# Laser Inlay Questions



## keithncsu (Aug 23, 2016)

Not sure if this was the correct section for this thread so it can be moved if needed.

I've not ventured into the inlay kits yet but am thinking of a specific one for an upcoming gift pen.  I've read over the instructions on LaserLinez website and had some questions.  I emailed them but haven't heard back as of yet.

It says to use thin CA to coat the edges of the joints and secure them in place.  I don't want to assume so I'm asking a seemingly dumb question - would medium work just as well?  Reason being is after finding out I'm allergic to the fumes, I've stopped keeping it around for the most part.  I have some medium for if I ever chunk out a blank and other random needs.

Second question - they mentioned gluing black/dark dust/shavings into the decorative lines to give it depth.  I'm assuming this is turning shavings from the dust collector or shop vac and not something purchased separately.  Am I correct in that?

Again, I know these are rookie and possibly obvious questions.  But I sure don't want to screw up an $18 blank if I don't have to :biggrin:  There will be plenty of time for that in the future I'm sure!


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## jcm71 (Aug 23, 2016)

Keith,
If your work station setup allows it, use a shop vac to keep the CA fumes away from your nose when assembling your blank.  This method works for me when I do a CA finish.  I don't know if medium CA would work as well as thin.  Just make sure the brass tube IS NOT inside when securing the inlay in place. DAMHIKT.
As for your second question, use a black powdered filler.  Ground charcoal or graphite will work.  You can also buy black fillers from several vendors here.  Be careful.  You can still lose the detail on the inlay if you over turn/sand.  That happened to me on one of the first praying hands inlays I did.  I now turn the ends to the bushings and sand/turn just enough in the center to leave a pleasing convex shape on all inlay blanks I do.  Hope this helps.

John


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## magpens (Aug 23, 2016)

Keith, thin CA is far better for laser-cut inlay blanks. . If you have never done one before, try to pick a simple one to start (I know you said you want this for a gift, so maybe you don't have the option of buying a trial one to do first).

During assembly, use an absolute minimum of thin CA glue.

One manufacturer of laser-cut inlay blanks gives you a few very small elastic bands to assist in the assembly.

I actually go against the rules and assemble with the tube in place. . Of course, it is necessary to maintain the tube precisely in its intended final position. . I use thin CA *very* sparingly, and I use the elastic bands to hold the pieces in place. . With all the pieces in place, I then flood all the joints with thin CA and spray with accelerator.

I have never used the dust you mentioned to fill the joints. . For one thing, I have found that for 95% of the blanks I have worked with, the pieces fit quite tightly together and there is no room for fillers.

Sometimes, if there is the need to fill a small gap between pieces, I will lightly "tack" the pieces in place with thin CA and then lightly sand the area around the gap, in such a way that the sanding dust goes into the gap, and then secure the dust in place with a small drop of thin CA. . You can repeat until the gap is filled.

I have made about 100 inlay blanks in this way, some from Lazerlinez, some from Kallenshaan, and some from WoodnWhimsies. .  The dog blanks from Kallenshaan have been the most challenging, by far.

Every blank has been a success and I feel confident yours will be a success also. . Good luck !

(Actually, one blank was not a success ... it was the multi-colored Kokopelli blank from Kallenshaan, the one priced at $29.95. . It might have been my fault, but the pieces did not seem to fit at all well together.)

BTW, the technique you mentioned of applying thin CA to the edges of the pieces is an advanced technique and is useful to reduce the chance of colors "running" when you have different-colored adjacent pieces.  It's a rather tricky technique and it does require application of a very small amount of *thin* CA which soaks into the edges of the pieces, kind of stabilizing the colors. . Try to avoid kits with highly contrasting colored pieces right next to each other (for example, red next to white, as in the Fireman's Badge kit from Kallenshaan).


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## keithncsu (Aug 23, 2016)

Thank you for the replies!! Time will tell if this ends up happening or not haha!!


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## mecompco (Aug 23, 2016)

*Very interesting!*

I've wanted to try an inlay blank, but "everyone" says you can't sand them. I'm not that good with my skew, sadly. Was down to my local (hour and a half away) Rocklers last weekend and the gentleman there who does the turning demos said he always sands the inlay kits. I hate the though of ruining a ~$25.00 blank!

Regards,
Michael


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## keithncsu (Aug 23, 2016)

Exactly my fear for even attempting one!


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## Jim15 (Aug 23, 2016)

*Sanding*

Hello, there is no reason that I know of that you can't sand inlay blanks. I do it on everyone I do.






mecompco said:


> I've wanted to try an inlay blank, but "everyone" says you can't sand them. I'm not that good with my skew, sadly. Was down to my local (hour and a half away) Rocklers last weekend and the gentleman there who does the turning demos said he always sands the inlay kits. I hate the though of ruining a ~$25.00 blank!
> 
> Regards,
> Michael


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## mecompco (Aug 23, 2016)

Jim15 said:


> Hello, there is no reason that I know of that you can't sand inlay blanks. I do it on everyone I do.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I appreciate that! I see the videos on vendor's sites saying never to sand as you'll mix the black parts into the light parts of the blank. That's what has scared me away from them. Perhaps I'll gamble one on. I can get close with my gouge, but on wooden blanks I still often have to hit them with some 400 grit before finishing.


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## magpens (Aug 23, 2016)

I sand them all the time, but I rarely do one with black and light (keep an air source blowing).  You have to be careful with red also.  Try one with a simple design first.


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## Jim15 (Aug 23, 2016)

Hi,
  Before you start sanding just put on a couple of coats of ca glue. You will also be using thin CA glue to hold the parts together so all that should keep your blanks from bleeding into each other. I hope this helps a little.






mecompco said:


> Jim15 said:
> 
> 
> > Hello, there is no reason that I know of that you can't sand inlay blanks. I do it on everyone I do.
> ...


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## leehljp (Aug 23, 2016)

This is not a reply to the sanding part but to your allergy to CA fumes. I made pens for about 2 1/2 years before the CA fumes suddenly hit me. Serious flu like symptoms and even double vision. The flu like symptoms would come on about 4 hours after making a pen and lasted for 2 to 4 days.

I had to begin using respirators along the line of this:
https://www.amazon.com/Safety-Works...d=1472003220&sr=8-1&keywords=respirators+mask

These type below did NOT work for me:
https://www.amazon.com/3M-8200-Part...d=1472003220&sr=8-3&keywords=respirators+mask

And in addition, I had to add in a dust collector system on the lathe and used a fan blowing over the lathe to keep fumes away. 

I had to always use at least the combination of dust collector and respirator to keep from getting the flu like symptoms. Be careful.


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