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#1 ·
The First Half has Arrived

In a previous blog I wrote about my visit to Les Fils de J. George in Paris and included a video of "la scie au bois montant" and my thoughts about the adventure. I have been patiently waiting since I arrived home for the arrival of my purchases. They were shipped in two packages and the second somehow managed to get itself three days behind the first. Every day I check the Colissimo website to track the packages and yesterday the word was (in French of course) that the first package had arrived at its destination point of distribution. Did this mean Vancouver? Victoria? right here in Cowichan Bay?

Well this morning a check of the mail box turned up the parcel card and I made my way down to the post office to make my donation to Canada and British Columbia in the form of duty and taxes. The bill was more than many of you will think the wood was worth I'm sure but I am very happy to finally have this amazing material in my hands at last.
You can't think of the cost when you are dealing with something this special. That and it would drive you crazy.

So without further ado …....

Here's the package as it arrived. It was about 60" X 28" and alarmingly thin but at least it was heavy. .... :)

Wood Floor Wall Cabinetry Flooring


This is the Padauk, probably the largest pieces in the package.

Wood Rectangle Table Floor Flooring


Brown Paint Rectangle Wood Material property


This, as it says is Araracanga, the only English name I can find for it is "My Lady" ..... ?

Wood Rectangle Flooring Wood stain Hardwood


Tape measure Ruler Handwriting Office ruler Wood


These two are English Walnut and Macassar Ebony. I've never seen Macassar ebony this black and almost without streaks.

Wood Office ruler Measuring instrument Font Ruler


Handwriting Wood Wood stain Rectangle Blackboard


Brown Table Wood Floor Flooring


Pink Ivory

Wood Office ruler Rectangle Scar Hardwood


Wood Line Musical instrument Floor Wood stain


Amaranth (Purpleheart)

Waist Collar Magenta Font Strap


Art paint Paint Purple Pink Painting


This is Bloodwood (Ribbon)

Wood Wood stain Rectangle Font Hardwood


Brown Amber Wood Orange Rectangle


And Bloodwood (Red)

Rectangle Wood Amber Office ruler Material property


Brown Art paint Paint Textile Orange


I couldn't resist this one little bundle of sliced Padauk. It's color is amazing but it is thinner at 1/32".

Wood Rectangle Material property Wood stain Office ruler


Rectangle Wood Paint Font Wood stain


So that's it for now. The other bundle is bigger and has the really cool species in it.

Wood Stool Flooring Table Hardwood


Wood Table Desk Publication Hardwood


Just an illustration of what nice material this is. The photo shows a piece of the Macassar Ebony I used on my Music table and a piece from this shipment. When the dust settles and all the taxes, duty and shipping are paid, I think the earlier estimate of ten times as expensive may be low but when you actually see and feel this stuff, you just gotta smile.

Wood Table Wood stain Hardwood Plywood


Table Wood Desk Wood stain Varnish


There are a lot of little pieces of marquetry here and it should make some spectacular pieces. I can't wait to get started. But first I have to wait for the second parcel and pick some pieces to take south with me.

Thanks for looking in.

Paul
 

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#27 ·
The "Good Stuff" is here... the second package

I've been patiently waiting for the rest of my veneer to arrive from France so we can leave for AZ. Well it arrived today and we leave in the morning. As promised here are the photos.

WARNING: A lot of photos of pretty veneer, you may want to pass on this one.

The second package.

Wood Lectern Stool Wood stain Gas


Wood Composite material Hardwood Building material Roof


Mocutaiba (Tiger Ear, Pao Santo)

Wood Natural material Rectangle Wood stain Metal


Brown Paint Wood Rectangle Fluid


Douka (Makore)

Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Tints and shades


Brown Wood Rectangle Tints and shades Wood stain


Espenille (West Indies Satinwood)


Wood Hardwood Rectangle Office ruler Composite material


Brown Beige Rectangle Wood Tints and shades


Amourette (Snakewood)

Wood Office ruler Plank Wood stain Natural material


Wood Plant Rectangle Pattern Fossil


Gaboon Ebony

Bumper Auto part Font Automotive exterior Rim


Rectangle Grey Wood Gas Tints and shades


Holly

Wood Natural material Rectangle Tints and shades Pattern


Wood Tints and shades Beige Table Flooring


Sycamore

Rectangle Wood Composite material Flooring Font


Wood Wood stain Hardwood Tree Art


Some scraps of Black Palm that Frederic gave me to play with.

