How to Inlay Mother-Of-Pearl
- 1). Trace the pattern for your inlay onto the non-shiny side of the mother of pearl with a non-permanent marker. Next, trace the same pattern onto the finished wood craft you're going to inlay the shell into.
- 2). Cut the pattern piece or pieces out of the mother of pearl using a jeweler's saw. Be very careful during this step. Though mother of pearl is fairly resilient and durable, when cutting, it is possible to crack the sheet which makes it not suitable for use in inlay.
- 3). Carve out the pattern using the power rotary tool and the 1/8-inch routing bit. Go slowly, first carving around the outline of the pattern. Next, carve out the center body of the pattern. The pattern should be 1/8 inch deep when finished. Brush away the sawdust with your hand or a damp paper towel.
- 4). Paint a thin layer of Super Glue onto the back of your mother of pearl piece. Place the piece into the groove and press down on the mother of pearl gently. You will have to perform this step quickly, as Super Glue dries fast.
- 5). Line the edges of the pattern where the wood meets the mother of pearl with a thin line of Super Glue and lay the 10-gauge silver wire on top of the line. Push it into place with a toothpick. Because Super Glue dries so fast it is advisable to do a small section of the outline at a time until the entire inlay is outlined in silver wire.
- 6). Shine the mother of pearl with the jeweler's cloth once the Super Glue is fully dry.
Source...