How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? I would like method that would allow
the metal to be flush with the wood when finished.

For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the right
finish for me.

Thanks for any help.

TR

TrailRat wrote:
How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be
as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible
and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What
would
the effect be on the wood itself? I would like method that would
allow
the metal to be flush with the wood when finished.

For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the
right
finish for me.


One of _The Woodwright Shop_ episodes demonstrated this. You
can probably order the tape from PBS.

Basicly small chisels and gouges are used to part the wood without
removing wood. The fibers are crushed back away from the groove.

The inlay is made with a thin ribbon of metal. One edge of the metal
is folded over so as to be double thick and that edge goes down
in the groove. Then the wood is allowed to relax back into place.
My guess would be that a little moisture would help, but I don't
remember if they used any. Then the surface is scraped or sanded
flat again.

I do not recall any tecnique for broad areas, just that thin line
scrollworks sort of inlay.

Only low-melting point metals like pewter could be cast into the
wood. Some alloys expand when they transition from liquid to
solid, those would lock into the wood better, the trick would
be to undercut the edges of the groove in the wood so the inlay
doesn't just pop out.

Another possibility might be to use tempura paint pigments in
epoxy to make a putty, maybe JB Weld would give you the effect
you want.

I've beveled the edges on through dovetails and fingerjoints and
then puttied them with a contrasting wood putty for a reasonably
nice effect that helps to hide the slop in the fitting of the
joint.

--

FF

TrailRat wrote:

How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? I would like method that would allow
the metal to be flush with the wood when finished.

For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the right
finish for me.

Ask your dentist. They're pretty good at inlaying metals. - GWE

Weeelllllll...

First off, I don't think that a bunsen burner is going to give you a hot
enough flame for anything other than Tin, Lead and Solder, and while your
tastes may be different, I don't think these metals would be my first choice
for inlay.

If you got a welding torch or MAPP Gas torch, that would probably do the
trick, for melting some ot the other metals ('cept aluminum) but then
"pouring it in carved channels on the wood" might give trouble. I think the
effect would be similar to a BBQ - I'm sure it would set the work on fire,
or burn the wood severely.

Why not buy metal ribbon or wire and set that in a routed groove or rabbet,
depending on your application. You should, with some skill, be able to rout
or cut a groove that will set the material flush with the wood - set it in
with epoxy and that should do the trick.

If you do opt to go with the Bunsen Burner/Torch/Pouring Cruicble method,
PLEASE post pictures of the process in ABPW. If your method is successful,
I'll certainly eat my words and will have learned something. If it isn't,
we can all have a good laugh, providing you aren't injured.

John Moorhead


"TrailRat" wrote in message
oups.com...
How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? I would like method that would allow
the metal to be flush with the wood when finished.

For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the right
finish for me.

Thanks for any help.

TR

ABPW????

TR

TrailRat wrote:

How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? ...

Melting point for gold is ~1950 F. Wonder what that would do for
wood?

Snip
For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the right
finish for me.

Thanks for any help.

TR
John Moorhead is on the right track, laying in a strip of metal in a
routed groove is the only way to approach what you want to do.
I've done this a number of times with steel bars up to 1" wide. My
suggestion would be to choose a section of brass bar that is the width you
want, route the right size groove, size the bar for length. Take the bars
to your friendly electroplater and get the finish you want. Just caution
the plater to not overplate the nickel and give you a dog bone on the end,
had this happen too. You want to do the polishing or satin finishing
yourself to keep the edges sharp and solder a 12" length of 18 ga. wire to
the back side of the bar at each end, this will make the plater very happy.
You can easily remove the wire after plating and get rid of the solder with
a Dremel. While this process is involved, you'll get what you want with a
lot lower cost than solid precious metal strips. BTW, medium super glue is
great for holding the bars in place. Also, there are either carbide router
bits in most sizes or end mills which will cut the groove.

Ed Angell

Here is a method that does not require heat:

http://www.elvesofester.com/coldinlay.html

In article .com,
TrailRat wrote:
ABPW????

translation: news:alt.binaries.pictures.woodworking.

