Inlays can really dress up a project. Click image to enlarge It's easier than you think Text & photos by Tom Hintz The router is a wonderful machine with a range of capabilities many woodworkers fail to use fully.

Most woodworkers buy a router to cut decorative profiles into the edges of wood. Some even use it to carve wood into shapes or for mortising. However, there is much more on the list of things a router can do. For decades, inlays were the exclusive domain of highly skilled artisans who were adept in the use of small tools and fragile pieces of wood.

Frustration with Dutchman Ended. The router rocked as I cut out the patch and ruined the patch. OK, on to version 3.0 of template 1. The Butterfly patch can be used in cases where there are substantial cracks in a piece of wood that you are.

For modern woodworkers, the inlay learning curve has been all but eliminated with the introduction of inlay kits designed around the capabilities of the modern router. Install this kit in your router and the toughest part of making inlays is designing the pattern. How The Inlay Kit Works. The inlay set is simple, but very precise. Some kits include a centering bar that is installed before the bit to make sure the collar is perfectly aligned with the bit.

Click image to enlarge The design of an inlay kit is actually rather simple. Vyatta Virtualization Iso Vmware Workstation Free. A small diameter bit passes through a small collar, much like a normal guide bushing setup. The trick part is a removable bushing that fits on the collar. When installed, the bushing positions the bit to cut the recess for the inlay.

Remove the bushing and the bit is now correctly located to cut the outline of the inlay, sized perfectly to fit the recess. It should be noted that the precise relationship between the bit, collar and bushing, more specifically, their physical sizes, means there are no alternatives. Using a substitute bit or other part will ruin the accuracy of this kit. To Plunge or Not According to their instructions, most inlay kits can be used with either fixed or plunge based routers. While I am certain this is true, I am equally certain using a plunge router is the smart thing to do. Routing the recess for the inlay with a fixed base is simple because all of the material within the template is removed. Cutting the inlay with a fixed base router is far more difficult.