Your scaring me Jeff! I really appreciate the help. My substrate is MDF. I have cut out 8 wedges of makore and added a black linlay strip between each pair. I wasn't planning the strip, but I was playing around with it and liked the look of it. I am going to "ebonize" the bead under the skirt and the feet of the table, so I like the hint of black there. Anyway, I have the wedges and inlay all taped up. I fussed and fitted and got a pretty good fit that I'm happy with. I'm including a picture of the beginning. I'm at work adn don't have a pic of the whole thing taped up. What I hope to end up with is a the field of makore wedges surrounded by a black inlay line and then satinwood cross banding with the edges covered in satinwood as well. I have a nice wide piece of plain mahogany for the bottom. Here's an early pic... The makore wedges are separated by a black inlay (not the original plan, but I was playing around with it and liked the black line - ties in with the "ebonized" beacd under the skirt and the "ebonized" socks on the legs).
What I am hoping to end up with is the field of makore surrounded by a cross banding of satinwood (separated by a black inlay). The edges will be covered with the satinwood too. I'm using Better Bond water based glue. Mark Arnold used this in his article on a similar table. Seems like a lot of folks suggest glueing the field down and then routing it round. But then a lot of others sugest taping up the whole top and glueing it all down at once. I would glue it to an oversized substrate and trim it afterwards. I'm just not sure what the best approach is. Going after it with a router makes me a little nervous.
Thanks,
Tony