Inlay box done several years ago

[sawduster]

Wdkits' Bear Box and his pattern creation reminded me of some stuff I tried to do a few years back. A fella had come up with some instructions on converting a photo to a pattern for scroll saw work. I tried doing it several times with some pics I had, but was never very successful. Anyway, he made a few of his patterns available online. I was doing inlays using the scroll saw at the time and made this box with The Dukes picture inlaid into the lid.



The box is approx 6 X 9 inches.


Here's a plate I turned and inlayed one of my favorite patterns into.



The center part where the inlay is done is about 4 1/2" in diameter. Very tedious working with something that small.

I've got some instruction on making the boxes on this page of my website in case anyone might be interested.

[boodrow]

Duster that is really some nice work on both pieces , the platter is my favorite. A job well done
Boodrow

[sachbvn]

Jerry,

That is COOL! Really nice job on both! That'd be a pretty cool box to store an old fancy hand gun in or something.


Zac

[maverick31]

both are very cool, i also like the platter the most. I bet it took a lot of time to make both

[sawduster]

I started scrolling with a Ryobi 16" scroll saw. Not a bad machine, a bit much in the way of vibration for intricate work, but OK. The main thing with making lots of interior cuts is blade changing. You drill a small hole in each of the areas to be removed, then insert the blade through the hole, lock the blade in the saw, make the cut, unlock the blade from the saw, pull it out of the void, put the blade through the hole in the next cut . . . Point is, how the blade mounts to the saw makes a difference as to how long things will take. I finally got a 16" Delta saw with a clamp for the top blade (only need to disconnect one end of the blade to feed through hole) and that really sped things up.

Best thing I did, though, was start using Flying Dutchman Skip Tooth, Reverse blades. Have never had to sand the cuts since, and the blades make a lot of difference in controlling the cuts.

Since both pieces of the inlay are cut simultaneously with the table set at an ever so slight angle to the blade, you have to make your entree holes on the pattern lines, and they can't be larger than is necessary to just feed the blade through or they become real obvious.

A big illuminated magnifying lamp is a must. The ones at Office supply stores with the swing arms that clamp to the work surface are great. They're good for a lot of other stuff in the shop as well, especially for us guys with old eyes. Sharpening a 16pt hand saw comes to mind.

[gomer]

Very cool. The plate looks awesome. I used that same pattern on a jewelry box for the wife. I was thinking of putting it on my canoe, maybe an inlay on the thwart, or dry box, w/ "Freedom" just above it. I think I will name her this. Seems fitting. Any suggestions for the best location? I don't want it to be very large, just a small eye catcher.

[sawduster]

What ever that triangular piece is called that covers the nose in the front. ;D Nautical terms escape me sometimes.