Where do you Start?

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Do you have a start point?

Top to bottom, left to right, center out, biggest piece first?

[just Josh]

Kinda of depends on the piece.  I'm currently working on a JGR eagle, so I started with the right wing.  Why?  Honestly, once I had the pattern pieces glued to the wood, and got ready to start, the piece for the top of that wing was closest to me.

Now, on a piece like a JGR teddy bear, I always start with the head and work down.

[multifasited]

For Me the focal point and usually the most delicate part ,appearance wise is the Eyes and facial expressions ,If they are not right ,the rest of your hard work is waisted .Plus when your happy with those the rest is easy because you confidence level is much higher ,when they are right ,I'm encouraged to try and match the rest to it.Just my opinion ,and it's worth every thing you paid for it !

[scrollgirl]

I start at the most difficult part first, much like Multifasited.  Besides being the most alert and enthusiastic at the beginning of the project, as he said, if you make a mistake on the difficult part, it is better to do so at the beginning of the cutting phase than the end. Leaving the hardest parts for last isn't the best thing to do (at least for me!)  I like to get the hard parts done, and then I can relax and feel confident when cutting the remainder of the piece. Everyone is different, but that is just how I do things.

Sheila

[Billy in Va]

I usually start with the smallest or most difficult frets first. As Shelia and Multifasited said it better to get them done first.  The other reason is that the piece remains sturdy with more wool left in until the last.  I usually cut the final perimeter last but if the piece is large, I will cut it first just so I can have better control of the entire piece

[Jim Finn]

I also start with the most difficult pieces.  I like to stack cut adjoining pieces (as much as possible)  so that I get a perfect match between them.

[multifasited]

I also start with the most difficult pieces.  I like to stack cut adjoining pieces (as much as possible)  so that I get a perfect match between them.

  Excellent point ,another reason ,squareness of blade all fourways I cricical ,no margin of error in Eye lids .or wrinkles ,when attempting stacking ,even on fret work ,inlays ,bowls & any angle or curves!!

[grampa sawdust]

I have only done 3 or 4 intarsa I started a bigger one and put it away from frustration. I found it to day and the pieces are there i put them together dry and that was the question I had where to start. Thanks for the help. Could you explain stack cutting the pieces. i assume you speaking of using 2 different woods and getting them to fit together better. I do have trouble with that and lots of adjusting to make it look fair.

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I learned from Bruce Worthingtons e book a method you could call stack cutting.
http://intarsia.hostcentric.com/home/

lots of good info there.

I look forward to tackling some of his pieces after getting some experience.

[Jim Finn]

What I do  in stack cutting intarsia works well because I use 3/8" thick wood.  In some cases I just place three pieces of different woods on top of one another. 3/8" thick each taped together on the edges and then cut out the entire pattern. Interchange the pieces and depending on the design 2/3 of the wood can be used to make two complete projects.  I made a Viking this way.  On larger projects I just stack and tape together two adjoining pieces and cut the line between them, not forgetting to get the grain direction right.  Not all cuts can be easily done this way but some of them can.

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Sounds like a great way to get a good fit.

It sure worked well on that Viking.

[Keefie]

I like your viking Jim, when are you coming to Cornwall to teach me how to do intarsia?