Tips for Marquetry Box Lids

This is a pretty simple box http://lumberjocks.com/projects/50187. All I did here was leave a recess in the top frame and drop the top panel in with some hide glue. The panel is 1/4” MDF. Everything was finished first and the excess hide glue was “rubbed” off when it gelled.
Does this answer the question you’re asking?
Or have I missed the point?

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

Paul, that’s exactly what I was looking for – thanks!
In fact Arnie’s tea box was one of the examples I was admiring this afternoon!
I guess with MDF you don’t need to go to panels floating in grooves – you can just glue it in to the recess because it ’s so stable – correct?

Cr1 – thanks! Actually I’ve already got the used woodwork book bug, and have a pile from Thrift Books. Unfortunately none I have so far (and I have a couple of marquetry books) address this specific question.

You can also miter the corners and match the grain if you want to get fancy. These are veneer over MDF as well.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/40941
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/37820

Yes, that’s what I love about MDF. Also it’s absolutely flat.

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

Greg, there are a number of techniques that are practical for incorporating marquetry work into box construction. Yes, floating panels in grooves is one way of doing it, this has the advantage of allowing you to work on a flat piece and easily press the work. You can also do work on both sides in this way.

Another way would be to have a solid piece and press the marquetry directly to the outside of the box. You can glue up the marquetry on a flat substrate first, and then cut out your box parts after your panel is dry.

Hope that helps!

-- You either think you can, or think you can't. Either way you are right. Henry Ford

Thanks Matthew.

It seems to me that an advantage of the floating panel approach is that the edges of the veneer are hidden from view, and also protected from being damaged. Is this valid? Or is the veneer so thin and tightly bonded that these aren’t a concern for your second approach?

By the way, I’m having trouble finding 1/4” MDF – is this a rarity?
Plenty of 1/2”, 3/4”, and 1”, but no 1/4”.

Perhaps 1/4” BB plywood would be a reasonable alternative…

Hi Greg,

1/4” MDF is easy to find here in BC but my supplier calls it “Rangerboard”. Trade name I guess. I find it at my regular building supply (RONA) and they are not known for their wide range of products.

To answer another of your questions, yes your veneer / substrate joint should be good enough that it is as strong and damage resistant as any other piece.
Glue choice and clamping methods will affect the strength but most popular methods will give a very strong bond. Additionally if you use animal (hide) glue, you can always correct small mistakes after the fact, a feature not available with other glues.

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

Grego, if you are looking to learn more about marquetry and parquetry here is a good site with a lot of information. Hope it helps.

Richard

www.marquetrysociety.ca

Richard and Paul – thank you both. Lots of food for thought!