A Faberge Inspired Serving Tray

Holy Cow !!! The level of detail is astounding. That’s a beautiful piece of work and your step by step description is great.

-- When you give someone a chance it may well be their last.

Sheeetfire that is a beaut, you know there is no granite involved this time right ;)

Heck I was up in Longview this past weekend, I should of thought to see if I could swing by and check out your shop, maybe next time I am up there!

-- //FC - Round Rock, TX - "Experience is what you get just after you need it"

Very Nice. I am interested in knowing the process.

-- Jerry, Set in the foothills of the Smokey's

I really like the parquetry. Very nice work. you did a great job!!!

-- Dennis Zongker

Gary your not that old to have so much talent. Your designs are time comsuming and the end results are alway worth every second you spend thinking up on how to do it.
Your are the man.

-- Dominic, Trinity, Florida...Lets be safe out there.

you will need coasters for your serving tray! nice work.

Sheeeesh. That is fantastic.

I guess an indexing jig for a router on the center star inlay? I would love to see how you did it.

Very nice,
Steve

-- Stevethepeeve -- I'm no rocket surgeon

Simply stunning…

-- My favorite piece is my last one, my best piece is my next one.

Sheeeeesh, says it all.

An unbelievable piece of work!

I feel like so humbled by your work.

The first time we meet, the beers on me.

-- Keep your tools sharp, your mind sharper and the coffee hot

Good grief Gary. Are you sure you’re not bionic or something?

Spectacular execution as usual. Thanks for not letting something like a vacation get in the way of your flourishing creativity!

-- Jeff, St. Paul, MN

we might as well just give up now ;)

Fantastic as always.

-- A thing of beauty is a joy forever...

Another wonderful ‘Gary Creation’.

-- Bruce from Central New York

I’m interested in how you cut the pieces to be inlayed into the center of the tray.

I can see a simple circular jig where grooves are routed… but, I guess it’s a sequence thing because some go over other pieces, etc.

Looks like you cut a groove, filled it, rotated the jig, cut another groove, filled it, etc., etc. until done all the way around… with some routed grooves going through previously cut/filled sections.

Would like to see how you did it… fo real…

You sure do good work!!

Thank you…

-- Have Fun! Joe Lyddon - Alta Loma, CA USA - Home: http://www.WoodworkStuff.net ... My Small Gallery: http://www.ncwoodworker.net/pp/showgallery.php?ppuser=1389&cat=500"

Gary! That is soooo sweeeeet! I hope your trip went well, but if not, at least you got an incredible design out of it…I love it.

A blog on this would be great, please do so.

Thanks for posting it.

(wowser)

-- Martin, Kansas

Man, that is amazing. I want to be the first student at the Gary institute of amazing detail. I can’t even start to describe how impressed I am with the body of your work. What a gift.

-- www.robneves.com

Wow!!!! Very nice looking tray. Great inlay work as well. You have this down!! What a amazing piece of art.

-- Davesfunwoodworking

Your not really going to use that are you? Its beautiful, the inlay is just…WOW.

-- Andy Stark

Gary, that is gorgeous!

-- Brian, Lebanon PA, If you aren’t having fun doing it, find something else to do.

Fantastic work Gary,

I just love this kinda stuff. You are da Man!

-- John, Chisel and Bit Custom Crafted Furniture, www.chiselandbit.com

OK, OK, can we vote Gary off the island??? He’s just too good at what he does!

Maybe Martin can start posting something like, ”We were going to have a contest but instead we’re just going to send Gary a new table saw to save time.”

Seriously… this is fantastic, what a true work of art!

-- Tim D. - Woodstock, GA

Gary,

WWWW OOOO WWWW !!!!!!!!!!!!

Terrific, Gary. I love it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Al Navas, St Joseph, MO, http://sandal-woodsblog.com

Gary. A fantastic work of art, using wood as your medium. A great job. I would also like to see the blog.

-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †

Wow Gary, another terrific project! I’m interested in seeing the process of the inlay for the center.

It looks like you made an equal number of marks around the circumference of the circle, then put it on a jig with a center pin on the table saw (or you could use a sled). You could make the cut, then put in an inlay. Turn the circle to the next mark, then put in another inlay. (am I even in the ballpark… lol?)

I really like the center… very meticulous. Great job again!

