# Best way to recess/inlay with router



## ngyeah (Nov 28, 2017)

Bit of a newbie question, I am trying to work out the best way to recess a rectangle inlay into my door a about 2" x 10" and 1/2" deep which is in the middle of my solid wood door. Is it very hard to freehand this with a plunge router?


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## Semipro (Mar 22, 2013)

You need to go to utube and watch some videos on inlays to get a idea how it done picture worth 1000 words


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

welcome to the forums N/A...
1st...
why ½'' deep..
2nd..
cut a rectangle out of piece of ply to finish size after compensating for guide bushings or use a top bearing mortising bit w/o any bushing...
take the drop from the cut out and cut it into 2'' wide strips...
make a temporary filler to put in your fresh cut pocket to help stabilize the router..
the filler will be as thick as the depth of cut plus the thickness of the pattern,,,
double stick the pattern to the door w/ the strips installed inside of the cut out.. (leave one out)...
cut your pocket...
remove the next strip exposing more door to be cut..
install the filler into where you just cut...
make your next cut...
remove another strip...
move the filler over to carry the router for this cut...
repeat as often as necessary...

this is about as safe as you'll get and the router will have quite a bit of support to ride on to avoid rocking and/binding/gouging...


















...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

2nd plan...
make the template..
make a really large base plate for the router so that at no time while you are cutting the router isn't fully supported by the template...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

You'll have to do some chisel work in the tips of the triangle, even a small router bit will leave round tips. You'll need a fairly small chisel, probably 1/8th inch at least. Good question. Go slow and be careful to keep the bottom flat all the way across.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

DesertRatTom said:


> You'll have to do some chisel work in the tips of the triangle, even a small router bit will leave round tips. You'll need a fairly small chisel, probably 1/8th inch at least. Good question. Go slow and be careful to keep the bottom flat all the way across.


Tom...
the OP wants a RECtangle not a TRIangle...
also a wide chisel will align to the straight edges and give him cleaner straighter corners...
better yet, a corner chisel would be the cat's meow...


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Stick486 said:


> Tom...
> the OP wants a RECtangle not a TRIangle...
> also a wide chisel will align to the straight edges and give him cleaner straighter corners...
> better yet, a corner chisel would be the cat's meow...


Misread. A wide chisel is better. I can't always get a corner chisel to line up just right. Thanks for the correction. My eyesight is getting a little iffy these days. :nerd:

I have also become very happy with my router plane, which has a 90 degree chisel blade. Perfect depth cuts, but a luxury, not a necessity.


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## JOAT (Apr 9, 2010)

And you might want to practice on some cheap wood first.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

try one of these...


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

if all you have is a chisel...
make sure it's sharp...
score the face of the corner...
lay the flat of the chisel up against the face of the cut and rotate it into what you need removed going cross grain a little at a time...
if you used a top bearing mortising bit leave the template in place to use the extra thickness to help control the chisel and keep it straight...
if you cut into the long grain you risk splitting the corner out...


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## scottgrove (Sep 4, 2016)

use an template and template guide to offset the router bit to cut on either side of the inlay seam.
check out https://www.easyinlay.com/
This system is the only one that has a 1-1/2" OD template guide to be used with a 1/2" router bit for large inlays.
good luck


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## hawkeye10 (Jul 28, 2015)

scottgrove said:


> use an template and template guide to offset the router bit to cut on either side of the inlay seam.
> check out https://www.easyinlay.com/
> This system is the only one that has a 1-1/2" OD template guide to be used with a 1/2" router bit for large inlays.
> good luck


Thanks Scott there is some good information on that site.


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