wow this is humbling

[Keith Christopher]

I am reading everything I can on veneering, getting a vacuum press and wanting to do some cool projects and I stumble across this site. Humility is upon me.

http://www.schurchwoodwork.com/

http://www.wood-veneers.com/g54/schurch_image3.jpg
http://www.wood-veneers.com/g54/schurch_image1.jpg

*SIGH* just when I think I'm ready for something new.


One day.

[Michael Stafford]

The guy I took woodturning from, Don Russell, has Paul Schurch teach a candlestick table veneering course at his woodworking shop every year. From what I understand each student will turn a table, pedestal and install sliding dovetail legs. Then Paul Schurch will teach the class to veneer the table. Pictures he had of students' work were awesome...

[Dick Parr]

That is some beautiful work Keith, but there really isn't anything to it. I do that kind of stuff all the time, in my dreams. :D That is some very nice work, your right about it being humbling.

Thanks for sharing. :)

[Dennis Peacock]

Very nice stuff there Keith....but you just need to remember:

It's just wood.!!! :p ;)

[Tom LaRussa]

I am reading everything I can on veneering, getting a vacuum press and wanting to do some cool projects and I stumble across this site. Humility is upon me.

http://www.schurchwoodwork.com/

http://www.wood-veneers.com/g54/schurch_image3.jpg
http://www.wood-veneers.com/g54/schurch_image1.jpg

*SIGH* just when I think I'm ready for something new.


One day.
Ah don't worry about it. He probably does it all with Photoshop. :eek: :p ;)

[John Miliunas]

Ah don't worry about it. He probably does it all with Photoshop. :eek: :p ;)

Photoshop or in the woodshop, the guy *still* has me beat hands down on either count! :eek: Magnificent work. Splendid. Awesome. Ohhhhhh, I quit! :eek: :mad: :cool:

[Louis Bois]

HUMBLING?!? Without a doubt.
DISCOURAGING?!? I think not!!!
INSPIRING!!! Oh yeah!

When I look at the masterworks in marquetry from 2, 3 or 4 centuries ago, I am awed that such things were accomplished with the tools at their disposal...such a mastery of the craft. When I see similar works produced today, I'm even more amazed that quality triumphed over quantity.

This amazing work takes my breath away...but also gets me thinking about future projects...I wonder what sort of motif I could inlay into a pine toilet-paper holder?!? :eek::D

[Roger Barga]

Hi Kieth,

The good news is that Paul Schurch is a fantastic teacher who offers week long courses from time to time out of his shop in Santa Barbara and he will teach you how to do this stuff. I took his advanced decorative veneering course a couple years ago and came home with several completed projects (two box tops and a table top, pictured in his photo gallery), along with a notebook full of tips & techniques and a head full of ideas. I spent a year working at home on my own little projects and went back to work with Paul this past summer for two weeks, working with two other students on a few furniture projects. It was like a post doc in marquetry and veneering. I am still on a creative high from those two weeks and now have three marquetry projects in various stages of completion. I'd recommend you consider taking one of his courses next year - it will take your veneering and marquetry to a new level.

Roger
(computer geek in Seattle, sadly not affiliated in any way with Paul Schurch Woodworks and do not stand to benefit from this recommendation).

[Pete Lamberty]

Keith, just remember that sometime in the past Paul Schurch picked up a peice of veneer for the first time and had no idea on how to do any of the things that he can do today. Also check out www.marcadams.com. Paul Schurch usually teaches there one week a year. Great school.

Roger, Could you post some photos of the things that you have made in Paul Schurchs classes. It might help Keith see what is possible, as well as the rest of us.

[Roger Barga]

Here are photos of the veneer skins we made for table tops during the week long advance decorative veneering class. These were "stack cut" so each project yielded veneer skins for three (or more) table tops.

