production parts / inlaying

[mgilly]

Hi everybody,
I'm a newbie. Just would welcome comments regarding the Sharks capabilities as an inlay part / recess making machine. I need a faster way to cut out and inlay 6 pointed stars, ~ 3" dia.,wooden. Thanks!

[Consultingwoodworker]

The VCarve software has settings to automatically offset for inlaying. You don't cut both sides OS the same line, you actually have to offset by about 0.005" to allow the parts to sit properly.

The machine is more than capable of cutting accurately enough to do inlays. Your corners cannot be square, they will be rounded to the diameter of the bit you cut with.

I inlayed the cherry blossoms on this cherry jewelry box for my wife this past Christmas on my Shark Pro.



Ralph

[theremin]

I've been cutting shell inlays and creating inlay pockets in ebony and other woods with the shark, and it works very well. I don't use the VCarve automatic offset though--it intentionally introduces bit radius to external corners. I cut the inlays themselves as a profile cut, outside the curve and preserve the sharp external corners. I cut the recess as a pocket with a slight offset. I've overcome the limitation of bit diameter on corners by adding tiny little straight vectors actually bisecting the sharp internal corners (and going slightly through the corner), and cutting these separately with a smaller bit. These little vectors sharpen the corners up. It takes a bit more time, but it's working very well for me.



Dave