THE

MAROUETRY
COURS-.E
JACK METCALFE f6 JOHN APPS
A complete course on the art of marquetry for
those wanting a full introduction to the craft.
Illustrated throughout with 300 photographs,
including step-by-steps for the techniques.
Working through the book, the reader learns
how to use tools and materials by carrying out
basic exercises aimed at developing techniques.
This leads to the main content of the book:
exercises with step-by-step illustrations and
instructions on the ten designs considered
to be the 'classical marquetry standards',
including the compass rose, floral design,
shells, the chess board and the Louis cube.
The final section of the book has four
furniture projects incorporating marquetry:
the oval gallery tray, pier table, jewellery box,
and fire screen.
Some of the latest and innovative marquetry
techniques are included, such as the 'template
method' for making the fans; the method of
pressing veneers in t\''10 stages; and chevron
parquetr y design.
\X1ritt en by two expert teachers, this is an ideal
book for students of furniture making and
furniture restoration as well as hobbyists.
18.99
US$19.95
CAN$29.95
THE
MARQUETRY CC)UH.SE
To Uncle Tommy (late Tommy Limmer)
and
to Dad, my mentor and a good friend (late Stanley Apps),
we dedicate this book
THE
MARQUETRY COURSE
JACK METCALFE &JOHN Art-s
B T BATSFORD
First published 2003
Text, diagrams and photographs (except Chapter 6)
Jack Metcalfe and John Apps
The right ofJack Metcalfe andJohn Apps to be identified
as Authors of this work has been asserted by them in
accordance with the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act
19R8.
Volume B T Batsford Ltd
ISBN 0 7134 RWiO 6
A CIP catalogue record lor this book is available from the
British I .ibrary,
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be
reproduced in any form or by any means without
permission from the publisher.
Printed in Singapore
for the publishers
B T Batsford
64 Brewery Road
London N7 9NT
England
www.batsford.corn
A member of ChrysalifBOokspic
Distributed in the United States and Canada by Sterling
Publishing Co., 387 Park Avenue South, New York, 'NY
10016, USA
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
What started out as a small idea involving two kccn
woodworkers, developed into a major undertaking affecting
a host of skilful and dedicated people and organisations.
Without their support, professional advice, technical input
and most of all-their presence, this book would not 'have
emerged.
We would likc to thank the City & Guild of London Institute
for providing the need for this book, members of the Leeds
Marquetry Group, studcnts and staff of the York College and
the Leeds College of Art & Design; Stephen Hall for
producing the professional furniture plans/drawings and 3D-
CAD illustrations; Jcfhey Glyn (English master) whose 'red
pen' kept our writings legible; Lorraine Trickett for the hours
of typing; Ron Hudson-photography technician for the
pictures in Chapter 5;James Lomax-Curator to The
Chippendale Society and Temple Newsam House; David
Stockdale-Registrar and Collections Manager at the The
Harewood House Trust; Adam Bowett-wood and furniture
historian; ALPI Reconstructed real-wood vcneers; Ian
Frazer-Conservator, and Kitty Ross-Curator lor the Leeds
Museums and Galleries; Brian Day for allowing his late
grandfather's work to be shown; Giuseppe Rocco (Sorrento)
for his 'mtarsia' work, which is a constant inspiration; Gordon
Wight (furniture maker) for permission to use his fire screen
design; David Hawkins, furniture restorer; plus the following
students and hobbyists who kindly allowed us to photograph
their furniture: Tony Thorpe, Alan Rollinson, Tomoko Hasua,
Margaret Capitano, Charles Kerr and Jenny Grout.
Last, but by no means least, to Gloria and Chrysa, our wives,
for their constant support and encouragement-thank you.
H.\PT ER ONE
_ - h TRODC CT ION TO
_ L\RQUETRY 6
".3OU TIllS BOOK 6
W TO USE THI S BOOK 7
LS ....ND EQUll' \ IENT 8
\ IIR<2n : m y FOR P IIH.2I'ETRY
.. \Lw(2I 'E lRY
I S, 1.\])1:,\( ; KIT
_HERIAU; 15
_ ... . .\ I HIF SI\ 'ES : \ BR.\ SI\ "ES
I' I IES
O" I TREE TO VE:'IJEER 22
xr, l .oc.s IXTO \'EXEER Cl'!{J..
,( II OR FL1\11': VEXEER CROll X Ci ' l
j \ RY ( : t"l' \RTEH ( :l "'j'
e>: 1I I,YIX( : TIlE 'FlU: ' SJJ) E
I (J II X(; LL\n:s VEXEER S,\ \ IPI.ES
RR,/ BI ' RI. S
rrCIl -"I QL'ES 26
( , I i n: KX IFE \\' IX!H)II' \IEI'II O])
! h ' FRETS,I\I' IX(;' 'I'm: PIll
_ . i! O]) : \ FEll ' S,\I\'IX( ; TIPs'
I " I LI IH:\<; II AREI \' OO]) I'EXI\'ORJ;.

Cf L-\PTER TWO
TLT ORI AI.'i 42
HI STORI CAL BACKGROUKD 42
.. - "[ " m U NG M .. '.;S BY THE
TD IPLAT E METHOD 43
, llRLI I. -"0, I : Coxvrx CORXER F Ix'
:- , <l Ri.11. N o , 2: Fl n :-Fu'n: Co xc.w
, ' J-f{ hx '1'1'TORLII. -"0 , ,J:
_ Fu ' II': 0",11. FIx
CONTENTS
TIlE WINDOW METHOD 57
T noRLII. :-.io , -1: CO\IP,I SS R osE'
T I' TORLI I. :\0 , ;,: A S IX( ;I}: ROSE
TIlE FRETSAW METIIOD ss
T l 'TORLl1. "0, ii: SI WI. 1. TI 'TORLII. :\0,
7: P.\TER \
PARQUETRY 74
T I "LOR I.II. :\0, 8: C Il ESS Bo,w])
T I 'TORLII. :\0, 9: l .otrs Ci ' BE '
T I ' TORLI I. :\0, J0: B,I SKET \\' LI" E -
RI'STIC Ii'TORL II. N o, I I : RISKET
\\'E, ln : - I', IXEI.I.I:\( ; T I "I ORLI I. N o , J2:
C m :"Rox
CJ IAPTJm, TJ-IlUm
MOlJKTING, PRESSING
AND BORDERIKG 91
MOUNTING 91
COI ' XTF,RB,I L IX<:IX( : \ ' EXEE R' S TRIX<:I:\C,
B,IX IlIX(; ,I X]) BOR]) ERI X(; STRIX( ;IX(;
B.\ :\ llIX( ; BOl{ ])E RI:\(; :\RR.I X<:DiFXTS
TWO-STAGE PRESSING 94
BORDERING STYLES 95
' l k I Dl TIO :\ AI. ' Ix-I.I :\ I:' BORIlER BOOK-
\1,IT<:I IEIl CROSSB,I XllI X(; <'LI'.IRTERE])
CORXERS .I X]) ( :ROSS Il.I:\IHX(; R \])lI's
CROSSIl,IXIlI X( ;
CHAJ'TER 1"0 UR
SANDING
AND FIKISHING 102
CLEANIKG 103
RE\IOI'AI. OF \ 'EX EER TII'I': Ci': I.I .1'l .OSE
S\XDlX(; S E,II.ER
SANDING 104
.\lETlIOIl I: RI"])O\ I OJ<lm:\l ,
S,IX Il]:\<; \IETllO]) 2: H .IXIl S,IXIl IX(;
FIKISHIKG 106
1_I ( :(21' FRS
NOTES ON SANDIKG 1\...'\ID
FINISrnXG THE PROJECTS 108
0",11. C,II.I.ERY TR. IY' PI ER T II\ I.F
,/I :m :I.I .I':RY Box' FIRF SCREEX
CHAPTER FIVE
PROJECTS 111
OVAL GALLERY TRAY II I
( :EX'I REI' IECE
PIER TABLE I 18
\'I,:'FFRIX(; ,I XI) \I.\RQI 'FTRY
JEWELLERY BOX 131
. .
Coxxn ' t: I'IX<; 'n u: Box' Box 1.11>
Illx<:I':s' lx I ER:\ ,I L COXSTRI 'CI'IO X Tm:
T iny' .\1.IKJX<; rur EJ<; JJT DI\'ISIO:\S
\'F:\EERI Xt: ,IX \) DECOR.\1'1:\<: 'III F Box
FIRE SCREEK 143
COXSTIU ' ( T IOX D I\Il,:x SIO :\ S Till',
\ IAR(21' ET RY DESI(;XS
CHAPTER SIX
FURNITURE-MAKER'S
GALLERY 148
ApPENDIX 161
TEMPLATES FOR DESIGNS IK
CHAPTER 2
DRAWIKGS FOR PROJECTS IN
CHAPTER !i
GLOSSARY 174
SUPPLIERS AND REFERENCES
]75
INDEX 176
CHAPTER ONE
AN INTRODUCTION
TO MARQUETRY
ABOUT THIS BOOK
T
his book is designed to meet the needs of the
hobbyist or student of marquetry, as well as
the professional furniture maker or restorer.
Previous experience in the craft is not necessary
since you will be guided through each technique
with the help of step-by-step illustrations, showing
actual 'work in progress ' pictures for each design.
In this way, we hope to provide full tuition of the
various techniques involved in this ancient craft.
Marquetry can be described as the art and craft
of making pictures and decorating furniture using
exotic wood veneers. Occasionally, materials such
as brass, ivory or mother-of-pearl can be used.
Marquetry usually requires designs to be built up .
in veneer form (slices of wood cut from a log, thin
enough to be cut with a craft. knife), with the
/
6
whole assembly glued and 'overlaid' onto a
baseboard. Alternatively, marquetry designs can
be assembled and then 'inlaid'. The latter requires
the baseboard to be chased or routed out to a
depth suitable to accommodate the inlaid design.
Our combined experience of teaching
marquetry and furnitnrc making spans over thirty
years. 'Ne particularly admire the beautiful
marquetry designs the master of
the lSth century included in their work, and it is
for this reason that we: have decided to give
designs of this period the most detailed
treatment, including fans, shells, paterae, husk
swags and floral work, as well as a range of
parquetry patterns.
The marquetry techniques detailed in this book
provide the nucleus for the City and
Guilds' qualification in 'marquetry and
veneering' , which in turn contributes to
the Progression Award course
syllabus in furniture making
and restoration. The marquetry
topics included in the
Progression Awards stemmed from
marquetry courses taught over a
five-year period in two furniture-
making workshops at colleges in
Leeds and York. Consequently,
students wishing to include
marquetry in their course
studies should find in the
following pages the
relevant theoretical
references to the craft,
accompanied by a range of
practical exercises in the form of tutorials.
ABOl 'T TIllS BOOK e::
HOW TO USE THIS BOOK
T
he book's primary aim is to teach marquetry
to students, furniture makers and restorers,
.HI hobbyists who arc new to th e craft, With that
mind, we have arranged the contents in a
pr ogressive, educational order. Chapter I takes
ou through the necessary but all-important steps
o lear n the basic techniques. The cha pter also
"xplains, in detail, how to construc.t a fe\\' simple
'ct necessaryj igs, as well as listing and advising on
'ht" pros and cons of materials such as adhesives,
"hrasive papers, polishes and, of course, the most
import ant materials for this craft-the veneers.
Reading, understanding and completing chapter
provides a fou ndation success. Aft er
mastering t he essen tial cutt ing exercises, you will
quickly become familiar with the scalpel . allowing
\OU to advance through the first few designs
included in the marqne t ry t.utoria Is given in
chapter 2.
En :r)' design is dearl y illustrated in colour and
expla ined in detail, mak ing const ruction a
rewarding experience. The designs arc in
order of the level of skill required, always with the
assumption that yo u arc sla rti ng o nt as a
beginner. Our experi cnce has shown that the
demands o r each tutorial arc achievable without
previous experience .
Chapter :1 offers the di scerning cabinetmaker
an opportunit y to make practical and challenging
lurniuuc items., Full step-by-step pl an s, pi ctures
and instruc tions lead yon through eac h stage of
construction. The furniuire and marquetry decor
arc a mi x of period and modern taste. A gallery
tray and pier /;J hie take yon back to that in id-l Hth
century nco-classical period of English furniture
making, while the jewellery bo x and Iires crccn
provide more rec ent construction lines. Each of
tho four projects provides the ult im.uc ch allenge
of mix ing furniture making and wood-surface
decoration , with eye-catching resul ts to grace any
home.
Practising marquetry and making Iurn iture is
an enjoyable experience. We trust you will gain
immense sati sfaction building th e patterns and
proj ect s contained in this book.
If you do, your successes will be our rewards.
7
<:3..) CI-L\PTER O:-\F I 1\:-.: ]:-\TROllLiCTIOi\ TO :V/.\RQl i ETRY
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
T
h.e tools and equipment needed. in marquetry
arc few and inexpensive. In fact, there is only
one item whi ch costs a substantial amount-a
press-and even that outlay can be greatly reduced
bv making your own . Bot h home-made and
commercial arc detailed in this section,
togetherwi th the remaining off-the-shellitems that
form the marqnotour' s kit. A list of suppliers of tools
and equipment is given ncar the end of the book.
FOR MARQUETRY
Cutting Mat A self-healing cutting mat offers the
perfect surfac e lor cutting veneer. The so-ca lled
1\3 size is ideal for marquetry work (150 x :100
111111/18 x J2 in) . Mats arc available in sizes A:\ 1\3,
1\2 and AI (the largest) . Where large-sized veneers
are to be worked on, it's preferable to tape two A:i
mats together rather than purchase the larger 1\2
hecause two 1\:1 mats placed end-on to each other
are considerably longer than one 1\2.
Steel Rule A 305-mm (l2-in) steel rule is essenti al
when cutting st raight lines on veneers. To prevent
the rule slipping, glne a strip of sandpaper (about
240 grit) to one side of the rule. Usc contact
adhesive to glue the paper in place.
Geometry Tools 1\ geometry set consisting of a
small school compass and protractor, plus a :\0",
1!J
G
a nd 50" angle set. The lauer need not hI:
expensive items. The plastic sets found in most
stationery stores are perfectly adequate .
Scalpels and Blades Figme 1 shows, from left to
right, a Swann Molton 'retractable' with a 1\0
101\; a -l-jaw chuck craft knife with 10/\ blade: an
Ernie lves craft knife with No I I blade; and a
Swann Morton No :I handle with lOA blade.
Sharpening Stone A small craft stone used to
regrind the back of scalpel blades. An essential
tool item. See Techniques, p. 27.
FigWf I: Basi: mll rqlletry tools
Circle Cutter For cutting perfect circle s III
venelTS I would recommend the heavy-duty steel
circle cuucr. Because both compass poi nt and
cutter attachments clamp onto any st eel stTaight
edge, the radius it can cut is limitless. Sec ."lll!J!Jlien
and References, p. 175.
Steel Straight Edge A suitable 1 metre (39 in)
steel straight edge will be needed for preparing
ven eers when making some or th e furniture
projects.
Steel 900 Square Tr y to obtain one that has two
arms, wh ich measure at least 305 x 155 nun (12 x
18 in )-the larger the better, It will be usee!
extensi vel y in ve n e e r in g work, for cutting
material square.
Domestic Iron A domestic iron is an essential item
of equipment lor veneering and wo rk .
Cutting Gauge Sallie as a marking gauge, but
instead of a pin to mark th e wood, the cuttjng
gange has a small blade, wh ich cuts through the
veneer, Used fo r maki ng a uniform border
around assembl ed marquetry work, it will be'
needed to com p le te some or the furn iture
proj ects, sec step 2, p. 94 .
TOOLS .vxn EQUII''.IE:\T CI.')
Palm Sander A palm sander preferably with a
vncuum attachment is an essential item. A '/, sheet
is the ideal size ('/1 r Ai, or lOLl x 1'19 mm /
x (j in). The sander shown in Figure 1. page II) is
- th sheet size . Note the plastic skirt SlllTollJJ<ling
ihc sanding area. ;\ vacuum hose plugged in at
the back provides dust-free sanding.
FOR PARQUETRY
Parquetry, the technique of building geollletric
pa tt er ns, requires dedicated equipment to ensure
accuracy of construction. A simple yet effective
means of Clluing- repeat angles is achieved after
making a small jig. This and other tools arc
detailed in the following section.
Sliding Bevel Iisc this for setting the angles on the
mitre box.
Tenon Saw C\S well as the padsaw, the tenon saw is
required fi)r sawing the first angle on the mitre box.
Mitre Box A miniature mitre box, which Gnl be
simplv made 1.0 accommodate the ultra thin gents
padsaw, is detailed ill Figllre
/o,}fltniallllPPdn!: softtoooil 75 x 25 x 225 mm (3 x 1 x
9 in) with plant! SUlj(/CI'S to both sides: 2 strips of
hnrdtooot! beading I) x /2 x 225 mm (1, x '/J x 9 in) .
The; must bejJl'lpctly./la! find sljl/{ur.
Gents Padsaw This ultra-thin blade, 0.20 mm
I .OOS in) thick, :>2 teeth per inch C! 'Pl) , 12.7 mm
('/, in) cutting depth, will saw veneers without
leaving ragged edges. Used in conjunction with
the mitre hox (see Figure 2), this padsaw becomes
an essential item for making the parquetry
designs detailed in this hook. See .<';1I1J1J!iers on
page 17S.
Secure the first beading along one eage of the
sofiwood base using PVA gllle and fix one panel
pill in each end. Set the second beading SO mm
(2 in) away from the ' first, making sure the
distance is accurately maintained along its length
(cut two wood blocks :")0 rnrn /2 in wide to usc as
spacers) and glue and pin into place. The mitre
box is now ready for use on a n umber of
parquetry
Safety To protect yom hand, place the mitre box
into a bench vice before sawing cuts.
Using a GOO g-colJlctry square, set the sliding
bevel to GO. Recheck it for accuracy after
tightcning the bcve! np-accuracy is paramoullt.
230mm
(9 in)
2Smm (I in)
thick
End view
p 0
IOmm ('!s in) high
hardwood beading
7Smm (3 in) x 2Smm
(I in) softwood
SOmm (2 in) gapbetween
beadings
Front view

(3 in)
2: Parqurtr: mitre box and S(/W hglur 3: ;\litre box dimensions
9
c.:. ...:; CHAPTER O :\E I A:\ I :\TROll['CTIO:\ TO ]'v!:\ RQlJ ET RY
Place the sliding bevel alongsidc the firs t beading,
and using th e te non or dovet ail saw with the blade
resting against the sliding bevel , saw th rough both
beadings and abour z mm ( in) into th e mitre
box base. The reason for using th e tenon or
dovetail saw for the first cut is that the gents
padsaw blade is not thi ck enough to allow a venee r
to be inserted in to the cut to form the ' gate ' ,
Place a strip of 'vcnecr into th e cut made with th e
tenon saw so that it protrudes above the two raised
beadings. This veneer strip forms the ' gate'. To
make ih miue cu t, you need to know th e
distance between the first and second cuts. In th e
case of the Louis Cube design (see p. 78) this is
determined by the size yo u have cut the veneer
strips. Using one of the strips, place it alongside the
' gate' , Using the padsaw, p lace the saw alongside
the veneer strip and place the sliding bevel up to
the saw blade, trapping the blad e between the
veneer and th e bevel. Keeping th e saw blade
vertical, make a cut through both hardwood
bead ings, cutti ng all the way through to the base
of the box. The box is now ready to cut GO"
diamonds Irom your pre-prepared veneer strip>
FRETSAWING
The hand fretsaw and it s blades, together with a
fretsaw table, form the basic requirements for
constructing the designs give n in t his book.
Alternatively, an electrically dri ven Irets.uv can be
used if you have exper ience of thi s type of
machine. Bo th the hand-held version and the
Hegner power fretsaws a re used for t he exercises
carried out in chapter 2.
Hand Fretsaw Consists of a If-shaped neck, called
the throat, with winged clamps for holding the
blade at each end. A simple handle provides a
means to support the tool during use. The th roat
distance, measured from the bl ade to the turn of
the neck, determines t he size of veneer that can
be cut. The fr etsaw shown in Figure 1 has a throat
depth of I 0 mm (just over I::' in).
Blades Sizes are numbered by a strange method.
If you remember that a number 6 is the thi ckest
10
l'igIlJl' 4: Iltuulj iy!tSflWshowinglength0/ throat
blade and a number fi/O is the thinnest, th en the
following table list s the range : G, S, 1, g, ::' , I , 0,
2/0, g/ O, 1/0, 5/0, 6/0. For marquetry purposes,
only th e 2/0 to 6/0 range is needed. Most
students advance to cutting with 6/0 bl ades afte r
onl y <I lew practice sessions with t he thicker
blades. The gap made by a 6/0 blade is
undetectable when glue is appli ed to the
asscrnbled j oin ts.
Type of Blade Eq ua lly important <IS the srze .
Fretsaw blades fall into two categories, wood
cutting and metal cutting. We have tried and
tested both types over the last ten years and it
might surprise you to know that the teeth on the
wood-cutting bl ades are too coarse for marquetry
Sw: TIIIClC,ESS (MM) WmTII T EETH PER l"lC:H
li/O O. IH 0,% 32
--- - - -
:i/O 0.2 (H 2H
I/ O 0.22 (l.'!' l 2G.;'
:0;0 0,21 OAH 2:\,;'
2! O O.2li 0_,,2 22
0 O.2R O,,,R 20.;;
0.'\ O.li3 19
2 031 0.7 17,,,
--- -
3 O.:Hi 0,74- IG
O.3R O.H
1"
:> 0.-1 OX) 1<1
G (HI 0.94 13,,,
5: Swiss [ietsaio blades
wor k. The metal-cutting blades, however,
prod uce a fine, smooth cut wh ile giving better
th a n blade life. The blades our students
have used exclusively for t he past five yea rs are
\,"iss made, of hardened a nd tempered steel ,
su itable for sawing metal and other hard
ma te r ials, and for use on line ve n ee r s and
ma rquetr y (manufacturers' claim which we full y
en dorse ) . The dimensions of the Razor brand
\,iss piercing saw blades mack by Zona are given
in figure S. Fo r stockist details see Suppliers' list
I n page 17S.
\ l aking a Fretsaw Table Us ing 12 mm (if" in) :VIDF
o r plywood , construct the table in Figure ti .
The table is d esigned to be held in a
woodworking vice. The first th ing that becomes
appar en t when usin g the table is .that th e table
op. with its cut-outs, becomes invisible to the user
because the vcncerfs) being sawn cover lip the
-:ming area. Therefore, keeping the saw blade
with in t he cut-out area is achieved by feel. The
cut-outs consist of a 2S mm (J in) diameter hole
or cu ttin g out large pieces of a pattern, whi le a
bandsaw cut made eit h e r sid/ of this hole allows
tinv pieces to be cut without them fal ling through
he ta ble and onto th e workshop floor. Los ing small
pieces after cutting th em out is very frustrating:
To learn how to load and use a fretsaw and th e
table, tu rn to the Techn iques sec tion of this chapter
pp. 34- 3S) .
TOOLS .\:\ 1) EQl ill'\IEi\;T C::.-.
Office Stapler Used for stapling veneers together
when making a fretsawing ' pad'. A standard off ice
paper stapler is quite adequate.
Paper Adhesive A suitable paper adhesive used
for sticking paper designs to a veneer. Mos:
st at ionery stores sell ' the Slick-type, rub-o n
adhesive, which adheres to wood as well as paper.
This will be needed wh e n making up a veneer
pad.
Mini Bradawl A means of piercing tiny pin holes
into the veneer pad for inserting the fretsaw blade.
A standard sewing needle placed into the end of a
4:jaw chuck craft-knife hol der makes an ideal
min iature bradawl. If you do adopt thi s method,
then for safety's sake make su re you push the
needle in to a cork when the tool is not in usc.
Hammer and Screwdriver A small pin hammer
will be needed to hammer th e office staples fla t
against the ven ee rs after fixin g them th rough the
veneer pad. To remove th e staples after fret
sawing, use a small electric screwdriver to prise
them fr ee of the pad.
MARQUETRY CUITING BOARD
An ess ential piece of equipment. for all marquetry
and parquctry work. It is very simple to construct
and, once made, the board wil l serve you for years
to come. ItBpurpose is to provide a simple means

i
t band-saw cuts
\
230mm
300mm
(9 in)
(12 in)

