Compass rose inlay cutting board

Instructions

Start by cutting the inlay form in the selected base type of wood. The inlay measured 9.5 inches top to bottom or side to side, you'll want a base platform that's at least 11 inches square. Take care to place the object in the center of the board, or you'll have to trim it after cutting the inlay to make the inlay the center. For this sample, the base panel was wenge. Minimum depth should be 0.2 inches; feel free to make the inlay as deep as you want, but realize that the deeper it is the more difficult it will be to put the compass rose in. Use a -0.05" offset for the final pass. (Optional) use the chisel to smooth out the bottom of the inlay form, giving it a completely flat surface so there's more contact area when gluing in the rose leaf halves. Cut a total of eight large half-leaves and eight small half-leaves. If you want a two-toned rose, cut four of each type of half-leaf from each of the other two types of wood. The sample pictured is cherry and maple. The final pass should be a 0 offset. Be extra careful with the small half-leaves, as the slightest movement can have large consequences in the final fitment. (Optional) Use the band saw to cut the half-leaves to a thickness of just over the final depth of the inlay form you chose - no less than 0.1" greater than the depth. Dry-fit the first set of large half-leaves around the compass - one half of each of the north, east, south, and west points. When satisfied with the fit, glue the first set of four large half-leaves into place. If the half-leaves are too large, sand them down to size using the benchtop belt sander. Be generous with the glue - it's cheap. Dry-fit the second set of large half-leaves, making sure they fit snugly against both the far side of the inlay and the first set of half-leaves. When satisfied with the fitment, glue them in place. Again, use the benchtop belt sander where needed, and be generous with the glue. Place the scrap wood on top of the half-leaves and use the rubber mallet to ensure the half-leaves are inset as tightly and deeply as possible. Once all eight large half-leaves are in place, repeat the same process with the eight small half-leaves., then allow a minimum of two hours for the glue to set. Sand the inlay flush using the handheld belt sander and/or random orbital sander with 40 grit paper. Route the edges of the board with whatever edge-forming router bit you choose - I used a 3/8" round-over bit. Sand the entire board - top, bottom, four sides, and all rounded edges - with 80 grit, then 120 grit, then 220 grit sandpaper. Don't skimp on the paper, this set will take longer than cutting the compass rose half-leaves. Rinse the entire board with distilled water and a sponge. Using regular tap water can have unwanted discoloration effects since tap water contains chemicals that may react with the wood. Seriously, go buy a gallon of distilled water - learn from my mistakes. After the piece is completely dry, sand it to 220 and then to 320 with the random orbital sander. Wipe off the sanding dust with a clean rag (tack cloth is ideal for this) and apply a generous coat of tung oil finish with another clean rag. The tung oil will initially absorb into the wood fairly rapidly, keep adding more until there's a definite sheen to the wood and perhaps slight pooling of the oil. After 15 minutes, wipe off any excess from the board and set it somewhere safe to allow the oil to cure. CAUTION: tung oil, and the rags used to apply it and wipe off the excess, are very flammable. Set these rags somewhere safe, away from any source of direct heat or flame, and allow them to dry completely before disposing of them. Feel free to use any other food-safe finish instead of tung oil, per your personal tastes.