String Inlay Jigs, Tools, and Techniques

[@sleim754]

It looks as if you are using a mortise chisel to take down the inlay to near surface level. I had never thought of using it that way. Good instruction.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Good catch! Sometimes you use what you have! My bench chisels are non existent. My mortise chisels are always sharp (but so are the sides!!).

[@OlcayMsrloglu]

This is the best video I've ever seen on youtube about string inlay. Thanks a lot for sharing your great technic...

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Glad you liked it! Thanks for watching!

[@billholder253]

Until now, did not know this technique existed. You did a marvelous job on explaining every step & process along the way. A very well done tutorial and EXCELLENT Craftsmanship!! Someone is going to be very proud, they may never want to use the pizza peel however. Thanks a lot for you sharing of knowledge and your valuable time.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

There’s always something new to learn with woodworking. It’s a real journey. Thanks for your kind comments! And stay tuned for more!

[@FearsomeWarrior]

Great demonstration. I love the challenge of figuring out if there is an order of operations. Cutting through an inlayed piece intersecting or deciding to stop/start skip over it.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Glad it was helpful!

[@ronaldj.stevens8771]

Brilliant way to make the fine stringing material which at the best of times is difficult. Thanks for this episode.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Thanks, Ronald! I should have added a comment tat good straight grain is much easier to work with. Even the walnut tended to split occasionally.

[@willxin4517]

Thank you. I have just started adding string inlays to my projects and I picked up a few tips.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

You’re welcome! Glad you found something of value!

[@skwalka6372]

Very useful video, thank you!

[@SkyValleyStudio]

I didn’t see much out there on string inlay, and it can truly enhance the finished product. Thought it was time for information! Thanks for watching!

[@severinosilva7568]

Boa tarde é muito bonito o seu trabalho parabéns, aprendi muito com você

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Fico contente por conseguirem retirar alguma coisa dos meus vídeos, apesar de não ter a tradução portuguesa! Obrigada pelo vosso apoio!

[@ramsayholmes4913]

A very useful video. How do you prevent the glue used on the string inlay from contaminating the surface of the spalted maple? BTW, once the glue has set to hold the inlay in place I’ve had good luck using a card scraper to reduce the inlay to the depth of the groove.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Use just enough glue so there is very little squeeze out. Use a card scraper to clean the surface of remaining glue. Or use hide glue, which cleans up very easily in the gummy state. Kind of like rubber cement.

[@ramsayholmes4913]

@@SkyValleyStudio I’ll try the hide glue since I’m about to set inlay into a large walnut charcuterie board. Thanks for the tip!

[@SkyValleyStudio]

@ramsayholmes4913 Your inlay should be proud of the surface slightly anyway, and needs to be sanded or planned or scraped down anyway. If you are super concerned about penetration and you’re using oil and wax on the board go ahead and do that before you cut out for inlay. Just don’t soak it. The wax will keep the glue from penetrating. Your cuts will be fresh wood.

[@michaelbaykara2322]

It looks like the jig is more effective, i like the design.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Cost was only the cutter head. It’s not fancy brass like the full on Steve Latta tool, but it does the trick for about 1/3 the price.

[@anthonychavez3742]

Very educational thank you for sharing

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Glad you enjoyed the process!

[@The_Joker_]

Half of the fun of woodworking for me is making jigs.

[@brucekilmer1096]

Some good info here. Suggestion - I find when slicing the stringing with a chisel it is better to use a slicing motion rather than using the chisel straight on.

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Thanks! I’ll have to remember that. Makes perfect sense.

[@canadiangemstones7636]

Cross-grain inlay on solid wood? Not expecting any wood movement? Or am I just being paranoid?

[@SkyValleyStudio]

That’s a god question. String inlay is only 1/8” or so deep, and not wide enough to be concerned with movement. 1 foot = 1/8” or so. 1” wide = .01” expansion (assuming 8-12% moisture content). For the narrow strings, you’re talking about only .001”. Lengthwise the gran isn’t much of an issue.

[@woodydixon4996]

Very nice video. Curious though as to where I could get the Lie Nielsen cutters now since they no have the Latta tools. Do they still stock the cutters?

[@SkyValleyStudio]

We’ll THAT question led me down a dark rabbit hole! It looks like LN still sells the cutters, but sadly they are out of stock right now. That leaves cutting and fashioning them from a card scraper. It’s essentially a WV shaped cutter. Three points. Outer two points beveled on one side, and a tiny singe point beveled from the other side That gives the width of the groove to the thickness of the blade. The blade itself is only .5” wide. The 2 V cuts are only .075” deep. This helps you know how deep a groove you’ve cut. Center tooth is .1” wide. Distance across all 3 points is .2”Outer edge bevels go .3” back at roughly a 60-degree slope from point to outside, and 30-degree (?) bevel. Hope this helps!

[@SkyValleyStudio]

I’ve also read about using two blades - one cut in a single point, the other cut to the W, and sandwich them together with CA glue.

[@geraldcraig1438]

How about a video of how you made your bandsaw jig

[@SkyValleyStudio]

Ask and ye shall receive! It’s in the jigs and templates playlist, “Make an adjustable miter bandsaw sled “ (or something like that). kzbin.info/aero/PLG54YDR0_HPjARKi0HQuPod3eSSj4e85F

[@MrKYT-gb8gs]

wait how did u make the circle inlay?!

[@SkyValleyStudio]

You must have missed the video on cutting the inlays for the circle and doing that. The circle inlay is actually in four sections, carefully pieced together. It’s much easier to cut the shape first and then fit the cut out to match the shape. In this case, I wanted to make sure that the circle was completely round. So I was fitting the inlay to the mortise.