—Steve

-- As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another. (Proverbs 27:17) †

Hi Gary;

That’s nice.

Lee

-- by Lee A. Jesberger http://www.prowoodworkingtips.com http://www.ezee-feed.com

Well, just when I was thinking how the tray contest was going to be close….. lots of nice projects…. you come along and blow everyone out of the water with a stunner like this! Of course I’ve come to expect as much… you’ve set an awfully high standard for you rself. But somehow you still manage to keep getting better. :-)

-- Charlie M. "Woodworking - patience = firewood"

. . . And we have a winner. . . jaw dropping

-- Jeff, South Carolina

This should be in a museum not our contest. Fantastic work Gary!

-- Rob (A) Waxahachie,TX

UNBELIEVABLE!

To quote The Continental: Wow! Wowie wow-wow-wow!
How do you find time to sleep!

-- "Bordnerizing" perfectly good lumber for over a decade.

I’m not sure if I’m inspired or intimidated by the quality of this piece.

Maybe a little of both.

Q

-- I don't make sawdust...I produce vast quantities of "Micro Mulch."

I really like the parquetry. Very nice work.Fantastic work Gary!

-- jeanmarc manosque france

Every now and then along comes a “gem”, this Faberge tray is it, I am truly humbled by your work and your attention to detail.

-- Colin, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. "Every craftsman was once an amateur"

fantastic job!

I like the statement made above – that you raise the bar for the rest of us. And that’s a good thing!
Brilliant as always. I like the cup holders on the side. Carrying beverages on a tray is scary. This will help.

I didn’t have time to make a tray for this but I did have one from a long time ago – so now I’m going to enter it. Why? Because you have challenged me to go beyond my abilities and my tray will remind me that I have a long way to go :)
Thank you

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Gary, Man what a nice piece. The thought and planning that went into
this tray must have been great.
The serving tray has gone to a new dimension.
Thanks for posting.

-- ''Carry on my wayward son''

Worthy of the Czar, to be sure!

-- There's no tool like an old tool...

Gary,

In Kentucky vernacular: “You dun good”.

I know you were on vacation but was wondering if you were busy with something else besides being here. Now I can see what was taking up time (besides playing with your daughter, of course).

Well done. You are an inspiration to us all.

-- With God's help all things are possible- even woodworking. Woodworking is not just a hobby, it is an (expletive deleted) expensive hobby.

Way too much talent! <g>

Good on you Gary!

Bob

-- A mind, like a home, is furnished by its owner

Gary,

Beautiful design.

Some questions-The maple appears to be a veneer. Yes? How are the cup holder attached?

I’d enjoy a blog about the construction process…

Great thought and imagination.

Alan

Gary

Another awesome accomplishment ! Beautiful work with great precision and detail

Regards

DAN

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Well mentor you’ve done it again,(as expected). I doubt that I can find words to describe this tray that have not already been used and while I will never live long enough to master the skills needed to this type of detail I would love to have you blog this. Thank you for sharing this with us.

-- RTB. "dumb animals are not stupid they simply can't talk "

Off the wall again. Martin should just make a bunch of pre-postmarked boxes for your future schwag.

-- Scott - Chico California http://chicowoodnut.home.comcast.net

And the winner is Gary!....lol…Awesome work Gary!

-- Can't never could do anything, to try is to advance.

Gary, I must say, you do tend to impress us each time you let us into your world.
Great job and good luck to you and to all the trays.

I would also love to see a blog and maybe a Lumberjock by Lumberjock shop tour in which you spend a couple years living with us teaching us the craft. Just a thought. Might take you awhile, but boy it’d be fun.

-- Kevin, Wichita, Kansas

I think if the contest was to build a toothpick you would find a way to turn it into a work of art.

-- http://www.woodsongsfurniture.com

Gary, your mind must work in mysterious ways which coupled with your excellent skills produce such spectacular results. You are gifted.

-- Phil in British Columbia

Awe…..........some!

-- I'm a wood magician... I can turn fine lumber into firewood before your very eyes! - http://www.woodworkersguide.com

Thanks everyone for your very kind comments. I really means something coming from my fellow woodworkers.

I will start working on a blog on how I did the center medallion. Steve Korz is the closest to describing how I did it.

Thanks again.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Gary, ever consider writing a book on inlay technique?

