# Inlay - using software to create offset templates



## JCJCJC (May 15, 2012)

I'm posting this here since it's the sub-forum for guide bushings, and inlay requires guide bushings, hope it's the appropriate place.

I do a bit of inlay work from time to time, using the Milescraft pattern kit and the Bosch system and combinations of both. I want to make my own custom templates, and I want to use graphics software like Adobe or Jasc Paint Shop Pro to do it. I would like to start with an outline drawing, something like a small garden bird in profile view for example, and use the software to offset a line outside the outline drawing line to correspond exactly with the offset required for the router bushing and cutter combination.

Has anybody found a way to achieve this with graphics software?

Thanks

JC


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

JCJCJC said:


> I'm posting this here since it's the sub-forum for guide bushings, and inlay requires guide bushings, hope it's the appropriate place.
> 
> I do a bit of inlay work from time to time, using the Milescraft pattern kit and the Bosch system and combinations of both. I want to make my own custom templates, and I want to use graphics software like Adobe or Jasc Paint Shop Pro to do it. I would like to start with an outline drawing, something like a small garden bird in profile view for example, and use the software to offset a line outside the outline drawing line to correspond exactly with the offset required for the router bushing and cutter combination.
> 
> ...


You can do it with Adobe Illustrator. Once you have your original outline in Illustrator, select it and choose Path under the Object Menu. Then choose Offset Path which brings up a dialog box allowing you to set the offset you want. When you click "OK" you're done. Here's what it looks like on a Mac with an older version of Illustrator. Just a note: fine details may be problematical.


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## JCJCJC (May 15, 2012)

Thank you, both for the content and for taking the trouble to grab all those screens to explain it.

JC


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## JCJCJC (May 15, 2012)

*Customising the Milescraft kit*

This is where I'm heading with this idea. I've used a top-bearing router bit in my router table to make a plywood copy of the Milescraft template, it's a nice tight fit at the first attempt. Now I can stick down custom artwork generated with Adobe, allowing for the offset, and make my own designs, just using the system to hold the template precisely and/or using the rotation to achieve geometric patterns. I have thinks like oak leaves, swans etc in mind at the moment. I think this has a lot of potential for all Milescraft kit users.


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## LBussy (May 31, 2015)

This almost makes me believe I could do patterns.


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