The way it was done on old firearms, using brass or silver:

Groove was cut into the wood in the pattern desired.
Flat narrow strips of metal (~1/32x1/8xlength) was tapped into groove,
leaving the edge slightly proud of surface.
First coat of finish, usually boiled linseed oil, was applied and
allowed to cure.
Metal was filed and sanded flush to the wood.
Additional coats of finish were applied.

TrailRat wrote:
How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? I would like method that would allow
the metal to be flush with the wood when finished.

For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the right
finish for me.

Thanks for any help.

TR


--
- -
Rex Burkheimer
WM Automotive
Fort Worth TX

Well thanks, I like the look of that resin stuff. Just wonder if we
have anything like that on this side of the pond.
Shall be checking my squires catalogue.

TR

In article , Duane Bozarth
wrote:

TrailRat wrote:

How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? ...

Melting point for gold is ~1950 F. Wonder what that would do for
wood?

Trust me on this. You don't want to try it. Not with any alloy of gold
anyway.

Gold is difficult enough to melt and pour when you have the right
equipment. I've played around with a few investment castings and
discovered it's easier to pay somebody else to do it.

-Frank

--
fwarner1-at-franksknives-dot-com
Here's some of my work:
http://www.franksknives.com/

Grant Erwin wrote:

Ask your dentist. They're pretty good at inlaying metals.

The way this works, I believe, is gold leaf, in one method. Noble
metals self-weld. The area must be spotlessly clean and dry. These
metals self-weld readily because the oxide layer is just not there;
they don't react; they are noble. The dentist packs the gold leaf into
the cavity, right?

Now, you'll need a lot of gold leaf to fill a cavity like a readable
letter, but the principle is the same. Something thicker than leaf and
a burnishing/planishing tool (a very smooth tool) might do it.

I've never done this, but planned a PATC brick for the cabin my aunt
and her PATC friends built in the woods. Mill out the letters into a
brick with a carbide bit, dovetail with carbide, and pour some alloy,
low melting most likely. Then mill flush with the carbide face mill.

I wonder which method would take longer?

Yours,

Doug Goncz
Replikon Research
Seven Corners, VA 22044-0394

On 18 Feb 2005 10:11:13 -0800, "TrailRat"
wrote:

How does one go about inlaying metal into wood.

Lots of ways. Depends on the method and the materials. Your main
problem is to hold metal into the surface of the wood.

You may form the inlay beforehand, or form it in situ, depending on
how you're doing the adhesion.



Mechanical pegs or fasteners.

Usually only used for inlaying (strictly insetting) large plaques into
a flat surface.

Adhesive.

Form your inlay, glue it into place. Works well with twisted brass
wire, as is commonly seen on Indian import work.

Adhesive (powder cold casting)

Use a finely powdered metal mixed with an adhesive. Very easy, and
there's a wide range of metal powders available from fibreglass
suppliers.

Mechanical deformation.

Usually done with a soft wire, sometimes gold or silver (not
sterling). Form a narrow purfling (groove) in the wwood, ideally with
a slight dovetailed undercut and less shallow than the wire. Then
place the wire into the groove and hammer it into place, expanding the
wire sideways and locking it into place. Can also be done with freshly
annealed copper wire and a harder wood.

Mechanical locking can also be done with a narrow strip, folded into a
V.

Hot casting

Rarely used, as the wood chars from the heat of the molten metal. Can
be done easily with Woods metal or Cerrobend (lead-based low melting
point alloys that melt in boiling water), but these are generally grey
and unattractive. It's possibly workable in some timbers with a lead
solder, marginally so with a lead free pewter (this stays shinier
longer). Other metals are pretty much impractical. Sulphur inlay
works well though - an old 18th century technique.
http://www.codesmiths.com/shed/works...phur_inlay.htm

Green timber.

Inlay into wet timber and use drying shrinkage to hold it. Needs a
good understanding of shrinkage, and a timber that shrinks "square"
without warping.

For instance:

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/catego...t Num=AAA-411

David Merrill


"Rex B" wrote in message
...
The way it was done on old firearms, using brass or silver:

Groove was cut into the wood in the pattern desired.
Flat narrow strips of metal (~1/32x1/8xlength) was tapped into groove,
leaving the edge slightly proud of surface.
First coat of finish, usually boiled linseed oil, was applied and
allowed to cure.
Metal was filed and sanded flush to the wood.
Additional coats of finish were applied.

