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Cutting Copper, Brass, and Nickel Brass Dots for Inlay.

 1938 Craftsman 12x54 lathe is used to slice various diameters of round bar into 1/32" discs.

The tailstock center is used as a stop.

Various diameters of copper, brass, and nickel brass round bar are cut into 1/32" thick discs for inlay.

The chips are saved.  The dots were cut without lubricant so no degreasing would be necessary, so the chips are dry and clean.

On this piece you can see where the chips have been mixed with epoxy to fill a crack.  There is too much epoxy showing and not enough chips.  The yellow and copper filled cracks are filled with epoxy/brass or copper leaf amalgam.  Using the chips in the amalgam will be the best effect I think.

The holes for the metal inlay dots have to be flat on the bottom, so here they are being bored on a 1954 Bridgeport milling machine.

A two-flute endmill bores a flat-bottom hole at the correct diameter. 

The dividing head can lay out any number of holes evenly or in patterns.

A pattern of brass dots and smaller copper and nickel brass dots on the edge of a cherry burl bowl.

The inside of the bowl is gilded in copper and brass to compliment the metal inlay around the rim.

 

Dark Hollow Dulcimers

256 Durham Road,  Ottsville,  Pennsylvania  18942