Wood Paint Rectangle Line Wood stain


Brown Wood Paint Wood stain Rectangle


Olive

Wood Office ruler Ruler Hardwood Wood stain


Brown Wood Floor Flooring Material property


Pink Peroba

Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Office ruler


Wood Rectangle Wood stain Varnish Hardwood


Bois de Violette (Kingwood)

Wood Office ruler Wood stain Natural material Electric blue


Wood Rectangle Paint Tints and shades Magenta


This lot

Wood Naval architecture Cabinetry Hardwood Wood stain


The whole works

Hood Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Automotive tire


I selected some to take South with me and packed the rest under weight for the winter. This is just about the first work my scroll saw has done since I built my first chevalet. .... ;-)

Saw Cold saw Abrasive saw Table Miter saw


Thanks for looking in

I'll check in when I get to AZ.

Paul
 

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#28 ·
The "Good Stuff" is here... the second package

I've been patiently waiting for the rest of my veneer to arrive from France so we can leave for AZ. Well it arrived today and we leave in the morning. As promised here are the photos.

WARNING: A lot of photos of pretty veneer, you may want to pass on this one.

The second package.

Wood Lectern Stool Wood stain Gas


Wood Composite material Hardwood Building material Roof


Mocutaiba (Tiger Ear, Pao Santo)

Wood Natural material Rectangle Wood stain Metal


Brown Paint Wood Rectangle Fluid


Douka (Makore)

Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Tints and shades


Brown Wood Rectangle Tints and shades Wood stain


Espenille (West Indies Satinwood)


Wood Hardwood Rectangle Office ruler Composite material


Brown Beige Rectangle Wood Tints and shades


Amourette (Snakewood)

Wood Office ruler Plank Wood stain Natural material


Wood Plant Rectangle Pattern Fossil


Gaboon Ebony

Bumper Auto part Font Automotive exterior Rim


Rectangle Grey Wood Gas Tints and shades


Holly

Wood Natural material Rectangle Tints and shades Pattern


Wood Tints and shades Beige Table Flooring


Sycamore

Rectangle Wood Composite material Flooring Font


Wood Wood stain Hardwood Tree Art


Some scraps of Black Palm that Frederic gave me to play with.

Wood Paint Rectangle Line Wood stain


Brown Wood Paint Wood stain Rectangle


Olive

Wood Office ruler Ruler Hardwood Wood stain


Brown Wood Floor Flooring Material property


Pink Peroba

Wood Rectangle Wood stain Hardwood Office ruler


Wood Rectangle Wood stain Varnish Hardwood


Bois de Violette (Kingwood)

Wood Office ruler Wood stain Natural material Electric blue


Wood Rectangle Paint Tints and shades Magenta


This lot

Wood Naval architecture Cabinetry Hardwood Wood stain


The whole works

Hood Wood Bumper Automotive exterior Automotive tire


I selected some to take South with me and packed the rest under weight for the winter. This is just about the first work my scroll saw has done since I built my first chevalet. .... ;-)

Saw Cold saw Abrasive saw Table Miter saw


Thanks for looking in

I'll check in when I get to AZ.

Paul
Magnificant purchase! I suppose you got to select the peices you desired to buy; or did he secect them for you then you approve? What did you spray them with to show the beautiful grain and full colors? It sure does the job. I can just imagine what your finished work might look like. Thanks again for sharing.
 

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#60 ·
Shop Sawn Pepperwood Veneer (not fron France)

A while back we had a dead pepper tree (Schinus Molle) removed from our Az. back yard and I saved some pieces. Well today I had a log jam at the veneer press so while I was waiting for glue to set I made a Q & D log cutting jig and started to make some little pepperwood boards.

Food Wood Gas Machine Motor vehicle


Food Wood Ingredient Dish Cuisine


Wood Ingredient Food Cuisine Dish


OK, so boards are fine but I wondered if I could cut 1/16" veneer to match the thickness of my stock from France. The machine is my 11" ShopSmith bandsaw and the blade is a 1/4" 4 tpi Diamond Sterling from http://buyfromawoodworker.com/

I didn't really think it was the right setup to get optimum results, especially in such a hard wood but …. what the hell, let's give it a try. Another possible problem that came to mind was that the sled had been made to slide in my bandsaw table slot and was not adjustable for drift so all in all I wasn't expecting much.

Certainly not this.