TrailRat wrote:
How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. ...

"David Merrill" wrote in
news:E0zRd.20334$tl3.9998@attbi_s02:

For instance:

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/catego...catId=12&subId
=81&styleId=280&partNum=AAA-411

David Merrill

IMHO
I'm thinking this is not what the OP was inquiring about as the inlays
shown in the above link are for the most part mass produced.
In looking close at them, one can tell they are already decorated/finished
when applied and would most likely not be sanded/filed down after applying.
Indeed the complete rifle is available in kit form from a number of
distributors, (not to say that one was a kit.)


"Rex B" wrote in message
...
The way it was done on old firearms, using brass or silver:

Groove was cut into the wood in the pattern desired.
Flat narrow strips of metal (~1/32x1/8xlength) was tapped into
groove, leaving the edge slightly proud of surface.
First coat of finish, usually boiled linseed oil, was applied and
allowed to cure.
Metal was filed and sanded flush to the wood.
Additional coats of finish were applied.

This is great discription of the process for 'plain' inlays such as
initials and fine lines, larger, pre-decorated inlays were set in flush
with the stock surface with pins, or screws. Some fittings were cast brass
and silver and worked after installing.



TrailRat wrote:
How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. ...




My .02 worth...and I'm stickin' to it....;0)
granpaw

TrailRat wrote:

How does one go about inlaying metal into wood. I'm talking about
metals like alu, brass, gold and silver. I was thinking it would be as
easy as simply melting the metal over a bunsen burner in a crucible and
pouring it in carved channels on the wood. Would this work? What would
the effect be on the wood itself? I would like method that would allow
the metal to be flush with the wood when finished.

For gold and silver I thought of gilt but it doesn't produce the right
finish for me.

Thanks for any help.

TR

Forget melting and pouring silver or gold. Their melting
points are in the 1500 to 2000 degree F range, depending
on the alloy. A bunsen burner just won't do it. And pouring
molten silver or gold into a thin groove in wood
a) will char it badly so forget about clean edges or the metal
staying in the groove
and
b) is an exercise in frustration if not futility. Molten gold
or silver is like mercury. Try pouring mercury an a
narrow, shallow groove and you'll understand the problem.
(I made jewelry and taught lost wax casting for a decade
plus so I'm familiar with molten gold and silver)

Forget molten metal and go with silver or gold wire.
Wire typically comes work hardened so you'll need
to anneal (sp?) it first. For that you'll need some borax,
some alcohol, a "pickling" solution a dry brick or
charcoal block and a torch that can get your wire red
hot. Mix some borax in alcohol and either dip your
coiled wire in the suspension or brush the suspension
onto your wire. The borax will act as a "flux", melting
before the wire being heated can begin absorbing
oxygen and "oxidizing", thus protecting the metal.
When the metal begins to glow red dunk it in the
"pickling" solution (DO NOT USE IRON OR IRON
ALLOY TONGS ETC. OR YOU'LL PUT A NICE IRON
OXIDE LAYER ON THE SURFACE OF YOUR WIRE.)
to remove the borax flux layer now on the wire's
surface. The quick quenching will leave the metal
"soft".

Place the annealed wire on a steel plate, preferably
polished, and peen it with a smooth faced hammer,
also preferably polished, to flatten the wire some
and get it close to the thickness you need. The
hammering may work harden the now semi-
rectangular wire so you may have to go through
the flux, heat, pickle process again in preparation
for the fine thicknessing to fit your groove step
that you'll get to later.

Now to cutting the groove(s) for the inlay. You
could use a trim router but there is a much
easier, less mistake prone method to cut grooves.
You'll need a cabinet scraper the thickness of the
groove you want to make, a small knife edge or
triangular file, a flat mill file and a round file.

Here's the cabinet scraper grooving tool and how
to use it.

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/Inlaying1.html

And here's a "thicknesser" you can make, again using
a cabinet scraper.

http://home.comcast.net/~charliebcz/Inlaying3.html

When you've scraped the flattened wire to the
thickness you need mix up a little epoxy and
epoxy the "wire" into your groove. File then
scrape off the excess epoxy and any high metal.

Done! And thanks to Michael Fortune for demonstrating
how to do fine line inlaying - this is his method, not
mine.

charlie b