Roger

[Roger Barga]

Here are photos of some of the projects completed during my last visit. A radial match quilted maple table top with a swirling fish (stack cut - the second veneer skin is made from radial matched crotch mahogany) and veneer skins for two dressers (stack cut, so two for the price of one). The artistry for both projects is that of Paul Schurch. Bill Kimbell and Brian Gray also worked on the veneer skins for the dressers. There were other projects but hopefully these will give you some idea of what you can do.

cheers,
Roger

[Dave Moran]

Keith, You may want to check out this for a vacuum press. A guy from the guild built this one and is exceptionally happy with it.
http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm
The site has all of the instructions plus he sells any of the parts that you may not be able to find yourself.

[Mike Tempel]

Incredible, just incredible. Wish I had the patience to do something like that. Heck - I would just like the time to try it.


Incredible, can't say it enough. Just incredible.

[Louis Bois]

Roger,

That's brilliantly executed work. Keep it up and please keep posting pics of your work!!!

Did you manage to get to use a "Chevalet de Marqueterie" to achieve these lovely stacked patterns? I'm currently collecting wood to build one. I've made plans in CAD and have ironed out all the details of construction.

For those who aren't familiar with this device, a marquetry "donkey" as it's often referred to is a manual saw for cutting packets of veneers to yield multiple pieces that are identical, for use in marquetry patterns.

You basically sit on this device and have a manual scroll saw thingamabob that you push back and forth. Since the saw is at eye level, the sight line to the work is great. The packets are held in a vise that is controlled by a foot pedal. I'm really botching up this description, so I'll just post a pic.

Excellent work Dave.

Keith, jump in with something simple to get used the the tools and techniques...you're just a few projects away from something truly awe-inspiring.

[Pete Lamberty]

Roger thanks for posting photos of your work. You do beautiful work. Absolutely beautiful. I am wondering the general idea of how you do a stack cut? I took a marquertry class at Marc Adams School and we did a double bevel cut. But we were doing only one layer at a time, not a stack of them. In the class I think we used Dewalt scroll saws. Also Keith, certainly me, might be interested in knowing how long you had been doing this before you got to the skill level that is shown in these photos.

[Roger Barga]

> Did you manage to get to use a "Chevalet de Marqueterie" to
> achieve these lovely stacked patterns

They were cut using scroll saws. I first owned a DeWalt 788 and currently have a RBI G4. It's amazing how fast you can cut out a large project using one of these...

> I am wondering the general idea of how you do a stack cut?

I should have called it packet cutting. A packet is built containing all the layers of veneer you require for the veneer skin. The individual sheets of veneer are sandwhiched between two layers of chipboard (cardboard), one on top and one on bottom. 16 layers of veneer is the max, which is why it is possible to get three or four veneer skins from one packet cut. Pin nails are driven into the packet to keep the pieces of veneer from moving around while cutting (each pin nail is bent or clenched over to hold them in place). The cartoon (picture you are trying to cut) is glued to the top of the packet using spray glue (this is actually done at the very beginning of the packet construction). Now you're off to the scroll saw to begin cutting out the pattern.

> interested in knowing how long you had been doing this before you got
> to the skill level that is shown in these photos.

I've only been doing this off and on for a couple of years. I watched Paul's video a couple months before going to his first class and built two veneer panels as practice - no marquetry involved, just book matched panels. So I actually had no marquetry experience before the first class. The tables in my first posting were made during the last two days of our week long course. It is one of those things that if someone shows you how to do it and walks you through one or two projects then it becomes easy, or at least clear.

But imho the real beauty of this work is the artistry and that was all Paul's work, we just cut it out on the scroll saw ;-) Hope this helps inspire people to try this. I've sure had a great time learning this and plan to use it on a number of my future projects.

cheers,
roger

[Keith Christopher]

I am also assuming he's using heated sand to burn the edges of some of the veneer to create shadows ? I am signing up for the masters program from Marc Adams and I did see he's an instructor. I look forward to his class.

[Chris Padilla]

W O W ! ! !