How to Make an Abalone Shell Inlay
Abalone is one of the most common shells used to create shell inlays. It is very similar to the other most common shell inlay, mother of pearl, which comes from oyster shells. The abalone is actually a type of sea snail. The snail's shell has a pearly luster that is used in creating the inlay. Decorative inlays can be found in many wooden items including furniture, ornamental wooden boxes and guitars.
Things You'll Need
- Abalone inlay blank
- Paper
- Pencil
- Scissors
- Glue
- Cutting jig
- Work table
- Work lamp
- Jeweler's saw
- Safety goggles
- Dust mask
- Scribe
- Acetone
- Pointed dental bit for rotary cutting tool
- Rotary cutting tool
- Straight router bit
- Ball end bit
- Epoxy
Instructions
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1
Draw or print your pattern on a piece of plain paper. You can copy an existing inlay pattern, purchase a pattern, or design your own. Cut the pattern out of the paper and glue it to the abalone shell blank using a thin layer of glue. Allow glue to dry completely.
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2
Use a homemade cutting jig to clamp your shell blank to a work table. Put on safety goggles and a dust mask. Cut out the abalone shell by tracing around the glued on pattern using the jeweler's saw.
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3
Glue the inlay in place in the precise location where you want the inlay to sit on the object you will be decorating. Trace around the inlay with a scribe.
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4
Apply a small amount of acetone to the inlay to loosen the glue. Remove the inlay piece or pieces from the wood. Clean off any extra glue on the inlay.
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5
Attach a dental bit to the rotary cutting tool, and use it to trace over the scribed lines on your object. Trace just inside the scribed lines.
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6
Attach the straight router bit to the rotary cutting tool. The bit should be set up that it will cut to 95 percent of the thickness of your inlay. Determine the best set up by testing it on a piece of scrap wood. Use the tool to cut inside the lines created in Step 5.
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7
Use the ball end bit in the rotary cutting tool to go over the cut out area, and smooth out the area that was cut using the router bit. Operate the cutting tool on a low to medium speed during this step.
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8
Fit the inlay piece or pieces into the cut out area. Mix epoxy with wood dust to tint it. Apply the epoxy mixture to the inlay pieces to glue them in place.
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Tips & Warnings
Red abalone is less fragile than green abalone and is usually available in larger blanks.
Wear safety goggles and a dust mask when completing any cutting to avoid accidental injury or inhaling dust from the shell or wood.
When using acetone and epoxy, do so in a well ventilated area.
References
- Photo Credit Comstock/Comstock/Getty Images