tr iangular softwood strengthener

25mm (I in) diameter

Table top profile Side profi le .
Figure 6: Dimensionslor milking tliejrasau. table
lJ
~ ) CIL\PTER 0:\ [ 11\1\ I:\TRO]) UCTIO:\ TO ?VL\RQUETRY
of making repeat straight-line cuts of pre-
determined size and squaring veneers accuratel y.
Construction requires a piece of 12 mrn C/' in)
MDF or plywood, slightly bigger than an }\:1
cutting- mat (approximately :FjO x :>00 nun / ItJ x
20 in) , plus a strip of hardwood 12 mm C/ ' in)
sqnare x 500nnn (20 in) long. The strip forms a
'fixed fence' from which measured cuts can be
made. Sec Figure 7 for dimensions.
When fixing the hardwood fence to the MnF
board, it is essential that the front edge f ~ l c i n g
into the board is flat and even along its length. To
check this, lay a steel straight edge up to the front
erlge of the strip and check for flatness. If it is
bowed euen slip;htly, make sure yon pull it flat up to
the straight edge while yon glne and pin it to the
board. Nearly all the projects in this book depend
on this board and its raised fence for producing
accurately cut vencers. Fignrc i'\ shows our board
veneered, but only because it appears many times
in this book, and we wanted it to look a bit posh!
SANDSIIADING KIT
Silver Sand Silver sand is the only acceptable type
of sand, since other types, such as building sand,
will cling to the veneers. Silver sand consists of
sharp-edged ?;ranu]es that do not cl ing to each
other or to t he veneers. The sand can be obtained
in small quantities from either garden centres or
pet shops.
500mm
(20in)
i
hgllll' 8: Cutting board in t)piml use
Pan A container to hold the sand should be
chosen with care. First, it has to withstand heat ,
but more importantly it needs to transfer heat at
the correct rate. The ideal container is a cast-iron
frying pan. This is because iron transfers heat
efficientl y and will heat the sand without
overheating itself. Two metals to avoid arc
aluminium and tin. The former is a poor
conductor of heat and will result in the sand
being below the correct. working temperature,
while tin transfers heat too quickly. Therefore,
avoid using household baking tins. Steel is an
acceptable metal to use.
Heater An ideal heat sourex: is a i-kilowau electric
hotplate. This applies heat at the correct rate for
12 mm ('/2in) square hardwood
fence
This side must be flat and even along its length
350mm
(14 in)
l
12 mm ('f, in) MDF or plywood
Faceview Side view
Figure 7: ruttingboarddimensions
12
o nstunt. temperature over a long period. As a
'c' mporary heat source, a gas or electric ring will
-uff ic.
Long-Nosed Tweezers For saret y reasons, a pair of
,"eeze rs is essential. The sand gcts very hot-too
: .01 to allow your fingers to touch it without
ufk r ing a nasty burn. Al7lm)'s Iunu: the trucezers
va ilable at the side o] the heat source.
To learn how to sand shade veneers correctly,
e <::, the Techniques section or this chapter on
%--37.
YENEER PRESSES
.-\ rel a tively expensive piece of equipment when
co mpa re d with the other requirements for
marq ue t ry. Throughout th is book, we only
recommen d the use or water-based gluc, namely
which needs some form or pressure while
th e glue sets. For the single craftsman and/or
-maller co lleges, construction plans for making
an inexpensive boule-jack press are given on
page I h7.
Hydr auli c Press This is the' industry choice,
usuallv offering both co ld and heated options. In
venee ri ng, where production costs demand a fast
turnover, heated panel prcssings can save time.
For marquetry tho ugh , we generally recommend
pressing without heat to prevent shrinkage, which
\
\
\
Figum 9: IJI/lgcllosl'd {lIIeeZI'IS to (herescue
TOOLS ,\ :\ 1) EQUtl'\IE:\T C.:."J
in turn can open the joints. Some d ifficult
veneers, such as burrs, migh t require a heated
press, bUI you should always consider t he possible
adve-rse effects of using heal. The downside to
using hydraulic presses is the high cost and the
floor space required.
Vacuum Press In comparison to the rest or the
tools and equipment needed for marquetry work,
a vacuum press loo ks expensive. Yet compared
with the financial outlay required for
wooclturning or woodcarving equipmen t, a
vacuum press does not look so costly.
The vacuum press consists of an electric pump
connected by a plastic tube to a polyrhcnc bag
envelo pe.
The veneered object is placed 1IJ the envelope
and the open end scaled (.ighl. "With the pump
switched on, the air in envelope is sucked out
via the tube and the pump's air outlet, thus
creating a vacuum. Atmospheric pressure is
applied to the outsi de SUr!;l(T of the polythcne
bag exerting a pressure of about. ISlbs to the
square inch (at sea level) to the veneered object.
This equates to "j, to n per square root, far great.er
than any clamps, vices or other pressing devices
found in most. workshops. The figures given fo r
calculating atmospheric p ressure arc always based
at sea level , but the difference in operations at.
higher alti tudes is insignificant. The running
costs arc negligible. i\ typical vacuum pump r uns
of[' a 60 watt motor and for most veneered pa nel s
the pressing time is about I hour.
In addi tion to pressing flat surfaces up to a
maximum 2.1 x 1.2 m (H x 1 ft) -the largest
available bag-the vacuum press comes into its
OWl] when curved surfaces need pressing.
Concave, convex or both si mulianeously presen t
no problem to the press, as the polyihcne bag
forms itself around the object, applying equal
pressurc across the whole surface. This is a real
advantage in veneering, because previously it was
always necessary to build a matching male-to-
female former (mould) to apply uniform pressurc
to a curved surface-the Fonner sometimes t.aking
longer to construct than the it em itself. The
13
e-::::-, C IL\I'TER ( h E I A" I:-:TRODCCTIO C\' TO \hRQUETRV
Figl/Ii! 10: VaCI/UIII jJl fS S at work
pi cture (Figure 10) shows a ve neered panel inside
th e vac uumed enve lope. Breather fabric ca n he
seen across the pan el. linking it.to the outlet tube,
This is necessary in order to provide an ' air path ' ,
t hus ensuring t ha t all ai r is extra cted fro m t he bag
to ac hieve maximum vacuum conditions.
Bottle-Jack Press This is an affordable press for
th e iu divid ual or small college. The press reli es
O il two car bottle-jacks and a stout ti mber frame.
The finan cial outlay is low co mpared t.o t.h two
previou s types of press and, a part fro m curved
surfaces, will se rve most needs for pressin g
mod erately small t.o medium-sized panels. The
pressure works quit e simply: the two j acks apply
pressllre t.o two platens, between whi ch the
veneered panel is placed. Pr oviding stout timbers
are used in the const ruction , ve ry lit tle can go
wrong and it. should gi\ "e man y years se rvice.
Wh en veneers are pla ced in th e press, it is
impo rtant t.o use pa ckiu g materi al (newspa pe r
works wel l): firstly, to preven t th e ho ards hOllding
together if glue spills; and secondly, to provide a
cushion to co unteract any slight une- venness in
th e th ickn ess.
The dimensions and const ruction pl an 1' 01" a
bou le-jack press are in the Appendix, P: 1ti7.
Figl/re JJ: Bof/le:j ackjilfss
MATERIALS
L
ike 'he tools, t he materials required for
marquet ry arc few and inexpensive, They
cniially fal l into five categories, namely tapes,
hesivcs, abrasives, polishes and ,eneers.
T APES
":-pc is used in veneering and marquetry to hold
rk together until a more permanent bond
zl u) is applied. The tapes used fall into two
-- t in r.t types , tern porary tapes and scrru-
n uauent tapes. It is important to understand
e distincti on between th e two types.
:\ temporary tape is used to hold two or more
- CCl ' S of veneer together, hut is always removed
.For th e assembled work is glued to a
a-cboard . Such tapes for marquetry arc masking
pc and plastic Sel lotape.
:\ semi-permanen t tape is used to hold two or
ore veneers together, but stays in place during
c pressing process. There arc two types of semi-
rmancnt. tape. The firs t, ca lled veneer tape, is
"11 <l nufact ured specifically for ve neer ing and
_larquet ry work and consists of white gml1med
a peI', usually 12 or mm e;" or I in) wide. The
"t pe is applied by wetting (us ually lick ing), which
we- lls the paper and allows the gllm to work . After
{'ing placed across two veneers, the tape is
ru bbed dry, causing the paper to contr act, which
pulls the two veneers tightly together. Removing
he tape is the reverse operation: wetting the tape
-wells t he paper, allowing th e tape to be simply
p ushed ' off the veneers using the end of a steel
rule. For the hobbyist, a suitabl e alternati ve to
veneer tape (which can be difficult to obtain) is
brown parcel tape. Available fro m stationery
-torcs and Post Offices, it consists of th in brown
paper with gum on one side and is usually 2S nun
I in ) wide, sold in ro lls of about :; in diameter.
The second se mi-permanen t tape (or 'fi lm' , as
it is commercially known) is bookbinding film.
Some of the parquetry tutorials in this book
require this film to assist construction . Like the
veneer tape, onl v a gum is appl ied to
the film. After pressing, th e film simply peels off.
ADHESIVES
A variety of adhesives can be used in veneering
an d marquetry, bu t for all the wo rk detailed in
th is book only two type s of glue arc required,
namely PVA a11(1 cascamiic (o r ex tramite).
Understanding your glue prior to usc can save
man y problems. Each typ e of glue h as its
ad vantages as well as disadvantages and it is
imporranr to understand these and to be able to
appl y a ' fix it ' sol ution if something goes wro ng.
Clue can be yery unforgiving to the user if the
ground r ules arc not adhered to (no pun
inu-nded l) .
Poly-Vinyl Acetate (PVA) Th is user-friendly, non-
stain ing water-based adhesive has become the
marquetry favourite , n ot only for gluing
completed ven eere d assembl ies to a bas eboard
but also for gltl ing individual pieces of veneer
together, edge-to-edge, during construction. The
window method, for instance, relics solely on PVA
to keep assembled pieces together. While the glue
is white in colour when applied, it becomes
tr ansparent when dried. This is an important
fac tor in marquetry because of the multiple glue
lines th at are present in an assembled picture or
design. 11 follows that since the glue is used for
the construction, using it to bond the completed
work 10 a basehoard avoids an y incompatibi lity
problems that might aris e.
Its main disadvantage is that t he glue is water
based! At first , th is may appear a surprising
statement to make, but t he water in th e adhesive
can cause a problem in two ways. Firstly, when
glni ng veneers edge-to-edge during assembly,
only the tiniest amount or glue should be applied
to the j ointf s) . As soon as it is applied , it should
I "
e::-:, CIL\I'TFR 0:\1': I A:\ I:\TROIll JCTIO:\ TO \:IAWLI FTRY
be rubbed into thejoints with your finger IIIJt.i1 it
disappears and dries. If you apply too much glue,
the excess water from the glue will swell the
veneers causing them to buckle.
The other problem is met if excess glue is
applied to the baseboard or substrate, Most or the
water dissipates through the fibres or the veneers
during pressing. II' excess glue is applied, the
higher than normal water content can again swell
the veneers, resulting in blisters appearing. To
overcome this, apply the glue to the baseboard
using a wallpaper scam roller (sec Figure I).
Having poured glue onto the baseboard, roll the
glue evenly across the board with the roller. No
pressure is needed with the roller because the
weight or the roller alone spreads the glue very
c-vculv. Applying a th ick layer or glue docs not
mean that you get a stronger bond; in Iact, the
opposite applies with PYA. The thinner the layer
you apply, the stronger the bond, always
providing that total coverage of' the whole surface
area is achieved.
You should never apply PYA gllle to the
completed surface of the veneer or marquetry
asscrn bly. This may seem obvious, but we have
seen PYA applied 10 assembled veneers followed
by the horror of' seeing the marquetry LIlI to
pieces on the workshop floor. Water and veneers
do not mix, so as soon as PVA is spread onto the
baseboard and the veneer is offered across the
glued surfar:c, you have only two or three minutes
Figw"l' I: Spreading PI'i\ ghlP onto flip !)(/Sp!JO(/)r!
1G
(at the most) to posJ1Jon the veneer correctly
before it must be placed into a press. The solution
to this is illustrated in Figure I . I linge one edge or
the veneer to the baseboard, alu-r positioning it
centrally where yOll want to glue it. Aft e r
spreading the glue, simply flip the veneer down
onto the glued surface and place it straight into
the press.
The time required to press a veneer bonded
with PYA adhesive in a cold press is one hour. A
fur ther :2-1 hours is required Ior the glue to cure
at room temperature. The curing time is very
important, because wh ile the veneer might
appear 10 have bonded securel y after removal
from a press, the glue is still soft and not strong
enough 10 wit hstan d the pressure or sanding. The
curing also relics on exposure to air. Therefore,
do not think that you can leave the veneered
assembly in th e press Ior :24 hours. would
starve the work of air and could generate the
dreaded ' black spot' , a fungus that.forms on the
glue and penetrates the veneer through to the
face side. It is then impossible to remove the tiny
black spots that deve-lop across the ven eers.
Even after following the above guidelines,
further mishaps can sometimes occur during
pressing. Very occasionally a veneer will 'bubble'
during cold pressing. This can happen with burr
veneers. A theory for this is that , unlike other
veneers where the grain lies longitudinally along
its length, burr woods arc composed or 'end-
grain'. This means that the water in PYA glue,
which is normallv absorbed bv the horizontal
, /
fibres of' other veneers, can pass through end-
graincd veneers much more easily, causing them
to swell and bubble. The more open the grain,
the more water is absorbed.
Where. this occurs, the solution lies with a
domestic hot iron. PYA allows one chance to
recover from this type or problem. This is because
there is still some water present in the swollen
veneer, and the adhesive is still present on the
or the baseboard. When you appl y heat,
two things happen: firstl y, the water dissipates
from the offending veneer causing it to shrink
back to its normal state; an d secondly, the heat
_ r. l: [ wI/ iI/ ii 0111 ([ buddl'd 1'1'I/I'1'f
ru-ns th e ad hesive, proyiding th at all-importa n t
. .. ih ' . Aftor a pplying a hot iron [or liv o r six
-co nds (set t he iron to medium trmpcrarnrc ) ,
:.lCe a cold steel ru le across the heated area and
re.;s down with hand pressure lor a kw seconds
m il the heat dissi pates. The ve neer shoul d th en
. secure , The hot ir on treatment never fails in
, l ese cases. If using a domesti c iron in tcnded for
. ron ing cl o th es, protect th e iron su r fac by
lacing brown pape r over th e ve nee r, Clue sta ins
.n somco nc 's favourit e item <i f clothing lead to
ro hlc ms not dealt. with in thi s book!
Cas camit e (or Extramite) A th ermo-setting
ad hesive consisting of a white powder to wh ich
wate r has to be added to begin the che mica l
react ion. The glue , after mixing, is applied in the
-am ,,'ay as PV1\, but th e se tt ing times arc much
lo nge r. For co ld pressing, four hou rs a rc
necessa ry for th e glue to ad he re . 'We han:
n -commc udcd using this glue to st ic k th e two
rims to the edge of the C;al lcry Tray, in th e pr oject
in chapter :J. T he st ro nger bond provid ed by th is
g' lue co mpare d to PVA giyes added st re ngth to the
a-sembled tray.
Scot ch Glue Even today, the Ital ian marque teurs
usc scotch glue cxtcnsivcl v to hond venee rs \0 t he
baseboard . Known as ' hammer ve neeri ng' , th e
glue (also ca lle d ' pear l glue ' or 'a n imal glue') is
pu rc hased in pearl limn; the pearls han: to be
soaked in wa ter overni ght to make th em swell.
:\l\ TERL\ I.S c::
Then th ey are healed in a me tal gl ue pot, which
is placed in an outer con tainer full of water,
cl cctri call v and th c r most ati call v con trolled to th e
, ,
correct tcm pur.u urc. 'Yat er is ad ded to th e
di ssol ved gIll<' to o bt ai n t he correct cons islCllcy
before gl ui ng ca n co m me-n ce. The gl uc is
hrush cd ac r oss t h e ' b ase b oa r d . A ve n ee r
h ammer is used \0 press the veneer in p lace , at
the same t ime a hot domestic iron keeps th e
gI u c workahlr -. The term 'hammer' is most
misleading, be cause th e tool is ess enti all y a
wooden s < ] u e ( ~ g e e dcsigned to he pushed along
th e ve neer, forcin g th e ve neer to the baseboa rd
a nd the excess glue to th e out er edges of th e
board. Scotch gl ue IS used niainlv for
restoratio n work on an tiq ue furuit un-, simply
because th at is th e type of glue first used to lay the
\T ne(TS. Modern wa ter- based glue , li ke PVA,
cannot be used [0 effect repai rs where scotch
glu e has first been used because th e two glues are
not compat ible . There is no need for hot gluing
on anv of th e marquetry work cove re d in thi s
book.
Contact Adhesive Only as a last gasp, when all
other mean s arc exhaus ted, should thi s glue he
contemplated as a means of holding d own
marquetry work. The only reason it is still us ed in
this craft is th at hobbyists do not have access to a
press. 1t should he noted that this type of glue was
first introduced in the late IqGOs not lor glui ng
Figul1' 3: (;11/1' pot, 1'1'111'1' 1" !l 11I1I1II1'1"tuul glul'jJNlIlI'
17
C:;. CIL\PTER O:\E I A:\ I:\TRODUCTIO:\ TO MARQ1:ETRY
wood, but for gluing plastic laminated sheets
(Formica). Both surfaces have to be coated and
exposure to air dries the coats in about 20
minutes. Once dry, the two surfaces are brought
together and an 'impact' bond is achieved. 1\"0
second chance is given; therefore, the veneer has
to be correctly lined up on the baseboard without
the two surfaces touching. A plastic slip-sheet is
used to keep them apart while the veneer is
adjusted and correctly aligned. The air is squeezed
out using a narrow wallpaper roller, by starting
from the centre and gradually squeezing across
the veneer as the slip-sheet is slowly pulled clear.
The main reason why it is not recommended
for use on marquetry work is that the glue
r emains soft and therefore moves with
temperature changes, resulting in the polish
cracking and lilting at the glue lines. You can get.
~ n v a y with using this type of glue for single veneers
where joints are not used, but for marquetry
assemblies, it is well worth the effort to make a
simple boule-jack press and usc PVA.
ABRASIVES
The first consideration when applying sandpaper
to veneer work is the thickness of the veneer in
relation to the grade of paper you intend to use. 1
suppose that every marqueteur has sanded
through a veneer at one time or another. The
trick is to understand 'what you are trying to
achieve, then usc the right materials and tools to
complete the task in hand. The professional's
approach is the one to observe and heed in this
particular subject, They cannot afford mistakes,
and must get it right every time. Hopefully, by
following the guidelines given in chapter 4, you
too will enjoy the same results.
Paper Grading Abrasives Iall into two distinct
types. One type (aluminium oxide) is for
removing wood prior to commencing the
polishing stage, while the second type (silicon
carbide and wet or dry) is for smoothing layers of
polish between coats and after coating.
Aluminium oxide sandpaper is used for
removing wood and preparing a 'flat' base to
II'
Figure 1: If, sheet palmsander linduacuumattaclunmt
accept a polish. The paper is available in a variety
of grit sizes. To identify the grit sizes, look for the
P number on the back of the paper. The lower the
number the more coarse the paper. The range is
P60 (the coarsest), P80, P120, P1S0, PlHO, P210,
P320 and P400 (the smoothest). ' Th e red-
coloured papers shown in Figure 4 are grades PHO
and P120, used with an orbital palm sander to
achieve the ' Ilat' surface.
The second type, silicon carbide and wet or dry
is used for rubbing down polish after it is applied.
Silicon carbide (the light grey paper in Figure 1)
is available in grit sizes P220, P280, P320, P400
and P600. A special coating to the paper prevents
clogging during sanding. Wet or dry (dark grey in
Figure 1) consists of grades P400, P()OO and
P1200. Addition of water provides the anti-
clogging agent..
Wircwoo1 A very useful abrasive for the finishing
process, wircwool grade 0000 is used in
marquetry. It is the ideal abrasive to usc when
applying beeswax to a polished surface.
POLISHES
Sanding sealer consists of a cellulose-based
sealant, or methylated-spirit-based (shellac)
sealant, each containing either French chalk or
pumice powder. The chalk or powder separates
Irorn the polish when not in usc; therefore, it is
very important to thoroughly shake and sti r the
mixture prior to usc. When applied to veneers,
the sealer acts as a base foundation for
.' Art' 5: Finishing material,
osequeut finishes to lie OI L One or two coals arc
. r mallv sufficient as a basecoat, if other
_.. .ish iug materials arc to be applied afterwards,
Lse cellulose sealer if a corresponding
-llulosc-bascd polish is to follow, Usc shellac if
_irit-based polish follows.
French Polish This is applied to furniture after
pplication of shellac sanding sealer. French
. lish can he applied by a 'mop', but better
::!lishes are achieved by application with a
polisher 's rubber (known as a mouse in the CS).
Polyu rethane Polish This is used where a tough
.nish or a water barrier is necessary. The polish is
available in matt, satin or gloss finishes. The satin
.-: nish gives marquetry work a classic appearance.
' ~ ' h r e e coats are usually applied, each coat being
ru bbed back with silicon carbide paper and 0000
',i re wool. It dries very hard and is ideally suitable
o furniture items where durability is required.
vlake sure you usc the 'clear varnish' brand,
which both dries transparent and produces a
finish that is slightly mellow. This can be very
. t tr activc on certain furni ture projects, as it gives
a classic aged appearance.
\ f axes Cood quality beeswax adds a further
protection to furnitu re . \Ve have all witnessed the
effects of water spillage on furni ture where no
wax polish is present.. 'When water spills on wood
protected with wax the water sits on the wax,
unable to penetrate into the wood. Renaissance
:YL\TERL\I,S c::-.
wax provides a tough finish, with the added
benefit of not showing rIngers marks, making the
product ideal for items that receive the human
touch , such as tables, trays and jewellery boxes.
VENEERS
Traditional veneers such as mahogany, walnut,
oak and ash, together with the full range of burr
woods, still dominate British furn iture design.
Encouragingly, cherry and yew woods have
become popular in the last fifteen yea rs. During
the same period, a resurgence of traditional
wood-veneered 'fitted furniture units' has
replaced the Formica, plastic laminated versions
of the 1960s and 1970s, resulting in high-quality
natural wood-surfaced units, made for kitchens
and bedrooms in our homes.
WORLD SHORTAGE
Sadly, because of deforestation of the world's ra in
forests, some exotic woods have either declined in
quanti ty or become totally unavail able. Strict.
import./export. controls have forced manufacturers
to look at alternative sources and new
innovations. America is actively opening new
forest management programmes to reproduce
timbers that have become threatened species, and
al ready the yield from these proj ects has made a
major impact on our imports.
Additionally, scien tific development has seen
the introduction of commercial 'Reconstructed
Real Wood Veneers' (or mul ti-laminar veneers as
they are also known) . These veneers arc today
being used alongside their natural equivalents in
the fitted-furniture industry. Reconstructed real-
wood veneers arc manufactured hom three basic
timbers: poplar, obechc and koto, chosen because
of their softness, ligh t figureless colour and large
open pores, which allow dyes to permeate the fu ll
thi ckness of the veneers. The felled logs arc first
trirmned along the length to form a uniform
re ctangul ar block of wood, which is then sliced
into veneers. A sel ected veneer from another
'naturally' grown timber is . scanned into a
computer, which reads the colour and grain
pattern of that ven eer and pass es the data to the
]!)
c:: CIlAPTER O'\!': I A'\ ],\TROJ) UCTIO:-'; TO ivlARQl.TTRY
processor. The processor calculates the correct
dye 10 copy rho veneer's colour and also works out
the gr<lin and figure suucuue from the scanned
sample. In turn , the data is passed onto the
workshop to prep<lre a mould to match the
pattern exactly. Each sliced veneer is injected with
coloured dve. After this process, the veneers arc
glued together and compressed into the mould
under high pressnre. "Ill produce straight-grained
types, sheets of dyed veneers are gllled and
pressed into flat moulds that arc then t.nrncd on
their side and sliced. To produce a wider stripe
the block is turned at an angle before slicing-
the wider the angle, the wider the stripe. To
produce a crown type figure , a mould is built to
the shape and contours or the sample and after
the sliced veneers are again dyed, glued and
pressed into the shape, the pressed block is
planed flat , then sliced to produce a croWJied
figured leaf. The end product means that every
veneer sliced from the log is identical in colou
and grain palJeJ"ll and matches the characteristic
of the chosen species. Fignre () illustrau- th.
processing stages.
The benefits of reconst ru ct cl rr-al-woor
veneers arc many, including less impact on tln
cnvironmcnt and the world's ecos)'stem and les
devastation of natural rain forests. Each batch 0
veneers produced is exactl y the same, in colon
and figure-something that could never b,
produced from two different trees of the sarm
species. Four examples of reconstructed rca
wood veneers are given in Fignre 7. The first thrc.
have a hirds-cyc {Igllre, while the Iourtl
represents rosewood.
Of the 70,000 species of trees grown OIl ou
pial let, only about :150 arc availahle cornmcrciailv
That number has greatly decreased since the mid
I~ ) 7 0 s , mainly for the reasons already discussed
Luckily, in marquetry and veneering terms, mos
-+
I
I
I
~
2 I
I
I
I
",
Information
Material flow
_J
I. Scanner
2. Computer
3. Dyeing the peeledveneer
4. Manufacturing the mould
5. Pressing the block
6. Cuttingthe block
Ftgur 0: I'rorl'ssing slagl'sjilf /IIllking reconstruried mil wood ,ieluen
.?Jill' 7: Samples 0lllyonsirl/ried mil-wood rieneerl'
~ Ihe popular species arc , ~ l i l J available and,
he re 1I 0t, suitable alternatives have now taken
. ui r place.
h-' OW YOeR WOODS
J il l' quick, sure way to learn the different species
f venee r is to start a velleer albu m. Each 'fine!'
. ..akes you look IIp refer ence books to find its
...lIl1e (s) , place( s) or ongln, its general
.e-cri ption , its uses, plus an); pecul iarities the
')('cies has to offer, You will be amazed how
hsorb ing you will find the exerci se and, before
ru kn ow it, you will have co llected over fiJiy
-pccics without even seeming to try. The hardest
lid most complex aspect to wrestle with is the
mnion name. Some species carry many
OJJ nllOIl na mes. Some carry misl eading narnes-
erhaps chosen fo r marketing reasons. A typical
e xample is Australi an Silky Oak t cardioellia
Fig-li ll: R: Fi'11l'cr albums ill :l1 ringbinders
?vL\TERL\I .S
subli mis), so named bccau: it has a silver ray
figllre, similar to that in the true oak t qur rcus),
Fort unatel y, eHTy tree ha s its unique scic-n ti fie or
bo tani ca l name, which cannot he changed no
matt er where vou are In the world. Another
example that can casi lv cause confusion is
mahogany, where th e couunon na me refers to two
distinct trees:
ICulII.Y GE:\CS SPEcms COS!MO:\ :\,u m
.II dia(,(,(II' .)'i l'i f' /t' lli([ lI/al'/o!J!ly!!a mahugany
- - - ~
JId!acNiP 1\/;1/\'(/ iiorrn sis mahoguu.
--- - -
While both the above species originate from t he
same Iam ilv, Mel iaccae, we know Irorn stlldying
the cellular structure or woods t hat the true
rnah og;lny is from th e geJJl ls Stoietenia, whose
origin is Central and South America . Other
physical properties such as colour, density, grain ,
figllre and sometimes odour arc also use-ful
identi fiers . The cellular structure, colour, grain
and Iigurc or Klutva, when examined with or
without a microscope, differs to Swi('lnli{/, and
th erefore w know that Klur;a, whose origi n is
Tropical Afri ca, is not a tru e mahogany. Despi te
this, both species, across the worl d , sha re t he
common name. There are many, llIallY other
examples or woods whose common names bear
little, if an y, resemblance to t he timbers they are
attached to. Suffice it to say that it is mll,;:h more
fun to find them out fo r You rsel f.
21
c:. C!L\PTER 0 0:[ I A0: !0:TRODl iCTlOi\: TO lVI ARQ,l i ETRY
FROM TREE TO VENEER
Q
ne living tree can offer a variety of different
figured woods, depending on which part of
the tree the wood is cu t from and what type of cut
is applied. Naturally, the trunk of the tree offers
th e main source of timber but occasionally,
outcropped growths at the foot of the tree and in
the root system provide the much sought-after
burr (burl in the CS) woods. Burrs are growths
which occur either from parasitic activity within
the tree, or induced by fores t management when
the plant is a tiny sapling. As side shoots (small
branches) try to develop, the shoots arc removed
to encourage the main trunk to develop.
Consequently, over a number of years, the tree
develops a growth protruding from the trunk at
ground level. Wh en this growth is sliced in to, to
produce veneers, it reveals a mass of decorative
swirls and knots indicating where growth has
been suspended or where parasites have been
active. This timber, unlike the main trunk area,
has no longitudinal grain direction but consists
wholly of end-grain. Burrs are highly sought after
for cabinetwork. Needless to say, they provide the
perfect background veneer to show off marquetry
work and should be used as often as possible.
SLICING LOGS INTO VENEER
Modern mechanisation and technology can
produce veneers thin enough to allow us to cut
almost all of them with a standard craft. kni fe.
Prior to this, logs had to be sawn to produce
veneers, resulting in a thickness (3 mrn , or 'j, in)
unusable for knife work. Today, on the other
hand, veneers are available in th icknesses ranging
from 0.7 to 0.9 mm, equivale nt to '/'" in to 1/>, in
respectively. Veneers are sliced from the log in
many ways, each producing a pattern so distinct
in appearance and texture that it is difficult to
imagine two veneers, cut two different ways,
originating from the same species . A selection of
the cuts, and the patterns that emerge, is
illustrated on the following pages.
22
CURL, CROTCH OR FLAME VENEER
Any of the three names given abo\'<: describes this
veneer. It is a product of the tree where two
branches split from the main trunk area,
producing a 'Y' shape. Mahogany curl is used
cxrcusivcl y to decorate t.hc: ccntrc or panels on
high-class cabinetwork. It is not the easiest of
veneers to work with , particul arl y in large panels,
having a tendency to split and buckle because the
grain direction splits at the crotch of the two
branches, causing internal stresses in the veneer.
It is usual practice to soften the veneer first, by
wetting and placing it under weights between
sheets of paper for a few days, prior to cutting.
Even after cutting, it pays to keep it under
prcssure until ready for mounting and pressing to
gronndwork.
CROWN CUT
Crown cut veneers offer the best figure
arrangement. Figure 9 shows the cut slicing
through the growth rings. First, the log is sawn
down the centre to provide a ' flat' to enable the
trunk to be clamped 1.0 a 'stay block' while the
knife, set at veneer thickness (0.7 or 0.9 rrun ) ,
slices through the trunk under the control of a
pressure head.
The resulting veneer displays sapwood at both
edges (in some species) and a very attractive
crowned figu re rising in the shape ofa 'cathedral'
at the centre of the leaf. Figure 9 shows American
black walnut (ju[!;lans nigra) veneer, with the
distinctive cathedral shape in the centre ofthe leaf
ROTARY Cur
Rotary cut timbers were first used for making
pl ywood, bei ng cut much thicker than veneers.
Rotary cutting is achieved by placing the log on a
revolving lathe. A stationary knife slices a
continuous sheet of veneer, like dispensing a
paper roll. The continuous sheet is then cut into
pre-selected panel sizes.
MATERI ALS C!:J
(klarroberlinia brazzauillensis), shown in Figure I I ,
are products of this type of cu t,
I DENTlFYIl\G THE 'I:<'ACE' SIDE
All veneers have two sides, one the right. side (t he
LIce) and one the wrollg' side (the reverse or
check side) .
There are two ways to iden tify wh ich is the face
side and wh ich is the reverse side of a veneer. It
is important to know this because the two
opposing sides have different cha racteristics and
appearance. For instance, parquetry patte rns
depend on r epeat pieces all having the same
size, colour and appearance t.hroughout the
assemhl y. If one piece is reversed and all th e
others a re face-s ide up, the change in either
colour tone or characteristic can stand out like a
beacon, spoiling the effect you arc trying to
achieve.
The reason why the characteristic and colour
changes is because when yOll turn a veneer over
the grain is laying at a di fferent angle than before,
and due to th e angle of the light hitting the
surface (light refraction) , the veneer looks
noticeably d ifferent. This on its own is not
enough to iden tify wh ich side is t he face, but if
you look again you will notice that the face side is
smoother and appears sligh tly dome-shaped, even
though the veneer is perfectly flat. Conversely, the
reverse side is coarser and flat, with the surf ace
looking almost hollowed out.
The other method of d istinguishing t he two
sides is used where medium to large leaves arc
at hand. By hol ding a veneer at ann's le ngth
along one side of the leaf, so that the grain is
running 900 to you r ann, the ve nee r will droop
downwards quite significantly if the face side is
pointing upwards . The downward d r o op is
much reduced if the reverse side is poin ting
upwards. This is because th e check side (reverse
grain direction) provides more stabi lit y to the
leaf.
MATCHING LEAVES
Veneers ar c stacked and retained in the order ill
which they are sliced off the log. This is to retain
II inerican blacl: toalnli t 4: Croil 1n cut
_ " 10: Roim} cui Bird\'-f;)'P maple
III!I
I 1' 1,
./
II
I,Ii
!J
I
II~ '
I
rll
I
If 1 II
I
I
Fi gure 11: (2uarter cut Zdnnno
Typical rotary cut veneers include the well-
known birds-eye maple (see Figure 10), kevasinga
I bubinga tree ) , masur birch, obeche, ko to and
pommelle (sepele tree ).
Q UARTER CUT
The log is cu t in to equal quarters along its length
and sliced across the growth rings as illustrated.
Thi s pro duces a disti nctive stripe figu re. Sepele
(see veneer samples, p . 24) and zebrano
... () :\ E I Ax I :\ TR( >IH CT I( ) :'\ TO .\II:\RQl.T ET RY
VENEER SAMPLES

( ;\ ( I'f /JSI'I/( !" / J!fI(11/ili S)
O rigin : Ce-ntra l Europe and
"K
San rlsh uck-s I)(' rl"<-("\ I\'

( ,\ l llgl/o!i ll gml/dij/om)
Origi n: I S \
Sa n ds had c-s vc-rv we ll
R OCK MAI'LE
(; \ (('f sarrhnrn nn
( lrigin: Caunrl a a nd Fas u-rn
I ' S.\
BOXWOOD
( 13 11.\' 11 .1' SI'III/Ji'rl'ill'i/.l)
(l rigin : Ellrope and So uth
Anu -rica (f!,YJ.I.I.1pios/J1'J'lIJ 1111I
/m(('I'!n)
L' sed fi n' making in lav lin e-s,
strill gillgs and so Oil
Saudsh udcs: Yes
SEI'ELE
( !':I/(lIlIrll1i /J"mglJlII
1)1i li dril'll III)
Origin: \\'csl and East ,\rrica
l sed for c ro sshand illg .
becallse or itx sui pcd ligllre .

(So ut h America n . S"'i ,,(til i,,
1I 11(('m/,II )'! !fI)
O r igin : I lo ud ura s, Bra zil
OBECIJE
i 'Iri plochiton s(/mJx\1"JI)
O rigin : West ,\ rriGI
:\ Iak es n -cous uurtcd n -al-
wood ve neers
Sa lids" ." los: Yes
Poxixm.r.i:
( !':II(lI lI rlm/J" mglll fl

O rigill: \I 'esl a lld Easl ,\rriGI
Rota ry-cut ve-rsion orthe
se pe k Iree
1' 01'1 .\1{
(/m/JII!II.1 .If!/i)
(lrigi n: Euro p an d Canada
Xlak cs n -roustruct cd re al-
1I'00d ve nee-rs. Sa ndshadcs:
Yes
A'\'JNGERL\
( liIIillgl'rill lf!/i)
Origin : \\'e' l ,\ rrica
San dsh adcs: Yes
\I.\TFRL\LS c;:;
BURRS (B FRLS)
l\hDRO:\A HLRR
Cvrl n u us IIIt'Jr_it'sii )
Ori gi n: Ca nada and IS\
Sandshades: Yes
ASH Bum
( h ({xi li li S ('.\I'dsio]")
Origi n: Europ e-
Sa ndshades: Yes
l\hpLE Hum
O ri gin: Call ada " lid U.S,",
Suu dshadc-x: Yes
VA\'O:\A B URR
( S(,II //Il i i / w iII/JI' I"I'i/li1i v)
Origill: Cal iforni a. \ ' S,\
Fron: t lu- g-i<l111 Seq uoia 11'('('
'. '
MYRTLE BURR
( L'/11/;1'1111 111/ -;11 mlijiJmica)
-.
.<
POPL\R BeRR
(jJo/JIIIIIS ,ljI/l)
llri gin: \ S -\
." "f'
.. '..
_. 0.
-:
Origi ll: Europe- "lid 1i s:\
Sandsh ad c-s: Yes
H' repeat of grain an d figure patt ern th at is
n h c rr -n t in each ve neer, As the log is sliced ,
-ach pattern ' slips' slightl y as th e veneers increase
) 1' decrease in width depending on the type of cut
'hat has been made.
It is Ye r)' importan t that the veneers a rc kept in
he order they arc cut , so that match iug lean' s can
he achieved when \Tneering fu rn iture panel s.
Book-match ing is where two id entical leaves arc
open ed up like a hook: as one veneer is t urned
oyer to th e r everse side to produce a mi rror image
of the fir st veneer kept ru:c side up. The reversed
vcn c r-r also takes on a n ew appearance , due to t.hc
grain lying at a different. angl e and the effect of
ligh t r e fracti o n. OnT the past decades ,
cab in e tm ake rs h an' made good us e 0]" this
p he nome non by us ing both rcvcrscrl and lace-
sid ed veneers on opposi te panel s of cabinet s to
add an additional feature.
Quarter matching in volves Iou r identical
ven e ers wh e re t.\I'O of th e four veneers a rc
reversed and th e other two retained face-sirl up.
Italian inarquctcurs make great usc of quarter
uiaulriug bv making up a p;HJ of fo ur matching
leaves (usually a burr) and add ing lour leaves ofa
pl ain white veneer (such as sycamore). One
quarter of a marquetry design is pasted to the top
of the pad and the pattern is Irctsawcd out. Aft er
ass emb ling th e fretwo rk , the four le aves arc
o pened up in book form to re veal a complete
match of the ba ckground veneer as well as the
co mple te marquetrv p a t t ( ~ r n . \ 'Iany 0]" their table
to ps and cabinet panels a rc decorate d us ing this
ad van ced u-clm iquc.
c ) CHAPTER O:';E I A:.; I:';TRODUCTIO:'; TO .i\!L\RQUETRY
TECHNIQUES
------_. _ - - -
Figure 2a: AlwaJs insert from the reoerse side
of the cut, and therefore improving the finished
appearance. we always work from the J:lce side.
CUTTI:-lG TECH:-lIQUES
There are five types of cuts used when cutting
veneers. These are: Straight, Sweep, Score, Step
and Stab.
Knowing which cut to use and where to use it is
the key to achieving good joints. This section
should be read thoroughly and the accompanying
exercises carried out until you become totally
familiar with the knife, its blade and the types of
~ v e r s e side
Insert
Window
/ Face side
I
Face side
Reverse side
THE WINDOW METHOD
The window method of construction consists of
cutting a shape out of one veneer, which is called
the 'window', and filling the shape with another
veneer, called the ' inse rt ' . Figure 2a illustrates the
'V'<shapcd sides of the window caused by the
bevelled blade and the corresponding, hnt
reversed, 'Vvshapcd sides of the insert. It is dear
from the drawing that the insert is best 'inserted'
from the reverse side of the window. Figure 2b
shows the resulting gap on the face side, which
reduces when the veneers are sanded.
USING THE KNIFE
Of all the techniques associated with this craft, use
of the knife is the most important. To this end, it
is equally important that you spend some
considerable time both reading about the tool and
practising the cutting exercises detailed below.
Most veneers these days are sliced to thickness
between 0.7 and 0.9 mrn, which means that most
are capable of being cut with a scalpel or similarly
sharp craft. knife. The ultimate aim, when cutting
veneers to shape into each other, is to achieve-as
nearly as possible-a perfect joint.
BEVELLED BLADE
The first consideration when using the knife is
the two-sided bevel of the blade. As the blade is
pressed into a veneer, the shape of the bevel
leaves a 'V'-shaped groove, leaving a wider gap on
the cutting side than on the reverse side, as shown
in Figure I.
Some marquctcurs reverse the design and ' cut
from the reverse side of the veneer, so that when
the assembly is turned over the design is the right
way round and the gap made by the knife is at its
narrowest.
This approach can create problems when the
assembly is mounted to a groundwork (the panel
onto which the veneers are glued) and you begin to
sand the veneers. When you sand the reverse side
you arc reducing the veneer thickness at the point
where the knife cut is already thinnest, revealing
the levels at which it is progressively wider.
Conversely, if you sand from the cutting side you
are sanding towards the progressively narrower part
Cutting(face) side
v
Reverse (back) side
Fig11re I: Cut resulting/rom bevelled blade
: I
I I Face (open) side
I I -=_---_---'
I I R , ~ ~ , (tight) side
__----'I L _
Figure 2b: Resulting gap on [are side
2G
First. however, we need to discuss the choice
,ile and how to maintain if.
ICE OF BL'\J)E
re are endless types of knife handle available
t he choice is a matter of persona] taste.
sc the one that feels comfortable in your
.d . Swan n Morton industrial blades of sizes
. . and I I arc the most suitable types for this
at . The IO!\ is wide and short and the I I is
.0\\' and long. Both arc the same thickness.
elaining a sharp point on the tip of the blade
All you need to do is reproduce a new
.I1l an d this is achieved by ru bbing the back of
e blade along the surface of the sharpening
ne. backwards and forwards, to create a groove
. the stone. In a matter of a few strokes, a new
int \I'ill be formed.
Each of the live techniques is illustrated in
.C' following two exercises-in the window
.ethorl and in circle cutting-which aim to
... i ula tc the problems you will encounter when
lileling marquetry and parquetry designs. To
nclc rtakc them you will need the following
. 0 1s and materials:
TECtl KIQUES (::)
Scalpel or equi valent craft kllik
tape (plus possiblYn ,]e"r lapc)
------ _.
Sted rule
Compass alld pencil
._ - - - - -- - - _ . _ - - - - -
Two contra sting 'quares ofveneer, abou t I"J Omm (6 in) Oil each
side
P\'Agllle
- _ ._ - - - - - - - -_._ -- - --
Sharpening stone
- - - - - -
Selfhealing clitling 111at
-----
Cutting straight lin es is g'enerally performed
with the aid of a ste el rule. The knife is drawn
down the veneer; making a sweeping cut. Use
your non-cutting hand to hold the steel rule
firmly in pl ace, making sure your fingers are
behind the edge that the knife will run along. The
first cut must always be a light one. This makes the
initial groove in the veneer, Second and third cuts
can be firmer because the initial groove keeps the
knife on line.
Now try cutting a straight-sided shape (a
triangle, say) to create a window, into which we
can insert another veneer. Draw a triangle onto a
piece of veneer, with each side about 50 mm (2
in) long (sec overleaf).
Figure3: Shaping a new jJoint tothe back oj a scalpe! blade
'27
c::; <:1L\I'TER 0 :\ 1'. I A :\ I:\ TROI)\"( TIO:\ TO \I.\ RQl T TRY
1 Place the rule alongthe line to be cut. Make a vert ical
stab cut at the end of the line that is nearest your body.
This forms a registration mark to prevent the knife cutting
beyond the line.
3 Place the knife back at the start of the cut again and this
time press harder.The groove you created on the first
cut will now hold the blade in place. Repeat the action until
you cut through the veneer. Do not take your hand offthe rule
until you complete the cut.
2 Angle the scalpel blade at about 2 to the vertical and
about 45
c
to the horizontal. Place the scalpel at the
end furthest away from your body and draw the blade very
lightly towards you in a light, slow, sweeping motion.As you
reach the end of the cut, the blade will drop into the stab
mark, signalli ngyou to stop.
4 Turn the veneer to allow you to cut the second side of
the triangle.Always keep your hands in the same position
throughout cutting. Cut the second and third sides in the same
wayas the first.
Stab cut
.. You have now cut out a 'window'.The next step is to
:> insert another veneer to fill the window, making a
cerfect fit.Welcome to 'The Window Method'!
Ir a veneer is open grained. or brittle and likol , to
-p lit during clllling. a useful tip is to place strips of
c-ncc-r tape onto the Elce side or the 'insert '
ve-n eer; to protect it. It also has the added benefit
or making th e scored line stand out clcarlv. The
tape can be len in place until the assembled panel
i- pressed 10 its grOlllld\\ork.
7 Remove the insert from the windowand place it on the
cutting mat. Startingat the lowest left-hand corner, make
step cuts through the scored line (shown in red for clarity) by
holding the knife vertical to the surface. Move the knife
forward 10mmfrom the corner and draw it towards you,
: utt ing into the scored line. Move forward another 10mmand
epeat, until the knife drops into the previous cut. Progress
forward like this and keep turning the veneer as you cut
around the piece until the insert pops free. Use of the steel
rule is optional.
6 Position another veneer behindthe window, holding it in
place with two tabs of masking tape. Score the insert
alongall three sides where the two veneers meet. Place the
knife at the point nearest to your body and angle it at about 2
c
to the vertical. Move the knife forward about 10 mm ('/a in)
then draw it backtowards yourself, making a light score mark
into the veneer. It is necessary to score the veneer without
cuttingthrough it. Move the knife forward another 10mmand
again draw it back until it drops into the score line you made
on the previous cut.As you get to each point of the triangle,
make a vertical stab cut to highlight the points.
8 Place the insert into the windowfrom the reverse side
and applya few drops of PYA glue to the joints. Rubthe
glue until it is dry.
2 ~ )
c . : : . ~ CII,\I'TER O:\E I A:\ I:\TROD\ ;CrrO:" TO 'VL\R(2IJETRY
CIRCLES
Cutting and inserting a perfect circle is a useful
exercise because it teaches control of the knife
throughout the process. The aim is to complete
the circle as accurately as it was initially drawn
with your cOTupass (see below).
FRETSAWIXG
A big advantage of fretsawing is that any veneer can
be cut with ease. Tropical hardwood veneers, which
arc always the most beautiful , can be used to good
effect, Cutting intricate shapes into rosewoods,
tulipwood, satinwood, African ebony, wcngc ctc.,
is usually avoided in knife work, bu t they present
no problem to the fretsaw. For furniture work, it
opens up a whole new and exciting world,
offering the craftsman a totally free choice in the
type of veneer he or she wishes to use.
TIlE PAD METHOD
A pad is simply a number ofveneers held together
with pins or staples, with a fretsaw design pasted
1 Drawa SOmm (2 in) circle on the veneer using your
compass.
30
to the top leal'. The design, in the form of a line
drawing, dictates the paths which th e fretsaw
takes 1.0 S,1\\' out th e shapes. Once all the shapes
have been cut out, removing the pins or staples
separates the pad and two contrasting designs can
be constructed. The following paragraph expl ain s
why two designs are obtained.
The fretsaw designs in this book consist of what
are called positive/negative designs. This means
that the sawn image appears in two forms, both
the requir ed colour (positive) and the reverse
colour (negative). Building up a veneer pad 1.0
make such a design requires four veneers. Of
these, one veneer is for the design and one for th e
background (these two are call ed the sandwich) .
To protect the sandwich, the third and fourth
veneers are placed above and below it (these two
are called the wasters). The bottom waster takes
the kerf of the saw as the fretsaw blade leaves th e
pad, tearing the waster as th e saw leaves the wood.
while the waster above the sandwich has the paper
design pasted onto it.
- - ---.------ -1
2 Make short step cuts by moving the knife forward IOmm
('f, in) at a time and drawing it towards you as you cut
through the line, Cut directly on the line, not either side of it,
Make light cuts on the first circuit round the circle, followed b
heavier cuts on secondlthird circuits. Keep moving the
workpiece and cut till the windowpops out.
TFCII KIQUES c:.)
Negative Positive
Pinhole
I
/\
'-
'\
-
\
Fivure 4a: ?vlaliingujJ afrl'lsawpad Figllll' 4b: Assemblingthe sawn designs
For illustration purposes (see J<if!;ure 4a), let us
make our sandwich f rom one black and one white
veneer, Surround the sandwich with two red
veneers as wasters, one above and the other below.
A paper design (a triangle) is pasted onto the top
waster, and the pad of veneers is stapled together
not illustrated). A pinhole is then made into a
convenient part of the design, and the fre tsaw
blade is inserted thnmgh the pi nhole from the
back or th e pad to cut out, in this case, an
eq uilate ral triangle. Removing the staples
separates the pad, and Figure 4b shows the four
triangles-c-the two red wasters can now be
discarded. The black triangle fits into the white
3 Tape a veneer behind the windowwith masking tape.
Place the knife into the joint where the insert veneer
meets the window. Hold the knife at a 2
c
angle to the verticle.
. ove forward IOmm ('h in) and drawthe knife backto score
tne insert veneer. Repeat the scored cut around the circle.
Place the insert veneer onto your cutting mat (not
:' own). Now hold the knife vertical to the surface. Cut
.: rough the scored line with short step cuts no longer than
mm ('h in). Short cuts keep you in control of the line you
,,-e cutt ing. Move forward and drawthe knife backtowards
-ou as before,as you move round the scored line. The insert
"'ill eventually pop free.
4 Turn the windowveneer over and place the insert into
the hole fromthe back. Put the thinnest drops of PYA
gluearound the joint and rub it inwith your fingers until it
disappears and is dry.
Turn the assembly over and inspect your efforts. Ifyou have
gaps-as you almost certainly will when you first start-begin
again, until you develop the technique. Practice makes perfect.
')1
C I I. \ I' TER O :\ E I A:\ I :\TROlll ' L TIO'.; T O TTR\'
veneer, whil e th e white tr iangle fits in to the bl ack
vcnocr-i--ln-n c the two desi gns, These alternative
designs are referred to as posit iv a nd negati\'e.
Depending on yow' needs, both ca n be used, or
j us : one. Furuiturc ma kers in the 171h cc nUlry
were qui rk to spot th e po tenti al
and pu t it to good effect. Co nsequent ly man y
antiq ue examples ex ist from thaI pe riod o nwards.
Examples where deco rat ive fretwork is prescnt on
furniture might show th e positive image on, say, a
door on one hal f of a cabinct, with th e exact
o pposite , image a p pearing o n th e
ad jacent door.
PREPAIU:\,G TIlE PAD
Con tinu ing wit.h the ' two-co lo ur des ig n '
arrangement, let liS ex pla in how to mak e lip a
veneer pad to make om: of the design s det a iled in
chapter 2: the palera. Foll ow t hc:: gu idel ines
carefully and will fr etsaw a patera succcssfu llv.
Select 1\1'<1 vene -e rs 10 form th e sa ndwic h. Figurc
!) illustrates magnolia (secon d left ) and sycamore
(third le ft) with anv two venee rs fo r wasters (left
and right) . The p,lIt enl of the pai c ra is ready Io r
past in g to tl u: pad wh en assembled . Almiys use
two \'cneers th at have a strong visual co ntras t; the
pall el'lJ co uld become lost in the backgr ound if
th e colo urs ch osen are too simil ar.
( :ul the two sa ndwi ch veneers about 2.0 em ( I
in) large r (all round) th an n eeded. Mal: sure
that th e longest measureme-nt docs not exceed
the length of the throat of the fretsaw frame.

