# Keeping inlays from getting 'Dirty' from the main wood.



## servantofthestorm (Feb 22, 2010)

Hi guys,

Just looking for some tips of inlays. When i put Holly or any other light coloured wood inlayed in say, ebony, or chechen or anything dark, the lighter wood becomes very dirty from the dust when i sand it down. Any tips?? 

Thanks, Joshua.


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## dutchman 46 (May 23, 2007)

Hello! What have You tried Joshua, I might glue a few pieces together for a test panel. After dry, sand it to get it dirty and try some of the normal wood cleaners inc. alcohol. Make sure that Your glue-up is able to be sanded a few times. You might try even glass cleaner sparely. Some things sound like throwing caution to the wind. but it's the only way to get to the bottom of Your problem, unless someone has a great remedy.


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## jerrymayfield (Sep 25, 2004)

Apply shellac to your lighter colored wood before you inlay it. I shellac the entire (small) inlay piece before I cut it to fit.

Regards
Jerry


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

Joshua,

I've seen videos on inlay that talk about using card scrapers instead of sandpaper for just this reason. I haven't tried inlay to date but I've seen it commonly recommended. There are lots of articles on the web covering both topics and some cover them together.

Jim


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Joshua, Use of a card scrapper will definately help! Per your example, Holly itself is the culprit being a very open grained wood. As you said, the wood pours actually fill up with the sanding residue. I had the same problem a few years back making a chess board out of paduk and maple. the maple actually starting taking on a redish tint to it. Got the scraper out and took care of 99 percent of the problem. The trick is having a well tuned card scrapper to begin with!!!


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## BigJimAK (Mar 13, 2009)

"You can tune a piano, but you can't tuna fish!" (c) 1978 REO Speedwagon


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

go ahead buddy, keep on yukking it up...*S*..I"m sending more skeeters your way! 

THE BIG KIND!!!


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## servantofthestorm (Feb 22, 2010)

How is it that the card scraper would stop dust getting to the poures of the lighter wood? because it still makes small dust..


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## TwoSkies57 (Feb 23, 2009)

Joshua...

a well tuned scrapper shaves the wood off rather than abraid it down. It will plow the shaved wood ahead of the edge instead of riding over top of the sawdust and literally grinding it into the open pours. The earlier suggestion to put shellac down is a good one. the shellac literally fills in the open pours of the wood, thereby inhibiting the embedding of the sanded wood. Get good with a card scrapper and you can eliminate sanding altogether. (not all the time under all conditions, but quite often)


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## servantofthestorm (Feb 22, 2010)

Thankyou guys i'm going to try this out. Ill buy some card scrappers this week. I wont jump into the shellac just yet, because what i make is jewellery, and it may cause irritation on the skin. Thanks again!!


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## rwyoung (Aug 3, 2008)

@servantofthestorm

1) A well tuned card scraper does not make dust. It makes shavings. If all you get is dust, likely your cardscraper does not have a burr.

2) Fully dry shellac is inert and should not cause skin irritation. HOWEVER, it is not waterproof so close and constant contact to the skin could discolor the shellac.


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