# Intarsia Basics



## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

*Introduction and Invitation to All.*

Hello to all and all are Welcome,

Intro:

Hi, my name is Kory Kiker and a couple of weeks ago Ms. Debbie contacted me about conducting an online class for those interested in learning the art of intarsia. I was very excited about the chance to share a few things I have learned in the last three years of doing intarsia art. Before intarsia I did a lot of wood carving so I hope this helps give each project more depth and definition. I will tell you now that most of the things I've learned is through trial and error, not by reading books or research. That being said, most of everything I will relate to you is through personal experience so it will be very easy for everyone to follow and learn because it will not get too technical (simple-stupid is me in a nutshell). This is a beginner's project for those who want to learn the basics.

About Intarsia:

Intarsia art started in Italy in the 1600 and combines the use of different woods and wood colors made in different depths to create a 3D picture. You generally start with a pattern and use that to cut out your pieces. I like to use wood that is at least an inch thick so you can add a good amount of depth to your project but that is a personal preference. You can also add spacers behind some pieces to add to your depth. In my opinion, the key to make your projects pop is the shaping of your pieces and your use of depth. We have all seen intarsia pieces that look flat and I try to avoid that as much as possible. I use a variety of sanders, rotary tools and carving tools to add definition to each piece. I think of it like you're creating a carving with many pieces of wood. That being said, it does take more time and patience to create a project you will be proud of.

Our Project:



















Link for Plans:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/15Z4qVzer-yEXw9RwI6c1LW6PCHjGF_5z8xdRbG2yf4w/edit

(If you have problems printing this please send me a note and I will send you the pdf)

This is a beginner project that has thirty pieces and should be a fun project for everyone. I will go fairly slowly so everyone can keep up. I will try to post each class about a week apart. To make this affordable to everyone I went back to the basics and used the tools I started with. The only tools I used to make these projects were a scroll saw, dremel tool, and a drill. I made two of these frogs, one is made all out of poplar and stained and the other is out of exotic wood. People just starting this might not have access to exotic woods and don't want to invest that much money until you see if you like this art form. To accommodate everyone, I will go through the process of making both and give you tips on each and you can make both or either projects. I do have some videos of the process, but I have tried to limit them due to some people having slower download speeds.

Things you will need:

Tools:
Scroll saw








Dremel tool (flex shaft helps but not necessary)








Drill or drill press









Supplies:

Pattern








Spray adhesive








Sand paper
Your Choice
Polyurethane spray (gloss and clear satin)








CA glue








Wood glue








Sanding tools for dremel








Your choice of wood








Backer board









This should be a fun project for everyone and I look forward to having a great time doing this. Please follow all safety protocols (proper ventilation, safety glasses, and all saw guards). If you have any questions or comments please leave me a message or send me a private message. Again if you have any problems with the download of the pattern please send me a private message with your email address and I will send you the pdf version.

I will start the class after April 10 to give everyone time to get their supplies and wood.

Thanks for your interest.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I am going to follow along for sure Kory. Thnx for taking the time to do this. I may not be able to physically build along with your class, but, I'm here to learn about this fine art


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## majeagle1 (Oct 29, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


The same here Kory…... tied up on another project right now but will be watching this very closely and will try to catch up as I can. Thanks for doing this class in advance as I have really been wanting to try this.


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## Hogger270 (Mar 18, 2012)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Are any blades available that cut in all directions , so the Material does not have to be turned on the table constantly? I would like to cut windows in the sides of plates , bowls and deep vessles where the opening will clear the upper arm of the scroll saw?


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Thanks Roger and Gene glad your along for the ride. Hogger there is a spiral blade available (Lowes and Woodcraft) that does cut in all directions without having to back out. I have tried them and they do take some getting used to.


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## crashn (Aug 26, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I tried the link, but it says I dont have permission. I clicked the button to ask for permission, so you may get a request come through. Perhaps easier to post the PDF?

I really look forward to this, I have always wondered how it was done. Thanks for taking the time to educate us!


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I tried to post the pdf and it is not allowed hence the link that is not working lol. So if you will send me a private message with your email address I can send it to you directly.


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## MShort (Jan 15, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Thanks for doing the class. I follow your fantastic works and bought a book about a month ago to try it out someday. I can now follow your class. Thanks so much.