Fi/iIIH' 5: Mal l'J7fll s! ol' fl IJIIINIl' jJlld

Fi/il/It' 6: 'Jiljli l/g IIl1d .Ill1Jilillg II/('jJ!l d
(' sing broad br own paper pa rce l tape
(a p p roxima tel y ;j () m m/ 2 in wid e ) , \ITt th e
gmmned tape a nd stick il 10 the Iacc sid e of' th e
two sa ndwic h ve neers. Taping is n 'ry impo rta nt.
because yOIl are going to be fre ts' l\\'ing ac ros'
short grains lor so me of the design . \rith Ollt tape
to stre ngthen th e ven eer, breakages will rcrt a inl v
occur a nd ruin th e wo rk . You do not need to tape
th e wast ers.
Place the lour venee rs together to form a pad .
It is us ual to han' t he grai n of' both th e sandwich
veneers travelling in t he sa me d irection. If yo ur
design is a renangle or, as he re . an e llipse, t he
grain no rmal ly lies alollg th e Iongcsrl cugth. Ift lu-
des ign is vertical , t hcn usua lly t he graill runs
vertically. If' th e design is circ ula r, usual ly th e
gl'ai ll runs hori zontal 1.0 th e shape. T he t wo
sa ndwich veneers should have th e side fadll!!
Will and shou ld he sur ro unded above and below
by th e two wasters. lise all office stap ler to punch
a staple ill each o f' th e lour co rn e rs. I Ianuuer th e
pins of th e staples fla t on th e ba se of the pad so
th at th e pad GI ll he manoeuvred wii.h case o n the
fretsaw ta ble . Usc a stick-type rub-o n pap er
aclhcsiv to pa st e the paper design ce ntrally O il
th e top waster. If t he design is a circle or e llipse.
pl ace more sta ple s a rou n d th e 0 11 te l'
circumfe re nce of t he area (sec Figurc G) . You ca n
pl ace staples into th e design area as 10 llg as yOIl
place th em wh e re the figured hackgroulld ve nee-r
wil l cvcu t. uallv res ide. Do n ot under a m
. .
circ umstance pl ace sta ples in th e whit e ve neer
'!Jat depicts t he design , because the staple holes
vill shOll' in th e finished work.
For centuri es , cab incunakcrs have chosen
.1 i!.;hly d ecora tiv ve n eers as a background to
" mple me nt t heir Irci sawn designs, Veneers such
r-, rosewood , iulipwood, kingwood and all the
est-figm ed burr (b ur l) woods arc found, The
ri rst reason for using these types ofveneer was for
.Ippearance, hut the second and technical reason
" , IS to disguise the nail s they used to hold the
xids together. The Italian marqueteurs adopt the
cry same approach rorl av, which is why a visit to
heir workshops is th e nearest you will get to
\ 1 itnessing these ccn turi cs-old te chniques,
~ f A K I : ' I G P INHOLES
You have to decide where to star: fi'ets<l\l'ing, Some
rk signs do not ne-ed <lny thinking about , whereas
nlicrs require a great deal ofsu ulv to work 0111 the
correct seque nce of cuts, The firs t things to look
lor ar c the so-ca lled ' island ' pi eces , which arc small
pi eces of th e desig'n residing withi n the bound.uv
of <I l<lrger piece, In th ese cases, the island
p iec e (s) must alwavs he- cut out first. The island
piece in th e p<ltera is the oval in the ce n t re of the
design, Thi s must lx- em out fir st because it then
allow access to the 1:2 petals that surro und the
oval , An olfe rt iv tool for making th e pinhole is ,I
craft knife, with a 'H a\l' chuck, which will tighten
onto a se\I'ing needle. It makes an ideal min iature
bradawl. An important sa le-tv tip : if YOU do adopt
this method, for safet y's sake, push the needle in to
<I wine cork when the tool is not in usc (sec Figure
7) . Pierce a hole so mewhere along the lin e of the
in ner ova l shape. Thread ,1 (i/O (o r :2 /0 if still
learning) Swiss metal culting blade Irom the hack
of the pad and connect th e hladc to th e fretsaw
jaw, Figure 7 shows al-Iegner motorized fretsaw
being used , but a hand-hold fretsaw on a home-
made fretsaw table will producejust the s.uncjob.
Figwt 7: lit lSIlWili g ioitl: II f fl'gll l'r machine. Xoll' tlie mini bratlm! ill the nnl:
c::.-; CIL\PTFR 0 :\1- I A:--.: 10:TRO[) LCTlO:--': TO yL\RQUETRY
Figurl' 8: Loading a blad, suling position
same hand around the fr ame of the saw. 1'1111 the
frame towards you and offe r th e blade into the far
clamp so that I ~ mm ('/2 in) of blade enters the
clamp. Hold the tensio n whil e you use your other
hand to tighten the wing nut, hand tigh t. Figure
illustrates the techn ique.
Finally, support the loaded pad in one hand while
you move th e saw with th e other into the cut-on
on your fretsaw table. Once in pl ace, pull the sav
blade through the pi nhole and begin fret sawin g.
LOADING A BLADE INTO A HAKD-HELD FRETSAW
First. of all , it. is best to load a blade while sitting
down. A blade should first. be inserted into the
clamp at the handl e end of the fretsaw, with the
teeth of the blade [ Icing towards the handle. The
teeth of the Swiss-type blades ar e so small that. you
will have to run a finger along the blade to
determine the di rection they are fac ing. Insert
about I ~ mm CI, in ) of th e blade into the clamp,
making su re t.he blade points to wards the
opposi te clamp and is not pointing upwards or
downwards (one of the main reasons for
breakages during loading) . Tighten the wing nut
by hand, as tight as you can ge t it . Thread th e
blade through th e pinhol e from the back of the
pad. Pull on the undamped end of the blade in
one hand while you slide the pad down the length
of the blade towards your body until it touches
the handl e end ofthe frame. With the pad resting
on your tJJighs for support, and the handle of the
saw pressed in to your stomach."ch est, us e the
forefi nger and thumb to hold the free end of the
blade and wrap th e other three lingers of the
I
I
.
.
t
I
~ .
.. .! . ,..._...Ao..-
Figllrl' 9: IJand/if/sawing on a homemadej n/sillo table
C - I:\' G TIlE HAl'D FRETSAW
rc rc is one golde n r ule that must be a pplied
hen Iretsawing a pad or veneers. Keep th e saw
en ical to th e pad being sawn . I fyou allow th e saw
tilt at an angle to the pad , you will produce a
velled cut through the pad , resulti ng in either
>: e-liui ng joints, or no fit at all. Figure 10
.llusuates cuts mad e through t he pad or four
encc rs. With a 900 cut each veneer will fit into
nv of the other th ree veneers in th e pack. The
oj ltcd cuts, however, res ult in either a loose or
-vert igh1 fir,
The 90" cuts st ill leave the pro blem of the gap
made by th e th ickn ess or th e saw blade. We have
oecn able to eliminate this by usin g the right
blade type and size (see t he sectio n on Tools and
''-qllipmenl earl ier in t hi s chapter). Using aGIO
-mallest size) metal cutt ing blade, th e ga p, once
assembled and filled wit h PYA glue, is totally
invisible .
A FEW SAWING TIPS
Ver tical Sawing To help you keep t he saw vertical ,
.rv to saw wit h your elbow t ucked into th e side of
vour body. This in tu rn keeps your upper arm still,
which helps you to co ncentra te on maintaining
he saw in the verti cal mode.
Sharp Bends For hand sawing, when you corne 1.0
a sharp turn or po int in the desi gn , pull slightly
hack on th e saw, so that th e back of the blad e rubs
on th e pad. Keep the sawing action go ing while
90 vertical cuts
-M-
tilted sawcuts
I \
Figure J0: The importanceol lifr/iral sawing
T ECII :,\IQUES c:..")
yo u turn th e pad with your oth er hand. Once you
have comple ted th e turn , push forward on the
saw and co ntinue cutting along the lin e. For
machine sawing, simply sto p push in g and turn
the pi ece around , against the hack or t he bl ade.
Going Off-line If you go off-line, do not sto p and
try to change directi on immediately. Inst ead,
gradually return to the cuttin g lin e in a smooth
'uunoticcd' co r rectio n .
Sawing Very Tiny Pieces Wh en sawing very tin y
pieces (so small th at they would drop through th e
25 mrnyl in di ameter hole in th e handmad e
fretsaw table) , ca rry out the fretwor k above th e
ha ndsaw-cut portion of the table. In t his way,
more support will be given to the tiny pi ece , and
you will be ab le to recover it from th e pad when it
is cut free. For mach ine sawing, use th e special
insert th at comes with th e machine that has a ti ny
hole for the blad e to move th rough, but not bi g
enough for sawn pieces to drop through.
Accent Lines These arc artistic lin es whi ch, III
fr cisawn designs , should he cut before a pi ec e is
re moved fro m th e pad. For example, suppose you
were cutt ing a petal or a flo ral design . Naturall y,
this would consist of one piece-the sha pe of a
petal. However, to give the petal art istic
animati on, th e veins of the petal arc represented
as ' blind cuts', better known as accent lin es. The
lines are d rawn up th e centre of a petal , hut stop
Figlllf' JJ: Dart: accent lines on each peta!
C::., CIL\I'TFR O :'\F I A:'\ I:,\TRO])l i CTI O:\ TO
short before reaching th e out e r edges. This
requires fre tsawing up each vein, turning the
blade .' ''(iO' a nd s;nring back down the vei n. Alk r
this, the petal can be sawn from the design, Alter
the design is assc mbled and before it is glued to a
baseboard, a darkened grain Jiller is squeezed
in to the gap, from the back of the assembly, giying
the petal the required ar tistic effect. Veneer tape
applied to the Lice side of the petal the
grain filler from escapi n g. Figure 11 illust rate-s the
acce nt lines, or veins r unning up the centres of
each petal and down e ither side of the centre
from th e top of each petal. To ensure th e lin es
wc r visible, a :2/0-size blade was used for cutting
out th e paicra desi gn .
SA.'J"DSHADING
Perhaps the most anc ie n t but also most impor tan t
techniq ue used in creating marquetry images is
the art of sandshading-and it is in dee d an art,
since scorching veneers in hot sand allows the
marqueteur to create an artistic image just as a
painter might do with a brush. Sometimes also
referred to as 'ani mation', san dshading veneers
has been a vital part of t he craft fro m a very early
age. Eng'lish cabinetmakers of the l Sth century
used th e technique constantly, by sandshading
the many motifs, such as Ems , u rns, shells a nd
sunburst paterac, which adorned their furni ture.
1\ number of these motifs form th e nucleus of the
tutorials within th is book, so it is important to
understand how the technique is performed and
the typ e of equipment needed.
THE TECHl\;IQUE
It is very important to ach ieve the correct level of
shading if th e ideal artistic image is to be realized.
If you undcrsh.ulc th e veneer, you might lind the
scorching is removed during the finishing
process, leaving no effect a t alL If yo u overshade
the ve neer, it will look burnt and unsightly and
destroy th e effect you arc aiming for, The perfect
shaded effect is where it is barely obvious that
sandshading h as OCCUlTe d, ye t th e three-
di mensional image is present. Subtlety and
u n ifo rmi ty arc the two effects you should aim 1.0
achieve, The following tip s will help von learn th e
skill s and improve VOI lr te chnique.
Cut ten strips of or maple vcnocr
about 100 mrn (1 in) long and 2S lJJlll ( I in) wide.
with the grain running down th e length of 1I w
strips. Heat up the silver sand, which sh ould be
about 20 mm th ick across the ]lan bas e. It
generall y takes about 20 minutes to heat up sand
to the required temperature, using a l-kilowau
heater and a cast-iron pan. (Sec th e sectio n on
Tools earlier in th is ch ap ter lor dciails. )
SAl'ETY PRECAUTlOl\S
The sand needs to be vcrv hot to burn veneers
and you will need to hold YO U I" hand HTy close to
the sand in order to inser t and remove the veneer
strips . Should a H'neer lid] OHT and lie Ila t on the
bed of sand, do not attempt to pick it up with your
fingers! 'I ouching t he hot sand with .your lingers
could cause a painful burri . Inst ead, always have <I
pair of long-nosed t,,-ceZlTSa t hand and usc th em
to rec ove r th e veneer, You should also ens ure th at
the hea ter an d pan of sand arc positioned in t he
wor kpl ace clear of other comhusrihle materials.
Finall y, always disconnect th e heat source when
yo u ha ve finis hed shading.
TEST FOR
Take a strip of ven eer and hold it between
fo refinger and thumb so that one edge of t he
veneer is bcing- th e bed of sand. Push the veneer
into the sand without. letting yo ur lingers touch
Figllll' I2: l-kilotcau heatn; iron Jilin andsilver sand
' hc sand. The veneer should penetrate about'll
,f the depth of sand, without touching the pan
base , Count six seconds, then remove the veneer,
Check for shading. If no sign of shading exists,
' he sand is not up to temperature and a further
peri od of heating is required. If the \TIW(T
.tppea rs charred black, or nark brown , then you
have left the veneer in too long or the sand is
already too hot. In this case, place a second
vc-n c o r into the sand and count [our seconds,
lie-n remove the yen eel'. It should now be
-oinewhcrc near the required shading, about
medium brown .
Practise with the remaining eight strips of
ven eer, checking that each one shades the same
. h the previous strips. Rcmc-mlx.r: subrlcry and
unifo r mitv is what you arc looking for. Cut and
practise with more strips until you become
pr oficien t in the technique.
S II ADI ;\;G FOR FANS
:\ n additional technique fill' producing shaded
ven e-e r strips for marquetry fans is ncccssary. To
achiev this, use a scrap ofveneer to pile the sand
np across three-quarters of the pan surface, then
flatt e n the sand to form a plateau. This should
now kaye. about one-quarter of the pan surface
COIll plctcly clear of sand.
Using the sycamore or maple strips, place one
.strip edge-on into the plateau of sand so that
about one-third of the veneer sticks out into the
air. Leave for about four seconds and remove the
hglllf' 14: ,\j}()tt1l1' onnrookedstrijJ
veneer, The resulting shading should appear as in
Figure 1'1, with mid-brown uniform and light
shading clown one side, but the last third free of
all shading. The unshadcd portion is important
because it creates a clear area in the centre of the
fans. Spot the overcooked strip!
An) ' floral work will benefit from shading. The
single white rose and the shell in chapter ~
require this technique, as do the flowers in the
Iircscrccu project in chapter ;'i.
No; e \ " ( ~ I T craftsperson uses this technique,
hO\\'CHT. Some rely on using different toned
woods to achieve the same effect. It's a matter of
taste and style how best \ 'OU want to illustrate a
shaded portion of art.
HAREWOOD
Harewood is a name used to describe treating
wood with mineral substances to activate a
chemical change, resulting in the colour of woods
turning from their natural state to silver or grey.
The origin of t he word harcwood is unknown, but
the effect began appearing in fiI ruiture of the
17th and IHth centuries, when it was obtained by
placing ferrous sulphate around the roots of a
sycamore tree. This was performed about one or
txvo years prior to felling and the result was that
the wood turned a silver colour. We will look at
other examples of" treating trees to change the
natural colour later in this chapter. \Jaking
harewood is Man 's wav of speeding up nature.
The wood of certain trees, if gi\'en time, will
C:) CIL\PTER 0 1\E I A 1\ 11\TRODUCTI01\ TO
change colour if the tr ee roots are expose d to
certain mineral cl ements; iron compound tr aces
in the soil can produce black or blue mineral
stain ing in the wood. A hydrangea Ilowcr changes
colour from pink to blue when the plants roots
are exposed to a solution of ferrous sulphate,
applied during th e previous growin g seas on,
Likewise , some veneers will change colour if
imme rsed in the sam e solution. The difference is
that, when immersed in the solution, a veneer will
change colour within an hour or less , whereas a
tree wo uld take a full growing season lor similar
resul ts to occur. Sycamore will only turn silver,
whereas with other veneers the colour change
varies from light to dark grey and in some cases to
black. A selection of veneers that do make the
harcwood well are pl ane, sycamore, bircl's-cyc
maple, crown maple, ash and beech .
Other veneers th at have been treated
successfully are: yew, mas ur bi rch, poplar, horse
ch estnut and aspen-and there will be many,
many more which react to tr eatment. Harcwoods
are used lor surface decoration on tabletops and
cabinet-work. Silver or grey make an in teresting
contrast wh en set agai nst natural, un treated
timbers . In pictori al work, harewoods ma ke
realistic water cff ects-s-representing seas, lakes,
streams and so on-as well as many landscape and
building features.
As the natural tannin in veneers mixes with
ferrous sulphaics, a chemical reaction occurs
through oxidization, causing a change from the
veneer's natural state to a silver, grey or bl ack
co lour. The best source for obtaining ferrous
sulphate is you r local garden centre.
The water used to dissolve the solution should
be free of foreign clement.'; which could nullify
t he ch emical reaction necessary for making
harewood. If your tapwater contains fluorides,
calcium compounds or t races of ammonia, use
distilled water, rainwater or melt icc from your
fre eze r. Finally, a non-metalli c container should
be used as a ' bath' to immerse t he veneers in the
treated water: A decorator's plastic emulsion tray
(unused) makes an ideal contai ner, as illustrated
in Figure Iil.
Figure 15: Decorators plasticemulsum tmyused as a bath
Sycamore is the veneer used commercially to
produce silver harewood, but making your own
and experimenting wit h other woods is not onlv
cheaper but much more satisfying-and a bit of
lim, too.
Sprinkle about 2 teaspoonfuls (20 gms) of
ferrous sulphate in to about 850 ml (1'/ , pints) of
water, stir to di sso lve th e crystals, then Iull v
immerse a veneer. Co mplete colour change
oc curs , in most cases, in an hour. Exc eptionally.
veneers have to be left longer to achieve results.
Not all ve neers react , though: in some cases the
wood simply contains no tannin, which i.
necessary to kick-start: the chemical change. It is
advisable. when experimenting with a veneer
you 're not sure about, to check that the chemical
change has affected the entire thickness of th e
veneer. Australian Silky Oak, for example, give
the impression that the chemical change has
oc curred, b ut sanding r eveals t hat the change is
only su rface deep. Do not be caught out; if you
are u ns ure if the t reat ment has worked, sand a
small area of th e ve nee r prior to using it.
Commerciall y, harcwood is made by immersing
full leaves or sycamore, on edge , in an upright tu b
of solution and loosely coiling each leaf, allowing
the chemical to work ac ross the entire surface.
By accident, a colleague let some soluti on
splash onto a sh eet of untreated veneer wh en
making harewood , and the [l)llowing day he
noticed a gr ey patch on his otherwise untouched
sample. Re alizing the possibil iti es this provided.
e used t he splashe d area in a marquetry picture
,1([ it provided th e artistic effect he was looking
: Jr. Trial (and error) paid off.
B LCE AND RED HAREWOOD
. am hugely indebted to my Italian marquetry
. riends for gi"ing me samples of veneers which, at
. .rst glance, would appear to be dyed. Because of
' ,mguage trans lation difficul ties at th e time, I was
.. of abl e to find out how these two woods had
btaincd the colour ch ange you see in Figure 16,
but I immediately recognized that both samples
-, ere be ech (jflgau'flI'fagus), orfagio as it is call ed
..1 Italian. I could tel l by the appearance that the
-amples could not ha ve been dyed or tre ated after
:ell ing because t he colour change was to o
,rregular and natural-looking 1.0 be caused by an y
exter nal ch emical intervention.
The Techniques of \Voor! Surface Decoration, a book
bv David Hawkins, provides the explanation of
he phenomenon: ' French cabinetmakers can
make wood of auy colour they please, by letting
the roots of the trees absorb the co loured fluids
he year before it is cut down. A solution of iron
absorbed up one root, and of prussiate of potash
up the other, will give the wood a permanent blue
colour.' David Hawkins acknowledges a previous
report on this topic in th e Scientific American (vol .
s. no. 37, 3 J une 1818, p. 296) , which can be
viewed on the magazine's website.
The other coloured beech in my example has
streaks of green, yellow and orange with purple.
to-red, and might have turned t hese colours by
the tree ab sorbing, perhaps, red ox ide up one
root with copper sulphate up another (unless one
of our readers knows diffcrcnt.) : These natural
pi gments and mi nerals wo uld be absorbed into
th e sap of the tre e, causing colour ch ange to the
heartwood over the annual grOWing' cycle.
\Ve arc not suggesting that you dash into your
garden armed with pots of pigment and natural
mineral extracts and spread a mi xture around
your favou rite fruit trees. However, marqucicurs
and fur nitu re makers would certainly welcome
of the beech examples shown in Figure
1G, and it is an in teresting question why more
producers of veneers do not treat trees to
produce these effects.
PENWURK
This is t he technique of decorating marquetry
work after the pattern is laid and pressed to th e
groundwork. The technique started to appear on
English furniture in the late l Sth century. Prior to
that, th e technique was used on Chinese artefacts
to depict sce nes wit h intricate detail. The
combination of marquetry and pcnwork has a
charm of its own . Personal items, such as boxes
and portable wntll1g desks, became very
fashionabl e whe re first marquetry and then
penwork was added, after applying one coat of
polish .
Floral wo rk, portraiture , costumes and
an imals depicted in marquetry all re ceived this
secondary process. Indian ink is applied onto
the surface of the wood using a fi ne pointed
lin ing pen. The fine lines arc drawn on th e
veneer with t h e intention of giving detail to the
design. The end re sult is very sim ilar to the
technique of sandshading, excep t th at pcmvork
highlights detail as well as shading. The two
techniques also differ in that pcnwork is
performed after the marquetr y has been
asse m ble d and glued to the gronndwork,
whereas saridshading is ca rried ouL before or
during asscrnbl )'.
Pcnwork followed the more skilled technique
of engraving, where a burin (a ' V' <shapcd chisel)

...;,,;.,=
_.
-- .
=- -.. -a' ....---.......
-.-;... _c
Figu.re 16: Coloured beech
c::." CII\I'TFR O :'\ F I A :'\ !:,\TROJ)I CTIO:,\ TO :\I.\IH21TTRY
was used to gouge out a channel in t he wood.
wh irh \I'as then filled wit h a coloured pi gment o r
dvc. Wh i lc: pe nwo rk re qu ires less skill th a i)
engraving, .ucu racv is import an t because the
indelible ink docs not g i H ~ th e art ist a second
chan ce. In gener;t!, the veneer used to il,lust ra te
the pat tern or p irtu rc an d rece-ive th e penwork is
white in colour, The contr asting ba ckgro und
veneer is usually vc-rv dark or blac k. Ebonized
pea r wood (pea r dvcd black to imitate cbonv) is
strongl y evident on ISt h- and 19th-century
furn itu re . 'I vpi cal ex amples arc to be found in the
Mu scobottega in Sorrento. Ital y.
English cabinetmakers of t he same period used
t he techniqu e to d ecorate their work. The
mat ching pi er tables mad e by Chip pe ndale a rc a
good example, whcr the central half-round Ems
arc finel y decorat ed. To day, there is a strong
school of t hought th at pcnwork dist racts from th e
true skill of m, lrquetl Y, and ce rtainly wh ere
hobbyists arc concern ed, lin e lin es, dots fo r eves
and other minute details ar c skillullv achieved bv
. .
1 Place a steel rule alongthe edge of a short piece of
black-'dyed sycamore, making sure the rule is in line with
the direction of the grain of the wood. Position the rule so
that onlyabout I mm is protruding from under the rule.With
the scal pel held vertically, cut offthe protr uding I mmof
veneer. Without moving the rule,angle the scalpel into the
veneer at about 50to the vertical, as shown above.You should
cut off the thinnest of slivers, causi ng the sliver to curl as you
cut it away.
-to
insert in g slive rs of wo od. T h is tcrh niqu i
d iscussed bel ow,
De spi te opinions for and against th e technique.
pcnwork is still cvid ou t today on Italian furn it ure.
whc r tab les. t ra vs a n d musica l boxes are
produced for expo rt acro ss th e worl d.
FINE L INES
Iu general , t he need for ins ert ing fine lines to a
m<ln]ll et ry desi gn oc cu rs more in p icto r ial
marque tn' th an ill fur n it ure. Typ ical needs a rc to
depi ct a sh ip's rigging. whis kers 0 11 animals and
st rands or h ai r. The lin es are inserted during
const ru ct ion ,
Examples of fine lines ap pe ar on th e Iircsrrccn
shown in th e Callery in chapter (j. The anten na e
of th e hut terfl ies were inserted p ri or to gluing
and mounting, nsing fin e lin es of black svr.unorc .
, As an experiment some yea rs ago . I produced a
pi ctu re of ou r dog Kcll v, ;\ Cairn terrier typical or
her breed, sh e is scru ffv h aired but appealing
(Figure 17), and th e refore I wan ted to captu re
2 Cut a fin e groove into a background veneer,Then, cut to
one side of the groove by the thinnest margin to remove
slivers less than 0,25 mmwide, Startingat one end of the
opened groove and holding the cut black sliver in your hand,
insert one end usingthe backof the scalpel. Once in place, put
a spot of PYAglue onto the end to secure it.
Figu r 1i 1.',\'1' ojjiliplines III /Jl r!orill!/I/Ill'ljlll'/n
3 The curled slivercan be slowly eased into the cut
groove,The curl of the sliver helps the insertion, Use the
back of the scalpel bladeto tease the sliver into place. Finally,
as the sliver reaches the end of the groove, cut the sliver trim
with the end and rub PYA glue into the completed line, Ifyou
turn the veneer over you should see the sliver appearing at the
back, proving that it is inserted through to the full thickness of
veneer.
the un rul v state or her hair, I could han' used a
figured veneer in shcc: form 10 depict the hair,
but , as , 111 experiment. I chose to usc fine lines
instead, lnitiallv, I used normal whole veneers lor
the cars, nose, eyes and mouth, For the hair,
literally hundreds of fiue lin es \\-ere cut Iroin a
range or different colOlllTd veneers. I cut out
small areas at a time from the dvcd blue birrls-cye
maple background yen eel', and after pouring a
pool or P \ ~ - \ glue into the window (using masking
tape to preyeut it escaping) . I spread bundles or
fin e lines into th glue. Arter placing p,lper and
boards either side and pressing it, I added more
glue and fine lines until the window was proud or
the background. Continuing in this fashion across
th e picture, I was able to build up the hair and be
selcctin: where I wanted a particular colour. On
completion I simplv sanded the fine lines llat to
the background and enjoyed the result. Kelly has
gained much admiration at craft shows,
particularly from artists, and or course animal
lovers. The message here is never be afraid to
x pcri mcn r.. Wood-surface decoration has
experienced many techniques O\'(T the last four
centuries. Some, like sandshading and pcnwork,
have survived, while others, like engraving, have
d isappeared completely from the repertoire or
marquetry techniques. It 's up to future
generations first to experience the past, then
experiment. develop and excite the world of
woodcraft with their own brand or bold and
imaginative ideas.
There's a quotation by an unknown author,
which reads:
])0 not follow ioheir the j)({th 11/(/)' lead
(;0 instead tulter then is 110 jJath
an d 1mVI' a tmi!!
As yon begin chapter :z and examine and build
the patt erns created by those Ii'\th century
English masters or nco-classical design, you will
quickly r ealize that, by example, they collectively
blazed a trail that designers and-furniture makers
across th e world have followed Ior the last two -
hundred-and-fiftv Years,
11
CHAPTER TWO
TUTORIALS
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
, Inlav motifs ' , as most of the standard 1Sth-
cel:tury marquetry patterns have come to be
known, were first introduced as plaster casts for
decorating ceilings and cornices. Robert Adam
(I the renowned Scottish architect and
designer, is recognized for making fans, shells and
paterac (singular: patcra) fashionable additions
to the design of interior doors in many statel y
homes around Britain.
In 1767, Thomas Chippendale (171H-79), the
most famous of all English furniture makers,
worked 'with Adam at Harewood House, near
Leeds in Yorkshire. Edwin l.asccllcs, then owner
of the newly built house, gave Chippendale the
grea test corn rnission of his career-to Iurn ish the
house from top to bottom. Chippendale and
Adam saw the opportunity to collaborate and
produce designs that would create a specific style
(now called the nco-classical) embracing both
plasterwork and furniture, The result is that
today, corner fans, oval fans and semi-circular
fans, as well as shells, urns, swags , anihcmions and
floral work are as strongly evident in Ch ippendale
Fif"J1/1'P 1: DianaandMinl'l'va commode, Hareuood House
12
furniture as thev are in Adam's ouistandir .
ceilings and cornices.
Other renowned cabinetmakers of that and lat
periods, such as Sheraton and Hcpplcwhitc, al
used these designs (disseminated in publicatio
such as Chippendale's book, The Gentleman a
Cabinet lHaker\ Director, 1704). Their continuit _
popularity years later speaks for itself.
One feature most inlav motifs have in cornmr
is that they depend heavily on sandshading,
technique of scorching veneers in hot silver sal.
to achieve an impressive three-dimensional cffe
(see the Sandshading section in chapter I f
details). This, and the fact that some fan dcsigr
can be constructed from templates, makes th en
the perfect motif for introducing students to t\,
of t.hc: craft 's basic techniques.
Marquetry Ems remind me of my first worki nz
days as an apprentice organ tuner and renovator
The shape of the fans bears a close resemblance
to the organ pipes that decorate church
interiors, for instance at my local Town Hall it
Lcorl. Above the organ frontagc, whi cl-
dominates the Victoria Hall , sits a giant forty-
flute circular Em measuring some 6 m It) or
more in diameter. Perhaps the wor k by architcc
Cuthbert Broderick in the 19th century indicate
that he beli eved, like me, that the affini ty
between Adam's Ems and t he decor of orgam
was too strong to ignore. 'Ye know that Ada m
worked on proj ects with .John Snctzcr, a
renowned Swiss organ-builder. 'Vas it this
association , perhaps, that offered Adam an
opportunity to illustrate his musical passions
using his artistic skills?
With the history that these motifs embody in
our minds, let us bcgin the first tutorial and hope
that you , like lIJany others, will continue to buil d
and enjoy these timeless creations.
ASSE:--mu:,\(; F\:'\s BY T il E TDII'L\TE \IETIIO]) (:::
ASSEMBLING FANS BY THE TEMPLATE METHOD
T
emplates begin life as paper designs that
need to be transferred onto wooden boards.
Iedium Density Fibreboard (MDF) makes the
..cal medium for this purpose. Once a template
built , it can be stored in th e workshop and re-
'l 'd ove r and over aga in, in the knowledge that
nrc constructions will be identical in size and
ape to earl ier productions.
xlarquctry fans arc found on items of fur niture
nd fittings around homes through out Eu rope,
..1ppearing on table legs, table tops, carver chair
ar ks, cabinet tops, cabinet doors and drawers,
travs, j ewellery boxes, wood-surround fireplaces,
..i irr or frames and so on. Of all the motifs made
.. marquetry, the fan occurs more than any
-thcr, Generally, fans appear as corner fans , oval
:'aIlS, circu lar fans, hall-round fans and diamond 2: Pape: templates
.a ns, each type ch anging size and shape
depen ding on its application . Simi larly, the
i umber of flutes that make up a fan changes with
size and design requirements, ranging from a
lour-flute corner fan found on cabinet doors and
drawer fronts to the impressive oval fan
found sometimes on cabinets and the
r en trcpicccs of gallery trays.
The first two tutorials teach you how to make
three types of fan. Both the outward- and inward-
cur ving corner fan are illustrated, followed by
the 2H-fluted oval fan. Once you have followed
the technique for constructing these, other
shaped fans can be made in exactly the same way.
It is only a matter of 'transferring th e paper
design onto an MDF board and following the
tutorials given here.
Each of the paper designs can be found in th e
Ap pendix. You may have to scale the dimensions
up or down to sui t the application you are
working on but the standard design pattern will
remain the same. Figure 3: Sall/jJles (1Jrms
43
C:.:) C l l.\!'T ER T\\(> I T t:TORl.\I.S
TUTORIAL 1\"0 . 1: CONVEX C OR.:.'\"ER FA..'\"
, .
. . 4: ".$ ,
.
1 Using a steel rule, drawtwo penci l lines, a ruler width
from two adjacent edges of the MDFboard. Place a
pencil into your compass and set the radius to 50 mm(2 in).
REQUIRED
-----
Scalpel
Steel mil'
( :' "11 pa"
Prot rart or
!'ellcil
Silver sand. hOI slon' and pan
CUlling' hoard
CUlling in.u
REQURED
- - - -
(, Illlll (i , in) .\IllF board. 100 nllll ((, in) square
Svramorc or mapil' \"( ' 11('('1". 1:10Ulln (:) in) square
. n-ilwood or bUIT\TUITr. 100 nnn H ill) squar!'
\""n"" r rape
.\Iasking lap"
2 Draw two arcs, one at 50 mmand a smaller arc at a
radius of 15 mmCI, in), with the compass point held
where the two border lines intersect. Extend the larger arc
into the two border areas, as shown.
Line up your protractor so that the 0 and 90 marks
correspond with the two border li nes. Make three pencil
-.2. -ks. one at 45' and two that bisect on either side, namely
::.5' and 67.5. Naturall y it is not possible to be ultra-precise
: : , alf a degree, but be as close as is humanly possible.
- Cut 4 strips of sycamore (or maple) veneer, each
130 mm(5 in) long and 25 mm (I in) wide, with the
running along the length of each strip. Use your
cutting board and two 2p coins as spacers. (A2p
: : in happens to measure 25 mmin diameter.)
Heat a pan of sil ver sand and create a flat 'plateau' of
sand across the centre as detailedin the Sandshading
section of chapter I (p.37). Shadethe str ips.
;\SSF\ II\!.I:\(; F.\:\s BY n n: 1'1-:\ [1'1..\'1'1-: \11-: '1'11 0])
4 Using your steel rule, line up each mark with the axis of
the two borders. Extend the lines into the outer edges of
the MDF board, as shown.
That completes the template design. Nowyou are readyto
prepare the veneers.
7
Place the first veneer strip as shown. Make sure the
shaded area of the veneer li es between the two arcs.
The area below the small arc (shown in red) should be free of
shading.This is important for the final fin ished appearance.
Holdthis veneer in placewith maskingtape. Position your
steel rule across the first flute line and cut through the veneer.
This completes the fi rst flute.
.1:",
c : : ~ Cll APTER "1\1"0 I T UTORI ALS
8 Place the second strip with the shaded side joined edge-
to-edge against the first strip.Again checkthat the
shadedarea ends at the small arc.This time secure the two
strips together with veneer tape. Lick the tape, making it very
wet. Place across the joint and rub dry.As the tape dries, it
contracts and tightens the joint.Make sure the tape covers the
area over the large arc.You can overlap veneer tape without
any problems.
1 Use a 2p coin to form the scallops at the end of each
flute. Push the coin into the flute until you can see where
the coin meets the two sides of the flute and the arc that you
drew with your compass. Drawround the coin. Do this for all
four flutes .
4tl
9 After fitting and cutting the four flutes, makesure the
assembly is heldto the MDF board with a fewtabs of
masking tape.
Scribea second arc with your compass, set to a radius of 50
mm(2 in), as shown above.
11 Using your scalpel, cut through each curved scallop, but
make sure veneer tape exists where you're going to cut.
The fragile points at the ends of each flute will certainly break
unless protected with tape. Cut through each scallop in turn.
Make a light cut first, then go over the same cuts again, this
time pressing harder until you cut through.The practice
exercises in the Using the Knife section of chapter I (p. 28) help
beginners to understand the technique of free-hand cutting.
Take a small piece of decorative border veneer (burrs are
ideal) about 80 x 50 mm (3 x 2 in) in size.With the grain
-_"1ing along the length of the veneer (note: burr veneers
: : "sist of end-grain. so the direction of grain does not apply)
: l :e the piece under the four flutes. and secure to the board
: masking tape. Set your compass to a radius of SS mm
: . in) (S mm/'/. in larger than the fi rst arc) and scribe an arc
:-:Jss the border veneer as shown.
ASSE:\lBI.I :-\(; Fxxs BY T il E T DIPL\TE ~ I E T I I O J ) c::
13 Score a line with your scalpel where the 4 scallops meet
the border veneer. Place the scalpel at an angle of about
2from the vertical (no more) and score a line across the
border veneer. Start at a flute nearest your body and move
forwards step-by-step, scoring into the veneer. Make upright
stab marks where the points of the flutes are. Score all the 4
scallops and remove the border veneer.
/
Tum th e Ian over an d admir e your
work.
Note that th 7}(!11{'(;/' ta/iI' must stay on
until theJan is gl ulid 10 its intended
ajJjilication.
The tap( : is cas ilv rem oved simply by
wettin g, whi ch causes the tap e 1<; .
swe ll so that it can be pushed off the
ven eers using the end of a steel nile.
I With your scalpel heldvertical to the veneer,cut
squarely through the scored line until the waste is
-s:noved. Cut through the pencil line that forms the arc. Offer
:- s cut border to the 4 fluted scallops and checkfor a tight fit.
5s: ure the 2 together with veneer tape. Finally, cut away the
: .srhanging side pieces on either side of the border veneer.
- ne corner fan is now complete.
17
<".::;."1 CI L\I'TER 'I\\'() I Tl'IORL\IS
T UTORIAL No. 2: FIVE-,FLUTE CONCAVE
CORNER FAN
TOOLS REQCIRED
--------
Scalpd
- - - -
Stcd rule
Pen cil
or "I' co in (or othe r coi ns 11in ] and Ixnun I 'j, iu]
diameter respeni\"('h')
Sill'" r sand , hot sto\"(' and pan
Cnlling boa rd
Cll1 1illg mat
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Ii nnll ('/ , in) \I[)F bo ard . 1: , 0 nun (Gill ) squa re
--- - - -
Sycam ore or maple \'el)('(1". l3 0 llnll (" in ) sqnare
Anv redwood veneer (burr of" mahog.mv. scp ck-, etc. ) .
100 nun (4 in) squ ar e
---- --------
Veneer tape
tape
Shar pe ning stour-, to re grind point on sca lpel blad e
,I N
The lans shown above cousist of six flu te s and arc
lJ/ollJl It'd illio 'he surround 1\' ithoul a hordeI', TId-
tutorial shr nvs hem' to make a fivc-Ilut c d inward-
cur\'ing Ian , hut you can substitute the six-flu ted
versi o n . whi le still j()llm\'i ug th e s.mn - instrurtions.
I
I
,/
1 Copy the template given in the Appendix and carefully
cut out the paper design using a scalpel. Using a piece0 :
MDF about ISSmm (6 in) square, draw two datum lines, a rule
width fromthe edge down two adjacent sides,Tape the paper
design as shown and markoffthe 4 lines of the flutes.Also
drawaround the curve of the fan using the paper pattern as a
templ ate, Retain the paper design for later usc.
.--
A SSF\ Il\I.I :\ C Fxxs BY THE T DI I' L.\T E \ I ETII O]) c:;;
!..ine up the rule with the marks of the four fl utes and the
: entral axis,and extend the lines as shown. Draw a
- er arc (freehand) that starts and fini shes 2Smm ( I in)
_ ~ the 90
c
axis.The arc is shown in red for clarity.You're
_ ready to buil d the fan.
omplete all fi ve flutes. Lay the paper template back
across the flutes and draw around the curve of the
: ate using the edge of the paper as a guide. Make two
-. : (shown as red arrows) about 3 mm ('/, in) inside the
:: of the paper template. Remove the template.
3 Cut and sandshade five strips of sycamore by following
steps five and six of the previous tutorial (convex
corner fan, pAS).Tape the fi rst flute with masking tape to the
left-hand side of the template. Line a steel rule alongthe first
co-ordinate and cut through the veneer with a scalpel. Fit the
second flute up to the first making sure the sandshaded area
stops at the inner arc (red line). Secure the two veneers
together with veneer tape.
5 Use a coin of 2Smm ( I in) or 18mm(3/, in) diameter to
drawthe scallops around the ends of each flute.
,ID
c::;.-; CIL\I'TFR Tml I TI ' TORL\LS
6 Place the fan onto your cuttingmat and cut aroundthe
curves using the scalpel. It is important that veneer tape
is positioned where you are cuttingthe scallops,The tiny
points will break jf not protected with tape,
8 Lay the fan up to the curved line and centre it so that an
equal border shows across the ends of the fan, Secure
both assemblies and score around the flutes with a scalpel.
Remove the fan and cut through the scored lineand through
the pencilled curve.
7 Lay the paper template across the red veneer (burr is
best) and drawaround the curve with a penci l.
9 Marry the border to the fan and secure together with
veneer tape.That completesthe fan assembly.
T CTORIAL No.3: 28-FLuTE OVAL FAN
ASSE;\lBU:-\G FA"S BY THE TE:--fPL\TE :--lETlIOD c:.:"
OLS REQUIRED
- - - - - - - - - - -
_ ;wl
- - 1rule
<if

