Router inlay kit?

[Sam Fleisher]

Is there any brand being sold that I should stay away from or one that is better of the bunch? Spend the money on templates? better than average router bit?

 

[Brian Gustin]

For router bits, if you want quality and durability, can't really go wrong with Whiteside or CMT tools - My experience with the off-brands, as well as Freud bits has been 50/50 as to how well they do , look for brands that also offer replacement bearings, screws and shims (for pattern bits) which tend to be rather better quality, more consistent, more reliable, and know that bearing supported bits will eventually need new bearings, so getting a few spares can't hurt - not all bearings are alike so you may wish to find a good brand and stick with it, as they'll generally use the same consistent replacement bearings (and screws, shims, etc) I have yet to find a solid quality router template guide set (I did get one set from Taytools, but they don't fit well with my Makita palm router, and if they get loose in use they can easily tangle up with router bit! DAMHIK) as for pattern templates pretty much any of them would be fine - the important thing is a good fitting pattern guide bushing set and quality router bits (and preferrably you'll have a cone centering tool to center everything on router shaft) For pattern following I do find that spiral upcut/downcut bits get best results (straight bits tend to clog up in the template bushings)

 

[Darryl Fective]

What kind of inlay work? Pewa/bowtie patches? Indexed patern stuff? Veneer work?

 

[Sam Fleisher]

Well, I was thinking bowties for strengthening cracks but I've run across a couple of videos that claims they are more for looks than anything but I take that with a grain of salt. I'd like them to be pretty thick but another guy says the bit limits you to about 3/8 depth.

So now I don't know where I'm going to end up. I just picked up another 22x22x2 ash slab for another platter but it has a couple of checks from drying. Maybe I'll just see how deep I can mortise and fill them with epoxy. I don't want to put a thin bowtie in and end up turning it away.

 

[Dave Landers]

Take a look at Big Island Engraving. He's got patches and matching templates of various sizes and patterns. There's also instructions and a video etc with good info. That's where I get all my stuff.
You can also make your own patches and templates - I don't do that so can't help. There was an article about this in the Aug 2022 American Woodturner.