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Aaron Wingert
03-15-2010, 10:14 AM
I'm about to start on a project that requires that I inlay a sunflower on the underside of one of my turkey calls. The sunflower will be about 3-1/4" diameter on the call, which is a circular turning about 3-1/2" in diameter.

I initially wanted to inlay the sunflower using a router before turning, then turn the shape and contour of the call. The inlay would've been hedge (yellow) in the walnut call. I think I've abandoned that idea because the router/bearing setup just won't give the right shape at the intersections of all the petals...It'll be too curvy. Plus I'd like the inlay to be about 1/4" thick, which is more than a 1/8" bit will safely cut out.

So, I'm now trying to figure out a way to inlay a yellow-colored material of some sort into the call. I'll still use the router/bearing to rough out the shape using a template and will have to do the fine detail by hand. I was thinking something like inlace would work, but they don't have yellow. I've tossed around the idea of a mix of epoxy and hedge sawdust but I'd need to do it before turning and I don't know how that would work with sanding, finishing, etc. I normally finish with spar urethane. Can anyone recommend an epoxy that'll turn, sand and finish ok?

Doug Shepard
03-15-2010, 10:57 AM
You can get yellow inlace dye for mixing up your own
http://turtlefeathers.net/text/inlace/inlace-dyes.html
scroll to the bottom for the yellow

Aaron Wingert
03-15-2010, 12:00 PM
Ooooh, they DO have yellow! Thanks Doug!

Doug Shepard
03-15-2010, 12:21 PM
If I aint mistaken, you need the clear inlace to mix the dye into though I think you can also add metallic flakes too.
I just happened to have used some yellow dyed inlace on this little thingamajig so I knew they had yellow
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=23885
but that reminds me that you can get yellow 1/2"x4"x4" Corian samples from Dupont for something like $2. That might work for your inlay too.

Aaron Wingert
03-15-2010, 12:22 PM
Placed my order with David just now. Going with clear inlace with yellow dye, and using some thickener at his recommendation.

I have a hunch that the turning vortex just sucked me in a little deeper....Into the realm of inlay work. :) This turkey call, if successful, will be presented to the Kansas governor at a banquet commemorating the Governor's annual benefit turkey hunt. The sunflower is the KS state flower, which I thought would be appropriate.