I was inlaying some barrel bands in the shop and thought it would be nice to share my process here, for those that may be interested.
I have done both gold and silver bands in the past, and each time my methods have evolved a bit, and here I am showing my latest techniques.
Also I will be showing my first attempt as a full-circumference band on a barrel. In the past I have cut my outlines with a graver, a method that is necessary when placing an inlay in most objects such as the tomahawk head below. I am just starting some cuts to inlay a banner in the below photo:
When doing a barrel band inlay on an octagonal barrel I find it more efficient to cut the outlines with a jeweler's saw - it makes for a clean, straight walled border and simplifies controlling the depth of the cut. I recommend using a new, sharp blade. In the photo I am making my last cuts of a 5-flat band, and I am also cutting a couple of slots in the center to help establish depth and making the removal of metal with a chisel easier.
Next I use a chisel to remove metal inside the borders.
Then I use whatever files fit the task and level out the bottom of the excavation:
For decorative bands about 15 thousandths will be plenty.
Next I knock the sharp corners off the transitions between the flats:
Once I am satisfied with the "trench" depth and uniformity I undercut the outside walls of the trench - this will create a space to trap displaced metal of the inlay when it is peened in place. In the photos you can see the raised metal about halfway across one flat. When undercutting is complete the metal will be raised for the entire width of the flats on both sides of the trench.
In the next step I raise some barbs on the bottom of the trench, placed in such a manner that they help to prevent the silver from stretching lengthwise when it is peened into the trench. This forces the metal out towards the undercuts in the walls instead of putting pressure on the previously peened flats which can cause the inlay to buckle, pop out etc.
This is a pic of the prepared silver inlay and the host sheet it was cut from. The inlay was the same length as the sheet beside it when cut off. I used a cross peen hammer to stretch it to be sufficiently long for the inlay job. It is still considerably thicker than it needs to be for the band, but I would rather have more metal that I need than have it being too thin and I had to pull it out and start over.
Not certain this is the best way to approach the inlay job, but I prefer to clamp the first run in place, bend the silver into the next flat and peen that in one place. The flat face chisel acts like a cross peen hammer would but with much more control.
These are the punches I will use for the inlay of the band, as well as the small hammers I use. Light blows with small hammers are all that you need to do the job.
Now I go back and peen in the first flat of the band, then proceed to peen in the remaining flats in order:
When everything is solidly peened in place, I start to file down the inlay metal. When I start cutting into the steel I raised by undercutting, I like to peen the raised steel a bit more to insure the silver is tightly trapped in the inlet. If you successfully moved enough silver into the undercut the steel will not move much at all. Here you can see where I am just starting to file the raised steel and then peening it down.
I do that with each flat and draw file the inlay flush to the barrel flats. Here is the finished band:
Now for the muzzle end.... it is basically the same procedure except I start at the bottom flat and the band will go all the way around.
On the bottom flat, I cut the end of the inlay metal at a 45 degree when I started out. After making it around all the flats and back to the bottom flat, I trim the other end of the inlay to fit. By using 45 degree cuts on the ends instead of butting flat ends, when I peen the metal into the trench it will force the silver against the walls as the ends butt together as shown by the arrows.
Here is the bottom flat after peening and final filing.... you can't tell where the ends meet any more! The joint is at the arrow.
Well that's it!! I hope this helps anyone who is interested in doing a barrel band!
Thanks for looking,
Curtis
