Router Marquetry

I have always marveled at seeing this type of work. It is definitely on my ‘got to try it’ list. Outstanding work.

How does vacuum bagging it help? It seems one could glue it up and sand it down to level. I would think you’d have to sand it anyway?

Thanks for sharing your process!

-- “Once more unto the breach, dear friends...” Henry V - Act III, Scene I

Without a vacuum bag or a very cumbersome and massive press it would be almost impossible to apply enough pressure equally over this large an area to effectively glue down a 1/8” veneer. You could, I suppose use contact cement, but I’m not a fan of that in furniture.
Yes it does need sanding (or scraping) afterwards. The vacuum bagging is for the final attachment of the whole veneer to the substrate. It isn’t required to insert the inlays.

Paul M

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Hey great job. I’ve used the same technique. My biggest problem is doing letters. Finding a font that the inlay kit can do has been problematic. It seems you did a good job with yours. Do you know of any fonts that can be done pretty easily or do you just freehand the letters? Check out my longboard post. I made templates just like yours…
I like the use of the pink foam underneath. How do you stop the veneer from moving when cutting? I “sandwiched” mine with the template and another piece of hardboard with some 5-star knobs. But, the veneer still moved, so I used double sided tape. The only trouble was that the double sided tape was too strong so I broke the veneer when removing it. I ended up sticking blue painters tape on the double sided tape to make a less strong tape, but that took a long time and a lot of tape. Any advice on holding the veneer down would be greatly appreciated. Also, any tips on doing letters would be appreciated. I would really like to write “IN BALANCE LONGBOARDS” on one of my boards, but I can’t imagine doing a template for it…
Below is a link to my post along with some other template pictures I thought you might like…

Great job on your table and thanks for the Blog! I also “invented” the technique, but knew someone else had to be doing it. Glad I found you…

-- Tom, Simsbury, CT

I just checked out your boards….Nice!

I know what you mean about lettering. The problem is that one of the limitations with the bushing sets is that you have to choose whether you want sharp outside corners or sharp inside corners and with lettering you almost always need both. The only lettering I’ve done is the 10 ER table and it is a (near) copy of the ShopSmith logo. It worked only because it’s large scale and even then the inside corners are bad (bottom of the line intersection in the “T”) I’ve been playing around with patterns in a pin router where you use the same spiral router bit but different size pins for inlay and field. It works and defeats the above problem but as yet I can’t get a perfect match on my home made pin router. Anyway, I think I’ve gone about as far as I can on router inlays and have just bought a DeWalt scroll saw. I think the only way for me to grow here is to move into real marquetry.

On the hold down problem, usually I just clamp the pattern, veneer, foam and a side of my bench or table saw together with a couple of C clamps. I have used double sided tape without problems. I think if you are using actual (ie: much thinner) veneer that may be the difference. Have you tried packing tape or veneer tape on the veneer before cutting?

Glad to know another of the” inventors” of this technique. I’m sure there are hundreds of us.

Paul

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

That sailboat is amazing….nice work.

-- A man who carries a cat by the tail learns something he can learn in no other way. - Mark Twain

I’m glad to hear I’m not the only one who can’t figure out letters. Yes I was using “true” veneer – very thin. I’ve never done scroll saw marquetry, but its not that hard from what I’ve heard. All the other marquetry I’ve done has been with a razor blade. But, for large projects like yours, a router is the way to go. I wish they sold a 1/16” inlay kit. That would allow for a much smaller corner to be cut.

Keep the posts coming and welcome to Ljs.

Tom

-- Tom, Simsbury, CT

Thanks for the explanation!

Where do you get/or how do you make, a vacuum bag? I suspect my shop vac has all the suction I need?

-- “Once more unto the breach, dear friends...” Henry V - Act III, Scene I

No, your shop vac isn’t the thing but your compressor will probably do it. I built this one; http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm and two vinyl bags, one 4’ x8’ and one about half that size. The press works great and I couldn’t live without it. I use it almost every week.

Paul M

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Hey Ron, a real inexpensive way to go is to get a manual vacuum press. Go to http://www.roarockit.com/tap.php?id=13 The site has instructional videos and supplies. You should be able to get set up for about $50. Its a great way to start without spending a bunch of money on a pump. I have used it without any problems. Maybe some day I will upgrade, but until then, this is a perfect vacuum bag solution…

-- Tom, Simsbury, CT

Very nice work Paul!

-- Randy "You are judged as much by the questions you ask as the answers you give..."

Great job ShipWright.

I also used 1/8 sapele on the Drawers face of the raised panel chest that I blogged about.
I used carpet tape to hold the material to the template. Mine was very simple and nothing complex as your work.

The inlay kit is definetely handy. I have hit a block with that in the sense the bit is 1/8 and angles are problematic. I do see that you have very little space between the the flower petals on the first picture.
Were they done one at the time?

Thanks for posting.

WOW!!!! I must try this….......oh, yeah!

-- cathyb, Hawaii, www.cathyswoodworking.com

Yes Abbas, the flowers are five pieces each.

Thanks Cathy

Paul M

-- Paul M ..............If God wanted us to have fiberglass boats he would have given us fiberglass trees. http://prmdesigns.com/

Paul, thanks very much for this. The bag press is something I’ll be following up on.

-- Martyn -- Boxologist, Pattern Juggler and Candyman of the visually challenging. http://www.theartofboxes.com