Need help with woodwork

[Alphamazing]

My girlfriend is a big movie fanatic. She absolutely loves 'em. I'm looking to build her a decorative box for a small percentage of her DVD collection, and I want to do some inlay on it. I'm looking to build it out of maple or oak, and do the inlay with the one I don't use for building it.

I'm looking to inlay her initials on the side (one letter per side) and maybe some sort of decerative item on top. I've been googling my ass off to find a how to on this, but can't find anything for inlaying on a box.

Will I have to cut the box wood all the way through and then glue the inlay into that position, or is there another way? Are there any tips or tricks that might help me in this endeavor?

Any help is greatly appreciated.

Edit: Check page 2 for new details

[RVertigo]

You can route it out...  

Inlays are pretty hard to get right...  The easiest thing would be to do a separate multi-part inlay, glue it all together with glue that matches the wood color, then sand and finish it all nice like...

THEN attach the whole piece to whatever you want it on.

Still not easy...   :dunno:

[Stephen072774]

You can also score around the outside of the letter with a blade and stain the letter with a contrasting shade of stain, that gives the inlay look without all the work...  I have used this method for a chess board, turned out nice.

[Alphamazing]

You can route it out...  

Inlays are pretty hard to get right...  The easiest thing would be to do a separate multi-part inlay, glue it all together with glue that matches the wood color, then sand and finish it all nice like...

THEN attach the whole piece to whatever you want it on.

Still not easy...   :dunno:

Yeah, 'cause then I'll have a double layer of wood, and I'm not sure how that would look along the edges.

As for the simple contrasting color of stain, I really want to have a different wood grain at least, rather than just a different color.

[RVertigo]

That's brilliant!

Just look out for bleeding...

[RVertigo]

Yeah, 'cause then I'll have a double layer of wood, and I'm not sure how that would look along the edges.

What are you puting it on?

[Alphamazing]

I'm probably going to make the box out of maple and the inlay out of oak. So I'd have the oak inlay glued to the maple outline, all glued to the maple box.

[RVertigo]

NM...  You know what...  If you use plywood it'll be layered anyway...  Or can use those iron-on wood strips for the edges...

The inlay is going to be nearly impossible if you do it with wood thick enough to hold anything.  It needs to fit exactly together for it to look good...  and it ain't easy (that's why inlays cost!).

Do the inlay layer, glue it to the structural layer and do dove tail joints for the edges...  It'll look primo.  And if you alternate the type of wood for each side, the dove tail joint will stand out more.  

[RVertigo]

The other thing you have to worry about is the wood expanding/contracting at different rates...  Hmm...

Just write a letter to Norm Abrahm c/o The New Yankey Workshop...  He's da MAN!

[Alphamazing]

Yeah, I was planning on doing the dove joints anyways. The contrasting colors though... that's a good idea. I guess I can just sand down the edges where the structural and inlay meet and just have them varnished a deep deep color, hopefully hiding the joining line.

[RVertigo]

Do dove tails...  Then do a 3/4 roll over...

Then coat the ever-lovin'-shaZam! out of it...  No one will be able to see the extra layer in there.

[Alphamazing]

3/4 roll over?

[RVertigo]

rounded corner...  3/4 ROUND OVER is what I meant.

[Alphamazing]

Hmm. That might be a bit difficult. This is the first woodworking project I'll be undertaking, so round stuff will be tricky. I'll give it some thought though.

[GeeP]

If this is your first woodworking project I'd strongly suggest you skip the inlay and concentrate on your joints.  A box with a nice inlay and crappy joints is first and foremost a crappy box.  :lol:

If I were to do initials at all I'd etch a piece of 1/4" plate glass with her initials to use as either a window on the side of the case, or as a door on the front.  Simple, classy, and not very time-consuming.    

Inlays take practice and a massive amount of time.  Unless you're lucky, you won't get it right first time out.  If you do ace it, immediately go to the casino before your luck runs out.   :mrgreen:

[Alphamazing]

How would I do the plate glass window thingy? That sounds like a really good idea!

I've got a good idea of how to do a basic inlay, though. Clamp the two pieces of wood together, cut out the design you want, take the cutout piece and put it into the section you just cut out, glue, sand, varnish.

[GeeP]

There are two ways to do it.  You can sandblast it, or you can photoetch it.  I'll give you a sandblasting method, as photoetching requires more work and costs more.  Photoetching is perfect for quantity production, and very complicated work.

Go down to your local monument company.  Tell them you want a sheet of sandblasting resist.  Resist is basically 1/16" rubber with an adhesive backing.  You cut out your pattern in the resist with an exacto knive and then etch with a sandblaster.  Transfer your pattern to the resist with carbon paper.

When you cut the resist, make sure your lines flow.  If they don't flow, you'll end up with a design that looks like somebody with parkinsons etched it.  Also, avoid acute angles and thin lines.  Acute angles and fine lines can cause trouble.

When you blast it, keep the nozzle vertical to the work.  If you angle it into the corners you'll pull up the resist.  Always keep the nozzle moving in a circular motion, and try not to cover one area too many times.  Experiment with pressure on some scrap glass.  On my blaster I run about 30 PSI.  If I run more pressure I'll dig pits into the glass.  All you want to do is frost it.  Also, use the smallest sand you can get.  40 screen sand will eat your project alive.



Oh...  One thing on clamping two pieces of wood together.  You'll have a gap between the inlay and the main wood equal to the thickness of the saw blade.  You can't cheat like that.   :mrgreen:

[Alphamazing]

Hmm. The glass etching sounds like a lot of work, especially considering I don't have a sand blaster, nor artistic ability to make flowing lines. Nor do I have any idea what a monument store is. :lol:

I think I'll try the inlay. It seems the least complicated thing to me right now.

Any tips on eliminating the gap between the inlay and the cutout?

[RVertigo]

Take the sawdust from the cuts and mix it with wood glue...

[RVertigo]

Clamp the two pieces of wood together, cut out the design you want, take the cutout piece and put it into the section you just cut out, glue, sand, varnish.

You're garenteed to have a gap the width of the blade when you do it this way.