Sometimes you need to get a piece of brass, metal or another ornament set in the wood you are working. Before you start to inlet the piece, put a bevel on the edge to help setting it in.

After you get the outline scribed you chisel away. Now its time to try out the fit. You press it in but it just doesn’t say .. yes. No problema. Get the candle. Hold the piece over the candle, get it nice and black and set it back down. Give it a few taps and check the black marks on the wood. There’s you points to chisel down a bit. Take a little at a time.

In the photos attached, I would like to point out that this method allows a person to set an unusual shaped piece of metal in a piece of wood by using the candle.

Example: I have a barrel that is 44″ long. The barrell is an octagon from end to end.. but it is not the same size from one end to the other.

At the rear end(breech) it is 1″ across the flats. It tapers down to less than 3/4 about 18″ from the muzzle(front) than it flares out to 7/8 at the muzzle(front). Ok sorry to be doing barrel 101.

The point: You cut an octagonal channel in the wood the width of the narrowest section of the barrel.

You hold the barrel over the candle and get it black. Set it in place and see the spots you have to remove. Remember the octagon enlarges at both ends at different rates and you have to chisel to get a tight fit.[30 hours]

What’s the point? The candle can help you inlet flat pieces in your work without any guessing and you will get this beautiful tight fit.

This can be used to fit curved pieces like a patchbox and other ornaments you might want to use on you piece.

Questions welcomed. I am not the best descriptive writer so don’t scratch your head just fire off a question and I will try to make it clear.

Photos attached will help:(I hope)