Veneering and Marquetry

[Becky]

Looking good, Dustin!  I am looking forward to seeing it glued upand finished.

It does look like you lost a tip of one leaf (unless that's just the picture?).  I have lost more tips than I want to talk about so I know that feeling.  In the knife method, they say to put a bit of blue tape, or masking tape or whatever you're using in the areas with sharp points like that.  I am not sure if that is supposed to help prevent the breakage or just to help keep track of the piece after it breaks.  Maybe both.  Do you use any tape on the veneer surface with the scroll saw?  If not, it might be worth a try.  Of course, if that is just a shadow on your photo, never mind!

I have completed another piece but before taking a picture I got all soft and gave it to someone who really liked it.  I'll ask for a picture.  It was a fairly simple rose and, as I suspected, I did use both front and back sides of my veneer for the picture side.  I guess it was good enough though as it inspired someone else to offer to pay me to make a set a coasters.  Not bad after having just completed three small projects!

Meanwhile, I bit the bullet and am taking a try at sand shading.  Hot sand in a frying pan smells bad.  And it is tricky to get the shading where I want it without burning the veneer to a crisp.  Like everything else, this will take practice.

Keep it up, Dustin.  You're off to a good start.  It's getting easier for me and I am sure it will for you too.

[Keefie]

As Becky says,it does look like you lost the tip of a leaf, but apart from that it looks pretty good to me, for a first attempt I think it's marvelous.

[countryscroller]

Yeah I did, I can fix it though. There is a tape called "gum tape" that I use. It came in the kit and it is supposed to keep the veneer from breaking. I guess I didn't have any on that point. Oh well, just  a minor imperfection. Also I didn't know if you knew Becky, but veneer expands when it sees water. If you use a water based glue, any places where the pieces don't come together perfectly or just the saw kerf, it should close them up. Thanks for the feed back and tips.

[Becky]

One of the things I read (I think it was the tutorial from the American Marquetry Society) said to put a little glue on the back and rub it into each joint line.  I tried that and it does seem to do as you describe.  You still have to be pretty close though.  It won't hide a big gap.  And yes, of course I tried!  LOL

Still experimenting with sand shading.  I made one lotus flower but overdid it.  I'm trying again and shooting to be more subtle.  I also take a copy of the pattern over to the stove now too so I can make sure I'm doing it in the right spot.  I had shade on places where no shade had any business being in my first attempt. 

One thing I learned is that fine sand seems to work better.  I got some coarse sand at first.  It smelled really bad when heated, took a long time to get hot and took a long time to cool down afterward.  It also just seemed to get hotter and hotter if you left it on for a while.  The fine sand doesn't stink and heats/cools faster.  It seems to stay at a more even temperature however long you leave it on the stove and it's easier to push pieces into too.  I just got fine (almost powder), white  aquarium sand from a pet supply store.  That tip is worth about $5 and an extra trip to the store.   

Got any new projects going yet, Dustin?

[countryscroller]

Thanks for the update. I actually had two really nice pieces just about done, and when I went to glue it up, disaster struck. I was trying to do to much at once. I just got done with a piece today. I still have to sand it and give it a sealing and then a clear coat.  I don't know if you mentioned it, but how do you glue up? I have been taught to use a vacuum press. I just went to Walmart and got a Ziploc vacuum sealer system. It is about $40, cheaper than a real vacuum press for marquetry, but very durable. My first experience of using it today was very successful. I will post an image as soon as I get the piece completely done. Note: the image I will post is similar to the one I already posted, but that one is one that got messed up in a glue up operation the other day.

[Becky]

That's a great idea!  Never even crossed my mind.  I've read about the vacuum sealing but they all said it was expensive so I just dismissed it.  You thought outside the box for sure and came up with a good one! 

Since my cut pieces often provide part of the pattern for the next piece, I do gluing as I go.  I squeeze a minimal amount of glue on a piece of waxed paper and use a toothpick to run some glue around my window (the hole in the background veneer).  I only put glue where the new piece touches either the background veneer or an already placed piece.  I insert the piece and then, as mentioned earlier, I rub a little extra glue into the joints from the back side.  If needed, I stick a piece of blue tape over that for a few minutes until it sets.  By the time I am done, everything is glued to another piece, the background veneer or both.  Then I sand the back so I have a smooth surface ready to glue to the substrate piece (plywood, mdf, whatever). 

Before I do that (glue the project piece), I glue another piece of veneer to the back of the substrate, put a piece of waxed paper over the veneer and add cauls.  Then I clamp the heck out of it.  After about an hour or so, I unclamp and trim the excess veneer.  Then I put glue on the other side of the substrate and attach the project piece and repeat with the waxed paper, cauls and clamps.  After that I trim the excess and glue strips to the sides.  I just "clamp" that with blue tapestretched tight.  I do two opposite edges first then trim them.  Then I do the other edges and trim them.  I am still working on the best way to trim the excess from the sides.  I've had some problems with that.

I'd like to hear more about how the vacuum press works and how you use it if you don't mind explaining.

[countryscroller]

No not at all, I would be glad to explain. I think I am starting to get the gest of the whole process now. I am going to make  a video on the whole process very soon. I will cover how the press works. I have a couple more items I use during glue up that you didn't mention, but arn't neccessities. I will cover most everything in the video. It is easier for me to do that than type a book on here lol. Look for it in the next week. I will post it in this subject.

[countryscroller]

Here is my first completed project. The leaf that I posted before was unfinished and when I did glue up, it kinda got destroyed, so this is my new and improved one. Hope ya'll like it!

[dgman]

Nice work Dustin, congratulations!

[Keefie]

Yep, nice work Dustin.

[countryscroller]

Thanks. I figure the more I work with it, they will start turning out.

[Becky]

Looks great!  Getting that first one under your belt feels pretty good, doesn't it? 

If I remember right, you said your kit came with a number of patterns.  Any thoughts yet on what you'll try next?

I watched your video on the vacuum process you used for that portrait.  Is that how you do your marquetry as well?  It looks like it would be hard to keep everything aligned correctly while you wrestle it into that bag.  I am curious if it is as difficult as it looks and how you deal with that.

Congrats on a successful first project!

[countryscroller]

Thank you Becky, and yeah it feels good to finally produce something. The kit I got did come with patterns, this leaf is actually a part of one of the patterns just to try. I used the vacuum sealer system for the marquetry yes. It is actually not as hard as it may look. Marquetry the way I do it with the scroll saw just has a heck of a process involved. I plan on making a video on this project of the leaf to show how I do it. Thanks again Becky!

[Becky]

I look forward to seeing the video.  The scroll saw process does seem more complicated but at least you know the pieces will fit together.   

As you know, I have been experimenting with sand shading.  I finished the cutting and have got it glued onto a piece of plywood as of tonight.  Tomorrow I will add the sides.  I hope to get that done early enough to be able to wipe on a little oil before the end of the day.  I hope to have a picture by later on in the week.

I'm also still trying to get a picture of my third project (rose) so I can post it.

[countryscroller]

I have a little more to shoot for the video, then it will be up directly in about 2 to 3 days. Can't wait to see your projects!