Wood Creative arts Art Loom Household supply


Wood Natural material Wood stain Plank Hardwood


Wood Plank Wood stain Hardwood Flooring


Watch Wood Analog watch Clock Gas


Wood Gas Milling Machine Bumper


Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Gas


Table Wood Grille Rectangle Automotive exterior


I'll be buying more of these blades. I have used several different ones (including the vaunted woodslicer) in the past to re-saw veneer and with my bigger, more expensive bandsaw as well. I can easily say that I was surprised and impressed at how well this setup cut relatively thin veneer, right out of the chute with almost no "tuning". The pieces will not need to be run through the drum sander. They are ready to make packets and cut marquetry from …. right off the saw. I also never had to re-surface the chunk I was cutting from, just one cut after the other. I'm still not sure I believe how perfect these pieces came out.

It was good day in the shop!

Thanks for looking in.

Paul
 

Attachments

#61 ·
Shop Sawn Pepperwood Veneer (not fron France)

A while back we had a dead pepper tree (Schinus Molle) removed from our Az. back yard and I saved some pieces. Well today I had a log jam at the veneer press so while I was waiting for glue to set I made a Q & D log cutting jig and started to make some little pepperwood boards.

Food Wood Gas Machine Motor vehicle


Food Wood Ingredient Dish Cuisine


Wood Ingredient Food Cuisine Dish


OK, so boards are fine but I wondered if I could cut 1/16" veneer to match the thickness of my stock from France. The machine is my 11" ShopSmith bandsaw and the blade is a 1/4" 4 tpi Diamond Sterling from http://buyfromawoodworker.com/

I didn't really think it was the right setup to get optimum results, especially in such a hard wood but …. what the hell, let's give it a try. Another possible problem that came to mind was that the sled had been made to slide in my bandsaw table slot and was not adjustable for drift so all in all I wasn't expecting much.

Certainly not this.

Wood Creative arts Art Loom Household supply


Wood Natural material Wood stain Plank Hardwood


Wood Plank Wood stain Hardwood Flooring


Watch Wood Analog watch Clock Gas


Wood Gas Milling Machine Bumper


Wood Wood stain Hardwood Plank Gas


Table Wood Grille Rectangle Automotive exterior


I'll be buying more of these blades. I have used several different ones (including the vaunted woodslicer) in the past to re-saw veneer and with my bigger, more expensive bandsaw as well. I can easily say that I was surprised and impressed at how well this setup cut relatively thin veneer, right out of the chute with almost no "tuning". The pieces will not need to be run through the drum sander. They are ready to make packets and cut marquetry from …. right off the saw. I also never had to re-surface the chunk I was cutting from, just one cut after the other. I'm still not sure I believe how perfect these pieces came out.

It was good day in the shop!

Thanks for looking in.

Paul
Incredible. The planets must have been aligned!
 

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#98 ·
Completing the Inventory

When I decided to make the change to thick (1/16" or 1.5mm) veneer for my marquetry I knew it was a big and expensive step. The first part was to establish an inventory of exotic sawn veneer from Les Fils de J George in Paris but that wasn't the end of it.
Before I made that trip and purchased that material I was aware of the thick, albeit sliced, veneer available at Certainly Wood right here in North America. Their selection is not much in the exotics but very good in the basic domestic hardwoods and a few imports. With this in mind I concentrated on exotic species in Paris planning to fill out my palette with less expensive sliced material at a later date. These species would become the backgrounds for my exotic weighted marquetry.

Well today my inventory was filled out with the arrival of the following from Certainly Wood. Upon opening the 4' X 20" package, the first thing that struck me was how big the pieces are. Most of this was in the ten foot range which I had cut down for shipping but the widths were the thing that caught my attention. The curly Maple is 19" at the widest and the Walnut is 16". the others you can estimate but for a total outlay of under $400 I now have the ability to expand my horizons and start looking at bigger pieces ….. furniture rather than just pretty boxes.

I should add that the East Indian Laurel Burl is standard thin but I love the color and figure. I will back it with thinner material or double it if I use it with the 1.5mm stuff.