_ coins (or other co ins of 25 mm / 1 in diameter)
------
er sand, hot stove and pan
.. z-nosed tweezers
" ing board
.unu mat
- - - - - -
Cut a pieceof MDF or ply about 250 mm(lOin) wide
and 150 mm (6 in) high. Drawx and yeo-ordinates
across the board as shown.
_lake two photocopies of th e template (p. 1(2) . Cut
ut the largest and smallest oval on one copy, for
-c at step 2. Cut out the second-largest and second-
-mallcsr ovals on the other copy, for usc at steps 4
:md J4. You may lind it helpful to make hardboard
..r plywood templates from the paper originals.
REQUIRED
- - -
Gnun ('/, in ) ,\ IDF board, 250 x 150 mill ( l Ox 6 in)
- - - - --
Ven ee r tap e
-- - --_:_ - - --- ------ ------ - - - -
Masking' tape
--_._- ------ _.__._- - --- --- - - -
Red wood ,"cn cer, 250 x 150 mill (10 x Gin ) , gr ain along long axis
Sycamore venee r, 700 x 130 Illlll (2S x 'l in) , gr ai n along short axis
51
c::.-: CII APTER 1\1'0 I Tl 'TORL\LS
3 Line up the steel rule across each opposing diagonal ar;
draw pencil lines through the design, extending the li nes
about 5 em (2 in) beyond the template. Complete this for eaz
of the 28 flutes. Retain the paper template.
,--
- --
\
i
T
2 Line up the large paper template with the xy co-ordinates
and secure in place with 4 tabs of masking tape. Draw
around the inner and outer ovals with a pencil , thus
transferring both shapes to the MDF. Register the top of the
template and the MDF board with the letter '1'. Extend the 28
flutes by marking with pencil as illustrated.
4 Using the smallest template, line it up with the xy
co-ordinates and drawa pencil linearound the inner
oval (we used a wood template here).Thisoval linewill
become a guide for laying the sandshaded strips of veneers,as
will be evident later. Remove the template.
5 Prepare some sycamore or maple veneer for making 14
strips 130mm(5 in) long and 14 strips 100 mm (4 in)
long. Use two 2p coins as spacers and on your marquetry
cuttingboard cut the strips as shown.Cut a fewspares of each
size in case some are not sandshaded correctly. Note the
direction of grain.
Assrxisr .i:: F. \ :-;S BY T IlE c::.;
/ /
T
/
.. _ 1) 1. ' '' i ,' I ' : J'' ,

I I I I I
-- e I
6 The 130 mm(5 in) veneer strips are for the flutes at
the two ends of the oval, while the 100 mm(4 in) str ips
: for the flutes along the two middle areas. Sandshade each
:: the veneer strips along one of the sides. Follow the
-structlons given in the Sandshading section of chapter I
: . 37). Make sure you achieve an even shadingacross all strips
: nd leave one-third of the length unshaded, as detailed in
:lapter I.
7 Lay the first strip of veneer with the sandshaded side in
line with the top flute at 12o'clock on the design. Make
sure the sandshaded area of the veneer li es in the area
between the outer and middle ovals. Hence the need for that
oval shown in red.The area below the red oval must be clear .
of shading. Make sure the veneer covers some of the centre
oval space.
/
r
8 Holdthis first strip (only) to the MDF board with
masking tape. Place a rule across the first co-ordinates at
I o'clock (or II o' clock if left-handed). Using a light sweeping
cut first, cut alongthe side of the rule with the scalpel, getting
fi rmer with each cut, until the veneer waste is removed.That's
the first of 28 flutes inserted.
9 Pl ace each strip edge-to-edge agai nst the previous strip,
moving clockwise around the design (anti-clockwise if
left-handed). Make three checks on each st rip:
I.The str ip must overlap the outer oval.
2.The sandshadingmust end at the middle (red) oval.
3.The strip must overlap part of the centre oval.
No te that the ven eer tape must stay onuu til the
is glued to its int ended application (see p. '17) .
Gi CHAPTER Two I T UTORIALS
After laying the fir st strip, all th e remaining
strips will be held together usin g veneer tape. It's
very important to lick this tape well, making it
\"Cry wet, Place th e wet tape over the joint of the
two veneers and rub th e tape wit h you r fingers
until it dries. As it d ries, the tape contr acts and
tightens th e joint being helel. You must also
make sure th e tape covers the area aro un d the
outer cu rve. YOl! can overlap th is tap e if needed.
r
10 As the pattern builds up on the template, place tabs of
. masking tape every 5 or 6 strips to the outer edges of
the veneers.This prevents the assembly slipping off line.
/
f
./ J
11 To lay the final , 28th flute, first remove the masking tape
from the first flute. Slide the final strip under the edge of
the first flute and bring it up to the edge of the 27th flute.
Checkthe sandshaded area is correct and that the strip
reaches into the centre oval.Securethe strip to the 27thflute
with veneer tape.
')4
12 Place the steel rule across the top of the first strip,
bringing it in line with the shaded edge. Using the scalpel.
cut throughthe 28th flute, making sure you reach into the
centre of the design to cut away all the surplus veneer.
F,\'.;s Ill' THE TE\II'UTE \IETIIOll (';:)
./
/
\
/
, I
Turn the first two or three flutes backand remove the
surplus veneer fromthe 28th flute. Securethe last and
- r: fl utes together with veneer tape. Finally, write a letter 'T'
_ he tape of the 28th flute, so that you can identify the top
. ::- e assembly.
14 Place the second-largest paper template, lining it up
carefully with the xy co-ordinates across the flutes. Hold
with tabs of tape, then drawa pencil linearound the outer oval
by restingthe pencil against the edge of the paper template.
Remove the paper template.
/
../
1'" Place a 2p coin (or another coin of 25 mm / I in
:J diameter) so that it just touches the two joints of a flute
: n each side of the coin. Drawaround the coinwith a pencil.
' epeat this for each flute.This creates the scallops at the ends
:: each flute. Ensure that veneer tape is in place where you are
: rawing the scallops. Remove the assembled fan fromthe MDF
:oard after drawing all 28 scallops.
16 Place the assembly onto the cuttingmat. Using a scalpel,
start at a scallop nearest your bodyand make a vertical
stab cut at the start of one scallop. Move the knife forwards
about 6 mm ('/. in) and cut through the pencil line and veneer
by pulling the knife towards the first stab cut. Continue these
steps until you reach the end ofthe scallop.Turn the fan
assembly over to see the finished effect.Although this is the
backof the fan (the side to be glued down), it gives you an idea
howthe face side will look after and tape removal.
CI I.\I'TER Two I Tl.;TORL\J. S
You should 11 m," sec why it 's important to have
veneer tape whe re ~ " O ! l C li l Ihe scallo ps. \ r ith o!lt
t he tape, th e two poi nt s forming the scallop would
break because of the short grain .
17 Cut all the scallops in the same way. For the border yo_
need the largest paper template and a sheet of
decorativeveneer (colour of your choice), approximately
250 x 150 mm (l Ox 6 in). Burr woods make excellent borde .
for fans. Tape the fan across the veneer and score around the
28 scallops. Remove the fan and cut out the scored lines.
Remove the windowand insert the fan.
18 Place veneer tape in line with the xy co-ordinates, then
li ne up the largest template. Draw around the template
with pencil to create the oval shape. Cut around the pencil line.
Finally, turn the fan over and examine your efforts.You
should be looki ng for evensandshading, a clean centre without
shading, and a border of equal width.
:; 6
The tape shouldstay on until the fan has been glued and
mounted to your chosen furniture item.After the glue has
dried, wet the tape and push it off with the end of the steel
rule.
'I'm: W!:"I)O\\' \IFTIIOI) C:,,)
THE WINDOW METHOD
-,
..
,
variations In the design, prompting fresh ideas
along the wav, we hope.
The second tutorial -calls for individual
expression. The single rose-s-with its leaves, stem
and sharpest of thoms-makes a good for
the lid of the box project giyen in
chapter :J . A single rose inset across the lid of the
box can t ransfo rm this project into a romantic
mission
The compass rose is perhaps the oldest design
in this book. Dating back to the 16th century
when earl y compasses consisted of jus! Jj
pointers-north, south, cast and west-s-which
cvcntuallv advanced to () pointers, then 8, then 12
points, which represents th e :i-minute intervals of
a clock Dice. Finall y, th e I f)-pointed rose became
the modern standard, consisting of 8 large points,
each separated by 8 smaller points. The design
given here has man)' applicarions. With its J(i
points radiating outwards like a modern sunburst,
the design looks impressive set either as a
centrepiece for an occasional table, a tray or a box
lid. By selecting two contrasting veneers, the
compass points take on a three-dimensional
appearclllce.
,r-.." '.
:>7
FiglM 1: Compass IYJW'
T
h e window method of construction offers
marqueteurs the scope to express th emsel ves
.., r e artisticall y than any other tYlw of
ms t ruct ion , Introduced some fifty years ago by
,(' Marquctrv Societ: of Great Britain , rl:
r.cth ocl has . become the accepted technique
lo ng hobbyists for making pi ctures a nd
-co ra ti ng small items of furniture.
I n its simplest form, the window method
.msisrx of cutting out a shape from one veneer,
hich is called tile window, and filling the hole
another ven eer of th e same: shape, which is
a lk-d the insert. The in sert vene-er is carcfullv
-lcctc d and positioned in the window so that the
-:Iin , figure, te xture and colour an artistic
q ) rese n tation of the object under construction.
Fro m its advent, tile window method allowe d
,1arq ueteurs to go to amazing lengths to achieve
em.ukablc realism in their work. Inserting a
cnr:cr into a window can now range frorn one
d rge veneer-to represent a " sky, a distant
rnoun ta in or the wall of a building, say-to the
'Irinn cst sliver to represent a eat's whisker or the
u pil of an eye. Portraiture has become
o mrn o n placc , wh ile birds, butterflies and tigers
.i n look like they will leap ou t of the yery wood
hcv are made from.
For centuries, floral work included in furniture
lccora ti o n has been built with a fretsaw. \Vhile
he tool is still a important part of the craft
and its usc and clfect is amply -de taik ! in this
hook (see chapter I , p. :Ei), it cannot compete
wit h the window method when 'realism' is what is
requ ired .
Two floral designs arc included m th e
following tutorials. The first, a compass rose, IS
-t.u ula rd for furniture application and consists of
' Iraigh t-lin e cutting. f\ compass rose offers
begin n e r s an opport.unitv to produce an
ap p eali n g design rhat takes on a three-
dime n sio na l ef fect when the construction is
com ple ted . It also allovcs yo n to experiment with
c::; CIL\PTER T\I'o I TUTORIALS
TUTORIAL No.4: COMPASS ROSE
TOOLS lU:QUJRED
Scalpel
- - - - -
Steel rule
- -- _ ._ - - _ .- - -- - -- ------ _ ._---- -
Line drawing design
- - - - - - - - - --_ ._ - -- - ---- - - - - - - ---
CUlling mat and board
- -- - - _ .__ ._- _.._ ~ . _ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
~ x 5p coins (or other coins of 18 mm I i, iu diameter)
- _._- - - - ---- - ------ - ----- - --
Compass and protractor (onl y needed if the sizes arc to be changed
from the design provided)
A completed design drawing is given in the
Appendix, p. 163. If you wish to change the
dimensions Irorn those given, all that is needed is
to change the radii of the four circles, but at the
same time maintaining their ratios. A compass and
58
MATERIALS lU:QUJRED
Dyed black and maple harcwood used he re (red and white venee rs
could be used instead) , 300 mm (I? in) lengths
Any contrasting backgrouncl veneer (Bur r ash lISed here)
- - - - - - - - - - - - ~ - - _ ..- ._ - - - -
Veneer tape
Masking tape
--'--- - - -
Paper glue
protractor will be required to redraw the des ign,
but the method of construction follows the step-by-
step procedures given below. The lirst step is to
pre-assemble the 1\\'0 veneers, representing the
compass points.
Tm: WI:\"DOW METHOD C ;
1 Using the design given in the Appendix, first makea
photocopy, then cut out the paper pattern bycutting
:.: Jut 12mm('f, in) beyond the outer circle. Using any suitable
::'"Jcr gum, stickthe paper template onto the selected
::,,:kground veneer and press flat by hand.
2 Using your cutting mat and two suitable spacers such as
2p or Sp coins,cut six strips of veneer about 300 mm
(12 in) long. Cut three of the strips from dyed blacksycamore
and the other three of silver harewood (treated sycamore), or
two veneers of your own choice.The width of each strip must
be about 6 mm('/4in) wider than halfthe widest part of one
largecompass point.The grain must run down the length of
each strip.
3 Place one silverstrip alongside one black strip and make
sure it's a tight edge-to-edge joint.Secure the joint with
veneer tape alongits length. Do this byfirst stickingsmall tabs
of tape across the two veneers, then stick one long length
cetween the two end tabs. Overlap the tapes slightly. Repeat
-vith the other strips.
5 Turn the assembly over so you are looking at the bac
Place one of the pre-assembled str ips under the wine:
with the taped side facing away from you.Align the strip so
that the centre joint of the two veneers exactly lines up .: -
the top and bottom points ofthe window. Tapethe insert s:
to the main assembly securely, using masking tape.You will
begin to see the wisdomof pre-assembling the two veneers.
Having them held together makes alignment with the comp'
points much easier.
4 We are now ready to cut out the first of the eight large
compass points, shown in red. Using a steel rule and
scalpel, lay the rule alongside one of the four lines, which form
a largecompass point. Make a stab cut at the point nearest
you. Keep the blade up against the rule and draw the knife
down the veneer towards you until it engages the stab mark.
One or more strokes might be needed to cut through the
paper and veneer. Move the workpiece around and repeat this
operation to cut through the other three sides of the compass
point.Try to cut the points as sharp as possible.
-.
...._. ---- _ . -
6 Using your scalpel, score around the joint where the
insert veneer meets the main veneer.After scoring, put
the strip onto your cutting mat and, following the scored line,
cutout the compass point. Insert the compass point into the
windowfrom the back and run a thin bead of PYA around the
joint. Rub the glue into the joint until it dries.
7 Repeat for the remaininglarge points, making sure the
colours alternate, black/silver/black etc. from one point
to another.The face side of the assemblyshould look like this.
liO
8 Cut out all eight small compass points,following the lines
ofthe drawing on the face side.When you have finished,
:urn the assembly over; it should look like this (note that the
oed background is onlyto highlight the illustration-you should
ce using a cutting mat).
10 The face side should have the tape and the paper design
still on the veneers. Leave them on until you have glued
and press the assembly to its intended application. To remove
:he papers,wet them to cause them to swell, then use the end
of a steel rule to pushthem off, or use a cabinet scraper.
Tm: \\'I:--:J)()\\' Mi-ruon e'.::.')
9 Insert each of the eight points in turn, making sure the
black/silver colours are laid on opposite sides to the
large points.This waythe colours alternate black/silver all
round the design.
1I This construction leaves the design cut directlyinto a
background veneer.An additional step would be to join
up the eight 'flats' across the tips of the large compass points,
using 1.5 mm ('/" in) stringing, as illustrated here (see the
stringing and banding section inchapter 3).
61
c::... CJJ APTEH 'I'm J I T FroRI ALS
TUTORIAL No . 5: A SINGLE ROSE
-- - - -- - - - - ----
TOOLS REQUIRED
- - - -- - -- - --- - - --
Scalpel

- - - --- -- - - - ---- - - -
Silver sand , hot stove and pan
Line drawing
--- - - --- - - - --- --- - - - - --- - - -
MATERIALS REQUIRED
Poplar veneer, L'iO nun (6 in) square
Sycamore veneer, 100-nun (1 in)
India n rosewood or nUll 0hD square
Sepele--;;r kevesinga mill (1 in) squa;;--- - - .
;;,:;;;, ve;eer to as waster, _ .- - -- - --
Carbon paper
Ylasking tape
- - - -- -- - - ----- --- - -
PVA glue
The veneer sel ecti on given above is to make a
wh ite rose: but other colours can be mad e using
th e fo llowi ng veneers: ash burr-s-off-white:
madrona burr-pink; pcar-s-pinkv-purplc; cherry-
pale pi 11k; ob ech e-cr eamy-whitc ; Rosa pcroba-
rose-red, A line d rawi ng of the ros e is given in th e
Appendix, r 16 1.
62
1 Position the line drawing over a waster veneer and
in placeacross the top edge. Place the sheet of car_:
paper under the drawing with the carbon side facing the
waster veneer. Using a pencil , or an empty ballpoint pen
(without ink), carefully drawaround the lineto transfer
drawing to the waster.Awaster veneer is preferred to t :
actual veneer the rose will be cut into.This way the fini s ,,--
rose can be positioned precisely where it looks best.
THE WI"DOW METHOD <::)
, /
2 To build the white rose, you need two veneers: poplar
(left) and sycamore. It's best to sandshade the four edges
cf the sheet of poplar before building up the rose.This allows
ou to select which part of the veneer you want to use for
each petal.The sycamoreveneer will be used to represent the
:op edges of those petalswhich curl over. Don't sandshade
the sycamore.
4 Start at one of the outer areas and cut out one petal.
Slide the poplar veneer behindthe windowand turn it
until a small amount of shading is shown on the base of the
petal. Thisgives the petal'depth of field'-a three-dimentional
feel-and creates a curving image. Note that the petalsto the
left and right of the bottom petal are cut in before cuttingin
the curled edge of the bottom petal. This requires you to
realign the paper drawing exactly, and redrawthe curled edge
using the carbon paper.
3 Start assembly fromthe bottom of the drawing and work
upwards to prevent gettingcarbon on your hands. Make
step cuts as described in the knife cuttingexercises in
chapter I (p.30).
5 The inner petalsare best depictedwith lighter-coloured
top edges, and this is where the sycamore comes in. First,
cut in the lower part of the petal, making sure to use some
area of sandshading to provide depth of field to the petal.
Secondly, cut out the curled-overtop part of the petal and
slidethe sycamore behind the window.Turn it around until the
grain is running parallel across the width of the petal.Cut it
out and insert in the normal way.
63
/
7 As you proceed towards the centre of the rose. -
need to insert a few darker areas to create depc -
the curled part of the petals get t hinner as you near t :
centre.Working to the line drawing and gettingthe
sandshading in the right place is the secret of buildi ng .
realistic rose.
6 Insert the curled edge, represented bythe sycamore
veneer,and glue in with PYA. Already the rose is taking
on some realism. Note that, unlike in the previous tutorials,
veneer tape is not needed to hold the pieces together.The
smallest beads of PYA rubbed into the joints leave the rose
visible throughout construction.This lets you judgethe artistic
effect as you progress.
C 3 : . ~ CIL\PTFR "I'm) I TUORL\LS
i
\
8 This piece surrounds the centre of the rose and needs
sandshading on the inside of the curve.You will notice
that the insert (right of assembly) is not sandshadedat this
stage. Step 9 explains how to achieve shading to the inside of
this awkwardly shaped piece.
9 Place the end of an old teaspoon into the jaws of 2.
metalworking vice and squeeze the tip of the spoo-
together to form a channel. This allowsyou to direct hot
exactlywhere you want it. Hold t he piece with the tweeze
and pour the sand so that it falls onto the area in questi -
where it will start to scorch.You can see in the picture tn--
the outside of t he piece is free from shading.The spoon is -
simple but very effective tool.
10 The finished rose can be removedfrom its waster and
used to decorate the lid of a jewell ery box. In this way,
you can positionthe rose across a chosen background veneer
to give the best impact.
12 Cut out the stalkof the rose, includingthe two thorns.
Select a dark brown veneer, such as Indian rosewood
(very appropriate for this project). It will stand out from the
background. Cut it into the window in the normal manner.
Place some veneer tape across the rosewood to prevent it
breaking up while cutting.
'I'm: \\"I:'\DO\\' :YI ETIl OD C:;)
11 Hold the rose in placewith tabs of masking tape while
you'back-cut' it into the veneer,This means using the
rose as a template to score around the petals.After scoring,
cut the background veneer out on your cuttingmat to create
the windowfor the rose. Insert the rose fromthe back. Glue
in place with a few drops of PYA.
13 Cut in the leaves, half a leaf at a time, In the example
here, green Cyprus burr veneer was used (a timber that's
sadlyno longer avaiiable).You could use green magnoliaas an
alternative, or a red veneer. It may surprise youto knowthat on
many roses the leaves nearest the flower turn red. Check it out!
The finish ed white rose is used to decorate the
j ewellery box projec t de tail ed in c 1 l a p ~ c r :i ,
c:; CIL\I'TFR Two I TUTORL\LS
THE FRETSAWMETHOD
T
he fretsaw is the oldest method of cutting
veneers, and is still in existence today. It dates
back 1.0 the early part of the l Gth century, when
veneers were sawn off the log in thicknesses of
about 2 mm CI, in). In fact, some exotic veneers
arc still sawn -cut hilt the majority are sliced from
the IO}4 by means of a }4uillotine. Today, veneers
are cut into shapes using a fretsaw (called a
coping saw in theCS) where the vertical action of
the blade performs the cut, This was not the case
until the latter part of the J8th century when a
bench-mounted saw called a 'donkey' was
invented to saw through veneers with the blade
held horizontal to the work-t he reason bcing
that, without the benefit of electricity, craftsmen
had to re ly on natural daylight to
perform close-cuu.ing
work such as ~ i ~ ~ ~ I I ! ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
this. It ~
Figun: 1: Fieuooil; by student AlanRollinson, Yodi College
{if;
consisted of a bench t ha t the craftsm
mounted-as if straddling a donkcy-raising h
off the floor. The saw was positioned at the vc
top of the wooden frame, (hereby elevating
work high enough to allow the frame and
man to be positioned under a window, th ere
gaining maximum daylight.
Despite th c difficult working condition
furniture makers from the Ifith to the I
centuries produced work of remarkable quali
Their exquisitely crafted marquetry a t
parqnctry decorations are now proudly preser\'
in stately homes and museums across Europe.
It is also encouraging that fretsawn marqnel
is still widely practised across Europe and .Nor
America to this day. Hand-held and motori z
fretsaws, ultra-thin blades, and thinly cut vcnce
provide the basis on which small- to medium-si x
workshops thrive in a highly competitive cr aft-
orientated industry. Chapter I det ail
today's fretsawing tools and equipment.
The following tutorials detai l the
three-stage techniques (bui lding th
'pad', frctsawing, and assembling th
design) which, despite the intro-
duction of modern tools and equip-
ment, have witnessed little change
from those earlv days. These
; /
techniques will no doubt continue
lor as long ,LS customers across th e
world demand wood-surface
decoration of their furniture. The
three techniques accompany two 181h-
century designs-the shell and patera-
which provide th e perfect subjects to gel
you started. These have been chosen Jell' a
number of reasons: they are achievable fo r
beginners; they allow furniture restorers to
effect repairs to two popular decorations; an d
they require the all-important sandshading to
provide the nccessary artistic realism.
T l T ORIAL No.6: SHELL
. J(' shell is an ideal desigu to get Y011 started with
. t' fre tsaw. First, because it is rcl at small and
nsists of only a few pieces, and second, because
.. desig-n appears on tens of thousands of pieces
. anti que Iurniurrc across the world. If you arc
rk. ing or intend to work in Iu r n iurre
oratiou, you will certainly be required to
air or replace this design at some time in your
. life. Like many motifs they suffer damage
m either water spillage or the effects of central
ling in modern homes. Figure 2 shows some
the different shell designs you could
.counter, There are others as well , and you may
ed to search through catalogues and reference
iks to find the one you want.
The horn-styled shel] was introduced duriug
late I St.h century, on small furn iture items
ch as clocks, trays, sewing boxes and
-rsonalizccl boxes. Because of the variation in
' , les, furniture restorers have the ongoing
roblcm of matching the right style of shell to the
_unaged original , particularly when some of the
cces arc missing. In cases where parts or the
nlav have been lost, their impri nts sometimes
Tin: FRETS",\\' Mrrnon c::
remain on the glue line, or enough of the pieces
survive to make a match,
In these cases the repairer should make ;1
drawing by laying ;1 shee t or tracing paper over
the inlaycd shape and carefully drawing along the
imprint or the gluclines, (if visible) and around
th e edge of the design. Laying the pencil side-on
to the edge of the veneer produces an accura te
' ru bbing' (th e sharp dark line of lead Irom the
pencil indicating the edge of the veneer) . II' a
match can be made to an original design or other
reference sources, a line drawing can be
produced sufficient for Irctsawing a new shell into
the existi ng window.
This tutorial explains how to construct such a
shell. The drawing is given in the Appendix. Make
a photocopy or the drawing and cut a rectangle
around it to the size or the veneers you use to
build the pad (sec steps 1 and 2 below) .
BUILDING TIlE PAD
Chapter I explained the techniques of a
pad and fretsawing, so it is advisable to spend
some time studying that chapter prior to sta rting
this tutorial (see pp. ;)()- :3(i) .
Figult, 2: SOllie 11 [/1'1'1/ 11 /;':1' sliel! desiglls
(,7
C l l. \ I'TER 1\1'0 I TlTORl.\LS
REQLJIRED
l Iand rr" l,a\l ' (uuuhinc 1' 1''' can also lx- lIs"d) with Swiss uu-tal-
cnlt ing (i/O hlad c
--------------
Fn ' ts,l\\' tab!c ("; {'(' chapter] fo r iusnu rt ionx 011 ma king' this)
--- -
Scalp el
OnJc(' stapler
P:n hammer
Small scr('wdr in'r
Silver sand. hot , ton' and pan
-- --- - -
vlini bradawl (needle sl'l illto handle or a '!:j;", nan-knife hold,')')
NlATERIAl.' i REQCIRED
----------- - - - - - -
Syca lllo re. box\\-o(HI a nd pO;JIar H' lll' l' rs. plus t \ H )
\'('n('('r tap(' (or :;O-Iltm / " ille parcel lap(')
Paper glll(,
P;I)H'r (lcsign (line drawing )
----- - - ------------
:\ otc tha t the tools. materials, method o f' bllild ing
th pad an d th e method ofasscmblv is idcutical for
the patera design ill the next tutorial.
2 Place the poplar, boxwood and sycamoreveneers
between the two wasters, making sure the taped sides
are facingyou. Fasten themtoget her at each corner with an
office stapler.The pins of the staples should face the bottom of
the pad. Paste the line drawing onto the top of the pad and
add a few more staples around the edges of the oval design to
give support to the pad. Hammer the pins of the staples flat
with a pin hammer.The pad is readyfor fretsawing.
(iH
1 Cut sycamore, boxwood, poplar and 2 waster veneers
larger than the size of the inlayed area by 25 mm (I i"
in both directions.The grainfor t he four veneers should rur
alongthe width of the oval inlay. Stickwide parcel tape
(or veneer tape) across the face sides of the poplar, boxw
and sycamoreveneers.
3 Using a sewing needle set into a 4-jaw craft-knife holder.
pierce a hole anywhere alongthe line of the piece to be
cut out. Insert t he fretsaw bladefrom the backof the pad
following the loading technique detailed in frctsawing section of
chapter I (p. 34). If you have practised fretsawing, you should
be able to use a 6/0-size blade (the smallest) for this pad.
Ot herwise use a 2/0 or 4/0 size. Cut the parts out in the
order inwhich they are numbered on the design. I have
fretsawn the most intricate piece (the wavy edge of the shell
opening) as cut No. I, as shown here.
4: Cut out No.2 by cutting alongthe wavy line, turning the
pad with one hand as you keep the fretsaw vertical to
- -;: cutting table.As you complete the wavy line, turn to cut
- :urved lines alongthe bottom of the body and neck of the
- I. Remove the cut pieces and keep them safe.
: :utting in this sequence you are retaining most of the
of the assembled pad for as long as possible. Separate
:- pad by removing the staples with a small electrical
dr iver.
6 Cut a piece of gummed plastic bookbinding film, sticky
side up. St retch it across a piece of card. Laythe
: :xwood background veneer onto the sticky surface of the
" I. wit h the paper side facing you.Assemble the sandshaded
: eces one by one, paper side up, to buildthe shell. Place
eneer tape across the whole shell, then peel it away from the
: astlc film. Centralize the tracing paper template across the
- otif and cut alongthe oval line to complete t he inlay.
Ti u: FRET S.\\ \
5 Make a dry assembly with the untaped sides facing you.
Use t he boxwood for t he background oval, the sycamore
for the body of t he shell and the poplar for the shell opening.
This gives you an idea where t he sandshading is required to
provide t he 3D animation.Take each piece in turn and
sandshade the areas shown on t he fi nished shell at step 6.
Shade very, very lightly to obtain the natural effect- -delicacy is
of the essence here. (See t he Sandshading section of chapter I,
p. 36, for details.) Do not worry if the protect ive paper curls
up as you shade. It has already done its job by keepingthe
pieces intact during sawing.
If YOU have- use-d a (i/O-size blade to fre tS<I\\- the
the glue use d to install tlu- inlav will fill th e
gaps without rrar c. Ilvou hav use-d a bla de th icke r
than (i/O YOl I ma v 10 mix na tura l col oun d
grain fill er with a lillie 1'\';-\ gille an d push it int o
the ga ps wit li a spatula. Th e veneer tape on t h e-
bee side prevents the filler esca pi ng.
Ii!)
.-:- CI L\PTER '1''' '0 I T I:TORL\LS
Patera (plural: patcrac ) mean ing a fla t dish, first
a ppeared in plaster moulds as a bas-reli ef in
friezes. Circula r di sh-sh aped cas ts of floral
rosettes decora te ce iling-s a ud friezes in many
st atel y homes across Europe . Circu lar and
elliptica l patterns were later intro duced as a
marquetry dec oration and arc now considered
arch ircc tura l fe ature s on neo-classical furn iture.
Of all the patterns in this book, the p.ucra is th e
perfect: type for fretsaw work. It demands close
contr ol d uring sawi ng, togeth er wit h the most
Figllre I : Freisatnn /)([1era
70
\ \)\\\'.h \)\ 's"'t\l l:\'i,\Y.\I:\ \\\ t!, \\) .. \h
hollowed dish-shape d image, It is argua bly the mos
impressive inl ay motif of all and our cxpcric nc
has shO\\'I1 it to be the top choice with students.
The roscuc, made up Irom 12 petals, re quire -
12 ' blind' cuts to form th e ce nt ra l vein of ea ch
petal. These which stop short of the' ends of
each petal , are known as accen t lin es and arc .u
integral feature when Irctsawing floral and foliage
desig- ns . The accen t lines arc arti st ical lv
hi ghli ghted by backfilling- wit h a coloure d grai n
filler prior to glui ng the motif to a baseboard.
'I'm: FRETSA\\ :YIETIIOD c;:;
:...S REQUIRED
- - ------_._---- -
ahle (see chapter I lor instrurtions on lllak ing thi s)
------,. _ _ . _ _.
Iluiagnolia is not available, an y contrasting but
highly decorati ve veneer will suit, such as vavona
burr, elm bun; kC\',L'i inga or pommeJlc. This veneer
limns th e hackjnouud Ior the patera design.
The ro sette should be made nsing sycamore ,e, th e
first choice, preferably with a ripple-effect tigu ring.
Altern ative choices arc bircl's-cye maple, ripple
maple or poplar. Essenti ally, th e ros e tie should be
made from white or creamy-coloured veneer.
- - ---'---
nnncr
- -raplc:
._ - - - - - -
.ret-aw (machin type can also be used ) with Swiss meta l-
, li/ Oblad
-anrl, ho t stove and pan
r,Hlawl (ne edle set into hand le of a -lj aw craft-knife holder )
,re veneer (ri ppled if available)
---
:- Ilia veneer, plus 2 wasters
- --------- - -----
till" r or pi gnwnt
rtf tape (or 50-nnn / 2-in wide pa rcd t'lp e)
r zlue
f desigll (see Appendix)
- - - - - - - -
binding \Tneer and st iff car d
- - -
Note that a I-legner motorized fre tsaw was nsed to
cut this II' you have not used the fretsaw
before, please practise before attempting this
design. Some schools and colleges do have these
machines available lor students' usc. A 4/0-size
bl ade was used to cre ate the gap in the
acc ent lin es. The hand-held fretsaw and table used
to saw the sh ell (previous tutorial) is perf ectl y
ade quate 1'01' cuu ing this desi gn .
To see ho w to asse mble the pad and fretsaw the
init ial cuts, go to chapte r l : Tech niques (p . 32).
1
First, cut out a petal.Next, cut out the tinytip of the
petal separately, as shown here on the fretsaw table.
2 Remove the petals one by one, making sure you cut
down the smaller accent lines that penetrate each side of
the leaves.After removing a petal, remove the curled tip
separately fromthe very end of the petal.
71
<;:: CI L\PTER T\I"O I Tl : TORI.\LS
\
\
3 Separate the pad by removing the staples with the small
screwdriver. Select the 12 sycamore petals and sandshade
themas illustrated here. Be very careful not to overburn the
tiny ends.
4 Lay a sheet of plastic bookbindingfilm across a stiffcard
and assemble the petals and their matchingtips into the
magnolia background. Don't worry about identifying which tip
belongs to which petal. No two petals or tips of petals are
alike and it quickly becomes obvious which window each one
fits. Make sure the taped side of the assembly is facing you.
7'2
- I
V'
I
5 Stick gummed parcel or veneer tape across the 12 peta
making sure the entire design is covered with tape. Pre:.
the tape down with your fingers until it feels dry. Draw an ov
around the design. after centringthe design across the
assembled patera and following the edge of the paper with a
pencil.Cut out the oval with a scalpel. Turn the assemblyover
place a spare piece of the magnoli a veneer behind the tinya _
and score, cut, and insert it into the window. Finally, remove
the plastic fil mfrom the back of the design.
Tt u: FRETs.\\r :Vl tTll o n
...
.. .
.........
Stringing: using a length of 1.5 mm (,Iein) boxwood
stringing, fit it around the circumference of the oval. Place
- -otif onto your cutting mat. Start in the centre of one side
: -'2 shape. Make elongated nicks with your scalpel into the
_ : ~ edge of the stringer. This allows the stringer to bend into
~ oval edge without breaking.The nicks should penetrate
: . ~ than half the width of the stringer and be spaced about 6
( I. in) apart. Put beads of PYAglue between the string and
_ : ~ ~ and rub dry after mating the two surfaces. Hold in place
: - masking tape.
8 The final act is to bring life to the accent lines you
created during the fretsawing.You need a pot of 'natural '
i.e. not coloured) grain fille r and a dark pigment powder.We
ave used two colours here, Brown Umber and Raw Sienna, to
obtain a mid-brown colour.The large piles of pigment are only
for illustration. In reality you only need the tiniest 'pinch' mixed
with the grainfiller.
7 Tojoin the two ends together invisi bly, place one end
squarely on top of the other and make a 'scarf' joint.This
is a diagonal cut made with the scalpel at a very acute angle.
Cut through both stringers by pressing downwards on the
scalpel. Remove the waste ends and bring the mating ends
together with a spot of PVATape and leave the assembly
overnight to dry.
9 Spread the filler into the gaps of the petals.Work it in
while the fi ll er is soft, then scrape offanyexcess to leave
a smooth surface.The veneer tape on the face side prevents
the fille r from escaping.That completes the patera. (Note that
this pict ure was taken after the patera was cut into the gallery
tray veneer described in chapter 5.)
(2) CIIAPTER Two I TtnoRL\LS
PARQUETRY
P
arquetry patterns are a product of cutting
veneers into uniform shapes, consisting or
straight lines cut at pre-determined angles. It is
generally considered that parquetry developed
after its characteristic shapes and arrangements
were used on other types of application. The
method of laying out geometric shapes, for
instance, derived from the French word parque,
first used by farmers and gardeners whose fields
and Ilowcrbcds were laid out in uniform shapes
and sizes. The word also carne to apply to a
parqueteur, someone who laid uniform blocks in
prescribed patterns to make interior floors.
In this section we have put together some
traditional and proven patterns together with a
relatively modern design to finish. Parquetry
demands exactness, or the completed pattern will
not work. Therefore, it is important to use the
correct tools and equipment when preparing and
cutting the veneers. To this end, we have returned
to a method used during the 1Ht h century /'<)1'
cutting parquetry stock. A simple mitre box and
gents padsaw provides the means or producing
accurately cut stock for the construction of
. .
precision parquetry. This method will be used on
two of the designs: the Louis Cube and Chevron
parquetry. ALter many years experimenting (and
discarding) countless type or parquetry
guillotines, both homemade and manufactured.
we have thankfully resorted to the tried and tested
mitre-box method. Once the angle is made in the
mitre box, you know that every sawn piece will
have precisely the same dimensions. You ar c
advised to read the section OlJ Tools an d
Equipment: For ParquellJ, in chapter I (p. 9) for
detailed instructions 011 how to construct th e
simple box and purchase the appropriate padsaw,
if you don't already possess one.
' 1\\' 0 basket -weave arrangements of contrasting
patterns, but similar construction methods.
provide an opportunity to apply sandshading to
produce three-dimensional effects. Needless to
say, the number of parquetry patterns is endless.
This small but interesting selection will, we hope.
feed your imagination and encourage further
experimentation of your own.
Let us first, however, start your introduction t.o
parquetry work by making the most basic and
perhaps most used parquetry design in the world
today: the chessboard.
hgure /: The most w i d p ~ \ , used !Jllrt/uplly design, the chessboard
74
U SE THE FORMULA
Dimensions = (S X 8) 1 (B x 2) ~ 1" where S = width
of I square in mrn; 13 = width of border in mrn;
and I, = length of each side of 1he finished board,
I n mm.
-rORIAL No.8: CHESSBOARD
i- is the most basic, yet most useful parquetry
:gn or all. Whether you are constructing a
-ssbo a rd to be used for international
rnpctition, where the squares have to be flO mm
_ in ) square, or making a miniature board to
..uch pocket-sized chess pieces, the mode of
nstru ctio n remains the same. This tutorial
-umcs you are constructing a chessboard to
r-rn a ii o ual competition dimensions. Should
III require a board or different dimensions,
rnp lv change the calculations giyen below to suit
-ur own needs.
Please note that only metric measurements arc
_, cd in this tutorial because parquetry demands
ccuracy and consistency, Providinjr approximate
imper ial equivalents alongside metric would only
c' nfusc the assembly.
First, calculate the size of the board or table by
deciding 011 the size of one square; multiply by 8
[() calculate the board's playing area; and add a
borde r to each side to frame the chessboard.
Example: I square width ~ 50 JIUll
50 x H= 100 mm
bonier width = 7:Jmm x 2 = 150 mrn
length of each side = 550 mm
PARQ1;ETRY C)
Farl y chessboards usually consisted of black
and white squares. Today, we use many different
vcnccrs of contrasting colours with attractive
grain and figure , giying a classical and pleasing
appearance. The combination of veneers
recommended for the two contrasting squares
(dark veneer given first) arc:
American walnut burr and masur birch
European walnut and ash burr
mahogany and sycamore
There arc many more combinations you could
try fill' yourself'. or vou can mix and match some of
" ' /
the above, as long as you achieve a clear contrast
between the colours. Avoid using dyed veneers as
they make a board look artificial and garish.
GRAI:-< Dnu:cTION
Parquetry relies on two basic clements for
achieving symmetrical cllccrs, namely: straight
lines cut at predetermined angles, and direction
of the grain. The latter is ycry important in
constructing a chessboard. Five strips of one
veneer arc cut when only four are needed for the
following reason : the direction of the grain and
the figure should be continuous throughout the
assembly. If we only cut four strips of each veneer,
alternate lines of squares would have to be turned
round 1800to achieve the staggered pattern. This
means that the grain and figure would be lying in
opposite directions on every other line. This can
show a pronounced characteristic change in the
appearance. Some veneers show this change
more than others and it usually becomes more
apparen1 when polish is applied. Reversing the
angle or the grain and figure to the direction of
light causes the change. Put. this to the test.
yourself by taking two matching leaves of any
veneer. Look at the face sides, then turn one
veneer 180
0
without turning it over, and yon can
usually sec the slight change ill appearance. You
can avoid this by cuuing five strips of one veneer,
which enables you t.o alternate the squares
without having to reverse every other line.
7 ~
C:) C IL\PTER T \\-o I Tl 'TORI.-\I.S
TOOLS REQUIRED
vlarqncuv cuuing hoard
Steel stra ight edge
Sleel set''1 11are
---- - - - - --
Scalpel
REQUIRED
Dar k vr-ncer, -150 x gOO llllll (;-, strips )
Ligh t veneer, -150 " llllll (,I slrips)
Border, (iOO x :150 nun
\" ' lll' el' wpe
\ Iasking lap"
- - - - -------
1 Select two cont rastingveneers, making sure they are
slightly longer than the fi nal board width and wide
enough to get four strips from one of the veneers and five
strips from the other (it doesn't matter which you use for
which quantity), Cut two spacers from scraps of wood, both
exactlythe width of one square, Retain the st rips in the order
you have cut them, Number them 1-4 and 1-5 if it helps,
76
t.
2 Alternate the strips as shown,securing the joints with
veneer tape. Note that the short vertical lengths of tape
should be put in place first, followed bylong lengths covering
:;le entire joint of two veneers. Make sure you wet the tape
thoroughly to achieve good adhesion. Place the assembled
::rips up to the cutting board fence and linea steel setsquare
:J one edge.Cut the edge square with the scalpel.
4 Turn all nine strips over, so that the untaped sides are
facing you, but still in number order. Place strip I on the
cutting mat, bring strip 2 up to it and staggerthe squares one
by one.Align the squares accurately so the joints continue ina
straight line, not doglegged. Holdthe strips in place
temporarily with tabs of masking tape.When all eight strips are
fi xed, turn the assembly over to the taped side.
3 Using the same two spacers and the steel straight edge,
cut eight strips,again keeping them inthe order you have
cut them bynumbering them 1-8.This is to retain the grain
pattern throughout.
5 Hold the strips together with lengths of veneer tape.You
now have two layers of tape, the second at 90 to the
first layer. Cut offthe protruding9th squares from each side.
That completes the playing area.
6 The central playing area can be glued to its baseboard
before fitting the borders.Tolearn how to achieve this,
follow the instruction for two-part pressing found in chapter 3
(follow the typeA border, pp. 94-96).
77
CIL\I'TER 'I'm) I TL'TORL\LS
TUTORIAL No.9: LOUIS CUlm
The Louis Cube received its name became it
appeared on furniture in the latc-l 'Zth and early-
18th centuries durin p; the reip;n of Kinp; I .ouis XIV
of France (1(j43-17 15). The design, however, was
evident much earlier than t his. The three-
di mension al cube IS a classical h igh-style
parquetry desip;n that has appeared on
cabinetwork throughout France , Germany,
Holla nd an d Fnp;land . Many derivatives of the
name have emerged since that period, due to the
usc of the pattern on other handcrafts, such as
fab ri cs, cross sti tch an d tapestry.
Three veneers of contrasting colour make up
the design, with each veneer cut to the same size
and at the same 60" angle. Setting the p;rain of t he
veneers in three different directions is the key to
ac h icvi np; the impressive three-d imensional
image, It is therefore possible to create the image
using just one veneer.
The most impressive combinations of veneer
co lours I have seen for th is design arc red, light
brown and white. This in t urn corresponds to
veneers su ch as mahogany, boxwood and
sycamore. The jewellery box shown in Figure 1
usc scpclc, ancgre (aningeria) and sycamore.
Alternatively, you may want to experiment with
three co mpletely di ffe rent veneers of your own
Fig1llY 2: Close Ii}! rle/lli! ojthe Louis Cube
choice. 'Ill calculate the quantity of each vcn
needed, simply measure the area to be covered
the design and divide bv three.
, The size of the cubes should first be decided.
general fur niture usc, the smaller the cubes.
better the effect, As vou increase the size
classic image is dil uted until eventually it is
altogether. Remember t hat each cube compri
three veneers cut into diamond shapes, ea
exactly the same size. The diamonds, which 1II
up the three-sided cubes in the jewellery
shown in Figure I, arc 9 mm C/ s in) wide. Let
assume you are to usc that size in this tutori al.
Figure l:jewl'flery box using sepele, anegrf (ani ngeria] and sycamore with a rosewood S11lTOLIJl d
7H
TIlE CUBES
I$ REQUIRED
---- -
re box
erail Sin\"
. bevel
.:eOlllctry set
board

