You can use this method to create more intricate designs with a laser engraver or by carving wood. You can also inlay metal into materials other than wood. The biggest thing to remember is that you don't want to use anything that's electrically conductive as your base material. Wet wood will not work well because of that, so make sure the wood you use is dry.
Below is an early test with inlaying brass powder into a carved version of the Adafruit logo. This method is a lot slower than using a laser engraver, but it might be a good option if you do not have access to a laser engraver.
The buttons on sequencer shown at the beginning of the guide was done with a laser engraver at the Baltimore Node hackerspace with the help of Marty McGuire. Unfortunately the video I shot of that process was lost, but the results were great. Thanks, Marty!
We look forward to hearing any feedback you have about this guide, and please share any of your projects that use this technique. We'd love to see them!