Scroll saw inlay

[Jim Finn]

I am amazed by the lack of posts that are about doing "Double bevel inlay"! It is done with a scroll saw and all that is required is a scroll saw and some traced patterns.  After being able to follow a line well ,l just a few tips are needed to do an often overlooked, and saleable, scroll saw project.  I have made and sold over 3000 inlaid items over the past 15 years. I see VERY few interested in trying this art form. It seems complex at first but is not, really! Do a search about it, and you will see some VERY nice projects. They sell well!  They are much quicker to make than an image  made with fretwork.  A one color inlay of, say a horse, takes less than 10 minutes at the saw. Multiple colors like this one take about 10 minutes per color. (at the saw)  There is sanding and finishing in addition to that time. The inlay of the horse up on it's hind legs was my very first inlay.  It came out good enough to sell!

Edited May 12, 2023 by Jim Finn
Adding photos

[Joe W.]

I may have to give this a try.  Time to up my game.  Your work is very attractive.

[Scrappile]

probably, because the scroll saw can be used for a pretty large numbers of types of cuttings.  Some many and so little time.  I did an inlay just a couple weeks ago.  It was just a letter in the top of a little pin box.  But it was fun and looked nice.  I well be doing more after I get a few or intarsias under my belt or maybe that is after I have a few more belts,,.

[jerry walters]

Never thought about it @Jim Finn, will have to give it a try. We sometimes get stuck in a rut. Since being a member of SSV I have ventures out. More journeys in my future.

Thanks Jim,

Jerry

[Peter N White]

Looks great probably need to watch a tutorial on how to do.

[Dave Monk]

Jim was a big influencer in my scroll saw journey. Not long after I joined the village I saw his boxes and they totally intrigued me. Didn't take me long to get going on inlaid boxes. They have sold awesome for me although I have not made near as many as Jim.  It has been fun for me to see how many different type of boxes I can make. 

[Gonzo]

Challenge accepted.  What size and type blade do you recommend?

That is one hell of a beautiful box. 

Edited April 21, 2023 by Gonzo

[Scrappile]

What we need, is a tutorial for how to do more advanced inlay such as you do.  @Dave Monk has done a great  one on how to do basic inlay, but I can quite get my head around on how to do the ones that are much more complex like yours.  In essences you do inlay within an inlay?  YouTube only has a few videos on it and they are basic. 

[Scrappile]

And I have another question, i have always loved seeing the boxes that you post.  I always wonder where you get the beautiful cedar.  All the red cedar I look at is so full of knot as to be worthless unless you want a lot of knots.

[jerry walters]

51 minutes ago, Scrappile said:

What we need, is a tutorial for how to do more advanced inlay such as you do.  @Dave Monk has done a great  one on how to do basic inlay, but I can quite get my head around on how to do the ones that are much more complex like yours.  In essences you do inlay within an inlay?  YouTube only has a few videos on it and they are basic. 

I watched this video yesterday. Makes me want to give it a try. Maybe soon.

Jerry

[OCtoolguy]

Thanks Jim. Marquetry is what got me interested in scrolling but I got sidetracked. Time to re-focus.

[OCtoolguy]

Another thing we (I) need is a good tutorial on small box making. I know there are a million ways but I'd love to know how you Jim & Dave Monk do it.

[jerry walters]

Ditto to what Ray said.

[Jim Finn]

9 hours ago, Gonzo said:

Challenge accepted.  What size and type blade do you recommend?

That is one hell of a beautiful box. 

 

Most any blade should work.  I use Flying Dutchman #5 Polar, myself.

[Jim Finn]

1 hour ago, OCtoolguy said:

Another thing we (I) need is a good tutorial on small box making. I know there are a million ways but I'd love to know how you Jim & Dave Monk do it.

I make the sides first.  I set my miter saw to a 45-degree bevel and cut the four sides to the size I want. (6" x 8" x 2" deep) I glue the four sides together with Elmers white glue (It dries clear and is cheap) and "clamp" it with rubber bands. (If it is not perfectly square it does not matter) After it has set (1/2 Hour) I apply the bottom 3/8" piece with white glue, then the 3/8" top, which has the image inlaid into it and sanded both sides.  I then clamp it together with 8 spring clamps. when dry, (1 hour) I sand to final shape all around (100 grit). Stationary belt sander and orbital sander.  Then I apply thinned shellack 50-50 with alcohol, or shellack sanding sealer and sand lightly to 180 grit. Then spray finish on the bottom and then the top. Next, I cut off the lid to about 1" and, sand the cut surface smooth in stationary belt sander. Then I install surface mounted hinges by spacing the back, hinge side, the thickness of two business cards apart in each back corner.  I then apply the last coat of acrylic finish to this project. I use Krylon triple thick clear finish. it is available at Amazon, Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot. Most of my inlays are hard maple into eastern red cedar Like this one.