Hood Wood Lectern Automotive lighting Floor


African Mahogany

Wood Table Rectangle Wood stain Flooring


Wenge

Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Art


Sen

Wood Rectangle Table Hardwood Automotive exterior


Alder (mislabeled Maple ….. by me)

Tire Wheel Car White Hood


Makore

Automotive parking light Tire Wheel Vehicle White


Cherry (mislabeled Alder …. by me)

Automotive parking light Vehicle Car Grille White


Curly Maple

Wood Hood Rectangle Tablecloth Beige


Walnut

Wood Automotive design Hood Automotive tire Creative arts


East Indian Laurel Burl

Wood Sleeve Rectangle Beige Natural material


About the mislabeling, I was expecting some plain maple as well and as it looks similar to alder, I made the slip and followed it up by calling the cherry alder… What can I say? If they aren't boat building woods, I'm not that good.

Now I am finally out of excuses and its "Damn the torpedoes" time…. Full speed ahead with the thick veneer era in my marquetry journey. ..... after I post the project I'm currently finishing up …...

Thanks for looking in.

Paul
 

Attachments

#99 ·
Completing the Inventory

When I decided to make the change to thick (1/16" or 1.5mm) veneer for my marquetry I knew it was a big and expensive step. The first part was to establish an inventory of exotic sawn veneer from Les Fils de J George in Paris but that wasn't the end of it.
Before I made that trip and purchased that material I was aware of the thick, albeit sliced, veneer available at Certainly Wood right here in North America. Their selection is not much in the exotics but very good in the basic domestic hardwoods and a few imports. With this in mind I concentrated on exotic species in Paris planning to fill out my palette with less expensive sliced material at a later date. These species would become the backgrounds for my exotic weighted marquetry.

Well today my inventory was filled out with the arrival of the following from Certainly Wood. Upon opening the 4' X 20" package, the first thing that struck me was how big the pieces are. Most of this was in the ten foot range which I had cut down for shipping but the widths were the thing that caught my attention. The curly Maple is 19" at the widest and the Walnut is 16". the others you can estimate but for a total outlay of under $400 I now have the ability to expand my horizons and start looking at bigger pieces ….. furniture rather than just pretty boxes.

I should add that the East Indian Laurel Burl is standard thin but I love the color and figure. I will back it with thinner material or double it if I use it with the 1.5mm stuff.

Hood Wood Lectern Automotive lighting Floor


African Mahogany

Wood Table Rectangle Wood stain Flooring


Wenge

Wood Rectangle Flooring Floor Art


Sen

Wood Rectangle Table Hardwood Automotive exterior


Alder (mislabeled Maple ….. by me)

Tire Wheel Car White Hood


Makore

Automotive parking light Tire Wheel Vehicle White


Cherry (mislabeled Alder …. by me)

Automotive parking light Vehicle Car Grille White


Curly Maple

Wood Hood Rectangle Tablecloth Beige


Walnut

Wood Automotive design Hood Automotive tire Creative arts


East Indian Laurel Burl

Wood Sleeve Rectangle Beige Natural material


About the mislabeling, I was expecting some plain maple as well and as it looks similar to alder, I made the slip and followed it up by calling the cherry alder… What can I say? If they aren't boat building woods, I'm not that good.

Now I am finally out of excuses and its "Damn the torpedoes" time…. Full speed ahead with the thick veneer era in my marquetry journey. ..... after I post the project I'm currently finishing up …...

Thanks for looking in.

Paul
we shall give the boat builder some latitude on his wood species identifications..as he has more then proven his abilities on the chevy and has given enough eye candy to last a woodworker a long long time…;)
 

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#121 ·
Ever Seen $500 Worth of Cow Bones?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well this one is more like half a thousand dollars. Yes, by the time you convert euros to Canadian dollars and pay the shipping from France that is about how it works out. You may not think this is a very good haul of cow bones for the price but in fact the two bundles in the middle were thrown in free with my order so in fact it could be worse.

Wood Font Hardwood Transparency Rectangle


Actually I am very happy with my new purchase and can't wait to use some of this material.

From the left, the first two bundles are 1.5mm thick bone veneer pieces, next are the two bundles of complimentary "scraps", followed by a bundle each of 1mm x 1.5mm and 2mm x 2mm purflings. Each of the bundles of purflings is about 30 pieces.

I also have some 1.5mm artificial tortoiseshell on order so good times are just around the corner. :) :)

Thanks for looking in

Paul
 

Attachments

#122 ·
Ever Seen $500 Worth of Cow Bones?

They say a picture is worth a thousand words. Well this one is more like half a thousand dollars. Yes, by the time you convert euros to Canadian dollars and pay the shipping from France that is about how it works out. You may not think this is a very good haul of cow bones for the price but in fact the two bundles in the middle were thrown in free with my order so in fact it could be worse.