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Thank you Kory, for doing this, I just sent you a personal message and now I'm confirming publicly that I'll be participating/following along as you go.


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## bhack (Mar 19, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Looking forward to following al.ong. Thank you for your time and effort


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## redryder (Nov 28, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Kory, I just went through your project pages. WOW. You look like you have it down. Obviously there is a lot of thought to wood selection and grain pattern that you will be able to direct us towards after the trial and error period. The use of popular sounds like a good idea for a beginner like myself. The link above worked just fine for me. Thanks…..............


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


just wanted you to know the link worked fine for me as well


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## oldworld124 (Mar 2, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Thanks much Lory for taking the time to do an on-line class. Looking forward to it.


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## takingturns (Dec 24, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I have been waiting for such a class! So excited and the timing is perfect for me. Thanks so much Kory for giving of your time to us-

Amy


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## Skylark53 (Jan 8, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Kory-thanks for your willingness to teach this class. I'll be following along.


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## misslolly (Sep 25, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I would appreciate a pdf thankyou. Can't wait. It looks like you will have a lot of eager disciples for this project.


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## becikeja (Sep 12, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
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> ...


I'm in


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## takingturns (Dec 24, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Is there a place to subscribe to the class? I can't find anything and don't want to miss a thing.

Thx,

Amy


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## Clipper50 (Aug 1, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
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> ...


Very excited about this Lory. I was able to download a couple of copies of the template. Looking forward to the process.


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## Clipper50 (Aug 1, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
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Oops…sorry about the typo…Kory


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


looking forward to this… I think i'm going to have to break out the scrollsaw LOL.

I'll PM you my email address for the template


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I'm in! I have looked at your work for some time! Your one of the masters on here, no doubt! I have wanted to learn this style of woodworking for some time. I have a scroll saw I had to but but have only used it a cpl times. What type of blades you recommened? We get back in the country on the 10th so thats perefect timing for me.

Thx for doing this class!


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Just curious, I've never really scrolled before, what is a good blade to purchase for a beginner? I purchased a used scrollsaw a few years ago, and I think I've used it once LOL.


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## Woodenwizard (Jan 25, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I am interested and would love to follow along. Thanks for taking this on


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Thanks to everyone for their interest in the class. Some questions were asked about blade selection and I use a few different blades, but there is one that I use 99% of the time and is perfect for this project. The Olson PGT Double/Reverse Tooth in .049" wide x .018" thick and 9/6 rev TPI is my go to blade. The reverse tooth really keeps the blade from bogging down and it lasts longer (in my experience) than any other blade. One hint that really helps if you want to practice (can't take credit for this one, I learned this from Scrollgirl's class) is to clean the ends of the blade of all oils before installing on your scroll saw. This REALLY helps your blade from slipping.


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## interpim (Dec 6, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


my scrollsaw is an old craftsman, and I am pretty sure it takes pinned blades… Are the Olson PGT blades available pinned?


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I went to Olson's site and it looks like the have the reverse tooth but not the double/reverse in the pinned blades. As long as you don't use too hard of a wood (ebony or purple heart) those should work fine. If you do want to use the harder woods, just go slow and it will take a few more blades.


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## rayn (Aug 3, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Count me in


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## rayn (Aug 3, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Count me in


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## BrianStrothcamp (Jan 10, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


My 2 cents on blade selection… if you are using a big old powerhouse scrollsaw like mine:
http://vintagemachinery.org/photoindex/images/8316-A.jpg

I have some advice… you will not like reverse tooth blades. From what I understand all the new scrollsaws arc the blade back and forth ever so slightly, due to their geometry. The old ones however, use a crankshaft on the bottom with an overhead spring. What you get is true "up and down" movement. My experience is that the reverse tooth pull the "usually thick" workpieces off the table as your fingers get tired from fighting these reverse teeth pulling straight up… hope that makes sense.


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## ken_c (Sep 28, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
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> ...


going to read along here for sure…


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


This is a very timely tutorial for me, as I am just starting to do some intarsia. I cut a practice bird pattern a couple of days ago (my first try at this), and after sanding the contours I am already hooked.I am really Looking forward to your series and thank you for sharing your skills with us.

