Router inlay kits

[Vanilla Gorilla]

Does anyone have any experience with the router inlay kits that use pc router collars and a bushing that goes over them so you can rout the inlay and the recess with the same template? I am have been curious if this is a good way to go. I know you can't do detailed inlays like this, but I wonder if this is a nice thing to have around or if I should just do like Wood Guy and practice routing them free hand? Just curious if people love them or hate them, or are completely indifferent

 

[woodguy1975]

Does anyone have any experience with the router inlay kits that use pc router collars and a bushing that goes over them so you can rout the inlay and the recess with the same template? I am have been curious if this is a good way to go. I know you can't do detailed inlays like this, but I wonder if this is a nice thing to have around or if I should just do like Wood Guy and practice routing them free hand? Just curious if people love them or hate them, or are completely indifferent

I started with the templates and bushings. I still have the set somewhere. It is a good way to start. You just can't do much fine detail. The more I do the finer I want to go.

Good Luck,

John

 

[Travis Porter]

I bought 3 different sizes of them. I have used them for inlays and like John, they don't do very fine work, but they will work. If lets say your smallest radius is 1/4" then you would want to use thte 1/8. I personally used them to inset keyhole plates and they worked pretty good.

 

[DaveO]

I have one by Whiteside. It does a great job, scary precise..don't question the the fit just drive it home. But as said right off the bat I found some major limitations. I do a lot of heart shaped cut outs in projects I do for my wife and daughter, kinda my signature. So I thought that the inlay kit could do that shape, well due to the round bushing it wouldn't cut the sharp inside point at the top of the heart. I tried the Woodguy method after some encouragement from Insomniac and ended up with a beautiful heart inlay in a project I made for my wife. In summary, they do a great job for some designs, but just won't work for others.
Dave

 

[michaelgarner]

their great for key inlays. i use contrasting wood and they come out great.
be blessed

 

[Steve D]

I have the CMT set and ditto the above, it depends on the shape of your inlay. If you stay wil shapes that have curved edges then you are golden, if not you need to do a little fitting with a chisel. I bought mine to do bow ties for am arts & crafts piece. I could have rounded the points on the bow ties but didn't like that look. I kept them sharp and then laid the inlay piece on top, scored the points with an exacto knife and trimmed them out with a chisel. The end result was perfect but it wasn't plug & play.

 

[ChrisMathes]

I agree with the above comments. Crisp points/details are hard to get with the kits, but they produce nice, tight fitting results that allow the wood to flow together almost seamless. I have the Whiteside and it works well. So you can see what everyone is talking about with the rounded points...this is a heart design I put in my wife's music box. I think it is a good representation of what you can expect with the kit....

Good luck and be sure to share your final decision...and more importantly, your final results

 

[D L Ames]

That is a great looking music box Chris.:icon_thum

D L

 

[Vanilla Gorilla]

I agree....very nice work. I appreciate all the input. I will probably get a kit to mess around with, and then try to perfect my freehand skill from there. Inlays just really set a piece off, just really take it to the next level, so I think that they are important to incorporate when appropriate

 

[Travis Porter]

That is beautiful. One day, I will learn how to make a box....