Wood Font Hardwood Transparency Rectangle


Actually I am very happy with my new purchase and can't wait to use some of this material.

From the left, the first two bundles are 1.5mm thick bone veneer pieces, next are the two bundles of complimentary "scraps", followed by a bundle each of 1mm x 1.5mm and 2mm x 2mm purflings. Each of the bundles of purflings is about 30 pieces.

I also have some 1.5mm artificial tortoiseshell on order so good times are just around the corner. :) :)

Thanks for looking in

Paul
Interesting stuff. I've looked at Atelier Delaruelle's site a few times and its amazing what they have - mammoth ivory, and the horn looks good as well. I've got this link saved if I ever get round to using horn http://www.personal.utulsa.edu/~marc-carlson/horn/horng.html Look forward to seeing what you do with it!
 

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#142 ·
Gold in the Garden

For the past few months I have been tracking down members of the Barberry family (Berberidaceae) for its amazing yellow wood. One member (Berberis vulgaris I think) was the material used for the yellow flowers in classic French marquetry.
Anyway, last fall I was able to get a few small pieces of Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata) from LJ Jerry (nubsnstubs) in Tucson and I used it in the marquetry I did over the winter. It was an amazing colour and just to top it off, it was luminescent under black light.

Flower Purple Art Creative arts Window


The problem was that I was only able to get a small bit and wanted to find a better supply so I searched the internet and found one hardwood supplier that could supply me with some "sticks". I bought them. They will be just fine dispite the fact that they are small. It is a shrub after all.

Wood Trunk Sculpture Art Statue


Rectangle Wood Gas Wood stain Hardwood


The next development in the journey was the discovery that Oregon Grape, a common landscaping shrub and native to my home area was in fact a member of the same genus as Agarita. ...... and we have Tall Oregon Grape in our garden! The first day home I had a look at what we had and found it to be bigger than the pieces I had bought. The next day I cut a stick to look at it. Needless to say, I'm very happy with the results of my search.

This is one of two Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolia) plants that we have. They are both over six feet.

Plant Terrestrial plant Trunk Larch Twig


Plant Wood Table Gas Cooking


Wood Gas Metal Hand saw Still life photography


Ruler Tape measure Office ruler Wood Rectangle


This is the 1/16" veneer sawn from one six inch section. It will edge glue very nicely into pieces big enough for marquetry packets.

Rectangle Wood Font Tints and shades Pattern


Gold in the Garden!

Thanks for looking in,

Paul
 

Attachments

#143 ·
Gold in the Garden

For the past few months I have been tracking down members of the Barberry family (Berberidaceae) for its amazing yellow wood. One member (Berberis vulgaris I think) was the material used for the yellow flowers in classic French marquetry.
Anyway, last fall I was able to get a few small pieces of Agarita (Mahonia trifoliolata) from LJ Jerry (nubsnstubs) in Tucson and I used it in the marquetry I did over the winter. It was an amazing colour and just to top it off, it was luminescent under black light.

Flower Purple Art Creative arts Window


The problem was that I was only able to get a small bit and wanted to find a better supply so I searched the internet and found one hardwood supplier that could supply me with some "sticks". I bought them. They will be just fine dispite the fact that they are small. It is a shrub after all.

Wood Trunk Sculpture Art Statue


Rectangle Wood Gas Wood stain Hardwood


The next development in the journey was the discovery that Oregon Grape, a common landscaping shrub and native to my home area was in fact a member of the same genus as Agarita. ...... and we have Tall Oregon Grape in our garden! The first day home I had a look at what we had and found it to be bigger than the pieces I had bought. The next day I cut a stick to look at it. Needless to say, I'm very happy with the results of my search.

This is one of two Tall Oregon Grape (Mahonia aquifolia) plants that we have. They are both over six feet.

Plant Terrestrial plant Trunk Larch Twig


Plant Wood Table Gas Cooking


Wood Gas Metal Hand saw Still life photography


Ruler Tape measure Office ruler Wood Rectangle


This is the 1/16" veneer sawn from one six inch section. It will edge glue very nicely into pieces big enough for marquetry packets.

Rectangle Wood Font Tints and shades Pattern


Gold in the Garden!

Thanks for looking in,

Paul
Nice find Paul…it's amazing what we have in our own yards!
 

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