I am glad you are not looking down on staining as an alternative. I can't get a wide selection of tropical hardwoods here due to severe import restrictions, so stain will have to be good enough for me.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


T


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


As always I'm always busy whenever someone puts up a tutorial like this that is about something that I would like to do so I'm not committing formally but I'm certainly going to follow along. I may even try to scrape up the time to do it. I do already have most of what is needed but I just now saw this this morning for the first time. Kory, I will see what I can do.

helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## DanaLynn (Jul 22, 2012)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I just joined LumberJocks and am excited about this class. This is exactly what I'm trying to self teach myself. So I'm going to work very hard to catch up. Thank you sooooo much Kory


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## jack2770 (Mar 29, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


TE SEGUIRE, CUENTA CON MIGO, TENGO TODAS LAS HERRAMIENTAS.


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## byrdman61 (Mar 21, 2013)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I have also always wanted to learn intarsia. I have bought a few books but just cannot seem to get it. I thank you for doing this class. I do much better with hands on learning than by book. My sisters from N.C. are visiting me in June and one of them wants a rooster and the other an angel. I hope that I can learn enough from your class to be able to make the projects for my sisters. I already have the patterns. I just am not sure of the intarsia process. So again, I thank you Kory for your willingness to help other people. Good Day. I am originally from N.C. Kory. Another TarHeel.


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## cdaniels (Apr 16, 2014)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


i'm just starting intarsia and came across this, I tried going to the link for the pattern but it doesn't come up for me?


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## yofer (Oct 16, 2014)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


I'm a beginner and this tutorial is exactly what I was looking for ( for which I thank you), unfortunately when I went to the link for the pattern only numbers came out, if you need my mail to send me the pattern is [email protected]
thank you in advance for your help


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## Pimzedd (Jan 22, 2007)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
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Yofwe, open the link. Look at the top for a link concerning last edit. A pop up window will show changes. Click on a change a few changes back and you will get the pattern.


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## yofer (Oct 16, 2014)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


yes Bill, thank you
this is the first time I see an intarsia pattern and I'm confused because is only in two dimensions, looking at the finished work it's more or less easy to figure out where the different elevations are and how the different shapes, curvatures, etc. should look like
Suppose all one have is this pattern to work with, no Kory's tutorial or a look at the finished work. For somebody who isn't a novice like me, would this pattern as it is be enough to come out with the frog as shown finished?
Another way to put my question I guess would be: "what are the different elements or information an intarsia plan or pattern should have?" 
all I see is two dimensión drawing, Wood selection and grain direction.
Please don't get me wrong, I'm not in any way criticizing what Kory is so kindly doing, I'm just trying to learn what it seems a wonderful craft. Just think, 10 days ago I didn't even know the word intarsia existed!
Thank you in advance for your help


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## Pimzedd (Jan 22, 2007)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
> 
> ...


Sorry, can't answer your questions. I have never done Intarsia . Just favorited this thread in case I want to give it a try someday. Jump in and give it a try.


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## Dez (Mar 28, 2007)

KoryK said:


> *Introduction and Invitation to All.*
> 
> Hello to all and all are Welcome,
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All the pattern link shows is text - "Test message" ?
I sent you a message…
Looking forward to following along, I won't get anything started until mid spring though.


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

*Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*

Intro:

Hello to all and welcome to the first installment of Intarsia Basics. Before we can start cutting we need to select the wood we want to use and get our pattern ready.

Wood Choices:

I prefer to start with stock that is one inch thick because that gives you a lot of depth that you can work with. It will require a little more sanding on some areas but it will help to give your piece a 3D look. It is your choice if you prefer to stain your wood to achieve the colors or use exotic wood. It is hard to tell the difference from pictures, but here are examples of both.

Exotic Woods









Stained









If you're just starting intarsia, I would suggest staining your wood to keep your costs down. After you have gotten hooked and done a piece or two I would highly recommend to give exotic wood a try. Half the fun for me is to find just the right color and grain pattern for a specific area of my pattern that I'm making. I will make a pattern with some woods in mind, but change my mind 10 times after looking at the different woods and grain patterns. I will show examples of both throughout this class and you can make your own choice.

I used poplar for my wood to be stained, but any softer, light wood will work.










