Inlaying just the top layer of plywood ??

[OuttaHand]

I have plans for a tear and should start construction in a month or so.

One thought I had was to include some inlay on the side for a bit of design. I think I'm probably going to clear coat the finished exterior so the wood will show. I'd like to have a little inlay for a bit of character.

So the question is this:
Has anyone out there ever tried to use a router to remove just the top layer of plywood in a certain design, and then fill it back in with a thin piece of differently-colored thin sheet wood?

[doug hodder]

If you have a template made of what you want to inlay, you can use an inlay guide bushing. Available at www.woodworker.com I've used them with good success and they come in a variety of sizes between 1/8" and 3/4" bits. Rout the ply with the design you want, remove the bushing, cut the piece you want to install using the same template. Hard inside corners are going to need to be cleaned up with an exacto knife or very sharp chisel. Doug

[halfdome, Danny]

I don't know how deep Amy H went but she did an excellent job.

You can view her photos here. Danny

[Mark McD]

No problem. Go for it.

P.S. HF has the router bushing collars and bit set cheaper than anyplace I've seen. $9.99. Of course, it's Harbor Freight "quality" but for limited use that's fine.
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=99552