Some marquetry

[Arron]

Here's a couple of recent jobs of mine. They are not quite finished - in the sense that I still need to level, sand and lacquer them - but I wont do that till they are used somewhere, on a box probably.

The butterflies are done with scalpel and window method. The fish are done with a scroll saw and finished with a scalpel. I used the scroll saw because the Macassar ebony veneer is too hard to cut by hand.

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cheers
Arron

[chrisb691]

Nice job. :2tsup:

[Wongo]

That is really beautiful. WOW!

[Scott]

Wow, really nice work.

[Glenrob]

Beautiful work Arron, I've always wanted to try marquetry, but I just don't know where or how to start off learning about it. I've always had a bit of an artistic bent hidden somewhere in my "talents" but I've never had the wherewithall to have a go at this.
Keep it up and good luck.

Bob

[Arron]

Beautiful work Arron, I've always wanted to try marquetry, but I just don't know where or how to start off learning about it. I've always had a bit of an artistic bent hidden somewhere in my "talents" but I've never had the wherewithall to have a go at this.
Keep it up and good luck.

Bob

don't be guilty of overthinking it Bob. Basically, all you are doing is cutting out bits of veneer and gluing them together in a pleasing pattern. There is probably no other woodcraft that is easier and cheaper to get started on.

For doing manual marquetry this is my entire toolkit
1. a plywood cutting board
2. quickset pva
3. carbon paper for tracing patterns
4. a pencil
5. cheap masking tape
6. a 10a Swann-Morton scalpel blade mounted in a craftknife handle.
7. sandpaper
8. a veneer press made from scrap
9. clear contact paper (for keeping things clean in the press)
total cost about $30.

I have a scroll saw which I use sometimes, but it isn't necessary and fairly limited in its use. If starting over, I wouldn't be buying one.

of course you need the veneers. Probably best to buy a some good quality rock maple veneer for backgrounds (being nice neutral shade but still 'woody looking' and easy to cut), and then buy a marquetry pack with lots of variety.

The only learning resources I have ever had are videos on Youtube - good enough. This one will get your started : A Beginner's Guide to Marquetry: The Window Method, Leaf project - YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MC6CBjVIOR0)

Of course there are probably books on the subject out there but I don't see them as necessary.

Then find some patterns you like and get started. At first it seems hard and you will probably wonder how other people achieve what they do, but after some practise you get a feel for the knife and it all snaps into place.

Fairly quickly you will develop an interest and a style of your own.

cheers
Arron

[Kim Christie]

Those butterflies are just wonderful. I'm just starting try out marquetry but am having some trouble finding anyone selling collections rather than single sheets, too big and too expensive.
Can you recommend any good suppliers?
Thanks, regards Kim.

[Arron]

Those butterflies are just wonderful. I'm just starting try out marquetry but am having some trouble finding anyone selling collections rather than single sheets, too big and too expensive.
Can you recommend any good suppliers?
Thanks, regards Kim.

Not easy sourcing materials I'm afraid. You could ring around producers asking what they do with their offcuts. Likewise end users like custom furniture makers may have some for sale - when they buy veneer they would typically buy a bundle of sequential leaves, so if there are leaves left over at the end they aren't much use so may be sold as 'bundle ends'. In either case you would have to pick them up yourself.

You can buy marquetry packs from many sources. If you are doing window method (ie cutting by knife or scalpel) then avoid aussie ones as they are probably dominated by local hardwood which are too hard and splitty. If using a scrollsaw then it probably doesn't matter. Generally, you are better off going for ones with a preponderance of good easy-cutting marquetry timbers like sycamore, tulipier, koto, pearwood or boxwood. These will only be from overseas. In many cases 'marquetry packs' are just vendors selling off their rubbish offcuts so avoid these. A lot of success with marquetry comes down to choosing the right timbers, so if you get stuff like jarrah or blackwood or Tassie oak then you are making something simple very hard for yourself.

Probably you could do a lot by buying just some rock maple for backgrounds and reverse sides, and blackheart sassafras and qld walnut (the latter two because each sheet yields many different hues. Sassi is very easy to work too). You probably don't absolutely need that many species. You also don't need premium veneer, as you will tend to cut around the knots and flaws. You can ask about 'backer veneer', which is second grade stuff pressed onto the back of veneered panels where it is unseen and is much cheaper.

Generally, though, its best just to bite the bullet and buy from overseas. Postage is a killer - though it'll still work out way cheaper then sourcing from any local supplier for all but the plainest veneers.

I use these people for burls and highly figured timber. I have bought a lot from them and its all first class product. Good customer service : Exotic Wood Veneer, Vacuum Press Systems, Veneering Tools and Veneering Supplies (http://www.veneersupplies.com/) I also notice they do marquetry packs at $28 for 50 sq ft. Also check their clearance area because most of it is more then good enough for marquetry. Shipping takes about 7 - 10 calendar days.

I recently bought dyed veneer from these people. Nice product and very good customer service : Dyed Veneers (http://www.dyed-veneer.com/dyed_veneers.aspx)

Here's their marquetry packs - $1 a sq is foot dearer then the above but still OK : Wood Veneer Mixtures (http://www.dyed-veneer.com/wood_veneer_mixtures.aspx)

Both of these companies sound like big businesses but are in fact just husband and wife concerns and very personable and DIY friendly.

I don't think I've yet bought on-line from a local supplier and not been disappointed.

So summing up, I guess if I was starting out I would buy some sheets of rock maple from a local supplier (Briggs veneer has a $100 minimum order) and use that for 90% of backgrounds and for backers. Then I'd say 'to hell with the cost of postage' and buy from overseas a few sheets of dyed red, green and black veneer, and 30 or 50 sq feet of the marquetry packs mentioned above to give me lots of variety and that would have me set for quite a few years.

cheers
Arron

ps. one thing you could do if buying from overseas, which I've never had success with but is worth a try, is pointing out when you order that you want it for marquetry so you are just going to be chopping it up small anyway - so why cant they chop it up into A4 sizes and put it in a prepaid satchel ? Should be much cheaper postage because generally they overpackage it hugely and that may very well add to the cost of postage.

[chrisb691]

Hi Arron,

I'm a little curious as to how you managed to get the dyed veneers delivered to Aus, as their shipping policy states that they only deliver to USA.

[Arron]

Hi Arron,

I'm a little curious as to how you managed to get the dyed veneers delivered to Aus, as their shipping policy states that they only deliver to USA.

I saw that and assumed they probably dont relish overseas orders because so many people put in an order and bail out when they are told the postage cost, after the order and invoice have been made up. I sent an email telling them I wanted to buy from Australia and was fully aware of the cost of postage. No problems therein.
Just my assumption
Arron