Metal inlays in wood

[Jesse Harrington]

Does anyone have experience and or tips for inlaying metal or metal wire into wood?
I want to inlay and then engrave metal into my wood grips….below is the gun and the design. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

 

[wowilson]

You’d have to cut a cavity and epoxy the metal in place. The contour of the wood is gonna give you trouble, but it can be done.

 

[Andrew Biggs]

Pinning it at the back also helps. You can contour the metal slightly by bending it.
Make it slightly thicker than you want and sand the metal inlay down to the wood.........just like a gold inlay.

Choose your epoxy wisely...........Get a good marine one not Araldite. Araldite is heat sensitive and sanding will soften the epoxy (friction and heat) and the inlay will fall out. Ask me how I know this

Lots of old muzzleloaders have metal inlays into the wood........but they probably used a glue made of buffalo scrotum combined with eye of newt

 

[Leland Davis]

Lots of old muzzleloaders have metal inlays into the wood........but they probably used a glue made of buffalo scrotum combined with eye of newt

That's funny Andrew most I have seen were nailed in with nails made of whatever the inlay was made from. When done right almost invisible

 

[monk]

that's a very interesting design you have drawn. that should really look good when you finish it in the metal.

 

[FANCYGUN]

Jesse
metal,ivory,bone etc has been inlayed into wood for centuries. Look at the Pennsylvania long rifles that were made in your area. Many museums have online visusl libraries showing masterful examples of this.
of course there are many techniques that are used to accomplish this as the previous pots have stated. I might add a. Wart of toad yo the list. Cut out your metal and then accurately trsnsfer it to the wood. Cut out the recess so your inlay goes in. Usually the metal is sanded flush with the wood st this point and then engraved

 

[Leland Davis]

I do inlays on long rifles the most important part is file a slight draft or angle on the edge of the inlay, the bottom of the inlay should be slightly smaller than the top so as you work it into the wood it gets tighter. Take your time.

 

[AllenClapp]

I do inlays on long rifles the most important part is file a slight draft or angle on the edge of the inlay, the bottom of the inlay should be slightly smaller than the top so as you work it into the wood it gets tighter. Take your time.

Leland, how do you prefer to hold the inlays in the wood?

 

[Leland Davis]

Allen, if they are engraved I use screws so I can remove them after the filing and sanding engrave and replace. Smaller inlays are nailed with nails made of the inlay material. I don't use epoxy or any other glue.

 

[DanM]

Does anyone have experience and or tips for inlaying metal or metal wire into wood?
I want to inlay and then engrave metal into my wood grips….below is the gun and the design. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! View attachment 50127 View attachment 50128

No engraving,but photos of the process with silver nails..... https://www.bladesmithsforum.com/in...hawk-sort-of-a-half-wip-picture-heavy/page/4/

 

[Jesse Harrington]

Thanks everyone for the input. I’m excited to give this a go. I have some experience with wood inlay but its limited. We have always used West System marine epoxy but I love the idea of using either small nails or the eye of newt system