Inlays, need your advice please

[Tom Stewart]

I would like to inlay a small heart on the top of a box I am making.

I would like to buy a template/pattern with both the positive and negative pattern so that I can use a router to insure a more precision fit if possible.

I cannot locate the pattern and I would like to know what type of bit I need to accomplish this task.

The wood used for the box will be bloodwood and the thickness is near 3/4 inch. I have not decided on the wood for the inlay and would like your suggestions.

The heart size doesn't really matter as long as it will fit on the box and look appropriate for the size of the box..The box will be approx 8x8 (width/depth) and approxmately 4" height...

Thanks,
Tom

[David DeCristoforo]

http://www.newwoodworker.com/rotrinlays.html

[Tom Stewart]

Thanks David....perfect.
TS

[John Bush]

Hi Tom
I just finished making a Ying-Yang table for a friend and I used the inlay kit like Dave linked to. It's been sitting in a bunch of goodies I got at a yard sale and this was the first chance to use it. It was amazingly easy to use and spot on accurate. I used purple heart and yellow heart as contrasting colors(His school colors are purple and gold). I made patterns for the two large tear drop shapes with the kit then used a top bearing flush cut bit to mill them out of 3/4" panels. I inlayed the two "eyes" using the kit in the conventional way. Just follow the directions and it will be a pedictable piece of cake.

[scott spencer]

The template guide system that David's link points to is a nice simple method that I used for making butterfly dutchman's in my last project. Before I had the bit and template system, I made a heart in a jewelry box (http://woodwerker.com/gallery.php?gid=20071223050037055) by stacking two 1/8" pieces of contrasting wood and cutting out half the heart on my bandsaw, then sanded the edge to final shape, and just mated the two sides together for a uniformly shaped heart.