For exotic woods I used lignum, ebony, aspen, blood wood, curly maple, and teak.










Preparing your pattern:

If I purchase a pattern I will fold it into sections and put in on the printer to make copies of each section of the pattern if it will not fit onto a single page. It takes a little practice to make sure you don't print one piece onto two of the pages and sometimes you might have to tape two sections together on a large piece. If I make my own pattern I will print it out and then enlarge with the printer in basically the same way. With this pattern I enlarged it to 125% for the size I wanted and was able to keep it on two pages. Then I made 4 copies of each and cut out each piece of the pattern.



















After you have each piece of your pattern cut out you will need to separate them by color (wood) if you're not staining. Then using adhesive spray you can glue your pattern to your wood.










Here you can see how to glue your pattern onto your wood (stained and exotic). Make sure to pay attention to your grain pattern and match it up with your pattern direction to improve your final result.



















One thing you can do that will help your saw blade life and keep the wood from burning while you're cutting your pieces out is to put regular scotch tape over your pattern after gluing. I can't explain how this works but it does.










The last thing you need to do before cutting is to make all of your pilot holes for the areas that will need it. Nostrils and eyes will be the most common for drilling.



















This will help you get you started and gives you some different options. We will start cutting on the next section, so please let me know if you have any questions.


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## crashn (Aug 26, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Superb, hope your hand is feeling better. I will get crack'n with the templates and the cutting.


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## dustbunny (May 18, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Looks good so far,
I am following this one.
Looking forward to the full lesson : )

Lisa


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Hi Kory. Excellent tutorial. Here is a tip that many will find useful:

*This is a great method for attaching the pattern to the wood*, I saw this idea in an intarsia tips video and I tried it out on a practice intarsia piece. You use contact paper which is called shelf liner paper, but the liner is actually clear plastic. It has adhesive on one side only. It comes in rolls and is commonly used to line kitchen cabinets, bookshelves, etc. The adhesive side of the plastic has a tear-off paper backing.

*You just cut off a piece to fit your workpiece, peel off the paper backing, and stick it on to your workpiece, then spray your paper pattern with adhesive and stick it on top of the plastic liner. *

After your pattern is cut, the plastic liner peels right off without leaving any residue. I have been cutting fretwork patterns for many years on my scroll saw, and believe me when I tell you that this is 1000% better than any other method I've ever tried, and I think I have tried them all.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Kory, this is a nice tutorial about one of the things that I would like to do. I will follow it with interest. Thanks.

helluvawreck
https://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## Skylark53 (Jan 8, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


The spray adhesive is quick but when I have time I like using wallpaper paste. The residue sands away easily yet the pattern stays on tight. Thanks for taking the time to do this tutorial. I'm looking forward to it.


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Thanks to everyone for the interest in the tutorial and thanks to Mike and Rick for the tips. Thats what I love about doing this, because I am learning things too. I will try both of your tips because the build up on the sanding drums have always been an issue.

One question for Mike, do you have issue with the pattern pulling off the wood when you use a reverse tooth blade?


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Yes Kory, but normally only at an edge where the cut line is close to the outside edge of the paper. When you attach the pattern to plastic liner it can slide around a little before it dries. That helps spread the glue a little to insure that there are no dry spots, even on the edges. I didn't have that issue at all with the liner method.

I forgot to mention how much I liked both of your frogs. It is clear to me that the creative part of intarsia is the sanding and deciding the heights of the various pieces, which looks really well done on those frogs.

I was dreading the sanding/shaping part while working on my practice bird intarsia, but surprisingly I found it to be more fun than the cutting. I used a smallish sanding drum mounted on my lathe and my dremel for the smaller pieces. Here is a photo. It's not very good, and just rough sanded, but now I know how much fun it is to do this kind of work. I just double taped it to a scrap to see the result. I am just showing you this so you will know I am actually onboard for your tutorial.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Great blog Kory. This is so like marquetry, especially classic style. We have the advantage of not having to worry about glue residue as our patterns are glued to a sacrificial "waster" on the front of the veneer packet.

