Prometheus wrote:
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.

Thanks for the reply. I think I like your idea better than mine. I'd
be much more comfortable sanding the inlay to fit the recess than
routing the recess to fit the inlay.

I considered making the compass rose inlay myself from thicker stock,
but when I drew it up, I realized that there are several different odd
angles, which must all fit perfectly. To have any hope of finishing
this project before the rapture, I decided to just buy the inlay.

DonkeyHody
"If your only tool is a hammer, you tend to see every problem as a
nail." - Abraham Maslow