PDA

View Full Version : More Marquetry Signs....



Dave Fifield
08-15-2007, 4:37 AM
I went into mass production on these Sawdust Shop signs. Two are for my local Epilog rep (to hang in his stores/use at shows), one is for Craig at the Sawdust Shop, and one is for me to hang with my ever growing collection of marquetry work. They are at the sealed/sanded stage and still need finishing with a few coats of lacquer (this weekend).

http://www.daveswoodenwonders.com/4sssss.jpg (http://www.daveswoodenwonders.com/4ssss.jpg)

Click on the picture to see the high-res version.

The signs are 11" x 15". Veneers used include sycamore (main "frame", edges, and rear), wenge, cherry, walnut, padauk, and curly olive. Substrate is 3/8" finnish birch ply.

My online book on "Laser Marquetry" is still being worked on. Joe et al that I promised a preview copy to, please hang on a little longer and I'll get it to you....promise!

Cheers,

Pete Simmons
08-15-2007, 7:26 AM
Very Nice!!!!

All done with thin veneers?

Do you use a vacuum press?

Mike Null
08-15-2007, 7:31 AM
Nice work Dave.

Joe Pelonio
08-15-2007, 8:11 AM
Those are beautiful Dave.

Dave Fifield
08-15-2007, 6:45 PM
Thanks guys!

Pete, yes, all done with 1/32" to 1/40" thick veneers, cut on my Epilog laser, and yes, I have one of those value-for-money vacuum presses from Woodcraft. It has a small Gast pump that stays on all the time with a 20mil vinyl bag about 4' x 5'. It works great for marquetry.

Cheers,

Pete Simmons
08-15-2007, 6:52 PM
Is it inlayed just enough to leave the veneer standing just a little proud of the surface?

If so does it leave enough material for some very careful sanding?

Or do you not sand it after glueing the veneer in place?

Larry Bratton
08-15-2007, 7:01 PM
My compliments David. Just absolutely gorgeous! I want to give some of this a try as soon as I can get time. I'll be expecting you to get your book ready so I can use it. Thanks for posting this.;)

Stephen Beckham
08-15-2007, 8:20 PM
Sweet signs - I've got access to lots of veneers from the plant across the river (most of it saved from the mill shreader) - I just don't have the skills to put them together yet.

I too am looking forward to your book. Hope it's titled Marquetry for Dummies so I can understand it!!!:eek:

Frank Defert
08-15-2007, 10:08 PM
Dave,

Outstanding Work !!!!

Please add my name to the list for your book....

Frank

Dave Fifield
08-16-2007, 3:02 PM
Thanks for all the nice comments folks. It seems to me that the little effort needed to do good looking marquetry pays off big time in final product wow factor. I use it on almost all my woodwork projects nowadays.


Is it inlayed just enough to leave the veneer standing just a little proud of the surface?
If so does it leave enough material for some very careful sanding?
Or do you not sand it after glueing the veneer in place?

Pete,

It's not inlayed at all. It's overlaid. I make the marquetry picture piece by piece, one veneer thickness all over, all taped together (with 3M magic tape) on the back, then I put 12" wide app tape on the front and then remove the magic tape from the back. Then I glue the rear veneer and the front picture veneer to the plywood substrate using a vacuum press in one operation. Then, after squaring up the picture (using a special table saw jig that I developed to make the job real easy), I glue on the edge veneer in two more operations using ordinary clamps and use a veneer saw to trim it after each set is glued. Then comes the sealing/sanding.

You have to be very careful sanding it, yes. Before I do any sanding at all, I seal the picture with sanding sealer. This stops the dark wood sanding dust from getting into the light wood's pores and ruining the picture (and vice versa). For sanding (which you have to do, since the veneer thickness varies quite a bit), I use a 6" random orbital sander with no hand pressure applied at all (just the weight of the sander). I start at 100 grit, then move up through 150, 180, 220, and finally 320 grit. Then I give it about 4 coats of spray lacquer with light 320 grit sanding in between each coat. Voila! All done....

Hope this helps explain the process a bit!

Cheers,

Pete Simmons
08-16-2007, 3:06 PM
I think many of us are anxious to see the EBook.


Beautiful work!

Mark Fitzmorris
08-16-2007, 10:51 PM
Dave

As usual your marquetry is beautiful! I too am looking forward to your book! One of the main reasons I got the laser was to do marquetry with it but it is taking me longer then I hoped to work some of the "bugs" out of the process! Thankfully there are people like you that share their knowledge! Your posts have helped me alot! Thank you!!

Mark

Joni Campbell
08-17-2007, 11:39 AM
Very Nice, I hope someday I am good enough to do such fine work. I too look forward to veiwing your book :)

Al Mutairi
08-18-2007, 5:40 PM
Dave , impressive/outstanding work. Now, more than ever I am intereseted in learning doing simmilar work myself. Hope to get a soft copy of your book soon.

Regards,

Al

Mike DeRegnaucourt
03-16-2009, 7:34 PM
Dave,

I thought I'd bring this older post back up in the list. I wanted to check on the status of your laser marquetry ebook.

Mike DeRegnaucourt
03-18-2009, 11:55 AM
Does anybody know if Dave has published his eBook yet? If so, could they send the link, I'd be interested in purchasing a copy.