I can't leave well enough alone - Part 1
by
, 08-30-2015 at 11:13 PM (14363 Views)
I am down to the part I have been dreading, the inlay. I have always liked the Japanese Brush and Ink Drawings. I travel with a sketchbook, brushes and pens. I found I was interested in this type of motif could be added to a cabinet. Here is a concept sketch.
Brush and Ink.jpg
I then spent a bit of time scaling this and composing it on the box.
Concept.jpg
So, I thought I would do a practice panel to ensure I was ready to pull this off on the real thing. So first I worked up a sketch and figured which pieces would be what material. I had a scrap of Birdseye Maple that I could use. The panel would be done in 4 steps: light color cane, shadow on cane, light color leaves, and dark leaves. I neglected to show the stages of the cane build.
Pattern.jpgThe Cane.jpgCut Leaves.jpg
Technically, this is not difficult just a fair attention to detail. I cut the leaf shapes with my fretsaw. Previously, I had re-sawn and thicknessed walnut and ebony into 1/16' material. I trace and spray mount the pattern right to the 1/16" stock and cut carefully with the fretsaw. I spend a little tim eloping at the grain to reinforce the design idea. After cutting out the inlay material, I place the leaves in position with Spray Mount and scribe around the edge with an X-Acto knife. The leaf is then set aside and I rout out the recess with my Dremel and fine bits.
Placing Leaves.jpgScribing for inlay.jpgRecesses cut.jpg