Progress Update

Not too shabby for a truncated day Mike.
Looking very fine.

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

To put some yellow in there will require a precise and tiny cut…

It will definetaly enhance the looks.

You are doing some fine work.

Mike, there is evidence to indicate that the ‘Y’ chromosome (the male one essentially) is gradually being damaged and will cease to be viable in about 100,000 years. That means women will have to do all their own heavy lifting and put their own trash out when we go.

Your marquetry is looking splendid

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

So I will have to continue taking out the trash for the next 100,000 years? My back hurts just thinking about it.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Looking good Mike. How much time do you have invested in it so far?

-- Superdav "No matter where you go - there you are." http://chiselandforge.com

That dude is really comin to life Mike. Wow.

-- Roger from KY. Work/Play/Travel Safe. Kentuk55@bellsouth.net

Mike
I have been watching with interest as you move along slowly and can’t believe all the little details you are putting into this and the time involved .
As to your other chores I don’t envy you but such is life , suck it up and get back in the shop to finish this piece of art when you can .

-- Kiefer 松

That is a great bit of work. Looking very good.

-- I'll be in the shop - http://www.andrewsviewoftheweek.com

Thanks for egging me on with the encouraging words everyone. I haven’t been keeping track of time, but I estimate that I have about 18 hrs into this workpiece and I probably used 10 hrs on the two first workpieces that I had to throw away.

I will go more into the time use subject in my next blog to give my thoughts on on it.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Hi stefang … I’ve been following along and have enjoyed reading the ‘ups and downs’ as you’ve blogged … but only now (due to this variable internet connection in Mazatlan) have been able to make comment. This creation is turning out absolutely beautiful!!
You worried at one point about it being maybe too difficult a project to tackle, and yet you’ve managed to jump over the most difficult hurdles along the way … more than adequately proving you well up for the challenge! I can’t wait to see this dragon pop with brilliance once the finish has been applied :) Well done!!

-- Elaine in Duncan

Thank you Elaine. This is a learning piece, but I still want it to come out well. More importantly I am having a lot of enjoyment from the experience and I believe that I have now learned what the most critical elements are to attain success. This is a long way from real marquetry with veneers, as I’m using relatively thick wood, but I just don’t like working with that thin stuff even though the results can be so good. I may change my mind on that point, but for now I’m content working with the thick stuff.

I want to mention that I am still in love with intarsia. I love it’s 3d effect. I like the shaping process a lot, something that I thought beforehand would be very boring and dusty. Well, it is dusty anyway. I have only made the one piece so far and without color, but your wonderful intarsia work is very inspiring for me to try my luck with paint even though I’m not an artist like yourself.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Mike,

I have followed your amazing progress as best I can between all the stuff going on for me. I applaud your taking on this challenge. I’m far behind you but I want to get there. This is a very tough piece to take on I think as an early project and I admire you for that. I am looking forward to making my first real piece of marquetry.

Your documentation and photography is really great too. I had a similar shortened day yesterday. Big plans in the shop and then up pops this I need you NOW! from my wonderful wife and there went my day in the shop…...

Ken

-- Dr. Ken, Florida - Durch harte arbeit werden Träume wahr.

Hi Ken. Thanks for the encouraging words. My project is going slow, but I continue to learn things. I plan to post a new blog on it later this evening. Actually I’m having so much fun that I’m not eager to be finished too soon. It is quite a thrill to cut out some intricate shapes and then cut a matching piece that just drops in with a perfect fit (well, near perfect anyway). I am of course approaching this marquetry thing in my own backward way and learning things on my own instead of doing it the right way, but strangely enough that is a great motivator for me. My thrill is first failing, then figuring out a way that works. Pure lunacy I guess.

-- Mike, American in Norway

Slow is good, Mike. The one I just posted took over 50 days to complete. Slow allows you to meet problems and solve them just the once, as opposed to a quick fix which needs yet another fix. It can be frustrating but , to use an old old cliche ‘good things come to those who wait’.

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

Ah chucks Mike! I’m glad you like my ‘dusty’ Intarsia work, and I thank you for such a lovely complement!!

-- Elaine in Duncan