As for what the tape does, I've read that packing tape (and I assume scotch tape) acts as a lubricant and in that way helps keep heat and wear down.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Kory Thx again for this and I look fwd to getting started on this project this weekend. I thought about this while on vacation, thinking how fun this will be to learn something new. I could use 3 more weeks vacation but who couldn't? Man it goes so quickly! I'll be going through some wood today!


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Very interesting a great blog.well done


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
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> ...


I'm wondering where I can find a contemporary steer pattern? I would like to use intarsa to make a logo for my business. Thanks, Just found the tutorial.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
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Oh yeah,

for someone who might do intarsa for inlay on an occassional piece, what scrollsaw would be a good one for medium price range?

Thanks!


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


There was a very good review of just about all the scroll saws on the market in Scroll Saw magazine's Fall 2010 issue #40. Worthwhile to see it if you or a friend has that issue. The editor chose a favorite in various price categories for the overall best value. Based on my own experience, these seemed like good choices. Prices are 2010 prices

*$200 or less: Porter Cable Model 888-848-5175 $180*
-An excellent entry saw
-16" throat, cuts up to 2" thick
-Toolless blade change, accepts pinless blades
-Variable speed control up front
-Includes light and stand
-Table tilt indicator on top of table.

*$200 to $600: Delta model 40-690 $599*

-20" throat cuts put to 2" thick
-Toolless blade change, accepts pinless blades
-medium/low vibration
-light and stand included

The prices might be a bit higher or lower now. I have an older model Delta which I have replaced with a better machine, but the Delta was very reliable. had variable speed control and quick change blade features and it was very a very good saw. I've had it quite a few years now with no trouble and I am passing it on to my son. So I think Delta makes pretty good scroll saws.

The Delta saw is the same saw as the very popular Dewalt, but for the price you get a free stand and work light. I hope this will help you out. There were 7 saws reviewed in the lower price class and 5 saws in the medium price class.


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Thanks to everyone for following along with the blog,

Mike,

I'm very impressed with your practice bird, it really looks great. If that is your first attempt at intarstia then your first piece looks ALOT better than my first piece. Keep it up!!

Thomas,

For a steer pattern try to go to sawbird.com and look under intarsia patterns by Garnett Hall, there are a few there. Judy Gale Roberts has one of a long horn that you might be interested in. If you can't find anything on those sites you like, shoot me a message and maybe I can come up with something else.

As for the scroll saw question, I agree with Mike on the Porter Cable (Hatachi makes the same saw too just different paint job) for a medium priced saw and you can pick one up from Lowe's or Home Depot. I have had both and the only issue I ever had was making sure your table stays true with working with thicker stock. I also agree with the Delta but unfornatantly it is being discontinued. I got lucky about six months ago and picked one up at Woodcraft for $350.00 (with light and stand) because they were blowing them out. From what they told me Dewalt and Delta had a partnership that has dessolved and Dewalt held the patten on that scroll saw. Dewalt is the exact same saw but it runs about $599.00 without the light or stand. Without going to the price of an Excalibur, Hegner, or Eclipse those are your best choices.

Those are some of the saws that I have used but that is not saying there are not some other ones that will work great. While doing some research for your reply I found a good article that might help you at scribd.com (scroll saw buyer's guide), it gives you some good info. It was published in 2010 so it still has the Delta on it, but I don't know if you can still find one at this time.

Hope this helps.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Thanks Kory. If I eventually get half as good at intarsia as you are, I will be more than happy.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Thanks,

Looked at the saws suggested. I know the more I spend the better the saw. Had opportunity to play/use the Delta saw. I'm Thinking that mre hp on a motor as well as depth of arm would be significant. Been reading about ex calibur and adjustments?


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Hi Doc. I am the lucky owner of an Excalibur and I am extremely happy with it. It has so many wonderful features and each and every one of them contributes significantly to the pure pleasure of using it. I had to pay about twice the price here in Norway of what they go for in Canada and the U.S., but I still think it was the best tool bargain I've run across so far.


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## Intarsia2014 (May 5, 2014)

KoryK said:


> *Preparing Your Wood and Pattern for Cutting*
> 
> Intro:
> 
> ...


