Diamond Inlay Template

[Kreuzie]

I want to place a couple of diamond-shaped walnut inlays in a maple kitchen island top. The largest inlay templates I see online are only 3" x 5", and I need one about 1 1/2 times that size . Any ideas how to ACCURATELY make one with axes of 4 1/2" and 7 1/2"?

Thanks.

[DaveR1]

I would lay out half of it on the edge of your template stock so you only have the obtuse angle to deal with. Stack up two piece of your template stock and cut them together. clean up the corner as needed and then open the two piece up and glue them together.

[jteneyck]

I make templates out of MDF or Masonite. Here's one I did for a cabinet inlay.



Just lay it out, drill a couple of holes, cut on the inside of the lines with a jigsaw, and then file/sand to the line.

When the inlays were glued in and planed/sanded flush the door panel looked like this:



When you make your own templates you can custom size them for the job at hand.

John

[DaveR1]

Oops! my mistake. I thought the OP was after diamond-shaped inlays but you're probably right. Dovetail keys. Either way, the process could be the same.

[JGrout]

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diamonds

dovetails

just so we are clear

[jteneyck]

No, you understood it right; the OP said diamonds. My point was it's easy to make a template of any shape you want.

John

[Kreuzie]

Thanks - to you and iteneyck - I'll give it a try.

[dg152]

Here's a post I saw just today on Facebook from Woodworking Tips. See what you think:

http://goo.gl/wYzCaV

[DonJuvet]

Or have someone cut you one on a CNC.
I wouldn't want to think though. So provide all the dims you need.