Methods to inlay an oval

[Tom Jones III]

I want to inlay an oval on the upper part of a table leg, adjacent to the apron. So far, in my experimenting I've laid a template on the leg and scratched out the outline. With a router I've hand cut the hole and cleaned it up with sharp chisel. I cut the oval inlay with a scroll saw. Can anyone think of a better way of doing this? I only need to make 4 so this method will get the job done, but I know there has to be a better way.

FYI - This is a mahogany leg 1.5" wide. The oval will take up most of that width. The oval will be a nice dark walnut surrounded by 1/16" holly string inlay.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Tom.....how thick is the walnut and the holly string you want to inlay? If the material is thick enough I'd consider getting one of the flush cutting router bits and collar systems used to cut dutchmen. Then I'd make a wooden jig out of say....1/4" ply and clamp it to leg with the collar on....route out the area and remove the collar....move the jig to the walnut and route out the plug......just my take on it.......

[lou sansone]

that is how I have done inlay, but I am open to other suggestions

lou

[Mark Stutz]

I use a special bushing with a removable collar in my router. The bushing collar is removable and the same size as the 1/8 spiral carbide bit. Using a template, the recess is cut into the base piece. Using the same template with the bushing removed the inlay is cut out. Ususally only a small amount of sanding is necesssary for a perfect fit. Mine is a Whiteside set from Woodcraft, but there may be other makers.

[Tom Jones III]

the removeable collar bushing sounds great, I've never heard of that

[Craig Zettle]

Hey Tom,

I'm making the baltimore card table too, but I am just getting started. Post some pics when you are done. I already asked Glen Huey about the top, whether it was solid wood or laminated, and he said it was solid mahogony, true to the original.

Craig

[Daniel Fisher]

I would suggest using a router plane -- probably the 271 would be the best. Cut the ovals first, then use them as patterns to mark the legs with a sharp knife. Cleaning out the recess with the router plane is easy. For the number that you are doing, it would also be about as fast as using a router.

[Doug Shepard]

I use a special bushing with a removable collar in my router. The bushing collar is removable and the same size as the 1/8 spiral carbide bit. Using a template, the recess is cut into the base piece. Using the same template with the bushing removed the inlay is cut out. Ususally only a small amount of sanding is necesssary for a perfect fit. Mine is a Whiteside set from Woodcraft, but there may be other makers.

I've got the same 1/8" bit & collar inlay set that everyone else probably has and it works well. I've also seen where WW Supply has some that apparently let you do the same removable collar thing with larger bits. I don't have these, but the idea is appealing. Cleaning out an area of any size with a 1/8" bit is a bit of a pain.

http://woodworker.com/cgi-bin/FULLPRES.exe?PARTNUM=953-719

[Tom Jones III]

Tom.....how thick is the walnut and the holly string you want to inlay? If the material is thick enough I'd consider getting one of the flush cutting router bits and collar systems used to cut dutchmen. Then I'd make a wooden jig out of say....1/4" ply and clamp it to leg with the collar on....route out the area and remove the collar....move the jig to the walnut and route out the plug......just my take on it.......

I got the Freud inlay template set, it sounds just like what everyone else is describing. I made the oval template and routed out the leg and then tried to slip in the insert and the insert oval is too small. There is a uniform gap all the way around the oval. I haven't measured the gap yet but it is roughly 1/32" all the way around, or in other words if you pushed the inlay all the way to one side the total gap is 1/16" which is extremely noticeable.

At first, I thought maybe the template & bushing that is bolted onto the router was not exactly centered, but since the same part of the router is always facing me, the error should nearly cancel out. The ovals I cut are uniformly too small for the hole.

Any ideas on what I am doing wrong?

[Michael Pfau]

The Whiteside kit is great, also I bought a nice templete from Hartville tools for dutchmen. The other ideas about making your own for an oval is the only way to do it, that I know of.

[Doug Shepard]

If you're that much off, I'd really have to wonder whether you ended up with one that has an undersized bushing collar. It's the only think that I can think of to explain your consistent gap all the way around.

[Dennis Peacock]

the removeable collar bushing sounds great, I've never heard of that

Tom,

This is most commonly marketed as an Inlay Kit for your router. Woodcraft, Lee Valley, Rockler and such have them. Under $30 for the whole kit.

[Dennis Peacock]

Check to make sure your template and wood being routed isn't moving on you during the routing process. DAMHIKT!!!!!

Other than that, I would highly suspect your 1/8" router bit and bushing setup. I got mine from Lee Valley and the fit between the parts are so "right on" that you have to be careful when inserting the male piece so you don't chip or crack it. Absolutely perfect every time and I've cut a LOT of inlays this way.

Here is one example of what I've done with the router inlay kit: http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=5187

[Alan Turner]

I have not done this, but have seen it done by Steve Latta. He uses a chisel, carving gouges of the right sweep to catch the curves, and a Stanlel 271. I asked him why he didn't use a router to establish the depth freehand, and finish to the lines with the hand tools, and he said he had always done it his way and thought it was faster.

[Mark Stutz]

Tom,
I have to agree that the bushung is likely undersized. With the Whiteside set they are almost too tight. I have used a 1/2 in bit to hog out the majority of the interior. The last time I used it I didn't even know what a router plane was, but will try that the next time.

Mark