..' ru le
- - - ---_ ._-- _.
il
----- ----------
h TERIALS REQliIRED
pit- or sycamore ,"" ne ers (size depending on design )
--- -
lOl.: any or sep ek ,"" nee rs (size dependi ng on design)
- - - -
", ood or :megrc veneers (size depend ing on design )
rrihoan l sheet
'\-hinding film (sec Snppliers. pa ge ITi )
2 Tospeed up sawing the diamonds, bunch about 6 strips
together and tape them at one end. Make sure the pencil
ne on each strip inthe bunch is facing upwards. Place the
rntaped end of the stack up to the gate of the mitre box,
making sure all 6 strips are directly underneath each other,
then sawthrough t he stack. Repeat this for each of the three
veneers that make up the design. Keep lifting the gate to clear
sawdust fromthe mitre box, otherwise a build-up can cause
naccuracies.
1 Using your marquetry cutting board and two identical
spacers, cut strips about 150 mm(6 in) long fromall
three veneers, with the grain running along the length of each
strip. Drawa pencil li ne along the length of each strip before
cutting, to identifythe direction of grain.The width of the
spacers determines the width of each diamond.
Mak e sure von ha ve constructed your mitre box
(see p. 9) befor e proceediug to ste p 2.
3 The materials you need to assembl e the cubes are a
piece of pla incardboard slightly larger than the size of
the pattern and a roll of clear plasticgummed film, the sort
used for bookbindi ng. Drawxy co-ordinates across the plain
.card as shown. Stretch plastic film across the card, securing it
on the backwith masking tape.The film's backingpaper
protects the gummed side and the parquetry when stored out
of use. It also helps to keep your hands offthe gummed
surface when assembling the cubes.

