Route for inlay in bowl rim?

[Chris152]

Is it possible to route a recess for inlay in the rim of a bowl like this, and if so, how?

I don't have a router (but can get one) and have never used one... :?
Thanks
Chris
edit - the bowl has a flat base (about 1/4 the total diameter) which I forgot to draw in the side view (which isn't a cross section!).

 

[Phil Pascoe]

Hot melt glue a wide, flat guide fence across it and use a top bearing guided cutter. Make 100% certain the bowl can't move while you're doing it - if it can move it will. Damhikt.
Under normal circumstances you'd probably take the groove out and sort the inlay before turning the inside of the bowl.

 

[Phil Pascoe]

I'm assuming of course that the top is dead flat as inlay is usually only 0.6mm, unless you're inlaying strips of something.

 

[swb58]

And I'm assuming it'll have to be done with the grain.

 

[Chris152]

Hot melt glue a wide, flat guide fence across it and use a top bearing guided cutter. Make 100% certain the bowl can't move while you're doing it - if it can move it will. Damhikt.
Under normal circumstances you'd probably take the groove out and sort the inlay before turning the inside of the bowl.

Thanks Phil - The inlay's actually more of an insert, it'll sit into a depth of maybe 5mm and stand proud. Perhaps the safest way is to plane the face of the blank as flat as I can when square, route, then cut to round and turn? Would that work?

And I'm assuming it'll have to be done with the grain.

I can do that - is it normal/ better to route with the grain?

Thank you, both.
C

 

[Phil Pascoe]

The more you have to attach the fence/guide to the better, so yes it might be better to do it when the piece is square. It makes no difference whatsoever whether you work with the grain or across it - think which looks best.

 

[SteveF]

you could just mount the blank and true up the faces on the lathe rather than plane flat
route the groove and then remount
if the blank is square and not round you could then just cut the groove on tablesaw if you have one before you turn it

Steve

 

[Chris152]

That's great - thanks both. I started with what looks like a quite dodgy piece of routing and now have a plan that looks quite safe and will work.
I like the idea of using a table saw but don't have one, but I do have a track saw and a table I built with clamps for both the track and wood, so I can safely cross cut a block of wood large enough to clamp down properly. A few shallow passes with that might do the trick, I'm going to try it on a scrap. Failing that, it's a cheap (Katsu) router and a straight bit.
I'm out of suitable wood for turning til next week, but will post here when I have a result.
Really appreciate your help.
C