How to do an this...

John Case

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New Jersey
At a craft fair I saw the desktop below. The inlay goes all the way through the top and the front desk drawers.
The drawers are just a straight glue up. But how is the top cut? With a router and a jig?, Cut the strips, glue it up then run it through a planner?

How do you do it?
InlayDesk.jpg

Thanks,
John
 
One way I've done similar things is to stack two contrasting woods, then cut the curves. You end up building two of whatever you're making...one the mirror image of the other. Here are a couple of paper towel holders I made out of oak and jatoba a few years ago. I also used thin (bendable) strips of maple for accent lines in the curved glue joints.

Jatoba and Pecan - 02 800.jpgPecan and Jatoba - 02 800.jpg

So, I wonder if this seller had a mirror image of that desktop somewhere. ;)
 
In this case I think the strips are thin enough that I'd bet the curves were just pattern routed (cut apart on BS, smooth one side with an edge sander or similar and use it as a pattern to route the other) and then the strips were laid in.
 
In this case I think the strips are thin enough that I'd bet the curves were just pattern routed (cut apart on BS, smooth one side with an edge sander or similar and use it as a pattern to route the other) and then the strips were laid in.

I was thinking pattern with a router, that way almost no sanding and the 2 pieces fit perfectly back together with a contrasting wood between.

Thanks,
John
 
Your pattern bit in the router will be, perhaps, 1/2 inch diameter. That means that the second side won't match the first. For a gross example, assume a box. Cut the inside with a pattern bit, and the inside will be 1/2 inch shorter on each side. With the curves, they simply won't fit tight. Unless you had a flexible 1/2 inch thick strip to fill the space taken by the bit.

If the curve is gradual, and the bandsaw blade is thin, you might get away with gluing the two pieces together directly. Or put in a flex contrast strip the thickness of the bandsaw blade (most of my blades are .035 with a kerf about .05, most veneer is about 1/42 or .024, so two layers of veneer would fill a bandsaw kerf).
 
Your pattern bit in the router will be, perhaps, 1/2 inch diameter. That means that the second side won't match the first. For a gross example, assume a box. Cut the inside with a pattern bit, and the inside will be 1/2 inch shorter on each side. With the curves, they simply won't fit tight. Unless you had a flexible 1/2 inch thick strip to fill the space taken by the bit.

If the curve is gradual, and the bandsaw blade is thin, you might get away with gluing the two pieces together directly. Or put in a flex contrast strip the thickness of the bandsaw blade (most of my blades are .035 with a kerf about .05, most veneer is about 1/42 or .024, so two layers of veneer would fill a bandsaw kerf).

The half inch taken out would be filled in by the strip of contrasting colored wood that is put in? Or am I having a brain fart?

John
 
you got it right... if you are using a half inch pattern bit, you need to fill with a half inch of whatever. But getting a half inch of contrasting wood that will bend to follow a curve may not be easy... you may need to cut several thinner strips to fill that half inch.

Many people seem to think you can just use a pattern bit and put the two boards together... they won't fit.... that is what I was trying to describe.
 
Hey Vaughn,

Didn't know you could do anything but spinney work.
Let's see, spinney, flat lander, musician, inlayer, finisher, art hanger---Wow a many talented guy.

Enjoy,
JimB
You forget being a great host as well Jim;) Although this is a rather common talent among the members of this family.
 
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