Brass Inlays ?????

[Jailcop]

After removing wood in stock for inlay what do you use to hold inlay in stock? Epoxy,Bond-O, or Glue? Any info would be appreciated.
Ths
Jim

 

[dlocke]

Epoxy works well. Don't use the 5-minute kind, as it is inherently weak. Use 30-minute, 45-minute, or for best holding power the full 24-hour cure stuff.
DJL

 

[flintriflesmith]

If you are interested in being period correct, use brass or iron nails. Silver or iron for silver inlays.

 

[Harddog]

As a matter of fact, most inlays on old originals were held on with iron nails, not silver or brass nails.

Randy Hedden

 

[LRB]

Epoxy alone should not be relied on. Drastic temperature changes will cause the metal to expand and contract, sooner or later breaking the bond. I believe it should be used however, as a solid, uniform platform for the inlay, so that there is less chance of deformation when the nails are driven home. And, if the inlay will be engraved, it is much esier to engrave an object that has a solid foundation.

 

[oldarmy]

buy some small screws from TOW. Only to hold them in while you inlet. Then use small nails.
it took me a few time to figure out how to make it work, but with practice, they work great :thumbsup:

 

[dtruex]

To expand a bit on using the nails--
Once you drill the hole for the nail (#17,#18, or #20 brads or brass escutcheon pins) take a larger size drill and slightly countersink the hole. If you use a brad, the bulbous head will nestle a little ways into the countersink. If you use brass pins take a centerpunch and peen it a bit to fill the countersink. Then file the pins flush with the surface of the inlay.
Dave T.

 

[Jailcop]

Thanks for the info!
Jim

 

[Zonie]

A method of "nailing" I've used uses a common straight pin. The kind you buy at a cloth store (or steal from your wifes sewing kit :grin: ).

To use these, just cut off the pin leaving about 1/4 to 5/16 of it under the head.
The head is just a little larger than 1/16 in diameter so if you drill a 1/16 hole in your insert, the pin's head will not go thru the hole, even after you've filed it flush with the inlay.

These are usually steel although I've seen some chrome plated brass ones. Of course, the brass ones are ideal because after you file the heads flush, your are exposing the brass which will match your brass inlays.

zonie

 

[Vaino]

I use both "Microbed" and nails to anchor an inlay. I file a "V" into the edge of the inlay so the epoxy will fill in the undercut, notch the shank of the nails so the epoxy again fills the undercuts and I don't rely on the adhesion at all. Don't see how an inlay so fastened will ever "pop" seeing it's locked in......Fred

 

[Jailcop]

That sounds great Thanks for the help :bow:

 

I've never used anything but iron pins (real or fake) whether the inlay is brass or silver. I USED to use fake pins. I would use VERY small wood screws, put a light counter sink on the inlay, run them in, then file the head off. VERY strong but left a larger diameter pin showing than I liked. For the last few years I've been useing pins made from finishing nails. I take the very small finishing nails, the ones that are about 1/2" long (I think they're the smallest you can get) and nip them off at about 1/4". Then drill a hole just the right size for the shank in a piece of 1/8" steel and counter sink it. Put the nail in and swage the head into the CS. This gives a very nice head to work with that will match perfectly the CS you will put on the inlay. I then take my side cutters and just squeeze the shank in a few places to put ridges so it holds better then drive them in and file off the head. When I drill the hole in the inlay, I first drill the hole with the smallest bit I have, much smaller than the pin, Then open up the hole in the inlay with the same bit I used to make the swage block and CS. The little pilot hole acts as a guide to ensure that the pin goes in straight. I often touch the tip of the pin to a fine grinder to give it a point because by nipping the end off with side cutters gives it a kinda fishtail tip that may not fit through the whole in the swage block.

Cody