( ~ ) CIL\I'TER Two I T VroRIALS
4 Use the tip of the scalpel to pick up the first diamond
piece (any colour) and place it onto the gummed paper,
so that it sits across the xyco-ordinates of the card. Rest the
heel of your hand on the turned-down backing paper to keep
steady while positioning. Make sure the pencil lines on the
diamond pieces are facing you.
6 Workingoutwards towards the edges, build up the cubes,
keeping an eye on the assembly and making sure it is
kept square. Keep the joints tight and in-line. Remember that
one error is multiplied in parquetry work, so take your time.
Build the pattern larger than you need, so that, when trimmed
to the final size, the outer edges will consist of halfpieces,
which should balance both left-to-right and top-to-bottom.
1'0
5 Place the other two colours, as shown, to compe:=
first cube. Note the three different directions of ~
highlighted bythe pencil lines.The point ofthe cube at
all three pieces converge should be sitting directlyon tc:
the point where the xylines cross. It is important to cres
uniformity of the design, left-to-right as well as top-too: _-
Only bystarting in the centre can this be achieved. If t : -
does not fit perfectly together you have cut the angles
Recheck your work now.
7 Note that the assembly is now ready to be cut to see
See howthe pattern is balanced left-to-right and top-:.:
bottom, making the piece totallysymmetrical. It may be
advisable at this stage to rub a little PYA glue into the join:.:
but make sure onlythe tiniest amount is applied and well
rubbed in. Note that the gummedfilm must stay on the face
side until the assembly is glued to a baseboard (see p.83).
For instruction on mounting and bordering, see
ch apter 3.
- r ORI AL No. 10: BASKET WEAVE-
TIC TYPE
_et weave parquetry offers two designs for
iture decoration. The rustic and the panel
, arc variations on the same theme and both
d sau dshading to illustrate the three-
cnsional effect, but at the same time they are
'C different in their final appearance. Their
_ '. J: Box with rustic t)})e Iii/slip{ toeaueOil the lid
P\RQl iETRY C::;
names offer some clue as to their appearance, the
rustic haying an Oriental look, while the panel
design offers a 1II0re formal decorative option.
The rustic design is an ideal pattern for
decorating boxes, trays and small tables while the
panel type, as the name sng'gests, provides a
uniform panelled background on furniture to
which other re-lief Illarquetry Illay he added.
)"i' 2 Close-lIj) detail a/therustic t)'j!edesign
HI
C:") CIL\PTER Two I T UTORL\LS
TOOLS REQUIRED
- --- ------------ - - - ------
Scalpel
( ~ ! I U i l l g board
----
Silver sand, ho t stOYC and pa n
Steel rule
MATERIALS REQUIRED
- - --- - --
Allegre or boxwood ' TlWCf fi)J- thc weave
- - - - - - -
Scpcle 'Tneer Ji,r the infill
Plastic bookbinding film (see slIppl iers list)
Cardboard
Note that the amount of ven eer you need will
depend on you r project In gencral, 80 per cent of
the surface will be covered by thc wea ve and 20 per
cent by the in/ill.
3 Turn the two spacers so that the 6mm('/4 in) thickness is
used. Place a sandshaded strip against the fence of the
cuttingboard and,with a steel rule laid across the strip and the
spacers,cut all the sandshaded strips into 6mmpieces. Note
that you will be cuttingwith the grain this time. Let's get
weaving!
R2
1 Make two spacers 18mmc/.in) longby 6mm('/, in)
wide.Cut the weave veneer bycuttingeach sheet 75 m
(3 in) wide and 150mm(6 in) long, with the grain running
along the length. Using the marquetry cuttingboard and the _
mmspacers,cut the veneer across the grain. Drawa pencil li ne
alongeach strip as a marker to avoid veneer reversal during
construction.
2 Sandshade both edges of eachstrip along the length.Afte
sanding, slightly moisten the veneer by nipping a wet
spongewith finger and thumb and running them downthe
strips. Stackthe veneers between 2 scraps of wood, held
together with a rubber band to prevent the strips fromcurhn;
4 Find the centre of a sheet of cardboard, cut to the
measurements suiting the panel you want to build.
Stretch gummed plastic bookbinding film across the card and
secure the film and its protective sheet to the bottom of the
card with masking tape. Secure the film onlyat the top of the
card, so that the protective sheet can be folded down as you
stickveneers to the gummed surface.
: s important to build fromthe centre.That way, the
; :;. :tern stays symmetrical to the panel you are filling. Tryto
22p the piecesas square to each other as possible as you
. them on the plastic sheet. Because the pieces are so
; - all, it's not possible to be precise and you will find that
:- 2 infill windows left bythe weavewill vary slightly in size.
:: cn't worry unduly about this because,when the infill
2neer is inserted, the difference in size adds to the final
-_stic appeal. '
6 Place the red insert strip into the infill window, scoring
the veneer with the scalpel to make a good fit. Remove
::- " strip, cut off the infill and insert it backinto the window,
:,_'Id up the pattern in this waylaying first a fewweaves, then a
"II lnfl lis. "
P.\R<2,llFTRY (:.)
5 Cut strips of sepele (infill) about ISO mm (6 in) longand
6 mm('/. in) wide.The grainshould run alongthe length.
7 Finally, cut the completed panel to size, measuring from
the central weave outwards in each direction. Make sure
the assembly is cut square.The assembly is now readyfor
borderingand mounting (see chapter 3).
Remember that the gllmmed film remains on the
assembly until it 's pressed onto the baseboard.
After pressing, ITIllO\'C the film (it simply peels ofl)
leaving' a layer or gum on the veneers. Cellulose
thinners and a paper towel soon remove it.
< : : : ~ Ct-L\I'TER Tm) I Tl jTORL\LS
T UTORIAL No. 11: BASKET WEAVE-
PANELLING TYPE
Another form of Basket weave parCj nctTy is
illustrate d here. Like: the first pattcrn, t his still
g-ives a weave appcarance but takes on the look of
a conventional interwoven panel. Only onc
ve neer (boxwood or ancgre) is needed for
weaving the hori zontal pattern , while the vertical
in fill consist s of 1..7 111m C/ Ii ; in ) boxwo
st ringing. A st eel or plast ic set square is needed
keep the construction squa re, otherwise the to
and materi als are th e sam e as for the previo
pattern. Construction is ,-cry similar to the fi
basket weave , except that the sanclshaded stri
arc separated by stringers. This ach ieves th
interwoven panelling appearancc.
The tools and materials required are the same as for
thc rustic-type basket weave in tutorial no. ](J above.
1 Make two wood spacers 18mm ('/4in) long and 6 mm
('/4 in) wide. Prepare veneer into sheets 75 mm(3 in)
wide by 150 mm(6 in) long, with the grain running along the
length. Using the marquetry cuttingboard,first cut strips
18mmC/4in) wide,making sure you cut the veneer across the
grain, as indicated. Drawa pencil linealong each strip to avoid
reversal during construction.
2 Sandshade both edges of the strips along their lengths.
Don't overshade.Aftershading, moisten the veneers by
nipping a wet sponge betweenfinger and thumb and running
them down the strip to dampen them (though don't over-wet
them}, Keep veneers ina packbetween two scraps of wood,
heldtogether with a rubber bandto stop them curling.
3 Cut a piece of cardboard to the size required for your
application. Stretch plastic bookbinding film across the
::.rd, securingthe film with masking tape. Place a sandshaded
::;-i p onto the gummedfilm (left-hand side) followed bya strip
: : 1.5 mm('II' in) stringing. Alternate alongthe length ofthe
- rn. fi nishing with a stringer. Separate the assembly and its
: astic film from the cardboard.
- Place a second sheet of plastic film over the card used
earlier. Place a steel rule across the film and positionthe
_: strip of weave up to the edge of the rule. Stagger the
cs by half a weaveto achieve the interwoven panelling
- "::. Stripscan be joined up end-to-end to extend the
_:: "rn horizontally. (This is whywe askedyou to start with a
: :'ed strip and end with a stringer at step 3.)
4 Place the assembly onto your cutting board and, using the
two spacers set at 6-mm ('/4-in) widths, cut through the
shaded strips, stringers and the plastic film.You must have a
very sharp blade to do this, and make sure you press a bit
harder than usual on the steel rule, which is holding the
assembly in place. The extra pressure on the rule stops the
veneers slipping on the plastic film duringcutting.
6 Border the panel weaveto create a frame around the
pattern.This type of basket weave makes ideal decoration
for the rimaround a gal lery tray or panels around the sides of
the box in our example.You will note there are two layers of
gummed film on the face side of the veneers.These must stay
on until the assembly is gluedto a baseboard. The films easily
pull off. See chapter 3 for the details on bordering and
mounting a panel.
r..: C lI o\l'TER [\ 1"0 I T t OTORI.\I.S
TUTORIAL No. 12: CHEVROX
This is an id eal design for border ing' fur nit ure or
fi tlings with in t.he home. I first ca me ac ross t h is
pall ern dnring a gnidcd tour o r Spcn fic kl [louse ,
Leeds, built in IH76 and now a Crack :2 list ed
build in g owned by a hotel chai n. The ground
flo or living and d rawing rooms display a great.
deal or exquisite marque t ry work of the Robert
Ad am and his brothe rs (John , .lames and
Willi am) style. On th e grand , wind ing l z-foot
wid e staircase leading to t he fir st floor, the ornate
mahogany banister rails on both sick s of th e
staircase have chevro n parqnelry inl aid int o t.he
so lid wood . In total , counti ng both banisters a nd
two landings, there arc over 60 111 (200 It) of
inlaid chevrons. Each chevron measures only ()
1lI 111 ('/' in) in wi dth , wh ich mea ns th at over
lO,OOO c hevrons had to be cut, assemble d a nd
inl aid. The architect. for this bui lding was Ceorge
Corson , who was responsible fo r const ructing the
Grand Thea tr e in Leeds city ccnt r e. Sadly, local
hist ori ans hav no record of the craftsmen who
co nstruct ed anv of t.his work.
ChC\TOn parquc try a th rc c-dimcnsioual
effect. and is inllllediald y impressive . It is also
gr eat fun building the co re from which the
chevrons arc cut and asse mbled. Perhaps that is
why th e design was chosen fil l' such a large
co nstruct ion. The choice or designs is endless.
since you can select. your own co lou r combination,
as \\"(:11 as the size and number or veneer piece,
that make np the co re st.rip-in short, you can
simply let you r imagina tion run f re e, The great er
the numbe r o r pi eces laid into t he co re , the more
impress ive the chevrons become.
As you can see fr om Fi gu r I , long narrov
surfaces make ideal locations lor suc h a design . VOl
may wan t to consider ap plying it to th e rim or th
oval gallery tray project in cha pter 0. The picture
here shows chevro n parquetry pl aced a round the
outside rim of a rectangul ar gall ery tr ay, which \\0;1'
made in the year 2000, A tot al of about 1.8 111 (6 fi I.
which equat es to cutting 2HH chevrons, was needed
to decorat e th e tray shown on p. 97. This sccme
a hu ge challenge at th e time, but it soon came
together and the lillie spent build ing, cutting all
assembling was worth it in the e nd . The sca le
this task, however; pal es in to insignifi cance wh ei
compared to th e 10,000 chevrons o ur unnamed
craftsmen made over 120 ago.
The fol lowi ng t utor ial shows two patterns bei nz
asscmbled, The first is I he pa tt e r n [o r the ora
galle ry tr ay proj ect. in chapter 0. The seco nd we
ap plied 10 the j ewellery box, also in cha p ter 5,
Yon may wish to select yo ur own veneers and
cre a te you r own co re stri p, a nd we wo u l
e ncourage you to do so. Th e method 0
co ns t ruct ion remains t he sam e , except t hat the
fir st pattern is cut at a GO" angle, and the secon
is cut at 10 ".
Figllre I: Detail of thr mtangulargallel} Imy Sh01l'1I on p. 97. Clieunms 7111'1<' cutat 60' angle.
I'ARQ\ j ETRY c:.-;
box
---- ._- - - - - _.
--- - --- - - ----- -- --
- - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -
square
square
board
SIGN FOR THE OVAL GALLERYTRAY
---- --- - - -----
Ut' try cn tti ng bo ard
. rule
.j
OOLS REQCJRED
h ITRIAI.'l REQUIRED
(" ry tray \"ene"rs: ! ebrano , dyed green and scpe lc
d k ry box veneers: H 'II". ash burr and scpclc. pins a commercial
banding
__ evr tape (or SO lll lll / 2 in wide pa rcel tape)
.c-tir bookbinding film (sec Sup pl iers , p. 1i s)
- - - - - - -
1 The circumference of the oval gallery tray is
approximately 1.5 m (5 ft).Allowing for a spare strip, cut
12strips of zebrano veneer 6 mm('/. in) wide (make two
spacers that width) and about 300 mm(12 in) long, with the
grain running with the length.
e t-t of card
2 Using two I coins (or other coins 3 mmthickeach)
stood edgeways on as spacers, cut 6 strips of dyed
l id/dark green veneer.The grain runs with the length.
3 Tape a 300 mm(12in) length of gummed plastic
bookbinding film to a sheet of card. Place the rule along
the length and assemble two layers of zebrano with a strip of
green veneer as the sandwich. Stick parcel or veneer tape to
the side facing you, then peel it offfrom the plastic film.
Assemble all 6 strips in this fashion using the same plastic film.
Hi
o CIL\I'TER T ml I T l TORL\J.S
4 Using the mitre box (as detailed on p.9),cut chevrons at
60 angles, 6 mm('/4in) wide. Fi rst cut the chevrons with
the uri-taped side of the strip facingyou. Cut three 300 mm
(12 in) str ips this way, as illustrated. It is much safer to place
the mitre box in a vice when sawingthe chevrons. Keep
blowing the sawdust away from the gate, to prevent buil d-up
changing the angle.
f 0 , 1 '. ' :.!0 . ., ~ I' 3 0
n t o " '1
I
6 Place a rule alongthe gummed plastic fil m to act as a
straight edge. Pl ace cut chevrons, taped side up, onto the
film. Make two piles of chevrons, one from the first cut, the
other from the second.Alternate the layingas you buil d the
strips.You wil l just be able to see through the parcel tape
enoughto confirmthat the pattern matches.When the strip is
assembled layanother length of parcel or veneer tape across
the strip. Remove from the film and build the rest.
5 Now sawthree strips with the taped side facingyou.T:
will create an opposite angle to the first cuts, which v.
form the chevrons.
7 Now to border the chevrons. First measurethe width c!
the area you want to decorate and add 6mm ('I, in). For
the gallery tray rimyou need about 1.5 m (5 ft),To makethis
inone length join short strips together with a scarf joint, as
shown. Overlap the ends byabout 50 mm (2 in) and make a
diagonal cut through bot h veneers.
P.WQI 'ITRY ( ";;;;
8 For illustration purposes only, I have shown the border
veneer without anyveneer tape added. It is, however,
vital that tape is placed across the outer edges of the red
/eneer to prevent the points of the triangles breaking as you
backcut the chevrons into the border. Centre the chevrons on
the border veneer and, using the scalpel, score around the
tr iangles that form the edges of the chevrons.
9 Cut through the scored line, Remove the windowand
insert the chevron strip.Tape it in placewith veneer tape.
Please note that for illustration purposes I have again not
shown tape placed on the border veneer-don't forget to put
it on at step 8. Now continue laying the remaining strips, by
joining them onto the ends of the previously laid strip.
See the gallery tray project in chapter 5 for instructions on
gl uing the strip to the rim.
As YO U approach the last low inches of th e gallery
rim , measure the distance left to he covered and see
if the Gmm ( / 1in) chevrons will divide equally into
the space. I f they do, \\TII done. Jf they don't, cut
the last f ( ~ \ \ ' chevrons either slightly higger or smaller
than the norm (though by no more than I mm). To
achi eve th is. remove th e gate on the mitre box and
ral culatr: (by eye) how much bigger or smaller each
cut needs to he. If you restrict the changes to no
more than I nun it will not be noticeable to the eye.
( : . . ~ CHAPTER 01\ 1"0 I TtJTORL\ LS
D ESIGN FOR THE J EWELLERY Box
_ _ _ _ I
1 The method of construction follows the previous chevron
assembly, with the exception that different woods are
used for building the core, and the chevrons are cut at 450
Cut 4 strips of yewabout 300 mm (1 2 in) longand 6 mm
('I. in) wide (grain with the length). For our sandwichwe used a
stripof purchased banding between the stripsof yew, as shown.
It consists of five veneers, arranged white/black/white/black/
white.You could make your own simplybygluing together 5
veneers, in the order given, and cut them on a bandsaw to
about I mmthick.Assemble the strips as shownfollowing
steps 1- 3 of the previous tutorial.
3 Place veneer tape across the border veneer so that the
points of the triangles don't break. Lay the chevrons
centrally on the border veneer and score around the edges.
90
2 Set up a 45 angle cut on the mitre box (as detail ed on
p.9) and cut chevrons 6 mm('I, in) wide. Sawtwo strip,
with the veneers facing you and two with the taped side facing
you.This produces the opposite angles to make the chevron
shape. (Picture shows samples of both angles.)
Remove the chevrons and cut out the window. Insert
4 chevrons into the windowand secure with veneer tape
Repeat for each of the eight panels needed around the box ~
(for layout see the jewellery box project in chapter 5).That
completes the chevron assembly.
CHAPTER THREE
MOUNTING, PRESSING
AND BORDERING
A pplying marquetry work to furniture requires
'""\... a degree of technical know-how mixed with
ru stic flair. Consideration should be given to
. he choice of veneers , the harmony of the
narqlletry with the furniturc- , and finall y, the
-vmmetr ical and balanced appearance of the
vhole piece. The first two clements have already
been covered in chapter 2, when you constructed
your chosen marquetry design. This chapter
shows y Oll how to mount and border that work 1.0
produce a panel worthy of inclusion in your
furnitu re. The final presentation of the decorated
panel is the prime object of discussion in this
chapter, whether it be a picture, table top, drawer
front, cupboard door or a feature set into a
Iircscrccn.
MOUNTING
T
h er e arc two wavs to mount a central
marquetry panel to Its groundwork and both
arc illustrated in this chapter. One method is to
add the borders after mounting and pressing the
cent ral panel and, for assemblies th'1t are square
or rectangular in shape, this method will be
recommended. The other method is to add the
borders to the central panel before mounting and
pressing, th en glue the whole assembly in one go .
Th is method must be used on circular and
elliptical shapes because it is not possible to
match the same radius once the panel
is glued in place.
VENEER
In UlOSt cases, todav's choice of
groundwork for mounting marquetry work
is Medium Density Fibreboard (MDF). This
is chosen because its Ulan-made composition
removes the problem of future movement
that natural timber boards present, particularly
in modern, centrally heated homes. However,
this should not mislead you into thinking that
movement will not occur when a veneered
assembly is first glued to an :'vIDF board. Cupping
of the board (bending outwards to one side) will
almost certainly occur unless an equal and
opposite counter-balancing veneer is glued to the
reverse side of the board at the same time. In
veneering work, it is normal practice to apply a
counter-balancing veneer to the back of the
groundwork.
Figure 1::1. wdl-balal1cedpanel
!JI
~ : . : : C II.\ I' IER TII REE I :'vIO\ ":,\I I:,\( ; , P RESSI:,\(; .\ :'\ D B ORD ERI:,\( ;
STRINGING, BANDING AND BORDERING
A selection of both sta ndard and challenging
.l\J)orde r ar ra ngements is illust rat ed below, but
first some def in itio ns of the materi al s available for
making up borders need to be g i n ~ n .
STRINGING
What' s in a name? To clari fy the matter so as not
to ca use confusion at. some future date, th is
prod uct is known by marq uetcurs as stringing
(generally) or stringers (the ind ividual pi eces). It
,=
mi -' fi f .
, i
is also ca talog ue d by some re tail out lets as ' Iines
but in th e furni tu re-making industry it. is al\,'a:
called ' inlays' . In all cases, there are two types: fJa
an d sC] ua re. They are usually mad e from boxwoo
i buxus semperuirens) , chosen beca use of its straight.
den se grai n. The Hat stri nging has a veneer
th ickness of n.7 mill, whereas the square is, , L ~ the
name impl ies. th e same thi ckness as the width. In
each case . they are available in either white or
dyed black, and sold in one-metre len gths, in
li t t t iliJ
Figur1: A mixture of conunetcial mul ltome-mtule bllndiJl g,
widths of I mm, 1..7 mm, 1.8 mm, 2.7 nun and ~ / l
mrn . Occa sionall y, square stringing can be
obtained in other dyed colours (mos t often red.
blue and green) as well as in ebony and rosewood.
The square version is used wlie r a thin line is
added to an already yen cered panel , and a narrow
line needs to be inserted (inlaycd) for decoration.
:\ router chases out a channel in the veneer and
groundwork to a depth slightl y less than the
thickness of the square stringing. The stringing is
glued into the chuunel, then sanded to th e level
of the surrounding veneer work. Another typical
application of square stringing would be [or
restoration of a broken inlay.
In all the projects and tutorials giyen in this
book, only Hat stringing is used.
BA. l"IHNG
This is a narrow strip of decoration 'comprising
two or more cont rasting woods, A simple banding
can easily be constructed by gluing together three
sheet, of veneer, where one sheet is black and the
other two white. Apply PVA glue to one side of
each white veneer and make sure the grain of each
veneer is running in the same direction, then place
the black sheet between th e two whi te sheets. Press
the glued sheets for an hour. The resulting
\dlitc/blackhdl ite ' sandwich ' can be cut into thin
strips (along the grain) about I 11I111 wide, using a
scalpel and stc! rule. lsandings made an y wider
than this wou ld han' to be cut on a band saw,
BORDERING ARRAl\"GEMENTS
We have incl uded four examples of bordering
arrangemen ts that arc typical of the types used in
furniture making. The firs r two exampl es can be
fitted after the cen tral panel is mounted and
pressed, but the last two mu st be fitted {H'JiIl'P
mounting and pressing.
Fir st , we need 10 examine our method of two-
stage pressing. For panels with out curved edges
(squares and rectangles) two-stage pressing offers
di st inct advantages to liltiug borders and
stringers. First, th e panel (wit. h perhaps its
marquetry work already in place) is centred
permanently in place; second, you arc able 10
install borders and stringers in the knowledge
th at the mitred joints will be aligned correctl y.
However; t his second ad vantage depends on
producing a groundwork th at is perfectly square.
A bench saw with an accurate fence produces a
square panel without a pro blem. For hobbyists
who may not have acc ess to one, most DIY
suppl iers of :vrnF will cut the panel [o r yon,
Figure 2: HOIll(-!I1ad{!three-rotbanding tIIl wilh {I sm{jJd
Cf.) CJI:\I'TER 'fUREE I MOl ,:"TI:"( ;, PRESS]:\C ,\ :\D BORDER]:"( ;
TWO-STAGE PRESSING
STAGE 1
The key to success in the first stage is to be able to
remove a veneered panel from a cold press after
only a few minutes pressing in order to cut and
remove surplus veneer [rom around the edges
before the veneer becomes immovabl y stuck to
the groundwork. Experience has shown that I()
minutes is an appropriate time for the first stage
of pressing, pro\'iding standard PYA glue is used.
Other proprietary brands that offer rapid setting
times lIlay require shorter durations.
1 Markxy co-ordinates across the groundwork and the
panel you wish to mount,Align the panel centrallyand
place inthe press for 10minutes only.
Figure 1: Slflgp 2, hordering flrmngnnml
91
The term 'cold press' is used advi scdlv, because
this method of mounting and bordering will no
work if a heated press is used . In a heated p res"
the veneer will bond permanently to it-
grOlllHhl'Ork in less than 1 minute, making i
difficu li to remove veneer without possi bl
damage to the groundwork.
Two-stage pressing provides an opportunity [(
work outwards from the centre. This ,ray, the task
arc broken down to manageable proporti on
giving you complete control over each stage.
2 Set the cutting gauge to the width of the border you
have decided on for the finished panel. Cut through the
veneer on each side. Peal off the veneers with a sharp chisel c
scalpel, at the same time scraping away the glue from the
groundwork. Return the work to the press for an hour.The
panel is now'square to the board', and providing the board ....
cut square to start with, stage 2 becomes easier to manage.
STAGE 2
The second stage invokes litting borders, stri ng
and / or decorat ive banding. This stage bccom
very manageable now the central panel is pel'll
ncntly in place. Once you have decided on the t ~
of border (sec below), cut, fit and hing the pa
with veneer tape, then cut the mitres before gluir.
and pressing. Figure 1 illustrates the taping an
hinging arrangem ent, together with the meth
of applying PYA glue to each border in ru
before pressing the whole border assembly.
SWU:S c;:)
BORDERING STYLES
- - --- --- -------
TRADITIONAL 'IN-LINE' BORDER
In gencral , th e ou te r border should be
appro ximately 1 times wider than th e inner
border wit h ratios like 25 mm (1 in ) out er border
10 6 m rn ('/1 in) inner border. Separate the two
with a 1.5 mm stringer. The chessboard shown
righ t illustrates the standard single-stringing
border arrange men t.
TOOLS REQClRID
Scalpel
Spacers (rut to size)
,-- - - - - - -,- - - - --
Steel straigh t edge
- -- - - - - -- --- - - ,- --- - - --- - -
Cut ting hoard
MATERIALS REQCTRED
- - - - - -
Veneers ofyour choice
Venee r tape
- ---
I.il nun Stringi ng
- ------
Using p re-prepared spacers, cu t 4 st rips for the
outer border, making th em 25 mrn (I in) longer
th an needed. Repeat the same procedure by
cutt ing 4 strips for the inner border, Make sure y OIl
have allowed enough extr a wid th on th e outer
border to over-lap th e edges of the pancl.
1 Place a strip of 1.5 mmstringing between the two
borders and holdtightly together with veneer tape
applied to the face side. Lay short tabs of tape across the joints
first,then lay one long length over the joints as illustrated.
'J'i
(2) CII\PTER TllREE I \IOl j\:TI\:C, PRESSI \:C A\: 1l BORIlERI\:C
2 Place one assembled border strip up to the edge of the
mounted work, making sure the stringer and border
veneers overlapat each end. Hold in placewith veneer tape as
shown. Repeat for the other three sides.
4 Turn the panel over and carefully cut through the
overhanging veneers on the corner.This exposes the
corner that you could not see before.Turn the panel backto
the face side and line up the steel rule between the outer
corner and where the two inner borders cross and meet each
other. Hold the rule firmly with one hand while you cut
through both layers of veneer and both stringers. Make a light
cut first, followed byfirmer cuts, until you feel the knife
penetrate both layers. Remove the waste veneers and
stringers.
3 Place veneer tape alongthe lines where the mitres are ::
be cut, making sure you tape both the top and the
underneath border.This is important because it prevents the
veneers splitting when you cut the mitres.
5 You should have perfect mitres every time, with the
stringers meeting each other squarely.
BOOK-MATCHED CROSSBAXDING
Crossbanding is the classic bordering arrangeme nt
for furniture panels, cabinet doors, drawer front s,
end panel s and so on. Note th at th e di re ct ion of
the grain poin ts to th e ce nt r e of th e panel , lyin g
at QW to th e stringer. Also note th e book-
matched pattern at ea ch corne r.
TOOLS REQCIRED:
Same as If)) the Trad itional 'In-line' Bor der
REQCIRED
-------------
with distinct stripy Jig-un'. such as kcyasing-a
I>razili,1Il rosewood (sec pict ure)
\ 'enee r tap e
1,5 IIl Ill str ing ing (wh ite or dvc d black)
1 The objective is to achieve a mirror image, or book-
match, at each corner.Take one of t he border pairs you
have cut and place them up to a corner, one on each side.
Don't reverse or turn around either of the strips, but keep
them as you cut them from the leaf.
Take note of a distinctive stripe (arrows) whichappears
on both veneers. Measure and mark in pencil where the
distinctive st ripe appears on both sides of the corner and
BORDERI :\ C StYLES c.::.;
fig/lIT 1: Cmss/;rlll dilig /;ooh-
matched at[our
line up the stripe to those marks.Tape the veneers in place
with veneer tape. Repeat for the other three corners.
Place veneer tape along both veneers where you are going
to cut the mitres.This protects the corners. Pl ace a steel rule
and cut through both veneers to make the mitre. Repeat for
each corner.
Fi nal ly, where the strips overlap inthe centres of each side,
cut through both veneers to create an invisible joint. Brazilian
rosewoods make a good effect for this type of
!)7
(2) CIL\I'TER TIIREE I MOl Ji\:TI:,\(; , PRESSI:,\( ; ,\ :'\ D BORDERI:,\(;
Q UARTERED CORNERS AND CROSSBANDING
Thi s a rra ngcmcnt IS cu tren t. lv the IIIOSt
traditional method o f borderi ng panels on
cabinet wor k. Due to its curved corners. this
bordering arrangemen t has to be Iiucd bejiJre
pressing th e central panel.
T O O I . ~ REQUIRED
- - - ~
MATERIALS REQliIRED
Scpek- H' !l CCI'
1 Drawa semi-ci rcle to a radius that balances the panel.
Cut round the linewith a scalpel and remove the corner.
Place sepele crossbandingand a 1.5 mmstringer along each
side leading up to the corner. leaving an overhang of stringer
on each corner.
3 Cut two pieces of sepele, each large enough to cover the
entire corner. Use the curved str inger as a template to
score and cut the curved radius and the corners. Cut one
piece for the left side and the other for the right.Tape them in
place with veneer tape. Masking tape was used here for
illustration purposes only.
BORDERI:\ (; STYl.ES 0
2 Cut a short length of stringer to fit around the curved
corner.first making elongated cuts to the inside of the
stringer, as shown on a spare sample.The cuts should
penetrate two-thirds of the width of the stringer and be about
6 mm('/. in) apart. Glue with PYA and tape the stringer tight
up to the curved edge with masking tape. Mitre the two
corners where the stringers cross. Leave for minimum of two
hours to dry.
4 Find the centre of the curve (45); line up a steel rule
and cut through both veneers with the scalpel to make a
mitred joint.
( : . : : ~ CHAPTER THREE I MOU:\TIK(;, PRESSI:--JC; A:'-iJ) BORDERl:\(;
RADIUS CROSSBANDING
This border arrangement has to be fitted before
pressing the central panel. The gallery tray
project in chaptcr f is used for this illustration.
The crossbanding border surrounds the central
panel , with the grain lying 90 to the direction of
the stringer.
Fit a 1.5 nun stringer plus crossbanding to the outer
edge of the: tray with small strips of sepelc, The two
operations arc carried out together. Both sides of the
tray have to be completed in the same way. For each
side, two lengths of 1.5 mm stringer are required as
well as a number of 100 x SOIIlIn (1 x 2 in) strips
of scpcle veneer to make the crossbanding. The
grain should run with the .'i0 rrun (2 in) width. To
assist bending the stringer, make elongated cuts
about every 10 mm Cl xin) to the inside edge, as
per the patcra assembly in chapter 2 (p. 73).
100
TOOLS REQUIRED
Same as for the Traditional Inline Border
MATERIALS REQUIRED
--- -
Str ipy vene ers: scpcle , kcvasinga. walnut
- - - . . : ~ - - - _ . _ - - - -
Venee r tape
-'-- - - - - --- _ . .. ... _---- - - - -
1.. 1 inm stringer (white or dyed black as preferr ed)
1 Place a strip of sepele (note the grain pointing towards
the centre of the tray) under the stringer and the tray
veneer.Tape in place with tabs of masking tape. Score the
sepele along the line where it meets the stringer, using the
edge of the stringer as a template.
BORDERI:\"(; S 'IYLES
2 Where the sepele overlaps the previously laid piece,
place a steel rule and cut through both pieces at the
same time, to forman invisible joint.
3 Remove the surplusveneer and tape the piece of sepele
in place with veneer tape. Continue around the
circumference in this fashion. No glue is necessary because t he
veneer tape (placed on the face side) holds the assembly tight.
To join two lengths of stringer together and to complete the
joint when the end meets the start, you need to makea scarf
joint. Lay one stringer squarely on top of the other and make a
very acute elongated cut through both stringers.This is best
done bypressingstraight down with the knife, rather than
pulling the knifeacross the wood. Go to chapter 5: GalleryTray,
to complete the project.
IOl
CHAPTER FO UR
SANDING AND F INISHING
K
no\\,lcdg-c, care, patience and time are the
key factors in producing a finish wo rth y of
any eye-catching marquetry and cabinetwork, The
information offered in this chapter deals with the
techniques yo u should at tain to put th e fin ishing
touches to your work, To this end, please use this
chapter as a foundation for learn ing the skills
which stretch beyond the boundaries of this book.
TOOLS RJQUIRED
--- - - - -
Orbita l palm sand er (Quarter or sixth sheet sizc.)
.. _-- -- - -
Cork sanding block
Steel rule
Vacuum cleaner with hand-brush attachment
La cquer brush
Polishing mop
Polishing rubber (mouse in the l'S)
Dust mask
MATERJALS REQUIRED
\ virc wool, grade 0000
Roll of paper towel
Sandpapers
- _ ._ --- - , - --- - - - --
Aluminium oxide, SOgrit and J20 grit
Garnet paper, 240 grit
- -'---- - - --
Silicon Carbide finishing paper, :120 and 400 grit
- .._ - - _ ._ - - --- - - _ .----- - - -
\I'el or dry finishi ng paper, 600 grit and J200 grit
--- - --- -
Polishes
Cellulose sanding scaler
Shellac sanding scaler
French polish (transparen t)
- - - - -
Polyur et hane clear varnish
--- - - - - - - -
Burnishing c n ~ a I n
Beeswax
- . _ 00 . _ _ -
Renai ssance wax polish
Cellulose thinners
\lcthylated spirit
\I'hite spirit
-,
\
, - - - .....,.- - - - - - - - ....E!!IIIIl
Figure 1: 'l ools andpolishes
102
CLEANING
B
efore YOU CUI . apply materials (0
your marquctrv or parquetry work, the
venee rs must first be cleaned and then sanded,
\ \'c between the two proccsses even
sanding is itself a form of
The cleaning proccss requires removal of an y
ve-n e e r tape that has been lett on during the
moun ting and pressing processes covered in
chap ter 3,
R EMOVAL OF VENEER TAPE
RemO\'ing ve neer tape is the reverse process of
applying it. You simply wet it and wait about 2
minutes for the paper to soften, after which time
it can be pushed off the veneer using the end of a
steel rule, Where two or more layers of tape ex ist ,
a second "'cuing will be necessary.
Avoid weuing the uniapcd surfaces of
surrounding veneers because excess water can
cause the veneers to blister. Usc your finger to
direct the water exactly where Vall need it.
. .
CELLULOSE SA.'\[DING SEALER
Sanding scaler is used to seal the woods to preyent
leaching or bleeding. This is where the dust Irorn
one veneer can penetrate into adjacent veneers,
causing permanent discolouring. It can occur
during 1:\\'0 of the finishing processes-both when
sanding and when applying the finishing material ,
such as a lacquer. Most veneers will not leach at all ,
but those that do can contaminate whi te or light-
coloured veneers us ed in the assembly. Two
veneers that always leach are African ebony (black
dnst) and padauk (red dust). Some rosewoods
leach oil, and dyed veneers can sometimes leach
their dvc , If the above-named woods have not been
used , it is generally safe .to commence sanding
without the protection of sanding sealer. If yo u arc
in doubt and once the tapes have been cleaned
on; appl y a coat of cellulose sanding sealer, leaving
about ] !) minutes drying time, This raises the
graiu bnt also seals it to prevent leaching. African
ebony and padauk may need more than one coat.
Figlllt 2: Rl'lilovingueneer (ajJeJim/l apressed jill nel
10')
SANDING
T
he re are a number of methods available to
make a marqucrrv/parquctrv panel ' flat ' in
readiness for accepting a finish . The term ' flat '
means that all n ~ n e e r s have been sanded to the
same thickness, all dirt, glue and gum marks from
the veneer tape have been totally removed and
the surf ace is pristine clean.
Unless you achieve total flatness at th e sanding
stage, no amount of finishing material will
compensate.
METHOD 1: RAJ."\iDOM ORBITAL SANDING
This method, used bv most professional
woodcrafts workers. ofTel's th e quickest and most
acceptable results. It docs, however, have one
major drawback for the inexperienced: it is all too
eas y to sand through the veneers. Therefore,
knowing when to stop sanding is vital to this
process. It is advisable to practise on spare
veneered panels to get acquainted with the
sander and the speed with which the papers
remove the waste material. Once von have
confidence with the technique, you will find a
random orbital sander totall y invaluable in all
your veneer work.
The advantage of using a random orbital
sander is that it gives an even ' key' across the
surface. This is because the action of the sander,
as the name suggests, orbits front-to-hack and
sid e-to-side simultaneouslv. Cenerally, sa nd
come in three sizes , and arc usuall v identif ied
the size of paper tlicv hold. These arc: qua
sheet, third sheet and sixth she et (see Figure
th e measurements being a proportion of a
S!Hcet of ~ \ , 1 measuring 2\17 X 210 nun (11:;1X
in) . The qnart er and sixth sheet sizes are clas
as 'palm sanders' because thcv fit in the palm
vour hand. It is advisable to use these
preference to the larger third sheet size bc ca
they offer more control , allowing you to work
small areas at a time as you sand across a pa ne _
Safety Some random orbital sanders han -
plastic ' skirt' surrounding the paper and take
vacuum cleaner attachment-much prcfcra
because it allows dust-free san din g. O the
incorporate a dust bag, which collects some of th
dust. For yo ur health's sake, you should alwa
wear a faccmask when sanding.
Load the palm sander with a sheet of 80-
b
aluminium oxide paper, indicated on the back
the paper as PHO. It is usuall y best to start sandin;
from one corner, working along the length of tl
panel in the general directjon of the grail
Slightly overlap the previously sanded area, btl
make sure the sander docs not hang over the
edge or the panel by more than '/ 1of its width.
FiglllT 3: '/;, 'Ic IIlId 'j" shee! orbillll sanders
](l'!
Figu lT 4: Otlntal .11111 der o llil1JII OIlIII/ II I I II I II II/Pill
Wat ch lor th e su rface to co me clean and flat.
_love across th e panel one a rea at a tim e. Keep
lOpping and cleaning the sur face a rea with the
.and brush auachrncn t 01" t he vacuum cleaner.
with your fingers fill' flatn ess a nd loo k fi ll' any
remaining dirt, You can press a hi t hard e r on the
anclcr if a st ubbo rn area of din pe rsists, but only
lress for two or th ree sec onds . With 1'80 paper it
-houkl onl y take about 1\1"0 minutes to sand a
panel (jOO X GOO mm (2 X 2 ft ) 'fl at' and 'clean ".
This is a good benchmark to measure aga iust and
-li ou ld prevent yo u Irorn oversa ndi ng. If a
alancing veneer has been glued to th e reve rse of
' he panel , sand that in the same manner.
The ro ugh surface pro d uced hv the 80-griI.
pape r will ri c cd smoot hing out slightly and a final
,lJIding with 120-gr it alumini um oxid e paper
.eavcs] ust enough' key' for the fin ishing materials
o bond to.
Sand the balancing veneer on th e back of th e
panel first, followed by sa nding the face side. Thi s
time it o nly takes a co uple 01" ' swift passes ' across
the panel 10 smooth 0 \1\ , th e surface. On\y
rcn seconds 01" sand ing' each side of a board the
size ment ioned abo ve is sufficicm to ac hieve the
necessary key.
At this stage, be ca re ful not to touch the surface
with your fingers because it is ' pristine clean and
flat' , a nd your fingers Illay contaminate the surface,
Ifyou have to touch it, usc th e heel of your hand.
Cl ean off the surf ace of th e panel with th e
vacuum brush auachrncnt and immediatel y apply
one coat 01" ce llu lose sanding scaler usmg a
Figure 5: SaJlding with f20-grit j}{{jJer jlfl)vides a 'key'
lacquer brush. Leave to dry fill' hour a nd apply
a coat to the balancing ven eer, Th is is always a n
exci ti ng moment, becau se you will sec, for th e
fi rst time, the bca utv 01" the colours in th e
ma rqllet.ry work and surrounding ve ne-ers you
have toiled over. Lightl y sand the rai sed grai n with
'!OO-gTit silico n ca rbide paper, The surface is now
read y fo r a finish ing mat eri al.
M ETHOD 2: HAND SANDING
The o rder of t his process almost mi rrors that of
ra ndom orbita l sanding, with the exception thai
HO-gr it paper is not used. The reason for this is
th at HO-grit use d wi th a cork sanding-block and
r ubbed ac ross veneers manua lly will most
ce rt ainly produce deep scratches t hat. will prove
almost impossibl e to remove. Inst ead , 120-grit
paper, wrapped around a co r k sand ing-bloc k and
dil igentl y used, will produce the required res ults .
Sand the balancing veneer on the reverse of t he
panel first , foll owed by the la ce side. Sand in th e
ge neral direction of th e gra in, applying even
pressure on the cork. block. l ;sinjl; your tinjl;tTS,
keep checki ng for flatness and cleanl in ess. Keep
sto pping a nd remove the dust wit h t he vac uum
bru sh a ttachment, th en examine th e surface
critically. Wh en th e e nti re surface looks clean and
Ilat, stop sanding. Apply one coa t of sanding sealer
to both sid es 01" the pan el. Lightly sand the raised
grain with 10 0-grit silico n car bide paper.
Figure 6 shows, from the to p, wet or d ry paper,
silicon carbide paper, SO-gri t a nd 120-grit
alu minium oxide papers.
Figure 6: Y, sheet jJajJm to/it a sandingblock
105
Ci.) CI L\I' TER FOlR I S,\ "DI:\C .\ :\ D F I:\ ISIII:\C
FINISHING
E
ssent iallv, fu rniture IS finished with a
proprie(ary polish to protect it. and to
emphasize the natural colours and figuring in the
woods. 'When marquetry is included, it is essential
to select a finish that will retain the natural
colours of the woods used in the design . \Ye
therefore try to select rna icrials th at are
tran sparent, or that dry transparent. For each of
the projects included in this book, a variot v of
finishes are described, with advice on th eir
appropriate application.
Finishing can onl y effectively be carried ou t. in
warm conditions. Cold and damp are totally alien
to all polish ing materials and should be avoided.
Safety Always keep polishes away from heat
sources and out of direc t sunl igh t. Apply the
materials in a well-ventilated ar ea, as some of the
products emi t tox ic odours. Keep the work area
free of dust.
LACQUERS
Pre-catalysed Lacquer This is an easy-to-appl y,
ready-mixed lacquer that may be appli ed by
brush, or sprayed on after being thinned with
cell ulo se th inners to a ratio recommended by the
manufacturer. Further coats can be applied every
two hours. Usually, two to five coats provide
enough 'body' for rubbing back with 1200 grit. wet.
or dry emery paper and 0000 grade wire wool,
'Pre-cat. ' lacquers arc usually only avail able in
large quan tities and have a short shelf life ,
making them suitable only for trade and coIleges
where high usage warrants buying them.
French 'Transparent' Polish Previous experience
is needed to work with this finishing material.
Dedi cated students should seek tuition. Made
from the finest b leached de-waxed shellac,
transparent polish produces a finish of high
clari ty, ideal for marquetry work. This alcohol-
based product can either be applied with a
lOG
polishing mop or a rubber (known as a mouse in
the United States) . Multipl e lavers build up the
all-important ' boclv of polish. It is an appropriate
material for classic high-style furniuuc, such a:
the pier table.
Polyurethane ' Cl ear ' Varnish Thi s is by Iar th
easiest of fini shes to appl y and ideal for surf ace
that need 1.0 be wat er-resistant or protected Iron
knocks. The white-spirit-based ' clear \a.rnish' i
avai lable in matt , satin or gloss finishes. As dirc cie
on the tin , thi s product slightlv mellows the
woods, gi\ 'ing a classi c ' antique ' appearance. The
gallery tra y and chessboard shown in this boo
were coau-d with this product, and the mcl k
appearance, \IT feci, e nh anced the finis he
effect. A \Try durable finish , it offers maxinuu
protection against knocks and scratches. Brushed,
on coats dry in four hours, and three coa
normally provide enough boclv 1'0)' most surf ace
Rub hack between coat s with 100 grit silica
carbide papcr, using an orbital palm sander
available, followed by 0000 gr ad e wire woo l.
Beeswax Avai lable in white or coloured for d.u
woods. Ideal for applying on top of san dinc
sealer. Protects against spillages and produces
satin finish if appl ied with 0000 grade wirewool.
Figlll!' f : Bring out thecolours
I' - - ..
1",1: - _ I
~ .... ~ . - .
Figllif 2: The j inol touth.
Renaissance Wax Polish This polish is white and
dries transparent, but offers much more
moisture-resistance than other wax products. It
protects against spillage from domestic fluids
such as wine and spirits. It also dries very hard,
which gives excellent protection against heat and
finger marks. It is easy to apply with 0000 grade
wire wool , and a single coat can be buffed to a
hard satin finish using a soli cloth.
RUBBER OR MOUSE
French pol ish is best applied with a cotton cloth
wrapped round a ball of cotton wool , known as a
rubber, or mouse in th e United States. An
unwanted handkerchief makes an ideal cotton
cloth. Figures 3-4 illustrate the sequence of
making the rubber.
FI:\ISIII I\( ; ~ 1
BRUSH CARE
An alternative method of applying th e polish is to
use a ' polishing mop'. This is a brush made of
bcst-qualit v hair, usually sable or squirrel. To seal
the hair s of a new mop, soak the mop in shellac
(French polish) for an hour, then squeeze about
half of the shellac out between your first and
second fingers and lay th e mop horizontally
across th e top of the container; leave overnight.
Repeat th is process for th e next two days and
nights. In this way, the shellac works its way into
the base of the brush by capillary action , then
hardens during the night, scaling the hairs into
the clamp of the brush. A mop (and a brush
soaked in cellulose sanding scaler) sealed in this
way, will last you for years. When the bristles of a
mop or brush dry hard, simply stand it in the
liquid it is used for and in less than an hour it will
dissolve and soften naturally. Note, however, that
this will not work with pre-catalyst lacquer.
Twist end of cloth to make a shoe shape with a flat base
Figure 4: Rubber ormouse mill)' [or lise
Cotton cloth
\
o
I. Cotton wool about the
size of an apple
D
2. First fold
Making a rubber (mouse)
3.Secondfold
--------1
I
4.Thirdfold
Figure 3: Orderjormaking a jJolishPl'\- Fubber ormouse
107
(2.) CI L\PTER Fo un I S.\:'\Dl:'\G .vxn FI :,\151-11:,\(;
NOTES ON SANDING AND FINISHING THE PROJECTS
D
etailed guidelines follow for sanding and
fin ishing each of the four furniture proj ects
from chapter :i.
OVAL GALLERY TRAY
MATERIALS
1 coat of cellulose sanding seakr
:0 coals of polyurethane satin d ear varnish
- --- - - - - - - -
Bulf lI"ith Renaiss,mce ,,-ax polish
- ---
Finishing the tray has to be carried out in three
stages: firs t the fac e side of t he tray, then the
gallery rim (both sides) and finally the underside.
STAGE ]
The face side of th e tr ay should have already
received one coat of cellul ose sanding sealer on
completion of sanding, as directed earlier in
ch ap ter. Ci vc the tr ay a ligh t sandi ng with
silicone carbide paper, then wipe clean witl
paper towel .
Appl y 3 coats of varn ish, leaving four ho
bo txvccn coats to d rv, RIIb back each coat wi
j
silicon carbide papcr, usin g a rand
orbital sander after th e fin al coat. The final c
should he rubbed back wit h 0000 gra
wircwool,
STAGE 2
The su rf aces of the gall cry rim are vertical, so d
not overload the brush when a pplyin g I
varnish , parti cularly Oll the inside, as this COli
cause a build-up where th e rim meets the t
base. Apply th re e coats sparingly to each side
rubbing back by hand, flattening the surface eac
Figure 1: Stage J, ,finishing thetra; base
lOS
NOTES 0:\ S,\:\DI:\'C :\ \: D FI:\ISIII:\C '1'111' PROJECTS
time with silicon carbide paper, wrapped
round a foam emery pad.
STAGE 3
Apply three coats, as pCI' stage one. Finally,
apply one coat of Renaissance wax polish using
0000 grade wirewool. Work with the grain when
applying the wax. Buff to a hard finish with a
soft cloth. The polyurethane and wax will
provide the perfect durable surface necessary
for an item that will certainly receive many
knocks during its use.
PIER TABLE
RECO\I:\IENDED \IATER1\LS
2 coa ts of shellac scaler
Clear French polish
Bnffll'i th UCll;liss;lncc wax poli,lh
----"- - - - -- - - -
A nco-classical piece of furniture such as this
needs a classic finish. French polish, considered
the best of all finishing materials, is the obvious
choice. To avoid discolouration of the veneers
used for the marquetry, it is advisable to use the
'transparent' type of French polish.
French polish is produced from a solution of
shellac dissolved in alcohol . As it is applied, the
alcohol evaporates leaving the shellac deposited
on the wood surface. Shellac is the excreta of an
insect known as Laciffer Lacca, a parasite found on
trees in India and other eastern countries.
Apply one coat of shellac sanding sealer to the
table, using either a rubber or polishing mop.
When dry, lightly sand the surface with 210-grit
garnet finishing paper.
Apply a second coat of sealer and again rub
back with a very fine finishing paper. The sanding
scaler sits on the wood, making a base foundation
for the French polish that now follows.
Immerse the rubber into the French polish (or
charge by squeezing the polish into the wadding)
and squeeze out the surplus liquid with one hand.
Dab the rubber OIl a sheet of white paper to
remove any drips of polish. As you take the rubber
10 the surface, make a slanting approach from the
side and keep moving across the surface, making
straight-line s,,'Ceps forwards and backwards
across the table surface, This is known In the
trade as ' bodying up'.
Keep the rubber moving all the time. If you
stop, the polish already on the surface will soften
and cause a blemish. As you polish, yon will feci
the rubber pulling as it dries out. To leave the
surface, glide the rubber smoothly off from the
side of the work.
Leave the polished surface to dry, which only
takes a couple or minutes. Test fill' dryness with
the heel of your hand (not fingers) . Re-charge the
rubber with polish, making sure you wipe off the
excess as before. This time, move the rubber in
circular motions across the surface, overlapping
each time. As the rubber starts to pull , smoothly
remove it at one side of the table.
Repeat this process, using either circular or
short motions. Each time apply the
polish at !l0" to the direction used on the previous
application. Usually ?i or 6 rubbings arc sufficient;
you will get a clue when the rubber starts to drag
due to the dissolving action of the polish on the
already hardened shellac. Leave the polish to
harden for 2t/ hours. Place the rubber in a screw-
top glass jar, adding a little methylated spirit to
prevent it drying out.
The finishing stage is where a high gloss finish
is obtained. The polish should this time be
thinned slightly with mcihvl .ucd spirit. Load the
rubber as before, but squeeze the rubber until
almost all the polish is removed. When the rubber
is dabbed on a piece of white paper, it should
hardly leave a trace. Move the rubber over the
surface in large figures of eight, followed by
straigh t line motions. You should notice the edges
of the polish e\'aporate away as the spirit dries ofT.
Leave a few hours to harden.
Finall y, the rubber should be charged with
methylated spirit only and squeezed until it is
almost dry. Rub over the surface in straight lines
in the direction of the grain. Rub quite hard, and
as the rubber dries out. you will sec that it has a
burnishing effect on the sur/ace, This process is
known as 'spiriting out'.
I
CI L\I'TER FOUR I S,\ :,\])] ;,\( ; .vxn F I:,\ISIII:,\( ;
'Yhen the surface is Fully hardened, a fig'ht
coatin g of Ren aissance wax polish can be applied
with 0000 grade wir e wool. This will produce a
deep satin lustre to the sur face and form a wate r-
res istant bar rier to protect against spills, as well as
a hard surface to avoid finger marks,
Finish t he bowed front and the table legs
following the same procedures as descri bed for
the tabletop.
] J<:'M'ELLERY Box
RECOM\mNDEn
(i coa ts of cellulose sanding sealer
Buff with Rena issance ,,'ax pol ish
Refore beginning th e finishing process, remove
all fittings from the box. Then apply one coat of
cellulose sanding scaler, and rub back with ;);W-
grit silicon car bide finis hing paper. This removes
the ' nibs' - the raised g-rain that always occurs on
firs t coatings.
Brush on 6 more co ats of scaler and leave to
harden for ::I days. Sand with silicon
carbide paper. This paper removes the sealant iri
the form of white powder, but no clogging will
occur since the paper contains an an ti-clogging
agent. on its surface. Keep stopping t.ovacuum the
paper and the surface t.o remove the powder.
Look for bright spots across the snrfa cc, as these
represent. low areas th a; the paper has not
reach ed. The number of brigh! spots needs 10 be
reduced 10 a mere handful , before applying- 0000
grade wirewool t.o achieve to tal flatness.
11 0
Finall y, apply Ren aissance wax polish wit h
wire wool. Burni sh with a son doth to arhic
HTY d urable sat.in fini sh .
. '
:F IRE SCREE]\""
RECOM\tENDED
I coat of cellulose sand ing sealer
--------- _ .
with pre-catalyst lacquer
--'-- ---'-- - - - -
A practical finis h was needed because of '
construction of th e five frames wit h th ei r se
panels. The solution was to spray with cell ule
based pre-catal yst lacquer.
Afte r sanding all parts of th e wood fra me .
panels 10 achi eve a smooth fi nish , one coal
cellulose sanding sca ler is applied III theframe
wit h a standard spray gun, After dryi ng a
hardening, rub the surface back with 320-'!"'"
silicon carbide paper to remove th e nibs, No te th
for spraying- the fra me, a dedicated spray boo
along with the spray equi pment, is essential. Th
facility lIlay onl y be availahlc 10 colleges an
professional org-anizat ions .
Hobbyists may elect a brushed-on finish, whir
can be achieved very satisfactorily using the same
product. Before they are mounted to the frame
th e panels should be treated with one coat
cellulose sand ing scaler on bo th sides. Rem ov
the nibs with ::I20-grit silicone carbide paper.
Finally, th e hardened lacquer of both frame and
panels should be r ubbed back with 1200-grit we
or dry silicone carbide paper. The water provide
the anti-clogging agen t to the paper.
CI-IAPTER FIVE
PROJECTS
OVAL GALLERY TRAY
D
ating bac k to th e late IHth and ea rly 19th
centuri es, the tr ay, <") 1' bu tler's tr ay as
it was kn own in that period, for ms th e first of our
four proj ects. \Ye have chosen an oval sha pe as
a sfjua rc or re ctan gu lar type. This design
all ows students to learn how to lami nat e veneers
to bui ld the ga llery rim that surrounds the t rav,
This, in turn , requires a simple j ig.
CENTREPIECE
The types or decoration used in th e ce ntre of the
original trays co nsisted of a small oval Em, shells or
urns. each strangely small and disproportionat e to
th e size of the t ray. Exp eri ence has proved that
eit her th e 2H-f1 uted oval Em or th e oval pat era
make perfect ce nuepicces Ior this proj ect . Both
motifs complement the tr ay' s dimensions and
shape, and the design s are aesthetically and
hi storicall y in harmony with th e pe riod. To
complete th e decorat ion, chevro n parquetry- a
19th-century design-is added to th e outside of
th e gall ery rim .
Detailed co nst ruction of both the motifs and
the parfjuet ry is gin'n in chapter 2. Construction
or th e remaining parts or the tray is given on th e
(i)IlO\\"ing pages.
111
C;.' CII:\PTER FI\'E I PROJECTS
TOOLS REQUIRED
Scalpel
Steel ,- ,td-e- - - - - - - -
Cutt ing board
-----
\'acunm press or bottl".ja ck press
--- - -----
\I 'ebbing clamp
--- - ---
Band saw or j ig ~ a \ \ '
,- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Power sanding disc
Pillar (lrill
Drill bits (to match handle s)
Domestic iron
Or bit al palm san de r
l'
/ ~ ,
'"
-,
;"";
II
1 To produce an oval tray base froma sheet of 12 mm
(I, in) MDF, drawa major axis (AB) 550 mm(22 in) long.
Drawa minor axis (CD) 400 mm (16 in) long at 90 to AB, as
shown.The distance fromthe centre to point B('f, M) is 275
mm(II in) . Pivot the rule from point Cto a point along lineAB
that is 275 mm (I I in) from C. Mark this foci point f with a
cross. Repeat on the other side of Cmaking a mark fJ.
Hammer nails into f and fI and into point C. Tension and tie off
non-stretch stringaround all three nails, then remove the nail
at Cand place a pencil into the loop of stringand scribe an
ellipse.
II ~
NL\T ERIALS REQUIRED
Pomme lle or a burrwo orl H' neer (for the tray top)
. \ UY r('(!wood yeueer (li )J' the unders ide)
----
lami narcd sq wlc or makorc H' nen (for the galler y)
----
Sepelc H'neer (for the crossban di ngl
Zcbrallo ;-u ul dyed green ' "("Hoe]' (for th e CbC\TOll S)
\'e l\('(']' (or par cel ) tal''' ' maskiug tape &: plastic film
P\ 'c\ and cascamitc (no", called cxtr.uni t) glut
' ]\\'0 brass gallen ' I n l\ ' handles
l z-nun Cl -iu) thick \ IDF for the tray base
Assort ed she ets of plywood for the jig
--- -"--'--- --- ---- -
Hammer, nail.... an d llOll -Sl fC lch str ing
---------
2 Using the same diagram as step I, you need to produce
a second ellipse 50 mm(2 in) smaller than the first.An
ellipse of size 500 x 350 mm(20x 14in) makes an important
template for later usc. On both MDF boards drawtwo
co-ordinates xy across the boards as shown.
3 Measure the 'centre' between the threaded legs of t he
tray handles. Markthe centres on the board so that the
cent re x axis bisects the distance. Lay one of the nuts from the
handle over the mark where the drilled hole is required and
line up the edge of the nut with the edge of the tray base.
Using a bradawl, prick a hole through the centre of the nut
into the board. Drill a hole I mm wider than the legof the
handle.These steps ensure that the hooks on the handlesfit
over the gallery when it is eventually fitted. Drill all four holes
inthis manner.
5 Lay the smaller template across the veneer chosen for
the tray base. Draw round the circumference with a
pencil.Also, draw the xy marks. Remove the template. Stick
two lengths of veneer tape in linewit h the two xy marks, then
draw the lines on the tape with a straight edge and pencil. The
tape avoids marking the veneer. Repeat this step for the
veneer that will be used for the back of the tray. Cut around
the pencil marks to produce two oval background veneers for
front and back.
"
4 Finally, turn the base over and, using a drill bit 2 mm
wider than one of the nuts of the handle, drill into the
previously drilled holes to make a recess about 3 mmdeeper
than the depth of the nut.This provides a means to conceal the
nuts after the handles are eventually fitted. Precise
measurements for locating t he holes cannot be given because
different handles will have different dimensions.
6 The next step assumes you have constructed the
centrepiece for the tray. This may be either the 28-fluted
fan or the oval patera. For tuition purposes, it is assumed you
have made the patera together with its surroundingstringer
(see the chapter 2 section Patera, p. 70 for details).
Line up the patera centrally using xy co-ordinatesas shown.
Back-cut the motif into the background veneer using a scalpel.
Use t he edge of the stringer as a template to score the cut. (For
step-by-step instructions on fitting stringing and crossbanding,
see chapter 3, especially Radius Crossbanding, p: 100.) Insert and
tape on t he face side using veneer tape.
113
( ? : . ~ CIL\PTER FIn: I PROJ ECTS
7 Fitcrossbanding to the backveneer in the same manner
as the front. On the backcrossbanding, remove and
retain the two portions that cover the two sets of recesses for
the tray handles-these will be fitted after the handles are
installed.
9 Making the Gallery
To make the gallery rims, a simple jig is needed. Using
whatever sheets of ply you have, screw sheets together to
form a SO mm(2 in) thickness. Place the tray base onto the
top sheet of ply and draw round with pencil. Cut the oval out
using a bandsaw, sawing almost up to the line.
11'1
8 Glue both assemblies to both sides of the tray base a:
the same time to avoid cupping (bending of the MDF
board). Make sure you centre the tray base to both veneer
surfaces-it is important that the crossbanding sits equally
around the circumference. Tocheck this,offer the MDF base
the reverse side of the tray veneer. Line up xy co-ordinates
when centred, drawaround the base with a pencil. Lift offt :
base and see if the crossbanding is of equal width all rounc :-
edge. Do the same with the backveneer. Press for I hour.
After cleaning offthe veneer tape, sand both sides and app .
finish to the front side onlyas detailed in chapter 4, p. 108.
10 Run the edge of the plywood jig around a disc sander tc
obtaina flat square edge of the same circumference as
the tray base.Wrap plastic adhesive parcel tape around the
sanded edge of the jig to prevent gluespil lage from bonding
the jig to the gallery rims during pressing.
11 Cut a length of 3-mm ('Is-in) thick hardboard, 800 x 50
mm (32 x 2 in), to make a lath.Wrap plastic adhesive
parcel tape on both sides of the lath, so that when it is bent
around the jigit does not snap in two.Also, the tape will
prevent PYA glue stickingto the lath during pressing.
13 Cut 10 strips of sepele veneer, 800 x 50 mm(32 x 2 in),
with the grain running alongthe length of the strips.
Lami nate 5 of the 10strips together with PYA glue. Do this by
spreadingPYA glue on one strip and placing another on top,
repeating for all 5 strips.A narrow wallpaper roll er makes a
good spreader.
0" ,\1. G ALLERY TRAY e:..'"":'
12 Making the Laminated Rim
Pl ace a handle into one end of the tray (as per step 3)
and measure the distance fromthe inside of one hook of the
handleto the underside of the tray. Ours is 40 mm (just over
1'/, in).This picture shows a gallery rimfitted into the hooks of
the handle with the rim level with the tray base.
141 Bend the laminated pack over the oval jig. Pl ace the
hardboard lath you madeat step I I over the laminated
pack, and finally, stretch a webbing clamparound the jig, pulling
the hardboard lathtight Onto the laminates and the jig. Leave
under pressure for 4 hours. Repeat for the other halfof the rim.
We had to makethe lath because our webbing clamps were
only25 mm ( I in) wide and we needed equal pressure across
the whole of the 50-mm (2-in) wide rims.The hardboard lath,
with its protective plastic tape, solved the problem.
115
~ ) C! L\PTER FJ \ 'E I PROJECTS
15 Make a high fence for your band sawas shown.This helps
to control the rimwhile sawing. First trim off about
6 mm(/4in) of the rimto form a uniform edge. Set the fence
to the distance you measured the rim width to be at step 12.
Run the rim through the band saw, using the high fence to keep
it square to the blade. Repeat for the other rim.
17 Repeat for the other halfof the rim, but first position it
with a webbing clamp(no glue) and score a linewith a
scalpel where the joints are to be. Saw off the surplus to both
sides of the rim.Trya dry clamp again to see ifthe two joints
are flush together without being over-tight. Glue and clamp as
per the first rim.
I Hi
16 Position one rim around one end of the tray and mark
the centre of each side where the two rims are to mee;
and be joined with a butt joint. Cut each end of the first rim
squarely. Mix a small amount of cascamite (also called
extramite) and spread it on to t he tray edge where the first
rim is to be glued. Position the first rimover the gluedside
and hold in placewith a webbingclamp. Wipe off any surplus
glue while it is wet. Leave under pressure for 4 hours.
18 Decide on the type of parquetry decoration you require
for the rim. Our assembled strip consists of chevron
parquetry (see chapter 2, p. 87).The strip has to be secured tc
the outside face of the rim, and this is best done with PYA gl :
and a hot iron. Position the strip around the rimso that it is
centrally heldwith tabs of masking tape. Leave the ends
overlapping at this stage. Spread PYA glue to the rimand app
heat from the iron while holding the strip in place with a stee
rule. Move around the rimin this fashion. Only glue short
stretches at a time.
19 Do not try to force contact to everysmall area during
your first session with the iron. Once the strip is generally
in place, cut the ends to a scarf joint, as illustrated.The angled
cut conceals the joint regardless of the type of decoration you
apply.After the veneers have cooled down, re-apply the hot iron
and press down those areas that are still proud of the rim.You
will find that the second application of heat works well.There is
a danger that over-exposure to heat softens the glue in the
laminates of the rim. Leavi ng intervals to allow the work to
cool down does help.
O Y.\ L c; .\ LLERY T RW ~
90 Sand the outside edges of the rimand apply a finish to
- both surfaces of the gallery (see p. 108). Fit the tray
handles, after first sawingoffthe surplus lengths of the bolts so
that just enough of the threaded shaft is left to accept the nut
without the shaft protruding above the recess.
21 Finally, replace the two crossbandingpieces over both
handle recesses, then glue and press with'G' clamps. Sand
the pieces level to the surroundingveneer and apply a finish to
the base of the tray.
That completes the gallery tray project-j ust in time for that
TVsupper!We hope you make good use of it.
117
G.) CIIAPTER FIVE I PROIECTS
PIER T A B I ~ E
For the table top, you will need to draw at
arc representing its full size. using a piece 0
th in lath, draw the radius of the table top
across a sheet of 25-mm (I-in) th ick MDF.
use the lath as a trammel or beam compa:
by cutting a small hole or 'V' shape in one
end. Hammer a panel pin or small nail in r
the MDF at the poi nt that represents the
radius of the circle you are going to draw. Cut 0 11
the radius using the bandsaw, smoothing the edge
by sanding it OIl a disc sander.
T
his small half-round table is our inter-
pretation of an 1Sth-century Chippendale
pier table. This classic style of furniture is a very
good subject to practise both the template and
Iretsawing methods of marquetry.
Firstly, size and proportion must he
established. It is important at this stage to take
photocopies of the detailed plans that appear in
the Appendix-drawings TBl and TB2 (see pp.
168-169). The dimensions given are those used to
construct Chippendale's original tabIes.
118
T OOLS REQnRED WOODWORKING :VIAClIIN1S
- - - - - - - -
1t:1l0 11saw
Combination sqllare
- - - -
Carpelltn \ IIT-s'1"a re and marking gallge
- - --- - - - - - - - - - - -
Jack I' Lmc
"'l lll oothillg plant.'
Rip saw
Piancr/Tilickucsser
\ Iilre (Snip) saw
vl onisc mach iur
- - ----- ------
Spi ndle mo ulde r
- - - -

