I’m doing butterflies/dutchmen/bowties for the firs time. Got an inlay kit from Rockler, works fine BUT…. why the 1/8 ” bit? instructions state “don’t go deeper than 3/8”, which I get, the bit is really fragile looking..
Here ‘s the deal, I pulled out all my other router bushings, my 1/4 ” and 3/8″ bits and tried to find a match. The difference in diameter between the key bushing and the mortise bushing must be 2x the diameter of the bit you use.
No matches found! I went to Amazon, none of the bushing sets have the right combinations for even a 1/4″ bit.
why do I want to use a bigger bit? because it’s on a 2″ thick live-edge slab with a real check, (not just for decoration) and I don’t think a 3/8″ thick key would be enough.
Anyone else thinking this way? Am I just wasting my time? Does it even matter?
I did make one manually with bandsaw/router/chisel method, and it works, but tedious, and wasn’t perfect.
Thanks!
Steve
Replies
The kits are for inlays. These are typically pretty thin. The small bit also allows for what can pass as inside corners with very little cleanup. They work well as they are intended.
Two ideas:
Use the inlay kit as a guide to making up your own heavier setup. Biggest issue is working out something to simulate that outer bearing thingy.
You could also use the kit to lay out the mortise you need to the depth the kit will allow, hog out the bulk of the waste, and finish wth a bearing guided bit riding on the shallow inlay mortise. All you'll need to chisel will be the inside corners. For the butterfly insert reverse it, remove waste at the bandsaw, and clean up at the router table.
correction.... offset must be 2x bit diameter
As mj said, those kits are for decorative inlays. They use a 1/8" bit because they are trying to imitate a hand-chopped butterfly with sharp corners. A larger diameter bit would have really rounded butterfly corners.
If I wanted monster butterflies, I would make a pattern for a larger bit, rout the butterfly, "square" up corners with a chisel, then make the keys to fit. Use the opening to make a "rubbing" outline, then bandsaw the key.
Witeside makes an inlay kit with a 1/4 busing and bit
Just to add that if you increase the bit size, you increase the minimum radius of the corners you can rout. A 1/8" bit will allow 1/4" radius corners - already quite chunky.
If you are putting in a very large inlay, you can always rout the edges with the fine bit then clear the rest with a chunky monkey after.