11" Sapele inlay Sun Tray

[Bruce L Jones]

Hello once again this piece I just finished this morning I'm trying new ideas and this is what I came up with.
A 11" Sapele tray w/a Tiger Maple sun inlay; this was all hand done on a band saw & w/ a hand held router.
It's not perfect like a C&C router would give you, but I'm all about hand made; And a C&C is Not in my budget anyway.

This is my version of a Native American Sun Symbol I hope you guys like this one,

Bruce

 

[Bill Boehme]

Very nice looking. It looks like you made a perfect fit between the two pieces of wood. Do you use the maple insert to make a router template for cutting the pattern in the tray?

 

[Bruce L Jones]

Very nice looking. It looks like you made a perfect fit between the two pieces of wood. Do you use the maple insert to make a router template for cutting the pattern in the tray?

Thank you Bill; No the Tiger Maple Sun was cut in free hand.
I first made the sun drew it out and cut it out on a band saw sanded it; then traced it inside the tray and I free handed routed it to fit.

 

[Bill Boehme]

Thank you Bill; No the Tiger Maple Sun was cut in free hand.
I first made the sun drew it out and cut it out on a band saw sanded it; then traced it inside the tray and I free handed routed it to fit.

Impressive! My experience with freehand routing is that the router and I usually aren't on the same page. I see that you have a very small diameter cutter which probably helps considerably with controlling the direction of cut.

Do you find it necessary to taper the sides of the sun piece like the intarsia woodworkers do to get a tight fit?

 

[Bruce L Jones]

Impressive! My experience with freehand routing is that the router and I usually aren't on the same page. I see that you have a very small diameter cutter which probably helps considerably with controlling the direction of cut.

Do you find it necessary to taper the sides of the sun piece like the intarsia woodworkers do to get a tight fit?

Not really Bill I sanded it a bit more on final fit w/ sandpaper wrapped around a dowel The whole process took about 6 hrs; 2 hrs to draw,cut & sand the sun; 4 hrs to cut in & final fit the sun.The bottom edge was slightly eased while sanding though, so not to have two sharp edges coming together.

Bruce

 

[john lucas]

Bruce Excellent piece and good photos of the technique.
Bill I use 1/4" bits to rough out the shapes using the router. Then switch to 1/8" bits for the final sneaking up on it cuts. Then if I really want it accurate I use 1/16" bits in my dremel or use various carving knives to clean up the edges. Learned that from a lady who does very high end inlays in Guitars and Banjos. She lays the inlay on the wood and glues it very lightly with CA glue. Then traces around it with a sharpened needle. This leaves a very small crisp line. Then she rubs chalk into the line so you can see it more clearly. Most of her inlays are all done with the Dremel and small bits but I had to step it up to do larger inlays. You are correct in that the 1/4" bit will try and follow the grain if your not very careful so take your gross cuts in the middle and then sort of whittle with it to get closer to the design. When you get nervous switch to the 1/8" bit, it is much more controllable.

 

[Bill Boehme]

John, great suggestions on getting a close fit with the inlay. My hands aren't as steady as when I were a few years younger so the carving chisels sounds like a great way to clean up the edges. I have some carving tools, but I have shied away from them ever since I had to take a trip to the ER and the doc said that it looks like I tried to filet my thumb. Woodcarving tools really do cut nicely ... so nicely that I didn't feel anything until after I got my thumb stitched back together.

 

[Bruce L Jones]

Thank you John and Bill I just used a very sharp pencil to trace the sun and stayed off the black line w/ the 1/8" bit I only used the 1/4" bit for hogging the beginning for the rays and the center sections.
I like the idea w/ scratching w/ a needle I'll give that a go next time; it looks like I already have a buyer for this piece.

Bruce

 

[Gretch Flo]

Bruce-very nice!!!!! Gretch

 

[hockenbery]

Thanks for sharing,
Al

 

[Bruce L Jones]

Thank you Gretch and Al.

Bruce

 

[Douglas Ladendorf]

Very nice Bruce. Even better that you have a buyer! Thanks for sharing pix on the routing process.

Doug

 

[Bruce L Jones]

Thank you Gretch and Al.

Bruce

Thank you Doug your welcome glad to share I hope you try it sometime.

Bruce