Edited April 21, 2023 by Jim Finn

[OCtoolguy]

49 minutes ago, Jim Finn said:

I make the sides first.  I set my miter saw to a 45-degree bevel and cut the four sides to the size I want. (6" x 8" x 2" deep) I glue the four sides together with Elmers white glue (It dries clear and is cheap) and "clamp" it with rubber bands. (If it is not perfectly square it does not matter) After it has set (1/2 Hour) I apply the bottom 3/8" piece with white glue, then the 3/8" top, which has the image inlaid into it and sanded both sides.  I then clamp it together with 8 spring clamps. when dry, (1 hour) I sand to final shape all around (100 grit). Stationary belt sander and orbital sander.  Then I apply thinned shellack 50-50 with alcohol, or shellack sanding sealer and sand lightly to 180 grit. Then spray finish on the bottom and then the top. Next, I cut off the lid to about 1" and, sand the cut surface smooth in stationary belt sander. Then I install surface mounted hinges by spacing the back, hinge side, the thickness of two business cards apart in each back corner.  I then apply the last coat of acrylic finish to this project. I use Krylon triple thick clear finish. it is available at Amazon, Walmart, Lowes, and Home Depot. Most of my inlays are hard maple into eastern red cedar Like this one.

Thanks Jim. Much appreciated. What thickness is your wood? I'm trying to picture what you mean on the application of the hinges. I am not seeing it. When you say "surfaced-mounted" do you mean that you are not insetting them into the wood? Just laying them on the surface of the edge? What are the business cards for? See? I'm old and can't figure things out. I need pictures. I guess that's why I spend so much time on Youtube. Over and over and over ad nauseum.

 

Edited April 21, 2023 by OCtoolguy

[Jim Finn]

On 4/21/2023 at 5:50 PM, OCtoolguy said:

Thanks Jim. Much appreciated. What thickness is your wood? I'm trying to picture what you mean on the application of the hinges. I am not seeing it. When you say "surfaced-mounted" do you mean that you are not insetting them into the wood? Just laying them on the surface of the edge? What are the business cards for? See? I'm old and can't figure things out. I need pictures. I guess that's why I spend so much time on Youtube. Over and over and over ad nauseum.

 

Yes, the hinges are just placed onto the back side surface and screwed in place.  No inset into the wood at all.  I resaw all the wood for boxes to 3/8" thick, using my band saw. After re-reading your comment I now understand what you were asking me about the business cards.  When installing the hinges, if you just set the lid on the box and screw hinges in place the lid may not close properly because it may pinch at the hinge side (the back) of the box.  So, I space just the back, at the two corners a bit to avoid this and I just space that distance equal to the thickness of a business card x2.  I glue to cards together and cut it in half to give me two spacers to insert when screwing on the lower part of the hinge. This provides the gap necessary, so the lid does not pinch at the hinge side (the back).

Edited June 12, 2023 by Jim Finn

[Dave Monk]

9 hours ago, jerry walters said:

I watched this video yesterday. Makes me want to give it a try. Maybe soon.

Jerry

I made that a few years ago and haven't updated it. I am currently using a #5 blade with the angle about 1.6 degrees. Just remember that the angle you use will depend on the blade you use, wood thickness and hardness. Just do a bunch of tests on scrap wood. I also allow a looser fit than I used to. Glue takes up space and I am pretty good filling gaps. 

[don watson]

Where is the video ?? I can't find find it. I can find the facebook page and I hate Facebook so it shows. 

[Dave Monk]

2 hours ago, don watson said:

Where is the video ?? I can't find find it. I can find the facebook page and I hate Facebook so it shows. 

You can find others on utube also that are better. Go to utube and do a search for inlay.

[Jim Finn]

22 hours ago, Scrappile said:

What we need, is a tutorial for how to do more advanced inlay such as you do.  @Dave Monk has done a great  one on how to do basic inlay, but I can quite get my head around on how to do the ones that are much more complex like yours.  In essences you do inlay within an inlay?  YouTube only has a few videos on it and they are basic. 

Yes inlay within an inlay.  I do the one inlay  Compleat and then the next.  Each color is a separate inlay.  The interior lines, as in the baseball player, are just saw cuts that I fill with a mixture of sanding dust and white glue.

[Jim Finn]

On 4/21/2023 at 6:46 AM, Gonzo said:

Challenge accepted.  What size and type blade do you recommend?

That is one hell of a beautiful box. 

I use Polar #5 from Flying Dutchman but any blade will work except spiral blades.

[Scrappile]

6 hours ago, don watson said:

Where is the video ?? I can't find find it. I can find the facebook page and I hate Facebook so it shows. 

Better yet, you do not have to leave SSV, click on resources in the blue banner on this site and select page 2, scroll down, last row on the right.  Or, even easier go to search type in inlay were if says on the right of the search bar, it says This topic, there is a down arrow click on it and select "Articles" select search and walla there it be, first entry.  And that's the truth!

Edited April 22, 2023 by Scrappile

[don watson]

17 hours ago, Scrappile said:

Better yet, you do not have to leave SSV, click on resources in the blue banner on this site and select page 2, scroll down, last row on the right.  Or, even easier go to search type in inlay were if says on the right of the search bar, it says This topic, there is a down arrow click on it and select "Articles" select search and walla there it be, first entry.  And that's the truth!

Thanks for that Scrappile. I will carry out your instructions.

[don watson]

21 hours ago, Dave Monk said:

You can find others on utube also that are better. Go to utube and do a search for inlay.

Thanks, I found this yesterday after a bit of looking about. I do not like Facebook, Twitter etc. but I can tolerate You Tube.