Hypothetical problem ...

[Incoming!]

... I have a friend ... complete novice and a complete idiot. Imagine if you can that my friend has just gone berserk with her newly acquired marquetry materials, cut them all out and has sticky taped them together from the back.

Are you supposed to be able to see gaps around all the individual pieces?:C

And if this were to happen, hypothetically speaking, will the gaps somehow magically disappear once the sanding part of the process has begun?

Or what should my friend do?

Any help you can provide that I can pass on to the moron would be gratefully accepted. <shakes head> I don't know why she brings me these problems!

Thanks

[echnidna]

sounds like you should tell her to do a tafe course

[Incoming!]

That bad, huh? Ok, I take it that there are NOT supposed to be visible gaps. Wasn't sure - the web instructions I've read just seem to jump from cutting out pieces to incredible finished works of art. Wasn't sure whether the sanding process left dust in the gaps to help finish it off.

Thanks.

[chrisb691]

It's pretty normal to have gaps with hand cut marquetry. However, there are gaps....... and there are gaps. How they will show on the picture, depends on a few factors.

If you are glueing down to the backing board with PVA, then the individual pieces tend to swell, and reduce/close the gaps. In this case, having the pieces too closely cut can actually cause problems. When the pieces of veneer swell, it can cause the picture to 'bubble' off the backing board if they are too precisely cut.

If using contact, there will be no swelling, and the gaps will remain as when cut. In this case, you can always reduce the gap(s), by inserting sllthers of veneer (before glue down).

Most marquetarians, that I know, use a sanding sealer as part of the surface finishing, after mounting. This will tend to fill gaps quite well, although several coats, sanded back in between, may be needed to get a gap free finished picture.

[Incoming!]

Many thanks - will try the PVA glue and the sanding sealer. It'll be good practice even if it doesn't fix the problem. I've learned heaps just from this first effort, just in terms of timber selection and cutting technique. The bumpy ash, I think it is, was an absolute nightmare to cut across the grain, with different densities in the timber just itching to throw the knife strokes out. Appreciate the help.

Leanne

[chrisb691]

Many thanks - will try the PVA glue and the sanding sealer. It'll be good practice even if it doesn't fix the problem. I've learned heaps just from this first effort, just in terms of timber selection and cutting technique. The bumpy ash, I think it is, was an absolute nightmare to cut across the grain, with different densities in the timber just itching to throw the knife strokes out. Appreciate the help.

Leanne

Yes, some veneers can be a real problem. It's normal with these to sticky tape the back so that they hold together when cutting.

Just so I'm sure we're talking the same language, I'll state that the taped face(s) of the veneer are the visible face when it's glued down to the backing board. So if you are using this method, then you can fill minor gaps as you go. So let's assume that you have just cut a piece ready to fit. You glue the edge(s), place it in postion, and maybe tape it on the other side. Now you might have a bit more of a gap, in an area, than you want. You can lightly sand the join, which will mostly fill it with sawdust, and wipe a little pva over the top, and press it all in........instant gap filler. You cannot do this if you are cutting from the face side, because the glue will prevent the finish from from absorbing in this area, and you will end up with an uneven finsh.

[Incoming!]

You cannot do this if you are cutting from the face side, because the glue will prevent the finish from from absorbing in this area, and you will end up with an uneven finsh.

Hmmm - I was cutting from the face side. :( I have decided to abandon the piece - too far gone I think - so spent most of yesterday trying out what you suggested. Works well - thanks for that. I will still go ahead and try out the rest of the process, sanding, finishing etc, and make my mistakes on this one piece and get a feel for the overall process and how the work evolves. Then back to the beginning! Thanks Chris.

[chrisb691]

Hmmm - I was cutting from the face side. :( I have decided to abandon the piece - too far gone I think - so spent most of yesterday trying out what you suggested. Works well - thanks for that. I will still go ahead and try out the rest of the process, sanding, finishing etc, and make my mistakes on this one piece and get a feel for the overall process and how the work evolves. Then back to the beginning! Thanks Chris.


Hmmm.......I don't think so, one makes mistakes for years :D well at least I do.

Whilst on the subject of mistakes, when you work from the back of the picture you need to reverse the artwork, otherwise the picture will be reversed when you mount it.

[paul collins]

tell your friend to look up a book called the marquetry course.its by jack metcalfe & jack apps.its brilliant full of easy to read instructions with plenty of projects.i believe that in the uk it is now the standard teaching manual for marquetry ( though i may be wrong). i know in brisbane it is available from the public library.