On 21 Dec 2006 05:48:34 -0800, "DonkeyHody"
wrote:


Prometheus wrote:

Sounds like you're on the right track. I wouldn't worry much about
the plywood- I've inlaid solid wood into solid wood several times, and
so far, no issues at all. Some of those pieces are several years old
now, and a few were left in uncontrolled enviroments for long periods
of time (hanging in the shop back when the shop was an unheated garage
with no insulation)

One of the reasons I'm thinking of using the plywood is that the inlay
is so thin. It's only .5 mm, which is about the thickness of two
playing cards. I can't quite figure out how to get a perfect fit
without glueing the inlay to something. If there's a way I haven't
thought about, that's why I'm asking.

When I've done inlay, I used wood from the scrap box and cut it on the
bandsaw to about 3/16" thick, so it was a little different, but what I
did was excavate the recess for the inlay first, then trace the
outline of the cavity with a pencil and paper (sort of like a rubbing)
and then lay the pieces on top of that. Every one got cut just a
little bit oversized, and then I used regular sandpaper to get each
piece to the exact shape and size, dry-fitting each peice into the
actual cavity as I went.

It's a little tedious- but when you consider how quickly the edge of
thin inlay can be sanded away, it's not overly so, and should give you
a nice finished product.

You'll find once you get going on it that it's not nearly as difficult
as it might be in your own mind. I know I was edgy about starting my
first one, but after that, I realised that it is really not that hard,
and as a bonus, kind of fun.