Block plane
----
Fb l bollomed spokeshan'
nun (I in) ben ' lIed edged chisd
--- ---
I:' I lllll ( '/ , in) bevel led edged chisel
I; mill C in) be\elled edge d chisel

MATERIALS REQUIRED
Hard board
----- - -- - - -
\ mF
Sol id timber of choice
- - ----- ---------- - - -----------
] laud or clrrt rir drill \'CIlecrs of choi ce (see p_ 12;\)
- - -
J
/
1 Front Rail and Legs
Mark out the position of the front rail and the legs, Do
not forget to drawonto the full-size plan the position and the
length of the tenons and anyother jointing mechanisms you
intend to use,
2 We have chosen to use MDF as the core material for the
front semi circular rail becausethere always seemto be
off-cuts around the workshop.Alternatively, as illustrated here,
you can use modern bending plywood, in which the majority of
laminates run the same wayto assist bending,
119
~ CI L\I'TER FIn: I PROJECTS
3 Having cut out the MDF to the correct shape by making
a template from the full-sized plan, it is necessary to
make sure the curved rails are all the same shapes.You could
do this quite successfully using a spokeshave but we have
decided to machine them using the spindle moulder.A jig was
made to the exact curve and each individual rail was then cut
to the same shape or profile.
4 After shaping the outside edge around the spindle
moulder, the insideedge received the same treatment by
making a second but inward-curving jig, as illustrated.
~ When they have been cut, the individual pieces can be
!:) glued together to form the complete rail. Try to stagger
the joints like the joints in a brickwall; this will give the rail
more strength.
I ~ ( )
6 The back rail of the table is made from solidtimber to
adopt strength.A simple corner lapjoint is used at the
corner where the back rail meets the front curved rail.
Traditionally, this was often a dovetail, but unequal movement
of timber results in the joint either beingseen through the
veneer or, worse, the veneer splitting inthis area.
PI ER T\BI.E <.=.)
7 8 Once the table legs have been cut and planed to
the correct size, they need to be tapered.This
again can be done by hand but, to get them all accurate, a
simple jig for the circular sawcan be made quite simply.
Aflat piece of timber (composite material such as plywood
or MDF is best) cut 150 mm(6 in) longer than the table leg
and about 100 mm(4 in) wide.A tapered side is cut out so
that, when the leg is fitted into the. jig, it sticks out at one end
by the amount of taper required and is flush at the other end.
Pushing it through the circular sawin the jigproduces the
required taper.
9 10 11 Once all the legs have beencut,planethem
smooth either by handusing a smoothing plane or
jack plane, or on a planingmachinefor quicker results. The original
Chippendale table that we used as a model has mahogany
tapered stringi ng runningdown each corner of the leg.To do
this, another jig has to be made. It is necessary to make a
box to hold the leg in place and to fit a small bridge to hold
the leg level with the top of the box. Ensure that the legfits
snugly, wit h no movement.A small portable router is needed
to run parall el with the side of the box.This produces a very
clean tapered rebate for the stri nging. Mahogany stringing
can be bought ready-made, or you can cut your own wit h a
circular saw. If you choose to make it yourself, make sure
you have run a piece of scrap hardboard almost through the
sawand secured it so as to close the saw-blade t hroat to a
minimum, to prevent t he t hin stringing shatt ering as you cut.
Because the stringing is fi tted across the top of the
tapered leg as well as down the legs, a small rebate is
required at this point. Using a very small saw (a fine-toothed
gents saw is ideal) a spare piece of st ringing can be used as a
guide to run the saw against.This produces a very accurate
rebate for subsequent lyfi tt ingthe st ringinginto. Once all the
st ringing is glued in place, plane and lightly sand to the leg
surface.
121
C2: CI L\PT ER Fl u I P ROJECTS
12 The small spade foot to the bottomof the legis the next
detail to produce.The spade foot, traditional on this type
and period of table,can be either solid or made up infou r
parts and appl ied to the surface.We have decided to make the
foot using four small pieces of tapered mahoganythat are
mitred at the corners at 45
c
.This is not as difficult as you
might think. Make a template out of hardwood or MDFabout
150 x 50 x 12 mm (6 x 2 x 'I, in) and at one end cut an angle
to match the taper of the foot. Cut a very accurate 45
c
mitre
(through the thickness of the template) at this end. By placing
the small pieces of foot (tapered to the shape of the leg)
against the template and planing the edges using a block plane,
the pieces will then fit around the leg, forming the spade foot.
Original patterns often have a small moulded shape cut into
the solid wood around the top edge, but a round shapingat
this point looks very niceand is much easier.
The table top that you made ea rli er ca n be
sec ured to the front rail. Make sure a ge ncrous
overha ng ofapproximately 2:> mm ( I in) is len on
th e finis he d table. The edges of the table top need
to be finish ed very smooth and square. On our
table top a hardwood cross-gr ai ned (the grain
running vertical) cdge was applied to th fro n t to
aSSiSI in keeping th e hunt edge very square,
producing a crisp edge rea dy for venee ri ng.
There a re seve ral \ I ~ I Y S of sec u ring the tabl e lOp to
th e un dcrframc. You can usc modern met al 01'
pl astic brackets, but the traditional way of screwing
through a pocket made in the rail is pe rf ectl y
adequate.
122
1
QI The joint used to fit the leg onto the table underframe is
J: a simple lapjoint.The two back legs are corner lapped,
left and right respectively, while t he front leg is half-lapped into
the rail. Drawing TB2 gives dimensions and views of each leg.
The joints are simply cut out to the thickness of the rail , and
glued and screwed. If a band saw, fitted with an accurate guide
or fence, is avai lable, you wil l be able to cut away the required
waste (the thickness of the front rail) very easily. However, if
you choose to do this by hand, mark out the waste proportion
byusing a try-square and a marking gauge, set to the same
thickness as the front rail of the table. Cut the leg across the
grain fi rst, and with the grain for your second cut.
- - - - ---- - -
VENEERING MARQUETRY
The original pair of pier tables by Thomas
Chippendale (c. 177'<) were made for Denton Hall,
Otley, ncar Leeds. They are now permanentil' on
show at Temple Newsam House, Leeds. In deciding
to make our table, we wanted to retain the
veneering and marquetry designs of the originals,
but a number of changes were needed lin" the
benefit of readers who have little experience
either in veneering Of" in marquetry. Firstly, the
main background veneers used by
Chippendale were satinwood
and tulipwood, both
very hard woods to
Cll t and work
with for
beginners.
Toots REQUIRED
- - - -
Scalpel
- - ---- -
Steel rule
- - -- -- - -- - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -
Fretsaw and table
- - - - - --- - --- -- -
Office stapler
Vacuum press
-- - -- - -- - - - - - - - - " --- - - - - -

- - -
Pallet. knife
Spong-e sanding- pad
Sand paper
Palm sander
- - - - - -- - - --- - -
Note that for the swags and leaves, we obtained
magnolia, which had violet-to-black streaks in the
figuring. All alternative veneer such as black
American walnut will workjust as well.
PIER T.\BLE C;:;
We replaced these with ripple or fiddlcback maple
(called tiger maple in the Un ited States) and
ctimoc, Sec.oudlv, the swags of leaves on the
originals were changed to swags of husks topped
with ribbons, as these designs encouraged
fretwork, which wanted to include in the
construction. Finally, Chippendale used pcnwork
to highlight detailed decoration on the hall-round
Em and the leaves. \-\'e decided to omit this feature,
not least because we have no experience in the
technique. We also felt that the chosen
patterns, coupled with the
construction techniques,
complemented the
methods 11l this
book.
MATERIALS REQL"IRED
Ripple maple veneer (for the hackg-round and Ian)
- ----- -
Mag-nolia veneer (Ior the husks and ribbons)
Sepele or etiIlloc (for thc crossbanding)

I.:' mill boxwood str inger (,h-ed black)
--- - - - -- -_.. - ---- - ---- - - - ---
Plain card for making- the tabletop template
- - - - - -- ---
Hall-round beading- f(n- modifying the cutLing- g-ang-e
- - - - -- - - -- - - - - -_.. ._- - - - - - - -
(; rain Iillr (neutral )
Raw su-nna pigmcl1t
--- -
Veneer tape and marking tape
I'V\ glne an d paper g-Iue
All template drawings fill' the marquetry arc
given ill the Appendix. The drawing of the swags for
the front apron will require you to make six
photocopies, and then cut andjoin them together
in sets, as illustrated at step IH.
12:1
o CIL\PTER FIVE I PROJECTS
/
/
1 Cut a sheet of stiffplain card to the size and shape of the
table top to forma template. First drawa 6 mm ('/4 in)
border across the backof the template. Divide the top into
five equal segments (180
0
divided by5 = 36} Use a compass
to drawa curved borderlinearound the front of the template,
25 mm(I in) fromthe front edge.
3 The completedfan shouldlook as above. The border
around the fan consists of a dyed lovatgreen veneer.
Alternatively, you could use magnolia, selecting a sheet that is
green incolour. Keep the fan safefor later insertion into the
tabletop veneers.
121
2 Centre a photocopyof the half-round fan fromthe
Appendix up against the rear border. Using a steel rule
and scalpel, cut out one of the five segments as illustrated.
Retain the segment and the rest of the template for later use.
Using the half-round fan template, make a fan following the
method given in chapter 2 for constructing the 28-fluted oval
fan (see p.5I). Modify the number of flutes and the shape, but
follow the same construction techniques.
4 Construct a small oval fan using the template pattern
given inthe Appendix. Follow the same construction
method given for the 28-fluted oval fan in chapter 2.The
finished fan should look as above. The same green border is
fitted as on the half-round fan. Retain the fan until later.
5 Using the card segment you cut out at step 2, cut five
pieces of ripple maple about 12mm('I, in) wider and 50
mm(2 in) longerthan the template as shown. Make sure the
direction of grain runs down the length of each segment. Place
the template on top of a veneer segment. Markand cut (with a
scalpel) both sides flush to the template.After cuttingthree
segments, make sure that the last two segments fill the area of
the top before trimming them. Do this by placing the five
segments edge to edge across the table top to see ifthey reach
the backof the table. Don't cut the top and bottom edges of
the segmentsat this stage. Make a notch cut-out 75 mm (3 in)
from the top of the template on each side as shown. Mark with
pencil on the veneer segments where this notch lies.
7 After fretsawing the five pads and assembling the husk
swags into the ripple maple, jointhe segments edge-to-
edge, until all five swags of husks are linked together. Place the
full cardboard template centrally across the assembled five
segments and cut the backedge 6 mm('/4in) shorter to allow
for the border that will run across the backedge.This will be
fi tt ed later.
PIER T\l\l Y ( " ~
- - - ~ - ~ - - - - - - - = - - - - "
6 The two marks are used to line up the paper design after
you have constructed the pad as detailed in chapter I
(see p. 32).The five pads for fretsawing the five husk swags
should each consist of the following 4 veneers: ripple maple
and magnolia (or American walnut) to form the sandwich, plus
anytwo veneers to surround the sandwich. Fretsaweach pad
using a 6/0-size bladeas detailed in (retsQwing section of
chapter I (see p. 10).
8 Lay a black 1.5 mmstringer around the curved edge of
the fan as described on p. 73. Leave overnight for the glue
to dry fully before removing the masking tape.
12;)
c::; CIL\PTER FIn: I PROJECTS
"
9 Place the fan with its stringer centrally in linewith the
backedge of the top.The assembled maple and the fan
should be turned over so that the taped sides are facing the
cutting mat. Secure the fan to the maple with tabs of masking
tape and score around the curved edge of the fan with the
scalpel. Remove the fan and cut out the windowfollowing the
scored cut. Insert the fan and secure with veneer tape on the
taped (face) side.
11 Tape the veneered assembly to the MDF table top, with
the taped side facing you.Trim off the mapleveneers that
overhangthe front curved edge, so that the veneers fit the
shape exactly. Using a cuttinggauge with the fence set to 25
mm (I in), score a groove around the radius of the top as
shown here.
Please note that a small modification is required to the
cuttinggauge. On one cheek of the fence,glue or pintwo
short lengths of half-round beading, one either side of the
extension arm (see picture).These keep the fence and the
cutter square to the radius edge.The fence is simply reversed
when cuttingagainst flat surfaces.
I :W
lo Using the leaftemplate in the Appendix, place it so tha;
bisects the joints of the maple veneers, but touches the
two adjoining swags. Drawaround the template, cut out the
windowand the score, cut and insert all eight leaves (see stec
13 below) using magnolia veneer. Cut a strip of sepele, 6 mm
('/4 in) wide and 790 mm (31 in) long, with the grain running
alongthe length. Tapethe strip to the backedge of the
assembly with veneer tape.This forms a border to the back 0:
the table top.
12 Mix a small amount of grainfiller (neutral) with the
tiniest pinch of rawsienna pigment powder. Using a pallet
knife, spread and pushthe filler into the backof the fretsawn
husks. The filler fills the tinygaps left bythe fretsawblade,
emphasizing the veins in the husks. Make sure you have first
placed veneer tape across the face side of all the husks.The
tape stops the filler escaping. Scrape off surplus filler with the
pallet knife. Highlighting fretsawn 'accent' lines with this
method is a technique that has been around since the middle
of the 18th century and is still used to good effect today.
13 Cut short strips of scpclc to crossbandthe radius edge:
ten strips about ISO mm (6 in) long and 38 mm (I 'f, in)
wide, the grain running with the width this time.With a length
of 1.5 mm black stringing, crossbandthe curved edge of the
assembly, at the same time trappingthe stringer between the
crossbandand the maple segments (see chapter 3, p. 100, for
step-by-steptuition). Cut a veneer to fit the underside of the
table top to counterbalance the top veneer. Hinge that, and the
facing assembly, to the backedge of the table-top. Spread PYA
glue onto both table-top surfaces in turn, and press the whole
assembly for I hour. Note that the grain fill er is just visible
across the husks.
15 The top is now readyfor sanding and polishing.We
decideda French polish finish would best suit this classic
design. Now let's decorate the apron.
14 Finally, cut lengths of sepele to crossbandthe front radius
of the table.The grain must run with the 32 mm(I 'f, in)
width. Cut and tape strips together until they are longenough
to cover the radius. Using a warmfhot domestic iron, press the
crossbanding to the front edge of the table. Use a cold steel
rule to follow up after the iron, to hold the veneer under
pressure for a fewseconds until the gluegrabs.Trim away the
overhanging edges with the scalpel. .
16 We were invited to stand our table against Chippendale's
original (one of a pair) heldat Temple Newsam House,
Leeds. Note the similarity in design and size. Our table had not
been polished at the time this picture was taken, hence the
stark contrast in colours. It was a truly great honour to have
our work compared with that of England's most famous
cabinetmaker.
127
." CI L\PTER b YE I
I
.----
I
17 The apron, or frieze, of the table consists of ripple maple
as per the top.with swags of husks hanging in pairs
between vertical husks.The tops of the swags are decorated
with ribbons and the panel is divided in the centre with the
!ItT-, ["II; i : ' .__,- ..:-..
t -
18 The four pads for fretsawing require four different
patterns.Two patterns are needed for each side (left and
right) of centre.The picture aboveshows left inner and outer
(top row), and right inner and outer(below). Make up 4 fretsaw
pads, each consisting of a sheet of maple and magnolia plus two
wasters of your choice. Cut each veneer 330mm(1 3 in) long
and 95 mm(3'/, in) wide. the grain runni ngwith the width.
12H
small oval fan you made earlier.A raisedcrossbanding is mac:
and glued to the bottom edge of the panel to form a border.
that frames the assembly.There are sixswags of husks on ec. :-
side of the central fan.
19 Fretsaw each pad, cutting out each husk after fi rst sawing
up the two accent linesthat each husk displays. Fretsaw
the ribbons, but ifyou are unsure about fretsawing the thin
stems that link the husks to the ribbons. leave themand cut
them in with the scalpel after the fretwork is assembled. Only
practice improvesfretwork.
PIER T\I\LF
20 Join up the four assembledfretworked veneers. Note
that each veneer has three swags and two vertical drops
of husks.You can see the joints left and right in this picture,
showing the reverse side of the assembly. Cut in the central
oval fan and mixa paste of grain filler and raw sienna pigment
powder to fill the accent lines of the husks. You can see the
stained evidence of where the paste has been applied to the
left of the central fan.
2
9
Trim the overhanging veneers from each side.Wet the
- veneer tapes and push them off with the end of a steel
rule. Sandthe veneer with 120-grit aluminium oxide paper,
wrapped round a sponge sanding pad.The sponge pad follows
the curved shape better than a cork sanding block.
2] Trim the veneer so that only 3 mm ('I, in) overhangs
. each edge.This is important when using a vacuum press,
since t he pressure of the vacuum would damage the edge ifthe
overhangwere anygreater.Apply PYA glue to the apron of the
table and centre the veneer on the apron. Hold the veneer in
place with about 4 tabs of veneer tape and place into the
press.The plastic bagshrinks down onto the bowed shape.A
strip of breather fabric (coloured grey) laid across the veneer
and linked to the outlet valve ensures all air is extracted. Leave
in the press for I hour.
2 ~ A raised banding now has to be made and fitted around
"OJ the bottom edge of the apron.The finished banding has
to be three veneers thick and 12 mm ('I; in) wide.This is
achieved byfirst gluing and pressing together two strips of
white veneers, having first made up each veneer from small
lengths.The picture shows a width much wider than needed,
but what is left becomes stock for later jobs.The third and
final surface is made from using sepele veneer trapped
between two white stringers to form the crossbanding (see
steps 24 and 25). .
c::," CI L\PTFR FIn: I PROJECTS
24 Cut strips of sepele 9 mmCia in) wide,the grain running
with the width.The three strips (top of picture) with the
two 9 mmspacers (bottom right) show howthe strips are cut
on your marquetry cutting board. Lay a strip of 1.5 mm
boxwood stringing across the cuttingmat. Lay one strip of
sepele crossbanding up to the stringer and placethe second
stringer up to the banding. Fix veneer tape across the three
elements. Place a second crossbanding overlapping the first and
cut through both layers with the scalpel, as shown.Avoid
cuttingthe stringer. Remove the surplus ends and tape with
veneer tape.
26 Cut through the two white veneers with the scalpel,
using the sides of the upper crossbanding as a template.
Sand the edges smooth with paper and a sanding block.
25 The stringers will have to be joinedtogether with a s c ~ -
joint. Sit one stringer squarely on top of the other anc
makean angled cut as shown.The top stringer has been par. : :
to show the angled cut. Spread PYA glueto the reverse side
the banding and stick it to the pre-prepared two-thick venee _
made at step 23. Lay a steel straight edge onto the two-venee-
strip to keep the glued banding straight. Hold in placewith 12__
of tape and press in the vacuum press for I hour.
27 Spread PYA glueto the back of the assembled banding
and tape it in placearound the bottom edge of the
apron. Place a webbing clamp around the banding and leave for
I hour.
The finished table can be given a final light sanding and a
coat of shellac sanding sealer. Finally, the table should be French
polished to produce a classic finish for a classic table.
JEWELLERY BOX
.IE\lTLLERY Box
O
ne or the most popular pieces of furniture
on which to display marquetry is ajewellery
box. In the following project, we detail the steps
to make a challenging yet achievable box,
decorated with marquetry and parquetry, suitable
as a gil'I.
The detailed pl ans showing dimensions and
layout appear in the Appendix (sec drawings .IB I
& .IB2) . Please make photocopies of both plans
before commencing the step-by-step instructions
below.
The box illustrated in the following step-by-step
construction is shown without an internal lining.
vVe would recommend that you line the internal
sides or the l'vIDF base, top and walls of the box
with cedar veneer, prior to construction. Also line
both sides of the internal tray base. This provides
a very pleasant scented aroma when the box is
opened. Our box was lined after construction
with solid cedar wood 3 nun ('/, in) thick, but pre-
veneering is perhaps an even better option.
1'>1
c::.; CIL\I' TFR Fin: I PROJ ECTS
CONSTRUCTII\G TIlE Box
REQUIRED
A, f' Jr the pier table
MATERIALS REQl ;IRED

As for the pier table. plus:
I nun C/. in ) \IllF, with the dime nsions g-in'n ill dr,l\\'ing- jBl ,
'I-core plywood to l, mll Ihe base of the tr ay shOlm ill
Ceda r of Leban on ( Cedrus libal/i) veneer, to line int ernal walls. ba, e,
top of box and the tray base
\ Iabog-any hardwood strips
'h\"o hinges (to the usr-rs taste)

2 Glue the sides to the base using PYA glue. Do not
use too muchglue, and wipe off any excess while it is
still wet.

1 Use a composite material such as MDF for stability.
used a 12mm('h in) thickness for this size of box, bu:
thinner material would be required ifthe box were small er.
Cut out the components accurately and remember that the
angle at each end of the sides has to be 22'/,o.A compound-
angl e mitre saw(a snip saw) is very accurate, so long as a fe . 0
is put in place to measure each side.The 6 ends must be all
same length and the 2 centres the same.Take time to get this
stage right to savetime later.
3 To hold it all together use a webbing clamp or something
similar.A piece of strong cord will suffice if tightened like
a tourniquet.
4 The top of the box should be cut to the exact internal
dimensions of the inner sides of the box.The top has to
sit halfway inside the walls of the box, so scribe a line around
the edge of the top that bisects the thickness of the lid. Do
this with a marking gauge. Glue and sit the top into the box to
the level of the scribed line.
5 Sawing off the lid.This operation always strikes terror
into the heart. However, ifyou have access to a band saw,
accurate cuttingcan be achieved with the aid of a stout
straight edge or guide, clamped to the sawtable.Another way
around this problemis to mark two parallel lines around the
box where you require the lid. This is done quite simply using a
mortise gauge set to about 5 mm('!-, in) and using a tenon
saw to sawbetween the lines. Careful planing to the line, using
a small block plane, achieves the necessaryfit.
J F\\'FLLFRY Box
Box LID
The top of the lid now forms a rebate with eig-ht
sides, each wi rh a solid nlahogany lipping- cut to
kng-th , wit.h each end ang-led at 22 :1,. The
lipping-s arc g-lucd to th e corresponding- eig-ht
edg-es of th e lid . When the assembled closed-in
box is dry, plane the mah()g-,my lippings at a IFi "
angle to the top to form a bevell ed edg-e to the lid.
This feature softens dJC appearance of the box.
H INGES
For this type of box we would rcconunenrl a good-
quality hinge. ']\\'0 solid drawn brass hinges, each
about 2:) mm (I in) should suffice. However, if you
intend to usc a specialist type that incorporates a
flange to stop the lid opening past 1] :i ", then do so.
The locking mechanism is also of the maker's
choice and there arc various types on the market.
But be aware, if a lock is to 'be used you may wish
to make a feature of the marquetry around the
escutcheon where the key fits. Also, the size of the
lid may be a consideration, in limiting the size or
type of lock that can be .u.commodarod.
6 To balance the mahogany lipping fitted to the top of the
box, two further Iippings, made of the same wood, are
required-one to the top edge of the base of the box, and
another to the correspondinglower edges of the lid.This
means that when the veneer is in place on the outside of the
box an unsightly edge of MDFis not present.The external
edges of the two lippings will have to be veneered (discussed
later) but the inside edges will remain as hardwood.
1
9. 9.
.J,)
(;1 L\I' TER FI \ T I PROJ ECTS
I NTER."IAL CONSTRUCTION
The interior of the box again is an individual ch oice,
but ajcwellcry box does lend itself to needing several
small storage compart ments. The box we have
made consists of n in e di fferent compar tments in
the upper tray and one large compartment below.
Follow th e next ste ps to re-creat e th e interior we
have made. Remember, at this stage you may
already have fitt ed and secured th e lid with hin ge s.
These need to be temporarily removed.
THE TRAY
The walls of th e tray arc made from solid mahogany,
which has been planed down to a th ickness of
nu n (If., in). The base of the tr ay consi sts of t\\
cedar veneers glued either side of a sheet of
core pl ywood. The base sh ould be cut to size an
th e two ce dar veneers glued, pressed and sand
before the walls of the two tr ays arc att ached.
The upper tr ay needs to be shallow for eLL
access. Drawing .JB2 shows an octagonal tray wit
eight surrounding an in tegral,
smalle r octagonal tray. The two trays have to be
constructed separatel y, before fitti ng the e ight
di viding walls wh ich form th e ei gh t outer
com part ments.
7 The integral tray is made exactly like the main tray, but
this will be explained later.When cuttingthe sides of the
tray, great care must be taken to ensure that you have cut
134
them to exactly the right length, which includes the angle at
each end. Number them so that they will correspond to the
sides of the tray base.
'/ E\ \T U .ERY Box
8 Once all of the sides have been cut and checkedfor
accuracy of fit, they can be glued in place around the tray
base. Do not use too much glueat this stage.Cleaning off
excess glue inside a confined space is very difficult.Toclamp
the eight sides to the tray base, you will need either a webbing
clamp or a piece of strong cord to use as a tourniquet.
/
9 The next stage is to build the integral tray. Drawa line
around the inside of the tray base that corresponds to
where you want the inner tray. Use a small pieceof wood as a
guidethat will help to keep an accurate distanceall around.
The central compartment needs to be smallerin height than
the outside edge of the tray. Cut the eight sides to the
measurements given on the plan drawing, remembering that
each end must be cut at an angle of 22'/,.
10 The eight sides of the central tray should be laid out flat
on a length of masking tape so that the ends touch each
other. Place a small amount of PYA glue in each joint,then
bringthe tape around into a circle and the box will
automatically formthe correct shape. Place a piece of strong
cord around the box and tightenwith the tourniquet method
(the sticky tape can be removedwhen the gluesets).
At this stage, checkthat the integral tray you have just made
is the same shape as the outlineyou have drawn on the inside
of the tray base.Also remember to use the integral trayas a
template to drawthe profile onto the timber you have chosen
to make the small lid. Do this before gluing the tray in place.
<:. (; 1L\I'TFR FIn: I P RO JECTS
MAKING TIlE EIGIIT DIVISIOXS
The next stage is to make the d ivisions th at
co n nect the in tegral tray to the o uter walls of the
main tray. If th ey a rc shaped like- the oues in ou r
box, no t o nly do th ey look co r rect bu t help
to draw th e eve in to the ce ntre of t he box.
To mak e th e j oints at th e points where the
di visions mee t the two t rays, two diff erent cuts are
re qu ire d . At the oute r end , where the d ivision
meets the outer wall , a bevell ed point is required,
whereas at the oth er end , where the di visio n
mee ts t he in tegral tray wall, a b ircl's beak cut is
re q uired. In both cases a sma ll chisel will perform
th e Cl IIS. Each divi sion will need to be li n ed and
glued indi viduall v, Mal: sure " 'h en a rc fit tin g
the d ivisions th at th ey a rc put in place sq uare and
pl umb. Usc a small offcut of wood, cut square
with great care, to usc as a guide.
TI ll:' to p e< lges or th e divi sio ns will nee
slightly rounded profi le. T his sh ould be de
after th ey arc glued in place , using an abi
pape r. Sleps I I and 12 illust ra te th e di vision. .
11
12
I
J E\\' FI.I.FRY Box (2)
13 The integral tray lid can be made from any material of
your choice.You must decide at this stage whether you
are goingto veneer the top of the lid or use a solid decorative
timber.Whatever your choice, carefully planethe edges, using a
block plane,until the lid is exactly the same size as the central
compartment. Then cut a rebate to help position the lid.
14 If usi ng solid timber for the centre tray lid, plane the top
into a slight cushion shape to enhance its look.To do this,
pencil a parallel line around the top edge, 18mm ('/4in) from
t he edge,Then mark another line on the edge of t he lid 5 mm
CI" in) down from the top edge, Simply plane between the
lines maki ng a slight cushion shape, Follow the t hree pictures
shown below.
Finishing The fin ished rrav needs four legs to stand
on, when placed in the box. Csing a piece of
hard wood, (j mm (' / : in) sqnare and about 100 nnn
('I in) long, shape it with a block plane so that two
adj acent sidesform a 22'/ , angle. Round oyer the
other corner with some abrasive paper. emthe wood
into lengths of IH111m C'/' in ) . Clue th em to the
lour angles where the front and back panels m e ( ~ t
their adjacent smaller panels. Hold with masking
tape until the glue sets. This allows the trav to stand
over the lower single compartment.
The ne xt task is to make the sma ll hall-round
moulding at the bottom edge of th e box. This isjust
a small piece of hardwood (the same as the type used
lo r th e bevelled de tail on th e top) . This strip
of wood is ;) nun (,h in ) square and long enongh to
go all around the box. Again using the block plane
and holding one end of th e strip of wood flat on the
bench, plane it to a 'D ' shape, Take care to have only
a n ~ l : small allJOIlIlt of blade protruding hom the
plane bas e. Finish off wit h fine abrasive paper, taking
care not to abrade the back edges that will be glued
to the box. Cut the moulding to t hr : correct. length
of ea ch side (including the mi tres ), then mitre at the
corners and glue in place, Use maskipg tape to ho ld
th em in position while the glue dries.
1:\7
~ ' ; CI L\PTER FI VE I PROJECTS
VENEERING AND DECORATING THE Box
Ven eering a box that includes both marquetry
and parquetry requir es a degree of pl anning and
thought. It is always advi sable to decide first on
th e colours of woods yo u want to use, and which
woods work best with the shape of the it em.
We decided at th e outset that the lid of th e box
would hold a single white ros e-the emblem of
our beautiful county of Yorkshire, whi ch we are
both passionately proud of. It also offered an
opportunity to teach readers how to construct a
rose using the window met hod.
The beadings and bevelled edges around th e
base and lid respectively are made of mahogany.
' J( ) contrast with the mahogony, we decided to use
bu r r ash and burr yew as the two main veneers.
The burr yew is set in panels with quartered
corners. This type of corner adds a regency
appearance to th e piece, and the su rrounding
burr ash offers a clean contrast , making th e
panels sta nd out. To separate the panels Irorn th e
borders, a I nun black stringing lin e is cut-in
around each panel. The burr yew proved qu it e a
challenge because the knots kept dropping out.
needing regular replacement. The effort and
fru stration was, however, wor thwhi le in t he end.
Many woods prese nt these problems, but burrs
arc always easier to repair in situ and, because of
th eir random pattern, t he repair is always total lv
invisible.
To co mpl ete th e box, th e eight panels formi ng
th e edge of the lid were covered with chevron
parquetry. This project is challe ngi ng, ye t
achi evable fo r students or hobbyists with a
min imum of exp erie nce in marquetry and
veneering. You lIlay wish to change the choice of
ven eers for your box , but regard less of choice, the
method of constr uction remains th e same. .
- - - - - --- ---- -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
1 coin (or another coin of 22 mm / 7/, ill diameter
- - - - -
Selection of ' G' clamps
Cents padsaw
Tenon saw
----- --- - - - -
TOOL'> REQUIRED
---- - -
Scalpel
---------------
Steel rule
Vacuum pr ess
Compass and pencil
Cutting gauge
:Vlitre box
MATERL'\LS REQL"IRED
(veneers are as llsed by us; othe rs call be substitut ed)
Makorc , ash burr, yew burr and black dyed sycamore
Popl ar and sycamore (for the white rose)
1.5 mm black stringing
Plain white card
Veneer tape
1 First, make up templates from plain white card:one for
each of the eight panels on the lower half of the box and
one for the lid. For the lid, cut the card so that it fits the
surface of the lid perfectly. Tape it in place and, using a compass
or a cuttinggauge, scribe a line about 25 mm (I in) fromall
eightsides. Using a scalpel and rule,cut out the inner octagonal
shape.
:V/asking tape
PVAg'lue
Plastic adhesive film
13R
2 For each of the eight lower panels. cut the card so that it
covers a panelled area completely. Measure a border
from each of the four sides of the card at about 9 mm('/ain).
Join up the four sides using a pencil and rule.Take a I coin
(or another coinabout 22 mm['/8inJdiameter) and line it up
at each corner to two pre-measuredmarks 10mm('/8in)
either side of a corner and scribe around the cointo form the
quartered corner. Repeat on each panel in this fashion. Cut out
each inner panel with scalpel and rule.
4 For each of the eighttemplates for the side panels, lay
them inturn across the burr yewand cut around the
inner sides of the cards to produce the panels. You would be
advised to number the panels and markcorresponding
numbers on the box sides.
.JEWELL ERY Box C : ~
3 Lay the outer template for the lid across the burr yew
and secure with masking tape. Using the template as a
guide, cut around the inner sides of the card to produce the
central panel for the lid.
5 With a sheet of black-dyed veneer, lay one burr yew
panel across a sheet of black, so that the grain of the
black veneer is running with the length of the panel.Secure
them together with two tabs of masking tape. Score around
the side of the panel where the yewmeets the black veneer.
Remove the yewveneer and cut out the black, following the
scored line. Fit the yewpanel backinto the windowof the
black veneer and rub PYA glue into the joints. Repeat for the
other 7 panels. Leave the glueto set and cure for a minimum
of two hours before working further on them.
139
o CI L\PTER FI n : I PROJ ECTS
"
" t.D .
"w
6 Once the PYA has fully dried.you need to cut the black
veneer so that onlya I-mmwide stringer remains
around the panel. For the four straight sides. you can carefully
lineup the rule alongthe black veneer. judging a I mmdistance
from the panel as you do this. Cut along the rule to remove
the surplus black veneer.The quartered corners will have to be
cut freehand.You will soon get the hang of cutting on the same
imaginary line around the panel. Even though you are cutting
across short grainfor the two ends and the four corners, the
PYA glue should hold the 'st ringers' in place.
(
t
~
8 Using each side template in turn, laythem over the
assembled yew and ash bordered panels so t hat the
windowof the template fits centrally over the yewpanel. Cut
alongthe top and bottom edges usi ngthe template as the
guide. Make the width of the panel 3 mm('/8in) wider than the
template at each side.This is to all ow for sanding to the box
shape after gluing each panel in place.
140
7 After completing all eight panels, lay one of them on top
of a sheet of ash burr. Securewith tabs of masking tape.
then score around the joint where the two veneers meet.
Remove the panel and cut out the ash burr window. Insert anc
glue the yew panel in place. Proceed to step 8 before inserting
the remaining seven panels.
9 Cut eight st rips of rnakore or sepele veneer 6 mm ('I, in)
high and the length of each panel.These need to be
secured to the top edge of each panel with veneer tape to the
face side. Repeat steps 7 to 9 for the other seven panels. Pl ace
the eight completed panels under a weight to keep them flat
whileyou compl ete the remaining jobs.
10 To build the white rose, go to chapter 2, p. 62, for step-
by-step tuition.After completing the rose and installing it
into the burr yew panel, it is ready to be glued to the lidof the
box. Centre t he octagonal veneer across the lid, taking careful
measurements to get it as near central to the eight sides as
possible.Tapethe top edge to t he lid with veneer tape to form
a hinge. Drawaround the eight sides of the veneer with pencil
and lift the veneer to expose the area to be glued:
12 Using a cuttinggauge set at a width of about 28 mm
(1'/8 in), test that the gauge will remove a tinystrip off
each side of t he octagonal panel. Remember that you set the
border width at 25 mm (I in) when you made the template, so
ifyou have aligned the panel as accuratelyas possible onto the
lid, you should be takingjust enough from each side. Inthis
way, the panel is now centred on the lid between all eight
sides. Remove the surplus veneers with a sharp chisel or
scalpel and return the lid to the press for one hour.
JE\\EI. I.ERY Box ( : : ; ~
11 Spread PYA glue thinly but evenly across the area of the
lid contained within the pencil lines. Use a 25 mm (I in)
wallpaper roller to spread t he glue. Flip the assembled panel
back across the glue and press for ten minutes only. Our two-
part pressing technique allows you to centre the panel on the
lid usingthe cuttinggauge.This ensures that borders and
stringers, when fitted, mitre correctly at all eight corners.
13 Measure and cut eight strips of ash burr to form the
borders for the panel of t he lid. Make sure enough length
exists to form an overlap at each mitre. Cut eight lengths of
1.5 mm blackstringing, one for each of the eight sides.The
stringers reside between the panel and the eight borders.
141
e::::, (:HAPTER FI\'E I PROJECTS
14 Make sure veneer tape is placed along the area where
the mitres are to be cut.Tape both the upper and lower
veneer. Place the steel rule in line with the points where the
stringers cross, and the outer edges where the borders cross.
Pressing hard and without moving the rule, cut through both
veneers and both stringers to formthe mitre. Complete all
mitres in this manner.
16 Gluethe eight panels to the bottom half of the box,two
at a time. Do this byspreading PYA glueto one panel of
the box. Offer a veneered panel to the glue, making sure it sits
squarely on the beadingprotrudingat the foot of the panel and
that the overhang is equal on both sides.Place a fewlayers of
protective paper and prepared strips of MDF or ply to both
the inside and outside of the box and fix'G' clamps, pressing
for one hour. Sand the two ends flush with the angle of the
box, making sure you sand towards the edge and not into it-
otherwise it will break. Complete the other six panels in pairs
in this fashion.
142
15 Finally, flip backtwo opposing sides in turn and run PYA
glue onto the lid surface. Glue all borders and place in
the press for one hour.
171 Chevron parquetry:see chapter 2 (p.90) for tuition on
building this design. Once all eight chevron panels have
been constructed they should be glued to the side panels of
the box lid, following the procedure instep 16.That completes
the marquetry and parquetry work.
For directions on sanding and finishing, see chapter 4.
FIRE SCREEN
particularly important to draw the plan to full
size . The detailed plan (SC1) gives the two radii
from which the top curve call he made, using a
trammel beam as a compass.
If you take your time and draw this very
important stage well, the drawing will also act as a
setting-out plan (or rod, as it is called).
All the screen componcnts must be accurately
sized and machined, ready for the joint work to
be started. All the positions of the joints and the
lengths of the components can be marked off
from the dimensions given on the plans. The
shape of the top rails will have to be transferred
from the full-size drawing to the timber, using a
tracing on tracing paper.
Our choice of timber for the fire screen was
cherrv, This is a vcrv clean timber with attractive
/ /
grain and is not too expensive to buy at your local
timber supplier. The advantage of using cherry
for this project is that the frame will not dominate
the screen; therefore, the marquetry will be
shown off to its maximum effect,
The size of the screen legs and rails IS quite
adequate for a screen of this size,
because it is important not to
have the frame so heavy that it
dwarfs the panels and takes the
emphasis off the marquetry.
Overall proportion is, of course,
very important. Most furniture is
taller than it IS wide and
therefore looks correct. This
would be correct for a fire screen
if it did not, as this docs, fold in a
concertina fashion. Because of
this mechanism, the screen
would look ou t of proportion if it
were flat, but because it will
always be standing in a
concertina configuration, its
proportions arc correct. The
curved rail softens the design.
CONSTRUCTION DIMENSIONS
Copy the plans given in the Appendix. Drawings
SCT and SC2 show detailed dimensions, while SC2
also shows an exploded view of one frame.
In creating the curve on
the top rail of the
screen, it is
;\ lrhough the fire screen is a piece of furniture
n not often found in modern houses, it is
nevertheless something that givcs the furniture
maker and the marqucicur an excellent subject
on which to practise their craft.
There arc many different styles of fire screen
but this one is very well designed and allows the
marquetcur plenty of scopc to design rural scenes
or totally abstract patterns. There is no reason
why this style of screen should not lend itself to
bcing made large enough to he used as a dressing
screen if desired.
143
C H.\I' TER FIn: I
. '

