thinking about trying..and would be the only way I could do it most likely.. I don't have a router.. ( something on my list to get ) .. I do have a Bosh small hand held like trim router but imagine that would be quite a job for that little guy.. LOL

[MrsN]

It isn't inlay, but if I wanted a cutting board with michigan on it I would do one side like a routed sign, and use the other side for the cutting board.

Route in the design, put paint in the routed area, sand flat to remove any fuzzies or extra paint.