Reply To: Inlayed Frame
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The inlay scraper is used for thicknessing the inlay material. I got mine from Lee Valley.
I cut the grooves with the plough plane 1/8th inch wide and about 3/16th inch deep.
My procedure to create the inlay material wast to start with a 2 inch x 1 inch strip, surface one wide face then rip it to rough thickness on the band saw. I then used the inlay scraper on the rough side to final thickness and then cut it to about 1/4 inch wide strips. I clamped a plane upside down in the vise and put a slight leading edge on the strips, put glue in the grooves and tapped the inlay into place (use a steel hammer) and clamp it down using a 1 x 2 board as a caul. After the glue is dry, it’s just a matter of planing the inlay flush.
Two of the things I found critical are:
1. The thickness of the inlay material. It needs to be a tight fit but if it’s too thick it pops out of the grooves or will not go in. I cut a test groove in a piece of scrap and used that to test the thickness until it just fit.
2. The amount of glue in the groove. I ended up using a plumbers acid swab as a brush to just cover the bottom and sides of the groove with glue. Too little glue won’t hold and too much makes inserting the inlay problematic.
It’s more complicated to describe than to do. I’d recommend to do as I did and practice on scrap wood until you are confident.
Everything was done with hand tools except I used the band saw for the rip cuts and resawing.