How to Cut Brass for Inlays

Inlaying brass into wood, especially dark wood, gives a beautiful effect with the contrast in colors as well as materials. Cutting brass to inlay must be done so that the piece of brass is smooth and flat, to allow it to fit flush to the surface of the wood.

1/8-inch-thick brass sheet
Scroll saw with bi-metal blade
Fine-tip marker
Trace paper
X-acto knife
Fine-grit file

Instructions

- 1
  Trace out the shapes you want to inlay onto a sheet of tracing paper.
- 2
  Cut out the shapes carefully, following the outline with an X-acto knife.
- 3
  Trace the paper cutout onto your 1/8-inch-thick brass plate.
- 4
  Cut along the outline drawn onto the brass plate, on a scroll saw fit with a bi-metal blade. Brass is soft enough to cut with a typical scroll saw.
- 5
  File the edges smooth of any burrs created by the scroll saw with a fine-grit file.
- 6
  Trace the brass cutouts onto the surface of the material you wish to inlay it, then cut it out with a dremel or other router tool and press-fit with some epoxy.

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