Engagement Boxes 1
Marquetry Tutorial
Inlay - Step by step
Step 1
After choosing a piece of veneer that is large
enough for your design place the paper design over it and affix it with masking tape. Then, with your
sharp, pointed blade and ruler, place the ruler over the part that you want to keep
(in this case the background) and score
a line. I say score because that is all you are going to do at this stage.
Once you have scored all the straight lines, score along the curved lines free hand until you
have the
whole letter scored. The paper letters should come away at this stage. Once you have scored all
the letters remove the paper.
Step 2
Now, remembering that the cutter is tilted
away from the piece you want to keep at about 5 degrees, cut the letters out,
using several strokes until the blade goes all the way through. Do not try to force
it as you might tear the veneer. As the letters are in the middle of a piece of
veneer it is not advisable to use the chisel-like cutter here or it will split the
veneer. Keep the letters like the o and a as
you will need the centers later.
Step 3
Once all the pieces are cut out place the veneer that will fill the letters underneath the cut out letter. Using the letter opening as a template score along its outline. Then remove the 'template' and cut the letter out with a combination of the pointed and the chisel-like cutters. If it feels wrong or is breaking where it shouldn't, try the other cutter. If pieces break off, just stick them back with a little glue held in place with masking tape. If you are using a specie that wants to splinter, stick a piece of masking tape over the back of the letter and then cut it out. If you suspect this will happen, stick the tape on before scoring the outline.
Step 4
Mix a drop or two of water with a bit of glue in a bottle cap. The water is just to make the glue go on thinner and not deposit too much glue in the joint. If you are able to (depending on what you are making) pick the work piece up and go around the edge with the glue brush. You could apply the glue to the letter but I find it easier applying it to the largest piece when the pieces are so small. You only need to put glue on one surface. Then place the cutout in the hole and place masking tape over the ENTIRE area, and smooth down with the back of your nail. This part is very important, both to get the veneer perfectly flat and lined up, as well as to squeeze the glue off the surface. If you don't the glue may 'stain' the veneer.
Step 5
If you are able to inspect the bottom of the piece
after inserting a new piece it is a good idea to do so. If the two surfaces aren't perfectly flush then
there is the possibility of sanding through the layer as it is higher than the rest, with a gap
underneath. This is also why it is so important to flatten the masking tape out with the back of your
nail after every new piece is stuck. Sometimes veneer isn't all the same thickness, in which case
the thinner veneer is sometimes prone to not lie flat on the table but is lifted up by the tape to
form a flush surface, thus leaving a gap at the bottom. To prevent this, mold the masking tape
with your nail into the step from the higher to the lower veneer at the joint.
A different Step
The little stars were done in a slightly
different
way. I first covered back of a piece of a contrasting veneer with masking
tape, cut the star out carefully with the chisel-like cutter and then placed
it on top of the plaque in the place where I wanted it to be. Then, using the
pointed cutter I scored around the star. Putting the star to one side I then
cut the piece out. With a little glue in the hole, the contrasting star in
place and masking tape to hold it all in place I moved on to the next star.
With a border around it the name plaque was finished. 
Copyright Reserved - Created April 2000 - Greentree Creations - e-mail Jane