Replies

1. 
   sbanbury | Aug 12, 2004 04:50pm | #1

   The way I've done it is by handfiling "teeth" on one end of the tube and chucking the other end in a drill press. Hope I helped - Scott

2. 
   nikkiwood | Aug 12, 2004 04:52pm | #2

   For anything a 1/4" or large, I use a tapered cutter for the plug, and then a Forstner bit of matching size for the hole. With this procedure, the material to be inlayed must be about a 1/4" thick, or preferably thicker.

   Or ---- are you talking about smaller inlay dots on thinner stock ---- such a guitar face?

1. 
   foose89 | Aug 12, 2004 08:12pm | #3

   Thinner, for 1/2 scale model furniture.

1. 
   jackplane | Aug 12, 2004 09:57pm | #4

   Perhaps you could contact a local machine shop. In my experience, brass that small and that thin is too soft to be used repeatedly, especially on hard maple, oak etc.

3. 
   robkelly | Aug 12, 2004 10:45pm | #5

   Think hypodermic needles. Cut it off flat, sharpen the outside, use a drill press, and punch the dot out of the tool with the next lower size blunt needle, These needles are made from stainless steel, 150-200 KPSI tensile.I just bought 30' of .058" OD x .042" ID from a place in MA but they have a $100 minimum.For me this was cheaper than continually buying blunt needles from McMaster Carr, but I needed to do a lot of hole punching. Needles for vets go up to 1/8". A #13 needle is .092" OD X .073" ID, and a #15 needle is .072" OD for a punch.

4. 
   Steinmetz | Aug 12, 2004 11:08pm | #6

   reep, A hollow revolving paper punch should do the job . Slow speed ( to prevent burning)

    May have to poke out the 'Slugs'after 3 cuttings. Just use a rod through the top of the punch and push down.

    If wood is very thin, and you can afford it, buy an 'Arch' punch (Made by Osborne

   of the correct size.and punch out some, using a hammer and a block of hardwood with the end grain up, and held in a vise or atop a flat block of metal. Steinmetz

   
   

   ---

   Edited 8/12/2004 4:13 pm ET by steinmetz

5. 
   joinerswork | Aug 13, 2004 01:17am | #7

   reepenstein,

   I've used a leather punch (like a pair of pliers, with a revolving head and various sized hollow punches).  Choose the size you want, punch the dots out of veneer.  Drill appropriate size hole in your stock, and glue in place.

   Regards,

   Ray

6. 
   jackiechan | Aug 13, 2004 05:42am | #8

   Re',

   Try Stewart Macdonald - They have "everything for building and repairing stringed instruments". 

   They have all the tools and materials needed to create small inlays like the ones you're attempting.

   http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/Special_tools_for:_Inlay.html

   Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.