How to cut inlay groove that matches rounded edge

[Matt Roth]

I would like to cut a groove for an inlay that follows the edge of a table. The corners are rounded off; I would like the inlay to follow the profile of the edge. This has to be simple, but keeping it the same distance from the edge is making me nuts. Any ideas?

[Bill Houghton]

If you look up "scratch stock" in Neanderthal Haven, you might find some pictures of one approach that you can make yourself - or look it up in the better hand tool books.

[Dewey Torres]

Matt,
Please post a pic ... I need to see what the edge looks like.

Basically my idea will work depending on the radius but it involve a router base edge guide which rides on pins instead of a strait edge.

[Dewey Torres]

http://www.taunton.com/finewoodworking/ToolGuide/ToolGuideArticle.aspx?id=3465

This one is way more fancy than what I was thinking but do you get the idea?

[Doug Shepard]

More info pleaese.
Were you wanting to cut the inlay channel with a router or hand tools?
Roughly how far from the edge?
How wide for the inlay?
What wood (or other) were you planning on inlaying?
There's more than one way to skin this cat depending on what you need to do, available tools, etc.

[Dewey Torres]

Yes Doug I sent him a PM

[Scott Rollins]

I would try a mdf template with a "inlay" bit and collar set. You could use the template to mill the slot as well as the mating piece to get a perfect match. To layout the template, tape down a piece of paper to the table top and scribe the radius uing a compass. Be sure to keep the pencil 90 deg to the radius. After you have the rough radius you can adjust by perfecting the circle with the compass at its actual centerpoint. Using that centerpoint make a 1/8" larger radius. The paper gets some spray adhesive applied to a piece of MDF. jigsaw out and file, rasp and sand smooth to the larger radius. Use this piece to guide a morticing router bit or top bearing bit which is 1/4" larger in diameter than then desired inlay width. to cut a curved slot in some 1/4" MDF. Now use the inlay set on a practice piece to verify it is what you want.

[Dewey Torres]

I would try a mdf template with a "inlay" bit and collar set. You could use the template to mill the slot as well as the mating piece to get a perfect match. To layout the template, tape down a piece of paper to the table top and scribe the radius uing a compass. Be sure to keep the pencil 90 deg to the radius. After you have the rough radius you can adjust by perfecting the circle with the compass at its actual centerpoint. Using that centerpoint make a 1/8" larger radius. The paper gets some spray adhesive applied to a piece of MDF. jigsaw out and file, rasp and sand smooth to the larger radius. Use this piece to guide a morticing router bit or top bearing bit which is 1/4" larger in diameter than then desired inlay width. to cut a curved slot in some 1/4" MDF. Now use the inlay set on a practice piece to verify it is what you want.

Yep...that's another good one!

[Matt Roth]

More info pleaese.
Were you wanting to cut the inlay channel with a router or hand tools?
Roughly how far from the edge?
How wide for the inlay?
What wood (or other) were you planning on inlaying?
There's more than one way to skin this cat depending on what you need to do, available tools, etc.

No pic yet of final project, just some practice on some scrap, still in planning phase. That dual bearing edge guide looks like it will be the ticket.

Inlay channel would be cut with router, roughly 3" from edge, 5/16" wide, walnut (or something blacker) and maple pattern. Here's a picture of the pattern:

[Matt Roth]

Oops, I posted a reply that wound up a higher in the thread stack. Look up a few for a pic of what I'm doing.

[Narayan Nayar]

Hey Matt.

I had a very similar problem earlier this year and came up with a lo-fi version of the solution posted earlier.

Matching Curves (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=89950&highlight=%22matching+curves%22)

It worked great.

[Doug Shepard]

One thing I forgot to ask about was the radius on the curved corners. It's the reason I didn't jump in right away with the double bearing edge guide idea. Those work great on gradual curves but if it's just a rounded corner, I'm not positive if that's going to work or not. I think there's a point where the spacing on those 2 points will allow it to sort of let one go around the corner if the radius is too small. As long as those 2 points are close enough to follow the corner it's probably the easiest fix. If that wont work, you can make a template, or even just a corner template (with stops) for the rounded part and connect them with a rregular straight edge guide or straight edge clamp.
BTW how are you going to bend that inlay around the corner?

[Matt Roth]

The bending around the corner question is one I'm not sure I have an answer for yet. I think the strips of maple could be thinner, enabling them to bend around the corner, but I'm not sure about the inside of the design. All this has me thinking the rounded inlay may be more trouble than necessary. Since the table will be generally a rectangle with the corners rounded off, I'm thinking a squared off inlay would also look nice. Thoughts?

[Jim Kountz]

I would try a mdf template with a "inlay" bit and collar set. You could use the template to mill the slot as well as the mating piece to get a perfect match. To layout the template, tape down a piece of paper to the table top and scribe the radius uing a compass. Be sure to keep the pencil 90 deg to the radius. After you have the rough radius you can adjust by perfecting the circle with the compass at its actual centerpoint. Using that centerpoint make a 1/8" larger radius. The paper gets some spray adhesive applied to a piece of MDF. jigsaw out and file, rasp and sand smooth to the larger radius. Use this piece to guide a morticing router bit or top bearing bit which is 1/4" larger in diameter than then desired inlay width. to cut a curved slot in some 1/4" MDF. Now use the inlay set on a practice piece to verify it is what you want.

Ah you beat me to it. I was going to say this first I really was!;);):D
Seriously though, if its a simple square or rectangle top with the corners rounded off, make yourself a template that is smaller than your top but the same shape. Calculate for your router bit offet and using a guide collar you're off to the races.

[Doug Shepard]

You might be able to bend that built up inlay on a hot bending iron if the radius isn't to tight. It sounds like you're making it yourself though, so making the central portion of angled segments then using a router/trammel to cut it to the strip size shouldn't be that difficult. The outer 2 strips could then be laminated to that.