_ .:
......
t !
: \t
: \'1. '
T OOLS REQCIRED
As listed for lhe pier lahle. plus:
Rouud-bouomcd spokesha""
Fore plalle
Portabl rout er
Soss/ zysa hinKes
144
YLHERIALS REQuIRED
Ccllulos sall dill" scaler
- - - -
C<'I:lIlo.'(' lacquer
---- ---
1 Each panel is held in the frame bya groove running all
around the inside. Each panel is made from 6 mm('/4in)
MDF and veneered with standard-thickness veneers.The
panels, when complete with the veneers, must be sanded prior
to insertingthem into the frame.
3 Cuttingthe mortises can be done either by machine or
by hand, whichever you prefer. Remember that you will
need to haunch the tenons for both the depth of the groove
and also the other side of the tenon to stop the mortise being
exposed. Ifcut by hand then they must be done carefully with
a tenon saw. However, a simple alternative is to makea jig and
use a portable router with at least a 12mm('f, in) straight
cutter (see next illustration) .
FIRE SCREE:\'
-:
I .
f
? Once the sizes of your rails have been established by
-. marking off the length, plus the tenon length at each end,
you need to choose the face side and mark it accordingly. Mark
out the mortises and tenons to the dimensions given in
drawing SC2.Ideally, a mortise should correspond to a chisel
size.
4 The router jig can also be used to cut the tenons with
angled shoulders, but it is often better to cut the
shoulders with a tenon sawfirst;the router can then be
traversed back and forth to remove the waste material.
Approaching the task in this wayalleviates the problem of grain
splitting when, inevitably, going against the grain on one side of
the rail.
14",
c : ; ~ CJ!'\PIER FIVE I PROJECTS

;'
5 Notice the two wedges, laid head-to-tail to each other, at
the far end of the jig. These make sure the timbers are
heldtight duringrouting, to prevent any movement and
possible accident or damage to you or the timbers.
7 Make a simple jig (as illustrated) to enableyou to clamp
the screens together.The jig is shaped to the angle of the
top rail, with the top edge parallel to the bottom rail when in
use.The angle of the top rail changes slightly with each panel,
so the angle of the jig needs adjusting to suit.The profiled rail
is fastened to a flat MDF or plywood board the width of one
screen.
6 The groove in the rails can be cut using a hand plough
plane, a small portable router or spindle moulder.
Whichever apparatus you have, the width of the groove must
matchthe thickness of the panel so the panel is held firm, but
not too tight. Remember that the panels must be sanded prior
to fitting in the frame,and if possible a coat of sealer applied.
The depth of the groove inthis instance should be 10mm
('/8 in).When using solidtimbers, slight movement of the
timber is quite probable. Coatingthe panel with scaler will
helpto prevent a visible line appearing as the frame starts very
slightly to shrink.
8 Practiseassembling the frame without glueto makesure
all the parts fit together,then take it apart and re-
assemble using glue. Onlythe mortises and tenons require a
thin coat of glue; the panels relysolely on the groove to keep
them in place.Asash clamp and the jig made at the previous
step allow the frame to be glued and clamped together.Two 'G'
clamps prevent the frame slipping fromthe jigas the sash
clamp is tightened. For illustration purposes the marquetry
panels are not shown here, but clearly you will have inserted
them prior to assembly.
9 Once the glue has dried, the shaping of the top rail can
begin. The most straightforward wayto achieve this is by
using a flat-bottomed and a round-bottomed spokeshave,
working with the grain.The profile shape of the top rail needs
to be semi-circular at the top. Drawa line parallel to the top, 8
mm ('I" in) down from the top edge at both sides, and another
line on the top of the rail, lengthways in the middle.These lines
will act as a guidewhen you spokeshave the profile. Once you
have adopted a satisfactory profile, abrasive paper should be
used to smooth the finished shape.
Fitting the individual sections together is a task done with a
large plane, suchas a fore plane or a jack plane. The edgesshould
fit snugly together with no gaps, ready for fitting the hinges.
TIlE MARQUETRY DESIGN
Mcmbel's of the Leeds Marquetry (;roup constructed
the marquetry shown on the t.\I"O sides of the screeu. It
took approximately four months to compl ete with
members of all ages and skill -levels laking part,
including a fourteen-year-old junior.
Two themes were selected: one Oriental ,
representing' koi carp and buuc rf lic-s with bamboo
plants, and th e other heralding the first flush of an
English spring, showing spring flowers , rolling hills
and th e arrival of swallows. A group member and
artist Elizabeth Dorrcc drew the designs to scale and
purposefull y chose vibrant colours to e ncOllrage the
use of many dyed woods. All the panels have binI's-
eye maple as the main ba ckground ven eer, which
complements the ch erry frame. Ls ing Elizabeth's
10 The specialist hinges used for the screen are called either
soss or zysa hinges, and conveniently fit directly into the
edge of each panel. Make sure that when fitting the hinges,
accurate marking-out is achieved by using a craft knife, or
utility knife, to mark out the positions in pairs. Drill the
appropriate size of hole, both for the barrel of the hinge and
the depth, as instructed bythe manufacturer.
As a finish, the panels were first sealed on both sides with
two coats of cellulose sanding sealer,prior to installing them in
their respectiveframes. Finally, the frames and panelswere
sprayed with cellulose lacquer to give a satin finish.
line drawings, each member cut. his or her chosen
marquetry in to eith er a venee r or cardboard waster.
On completion, the work was back-cut into the
maple, using the reverse window method.
Should you wish to make this item of Iurni turc, we
think it. would probably be done with a specific
purpose in mind and the refore YOU would want. to
design your own decoration. Because of this, w do
not. intend to illu strate how the Leeds design was put
t.ogether. Suffi ce it. to say that the project gave the
group members great fun and satisfaction, working
t.ogether towards a common goal. \Ve are very
gratelitl lor their support, skill and achievement,
which th is highly imaginati ve and unique piece of
furniture re-presents.
147
CIIAPTER SIX
FURNITURE MAKERS'
GALLERY
,.. ... .
. "
"
I
r
Fun: SCREEN
\1.\I)E 111'.1 onx i \ I' I' S .\:\'ll 'n n:
LEEllS \'!.\RQUETRY CROUI'
IIi, 11I1I1i tlt bold dl'(isilllljililll the11111,11'1111 im'lIlvl' as man;
jJelljJl1' asi)()ssihll' ill its ronstnution.[ohn\ slylisli {ramI'
iJlY!l'idl's thejJl'l!IYI surround 10 mll/jJll'lI/l'/Il1I marqurir; theme.
,\[1'11/ /)(/:1 o/Ilil' IfI'd.I ,\Il/rlJ l/l'l n Grou], mrh mllirilmll'd 10 the
{I'll jJlllil'ls uihich 1/1111i1' Iii ! ih tioosided .11'/ i' 1'!I. fl rl isl II/III
grolljJ mnnber FIi:llhl'lli Donr 1'I1'1l11'l111i1' line dmwillgl' to
smleF)/, earhiJlIlId. IJYl'd ,'1'/11'1'1:\' Wi'll' used wlil'WON
jJlIssiiJIl' -1I hold, hili correct, decision.
hll'\I'/Y'1'1I - side I: An ()ri(JI11I1 Wmll'll
---
, .
,.. ,
' -c, .1
, I
' v
Ft R:\ I T I ' RE \L\KERS G\U .ERY C ....
Fire screen - side 2: An garden andthe/in/arrival o/ swlIl/mi's
,. -
,-,
0.) CIL\I'TER SIX I F liR:\"ITURE NL\KERS C .\LLERY
ORIENTAL VASE
;\tI.\IlE gy FRED l)\y (I H77-1 q00)
This amllzill g I'xlll lljJll' o/ <fOodcmJi WIIS donated10 the
Abbl')' ll ouse"IUSI'IIIII, Knkstall. lreils ill 11111' 2002 by the
jiilllil)' ojthe11111' Fred !JII)' o/ Anllll')', lreds. "Iii/ring nine
)'I'al:\ 10 complet, iheuase, SllIlIdi llg 380 111111 (/ 5 ill ) high
1'II({)IIIjJIISSI'S lIi1lrljUl'tl)', fllll'l/ul'll), lll lll i ll il l i llg,
tooodcaroing. tooodturning; and workillg ill nnniaturejonn.
The rabriole ll'gs, dmgoll s lind shoulders on th rorurrs are
Ill! builtjnnn solidioood 111111 ill atioIII', each I'OlIsislillg 0/
esuaovdinar; parqunr: arrangements. Thrkn IIIi ll ial IllY'
marquelr; .1'1'1'111'.1' suggl'sl I'OIIStI'l/C!iOIl by the window
method, dl'.I!)ill' tlu:[at! that the jJil'l'I' WIISIIIl1dl' bejill'l'
/930-.1'01111' twmtY1ilJl' )' 1'111:1 blj iJl'l' Ihl' method isjirst
recorded as bl'illg uSI'II. A lion\' tuhiskersli nd a sflidl'l'\' ueh,
uihrn examined under th microscope, show thatfine-line
slioers o/woodWi'll' inserted into the IIIill iat urized pictures
with predsion cuuing.
l . ~ ( )
Ft Ri'\ ITL RE M AKERS (;,\ LLERY ::.
Each fool, less than 2511/ 11/ (I i ll ) ill dimnetet; consists of 01l1'f
no section oj wood with til l' patterns mnning 10 the ( 1' II tH' of
1111' uooden balls. 0 1/ 1' ball ums broke, showing evidence of the
laminations inside.
r: ,
15 1
CII :\I'TER SIX I Fl :R:\ ITl JRE M AKERS G ALLERY
Oriental vase lion panel
Oriental uase j)(!({(()(1! j)([rte!
152
Onenial uase rhurdi panel
15,\
G:; CIIAPTER SIX I FI'Rl\ ITC RE MAKERS GALLERY
OCTAGONAL PEDESTAL TABLE
M ADE BYJ ACK:Y! ETCALFE
'litesegmenled jlutes were constructed b)' th l!'Injilale method,
usinga modified circle C1!uertoji! thetrllge radius. Each jliue
comprises alternating segmmls oioal: and oak bun; separated
from al1jacent.!lules b)' It boxwood slringa The auraaioe
shajJe and size-88G 111m (31'/2 in) in dial/wier-make this the
jmlect breakjflst table.
L ION I N CAGE
lV!ADE BYFRED DAY (IR77-J9!>5)
CarvedJromoneblock 11 wood, measuring onI)' 50 x 75 x 75
mm(2 x 3 x 3 in), the 'lion in a car;e' sitson a chassis muli a
lurninr;axle Suliliorlal b)' [ourwiJolvinr; toheels and a cage
doorthat swings open. Evl'l)' aspect ofFred lJa)'\ miniature
CIlTving remains captioe 10 thewood it originaledjimn.
()r:lagmwl pedestal table
Iion in cage aim rli.ljila),ed in reeds museum
15'1
Trolle; with side doion
SOFA TABLE
Toxioko Hxsuo, F O R ~ I E R STUDE'.,!TOF LEEDS COLLECE
OF Axr A:\D D ES]C:\ ,\ :\D L EEDS ivlARQCETRY GR()\ jp
,Hade by a marquet)} student, the table demonstrates 'JiJ1110/W\
marquet})' and mbinetmaking skills as well as heraitention to
detail. Earl: lell/o/the elegant underjrame {I' hand carved and
jointed into the ujJrights, JJaving completed hercourse,
'lomothasgained oll/!loJillent ill Yod!
with a high!;y res/Juted
[umiture maim:
F lJRr\TITRE MAKERS GALLERY 0
ITALIAN DRINKS T ROLLEY
M.-\DE BY}\CK METCALFE
All Italian-made tmlley, umeeied in 1996and decorated with
marquetry set intobook-matched blal'!i /vmrrican walnut burr.
holleydetail
155
c : : . ~ CHAPTER SI X I F CR:'\ ITCRE M .\ KERS C .\LLERY
---- '"--=--
Sewing box open
ISti
SEWING Box
M.\ DF. BYAU); Rou .rxsox
TI,e suttulurdof marquetr; aut]parquetr: shoum hnr belies th
shorttimeAllali had been SllUI)'ili [; it. AlaIi \- ajJini/), wi/h
II/fIIY/lle/IJ rontinnes, as hecommences a tioo-xear course II/
YOI f! Col1ege.
Sewing box closer!
F UR:\ ITl jRE JVfAKFRS C ,\LLERY C.!..)
J
Sheraum desk
CARLTOl\" HOUSE D ESK
~ V f A l l E By JOI-I:\ An-s
TIll' semi-circular back is cast in one piece by laminating several
sheets oj 1.5 mmIlIHJ iJl)" around a profiled/onnn: Traditional
mortise and tenon jointsamused whim' the curved andfront
mils meet. The drawer construction was traditionally made
usingcedar linings and the dovetails WClt" cut by hand. 1I1e
solid timber and most ojthoeneer was French chen)', as the
desl: was to look as near asiJossiblptosatinwood, a timber very
difficult toobtain in the sizes required. Decorationwas achieved
withnuticlus! mahogany cur/toprovide a vel)' impressive
contrast. A V(II:UUlIl iilY'sS was used tosecure the ueneets tothe
curved S111JflCPS. JI sjJel:ialist loclismith solved the /Jroblem ol
/mJViding ,1!'cwityj illillg1tothe two curveddoors, which hadto
meetthefi'IJIltjill'CI' at an angle of l?". Thesecond pictwI'
reveals one oj the twosectc! compartments that emrrge a/ier
releasing tin locliing mechanism imidethe curved r!OlJ1: Sheraton desk secret companments
1:-; 7
(::': CIL\PTER SIX I F UR:\ ITlI RE MAKERS GALLERY
Anthemion box
A NTHEMlON Box
.vIADE By JACK .vl ETCALFE
Jln Italian-made box decorated with the anihemion
(honeysuckle) 11.1'([,'71 much evident in theneo-classicalperiod,
both in Robert Adam\' plaster casts and in
furniture. Note theblue bordaveneer- a produri of illjPl:tilig a'
beech tree, as discussed in Chapter 1:
Anthemion box detail
PARQUETRY GALLERY TRAY
.vIADE BY Toxv T HORPE
Jl n impressiue and eye-CIl trhingjlllrlJllell), desi{,17/, oJFsl'l with
traditional cornerfuns, makes this toott: unique. Note the
jJattern repeated around thegalla), rim. 11m)' wonthejohn
noddy '!i'ojJh),/or the best ajljJlied enir ill thewoujJ 20()f
Seaton (;ujl mmjlldition.
Parquetl), gaUel), tray
I SH
:Vl. -\KERS CALLERY (':,.')
Rectrmgu{ar galln)' tmy
RECTAl,\,GULAR GALLERY TRAY
:VIADE BYJEN'\'\' GROOT
jennmade this tmyJor herDukeof bronzeamard
scheme when she teasjust 15, duringhertear'sstay with the
Leeds iVI arqlletryCroujl. This was herlirsi marquet l), w01k
Thescallopedpanelof oal: burrrompleme.us the ovalJan and
demonstrateshercreativequalities.
ClIlNESE FIRE SCREEN
MADE BY iVL\RGARET CAI' I"I:\:\O
The Chinese lad; provides aj itting putureJvr this simple Jet
roloUl ful fi re .loren. 1\ hingedstay brtuke!at the bacli liee/Is the
screen ujlright. Mmgaret, a tailoressifJ trade, selectedthe woods
Jorthe clothing and matching ensemble, making; a delightful
rmnj)(}sitiol1.
i 5D
(7., CIL\PTER SIX I F UR' d T l ' RE l'VL\KERS G\LLERY
LONG C ASE CLOCK
:YL\IJE BYCI t\RLES KERR
ntis delightful(\' decorated rlocl: dnnonstrates both marquetr;
and ('([billetll/aking skills, and took jirs! prize (It the2002
/ixminsterShou:
G REAT WALL OF C HINA SCREEN
!vIAIlE BYj:\CK \ 'I ET<:' \ LFE
il beech hanhoood[uuu with decoraiio inlayed bill/ding;
and (I .Iculptured top SWT01.mr!.1 a marquetl), piaure of China:'
(;rl'l/t Wal!. The pall' morning sky is welllYjm'smtPlI by
lemon WOOl!.
' r-- "I
~
I
Grea! mill oj China screen
160
Long case dock
ApPENDIX
TEMPLATES FOR DESIGNS IN CHAPTER TWO
- - - - ----- - - - - - -
ROSE, SHELL AL'IID CONCAVE CORJ'IER FAN
161
TEMPLATES FOR O VAL }<'A:-.:
T E.\l I'I. ATES FOR D ESIG:\S C::.
COMPASS R OSE
Outer circle
Second circle
Third circle
Inner circle
80 mm
55 mm
35 mm
25 mm
0
90
IG:l
PATERA
!G1
HALF-ROU!\D .FA1\"
T nI PL \ TES FOR Dr sn.xs r .....
"'-"'
PIER TABLE TEMPLATES
(2) A p P E ~ D l X
lG6
)
-r:
;,-:

;::)
:.:
""

::::
.:J
r 9I Smm (36 in) I
I SOmm

-
-I --
-.L
t

+-
2Smm l in)
IOOmm (4 in) OAKCROSS BEAM
"'-'1"-
.
tSOrr m (2 in)
l
I I i j
.J___ 1.. _L__L
C ::J

f
BOTTLEJACKS
I
I
I
A

IOOmm (4 in) ,.. '- rW-...,
i
N
1
I
c:!... I
E
I E

.
'"
U'l ,
I

(
2 PLATENS40mm (1 '1, in) "KITCHEN TOP" BOARD
700mm (28 in)
,---r- .,---r
rsmk
(3 in)
c.. J. _"'- ...._3-_
1-" -1'""-
-r
'1' -.-8-
i ..
H
38mm( I 'hin)
I
SOmT (2 in)
I--
:=
'-'---'-t
._. _._..- -
- - -- -
- - - -
._.._...-.._.
- --- -
I S4mm(6in)
1-+--+- 1 I
I 1-+--+-1 I
I i I -+--+ I i I

'J)
'J)

e,

;.;
Z
;..<
;>-
SOmm
(2 in) All bolts are M12 screwed rod with nuts and washers.
Dimension'A' should be the height of the bottl e jack when extended.
I . 400mm ( 16 in)
C::'" ApPE:\DIX
DRAWINGS FOR PROJECTS IN CHAPTER FIVE
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - _ . _ - - - ~ - - - -
PIER TABLE (TBl)
89mm (3
1
/2 in)
,
!
114mm (4
1
/2 in)
V
845mm (33
1
/4 in)
168
664mm (26
1
/8 in)
r 787mm (31 in) I
DR.\\\"I i\(;S FOR P ROJ ECTS c::.
PIER TABLE (TB2)
right leg
left leg
664mm (26
'
/8in)
18 m (" /16in)
1125mm (1 in)
L
,--
m (3
'
/, in)
-
--<:>
44 mm
fe>-
(2'/, in)
(1'/, in)
-
41mm
~
(1
5
/8 in)
~
39m
'J4mm
front leg
lG9
J EWELLERY Box (JBI)
1- . r. 44mm(1 -t, .n) somrn (? In)
r- --.1.
51rrrn (2 im
1
???r. m
(8 ''1, n)
I
45
y
L
131T1 r:l Chin)
-
zssmm
(1 1 "I, in)
n
14 in) f--- -+-- --- - ---j- - -- j
L ---=:rn (2 /., in)
I
164mm
(6 I e in)
I
8811m (3'1" in)
--l
170
J)R\\\T\(;S FOR PROJECTS 0
JEWELLERY Box
GB2)
194mm
(7' /, in)
(1 in
J
I I
]
I
Em (I,in) I
I. .1
t 10
270mm
(10'/, in)
152rnm .....
(6 in)
171
c:; A pPENDIX
FIRE SCREEN (SCI)
oJ
-:::,
,G:
~ ~ .
~
3
3
co
'"
2:
en
en
3
3
ro
"
~
--- --- ---
( ~
-
I
T
\ \'
OJ
'"
Q.
~
we
eo
uo"'
...
'0:.: ---

Co
:3
=>0
:J
~ - ~ 0
.-----
'-J
(0
3
::'
"
~ ~
~
::'. '1
..:..:.. 3
~
..-'-
.i->
\
~
,-
rn

~ .
"
.,.
3'
3
"
..,.
...
co
~
"
3
In
DR\WI "C ' S J' C) P , . , ,, < R ROJECTS c;:;
FIRE S C R E E ~ (SC2)
E
E
C\J
?.
E
E
C\J
C\J
E
E
C\J
C\J
E
E
C\J
(')
CD
c
CIl
0..
E
E
a
x
E
E
a
~
.2
CD
>
o
e
OJ
~
--
E
E
co
C\J
E
E
C\J
(')
173
GLOSSARY
Abrade to remove with abrasive material.
Abrasive the scouring action of sandpaper, emery
paper or wirewool.
Adhesive glue used for sticking veneers to each other
or to a baseboard. Sticky gum used on tape.
Aluminium oxide an abrasive, hardwearing mineral
applied to the surface of sandpaper.
Anthemion the honeysuckle ornament much used in
plaster work and furniture during the neo-classical
period.
Burr or Burl the abnormal growth at the base of trees
and around the root system. Called Burr in UK and
Burl in the USA.
Cross-banding the laying of a veneer such that the
grain lays at 900 to its adjacent veneer. Often used
to border veneered panels and make decorative
bandings.
Cupping timber that distorts in shape, producing a
hollowed surface.
Cure the drying time necessary for water-based glues.
Cutting gauge a tool with a sliding fence used to make
measured cuts into veneers from the sides of a board.
Fence a guide, either fixed or adjustable, used on
machines and handtools to cut straight lines at a
pre-set distance.
Fiddleback the rippled maple veneer traditionally
used to decorate the backs of violins.
Flute one segment of a marquetry fan.
French polish a generic name given to a polish made
from shellac and spirit.
'G' Clamp small steel hand clamp for holding woods
together. Its profile forms a shape like the letter G,
hence its name.
Grain filler a coloured or transparent liquid used to
fill the grain of wood, or gaps in fretsaw work, prior
to sanding and finishing.
Groundwork a wood board or panel to which
decorative veneer and marquetry is glued.
Harewood the mineral process used to create a
chemical colour change to certain wood veneers.
Husk the seed pot of corn, used extensively in 18th-
century decor on both plasterwork and furniture.
Inlay a thin strip of wood let into a prepared channel.
Jig an appliance for guiding or positioning a tool, to
make a task easier to manage.
Lacquer modern cellulose-based finishing material
that depends on an additive (catalyst) to kick-start
the hardening process.
Laminate bonding together thin layers of wood to
form thicker material.
174
Lipping a thin strip of decorative wood used usually as
a contrasting edge or top of other woods.
MDF medium-density fibreboard. A man-made flat
board, ideal for veneering work.
Neo-classical a name given to an historic period in
furniture and architecture. In Britain the period
was about 1770-1800.
Parquetry cutting pieces of wood or veneer into
geometric shapes to make a uniform repeating
pattern.
Patera a rosette design found in bas-relief in friezes
and repeated in marquetry work (plural paterae).
Pigment a powdered substance used to impart colour,
used with grain fillers and finishing materials.
PVA (poly-vinyl acetate) a modem water-based
transparent adhesive.
Quartered corner A 9Cr corner broken by an inward-
curving quarter-circle radius.
Rebate a recess cut into wood. Also called a rabbit.
Rubber a pad made from cotton wool and wrapped in
cotton cloth to apply French polish.
Sandshading a process of scorching wood veneers in
hot silver sand to create a dark shadow, for artistic
effect in marquetry.
Sanding sealer a methylated spirit or cellulose-based
sealant applied prior to finishing polish.
Sandwich a multi-veneered pack, nailed or pinned
together prior to fretsawing a pattern.
Sash-clamp A clamp with a long bar used originally for
gluing the frames of sash windows.
Scallop the curved ends of flutes used on marquetry
fans.
Shellac resin secreted by the lac beetle and dissolved
in spirit to make French polish.
Silicon carbide a self-lubricating paper that prevents
clogging; mineral substance used to coat fine
abrasive finishing paper.
Sliding bevel a tool with a handle and sliding steel
arm that can be set to any angle to aid precise
cutting and sawing.
Stringing a thin strip of wood used for decoration in
furniture and marquetry work.
Swag decor that droops like curtains across a window
frame. Used in Robert Adam designs and in 18th-
century marquetry.
Template (or templet) a guide used to cut shapes of
wood and veneers. Usually used for repeating
patterns to ensure uniformity.
Wet or dry an abrasive finishing paper for polishes
and paints. Can be used wet or dry.
SUPPLIERS
AND REFERENCES
UKSUPPLIERS
Art Veneers
Chiswick Avenue Industrial Estate
Mildenhall
Suffolk
lP287AY
website: www.artveneers.co.uk
(veneers, marquetry tools and equipment, marquetry
kits)
John Boddy Timber Ltd
Riverside Sawmills
Boroughbridge
North Yorkshire
Y059LJ
email: info@john-boddys-fwts.co.uk
(veneers, marquetry tools and equipment, timber
suppliers)
Shesto Ltd
Unit 2 Sapcote Trading Estate
374 High Street
Willesden
London
NWI02DH
website: www.shesto.corn
(Zona fretsaw blades, gents paclsaw, marquetry tools
and equipment)
Optimum Brasses
Castle Street
Bampton, Near Tiverton
Devon
EX169NS
website: www.obida.corn
(brass gallery tray handles. brass hinges etc.)
The Air Press Company Ltd
Units 5-6, Scott's Close
Downton Business Centre
Downton
Willshire
SP53RA
website: www.airpress.uk.com
(vacuum presses)
M-Power Tools Ltd
Manor Farm
Newton Tony
Salisbury
Wiltshire
United Kingdom
SP40HA
website: wwwm-powcrtools.coin
(circle cutter, tri-scribe and tri-blade)
W. H. Smiths
Stationery shops located throughout the country
(bookbinding film)
REFERENCES
Art Veneers Manual and Catalogue, available from
www.artveneers.co.uk
Hawkins, David, Wood Surface Decoration, London:
Batsford, 1986
Lincoln, William A., World Woods in Colour, London:
Stobart, and New York: Macmillan, 1986
Lincoln, William A., Marquetry Manual, London:
Stobart, 1989
Middleton, David, and Alan Townsend, Marquetry
Techniques, London: Batsford, 1993
Leeds Marquetry Group: www.leedsmarquetry.org.uk
Harewood House Trust, Harewood, Leeds LS17 9LQ:
www.harewood.org
Temple Newsam House Leeds LS15 OAE:
www.Iceds.gov.uk/ templenewsam/
Newby Hall and Gardens, Ripon, HG4 5AE:
www.newbyhall.com
175
INDEX
Abrasives 18, 104-105
Adam (Robert) 42
Adhesives 15-18
American walnut 23
Animal glue (see scotch
glue)
Back cutting 65
Band saw 114,122
Basket weave 81-85
Birch masur 75
Birds-eye maple 23, 148-9
Black spot 16
Blade sharpening 8, 27
Blades, fretsaw 10
Blades, scalpel 8, 26-27
Block plane 133, 137
Book matching 25
Borders 93, 95-101
Boxes 58, 78, 81, 131
Bradawl 11, 33
Burr (Burl) 16,25,
138-142
Carbon paper 62
Cellulose sealer 18, 108,
110
Cherry 143
Chessboard 74-77,95,
103
Chevron parquetry
86-90,111
Chippendale 118
Circle cutters 8
College courses 6
Compass rose 58-61
Concave corner fan
48-50
Contact adhesive 17-18
Convex corner fan 44-47
Crossbanding 97-101
Crown cut 22-23
Curl 22
Cutting board 11-12
Cutting exercises 28-31
Cutting gauge 8, 94, 126
Disc sander 114
Donkey 66
176
Dyed veneers 148-149
Ebony 103
Ellipse 112
Fans 6, 42-56
Fine lines 40-41,148
Finishing 106
Firescreen 143-149
Floral 62-65, 149
Flutes (see fans)
French polish 19,
106-107,109-110
Fretsaw, electric 33,71
Fretsaw, hand 10,34-35,
69
Gallery tray 111-117
Gents padsaw 9,79,88,
90
Geometry set 8, 44-45
Glue (see adhesives)
Hammer veneering 17
Harewood 37-39
Harewood house 42
Heater (sand) 12
Husks 123-129
Inlay 92
Inlay motif 6, 43, 67
Jewellery box 131-142
Jigs 114,120-122,
145-146
Kevasinga 97
Khaya 21
Lacquer 106, 110
Lath 115, 118
Lines 92
Louis Cube 78-80
Madrona burr 25
Magnolia 24, 123, 126-9
Mahogany 21
Maple 24
Maple, birds-eye 23
Marquetry cutting board
11-12
Masking tape 15
Materials 15
MDF 174
Mitre 96-99
Mitre box 9-10,79,88,90
Mop 107
Mounting 91
Neo-classical 42, 174
Obeche 19,24
Orbital sander 9, 104-10:')
Oval fan 51
Oval gallery tray III
Pad method 30-35
Paper glue 32
Parcel tape 32, 68
Parquetry 74-90
Patera 70,73,111,114
Penwork 39-40, 123
Pier table 118-130
Polishes 106-110
Pommelle 24
Poplar 24
Poplar burr 25
Press and pressing
13-14,94,129
PVA (see adhesives)
Quarter matching 25
Reconstructed veneers
19-20
Rock maple 24
Rose 62-65
Rosewood 65, 78, 97
Router 121,145
Rubber 107, 109
Safety 9, 13, 33, 36
Sandpaper (see abrasives)
Sanding block 105, 129
Sanding sealer 102-103,
107-110
Sandshading 12-13, 36-37
Satinwood 30, 123
Scallops 46-47,49-50,
55-56
Scalpel 8, 26-27
Scotch glue 17
Scraper 73
Sepele 24
Set-square 8, 59, 77
Shell 67-69
Shellac 109
Silicon carbide paper
18, 105
Silver sand 12-13,36-37
Spindle moulder 120
Stapler 11, 32-33
Steel rule 8, 12, 40
Straight edge 8, 76-77, 87
Stringer, stringing
92-93,95-101
Sulphate of iron 37-39
Suppliers 175
Swags 123-130
Sycamore 24
Table 118, 130
Techniques 26-41
Template method 43-56
Tools 8-14
Tracing paper 67
Try-square 8
Tulipwood 33
Tutorials 42-90
Tweezers 13
Veneer 19-25
Veneer albums 21
Veneer hammer 17
Wallpaper roller 16
Walnut 23
Waster 30-32
Wet and dry paper 18, 105
Window method 57-65
Wirewool18, 107, 109, 110
Workshop 6, 119
Yew 19
Yewburr 138-142
Zebrano 23,87, III
Zona tools 9-11, 175
Jack Metcalfe sta rt ed his working life tuning and
renovati ng church organs. He later rurncd to upholstering
per iod furniture. He learned ma ny more of his woodcraft
ski lls fro m his late un cle d ur ing an eight-year ap prentic eshi p.
Using tha t foun dati on, Jack taught marquet ry to stu de nt s
studying fu rniture-making and restorat ion, Erst at the Leeds
College of Art & De sign, th en York Coll ege . He is currently
Chairman of the Leeds Marquetry Croup where he teaches
and demonstrat es the craf ts man y tec hniques.
lIe is a great admirer of rhc nco-clas sic period of English
furn iture, which he believes shows the finest examples of
applied marquerr y.
John ApI'S is a fourth-generat ion woodworker and was an
app rentice cabi ne t ma ker to the Robert 'mousy' Thompson
wo rkshops in Kilbur n. He gain ed a full rechnical ccrtificare
in cabi net maki ng, Certi fi cace of Ed ucation and degre c in
fu rn iture stu di es from Buckingharnshirc C hi lrern University at
Basford Hall, i'-JO! I ingham.
Jo hn has worked in the fu rniture industr y ar ' l reskc in Tli irsk
and as a self-employed lurni rurc maker and restorer. He has
lect ure d in furnitu re st udies at York College since 1986 and
became head of rhe depart mc nr in 1993.
John's main interests in furni rurc are design, wood surface
decoration, conservat ion and the his to ry of [urnii urc.
Other woodworking books by BT B"rsfllrll,
Decorating Wood
Miro, Armcnoo] Fan/
0 7 134 R73 ! -'
French Polishing
AI'III W'Ui'lJ., ow/, 111/(1 /'f,i lipplI Barstoio
o7 LH R261 3
Technique of furniture Making
Ernestjovc
0 7154 HHl<i X
For more into rmario OIl
woodworking boo ks, write to :
B T Batsford
The Chrysalis Building
Bramk-y Road
London \X!1() 6SP
www, batsfo rd.com
Series of tutorials to give a complete course on the art, craft
and techniques of marquetry with over 300 step-by-step
photographs and instructions
Ideal book for students of marquetry and furniture making
Covers a number of marquetry patterns, including fans,
shells, chess board, Louis cube, parcrae, husk swags and
compass rosc, as well as a range of parquctry patterns.
Full project details for making an oval gallery tray, pier table,
jewellery box and fire screen
Written by two expert teachers with over 30 years' experience.
ISBN 0-7134-8850-6