-- making sawdust....

oh I like the idea of a world tour. Put me on the list!!

-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)

Keep practicing man, you’ll get there.

Sheesh.

Thats so far beyond what I’m capable of that I have a hard time even visualizing how it was done.

-- When my wife ask's what I have to show for my wood working hobby, I just show her the splinters.

Speechless Gary, speechless.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Tough to add anything to the comments about your great work. Thanks for sharing it with us. Excuse me, I need to go to the shop and hide any trace of inlay materials and tell everyone I don’t do work like that.

Waiting to see the blog on the center insert.

Yet another Masterpiece created : ) Will this be for sale , or will you be using it poolside at home ? Looking forward to the blog and a lot more pictures please : )

-- You know you're getting old when you know the difference between you're (you are) and your (belonging to you) AND how to use them in a sentence .

Just beautiful Gary!

When do you sleep?

You must have some fantastic dreams when you do sleep.

-- -** You are never to old to set another goal or to dream a new dream ****************** Dick, & Barb Cain, Hibbing, MN. http://www.woodcarvingillustrated.com/gallery/member.php?uid=3627&protype=1

What can’t you do with a piece of wood.

God Bless
tom

-- Mc Bridge Cabinets, Iowa

Gary, I’ve only just caught up with this. What an amazing piece of work. And those cup-holders are sheer genius! Wonderful.

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

wow Gary, that is amazing!
your work is always inspiring. thanks for pushing the envelope.

-- www.darrylmasterson.com ~ www.darrylmasterson.etsy.com

Not bad, nice try.

;^)

-- Eric at http://adventuresinwoodworking.com

Wicked cool tea toter, mon ami. Beautiful as always too. Bravisimo!

always,
J.C.

-- "Imagination is more important than knowledge" -- Albert Einstein

another special one

-- work from your heart and your spirit will live forever

Fantastic job! Looks great!

-- I never started a project I couldn't screw up.

Not bad I suppose :)

-- I am always doing that which I can not do, in order that I may learn how to do it. - Pablo Picasso

Good luck in the contest Gary.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

I am sorry Grumpy. With this much talent who needs luck?

-- "Real jocks do it on a bench"

Awesome. That is a skill I want to learn.

-- Michael A. Brailsford

Sincere congratulations Gary. Well deserved!

-- Res severa verum gaudium - True pleasure is a serious business. http://www.folksy.com/shops/TreeGems

Holy Cow Gary! You can just pick what contest you want to win and simply take the prizes can’t you? It’s like you’re just toying with us. You should do a blog featuring all the cool stuff you have won so far. And then lumber jocks should ban you from entering contests or maybe set up a class system or something because I’m no where near your weight class dude! All kidding aside your projects are freakin awesome man. You are at a whole other level.

-- Wipe the blood stains from your blade before coming in.

AMAZING!!!

-- robbi-Yadahooty!

Congratulations Gary. The tray exceeds your extremely high standard.

Gary, you are an inspiration! Great work!

WOW!

Now that is, “setting the bar”. And it even has cup holders!!

-- Sharp tools and thin whispy shavings make woodworking a joy.

Congratulations Gary. A well deserved win.

-- Grumpy - "Always look on the bright side of life"- Monty Python

Amazing eye for detail, Well done.

Woody.

-- Woody, UK

Wow. I just registered for this site so I could get some ideas for a serving tray for my wife; I must say that this goes beyond anything I ever would have imagined. That is seriously a museum-quality piece.

-- Measure once, curse twice.

I have been completely put in my place…

-- Matt, Minneapolis, www.treverkdesign.com

After all that has been said…............ I guess all I can say is:

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeee U T Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuulllll !!!!!!! and

Wow, Wow, and Triple WOW !!!

You do amazing work, when I see projects like this it is just awe inspireing…........

-- Gene, Majestic Eagle Woodworks, http://majesticeagleww.etsy.com/, http://www.flickr.com/photos/majesticeagle/

Gary,
Very nice. Did you ever complete that blog on how you did the centerpiece? I’d be interested in reading it.
Lloyd

-- Northern California http://www.lloydus.com

Lloyd – Sorry, no. I got too busy with a new baby. One of these days.

-- Gary, East TX -- The longest journey begins with a single step.

Man, your stuff is astounding…..really astounding.

-- Eric