Intarsia art, an artistic form of wood inlay. Whether your an experienced intarsia artist or just a beginner, you will soon have a style that suits you when doing intarsia art woodcraft. Mostly the intarsia artists you will meet are intarsia purists, using various species of wood for color and using its grain direction to help create form. This form is enhanced by sanding to give a 3 dimensional look. The more shaping that is done with sanding the more pronounced the 3 dimensional look. The individual pieces are oiled and the pieces are either glued together or to a background. NO STAINS, PAINTS OR DYES, are used Just the natural beauty of the wood.

http://intarsiawoodworkingtips.blogspot.in/


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

*Let's Do Some Cutting!*

Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.

You can start out like I did with a Porter Cable or Hitachi from Lowe's or Home Depot for less than $180. After a couple of years and a few saws that I wore out I took the plunge and purchased an Excalibur for upwards of $1000.










Yes, it has some advantages (straighter cuts, faster blade changes) over the less expensive models. Make sure this is what you want to put a lot of time into before spending that kind of money. No matter what saw you have I suggest a foot petal on an off switch. It makes it easy to start and stop your machine without having to remove your hands from your project. You can purchase one at Woodcraft for $25 or go to Harbor Freight and they have the same thing for about $8.










After that, blades come next. I use the Olsen Double/Reverse PGT (Precision Ground Tooth) in a .049" wide X .018" thick X 6/9 Rev. TPI for most of the work with thicker or harder woods.










Your blade selection is COMPLETELY up to your personal preference. I suggest you purchase a few different kinds and play with them to find out what will work best for you and your scroll saw. I started with the Double/Reverse blade and that is what I am most comfortable with, it might be a different blade for you. Make sure to clean your blades before putting them in your saw if your using pinless blades. There is oil on them and if you clean it off it will prevent your blade from slipping.

The next thing you need to do is check to make sure you table is square and DO THIS OFTEN. With scroll saws that the table tilts the vibration of the saw will cause the table to shift during cutting. Do not depend on the scale on the saw to adjust it to 0, use a square.










If your table is off just a little while working with the thicker wood, it will cause you pieces not to fit together when you're done.

Here is a quick video of me cutting out a piece and it will show you some methods I use for some cuts that will make your project look better and save some time.

http://s1196.photobucket.com/albums/aa418/tireman11/?action=view&current=class014.mp4

Note: At the end of cutting out a piece I will check to make sure it slides easly back and forth. If it does not then your table is not square and your cutting at an angle.

As you can see when I have a 90 degree outside cut I prefer to cut past the pattern and turn your blade around in the excess wood, then continue your cutting.

This all takes practice and I will not tell you there is a right or wrong way to cut out your pattern. Here are some examples of how I will tackle an angle that is too tight to just turn your piece.

Jagged Edges



















Inside Tight



















There are going to be some areas that require you to drill a pilot hole and do an inside cut when one piece is surrounded by another. Most commonly this will be in eyes and nostrils. This might require a smaller blade than what you're using on the rest of the project.





































After each piece is cut you can see each piece individually.
Exotic










Poplar to be stained










After everything is cut out you can put your pieces together and see how your project is starting to look like. At this time, check to make sure you have a good fit with all your pieces.










One tip that will help if your pieces are not matching up perfectly is to TIGHTLY hold the two pieces together and run you blade between them on a slower speed and shave off small sections to make pieces match up better. Practice this because this is really easy to mess up if you get off just a little. If it is just a minor gap you can sand out the difference.

Next time we will start looking at shaping and adding shims to give your project some depth, hope to see ya there.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


Great blog Kory. Cutting past the point and turning in the waste sure saves a lot of grief. I cut about the same way as you do. I also have an Excalibur, which I consider the best quality tool in my shop. I really splurged for that one, but I have never regretted it. Foot pedals are not allowed in Norway (at least for hobbyists), I wish I had one, but it hasn't been a big problem so far.

I have converted a quite detailed fantasy drawing by my son to an intarsia pattern which I am currently sawing out the parts for. I am trying to get the grain directions more or less correct and I will need to lower/elevate some of the pieces, but I am finding out that it is not so easy deciding which ones to do. That is part of the artistry bit that I lack, so I am looking forward to how you make those judgements.

This has me really fired up and I am enjoying the work. I will have to use mostly pine for my work. I found a website where they use pine and there are many great examples in their various galleries showing very clever use of the grain patterns to augment their designs. Here is the link in case you want to have a look. They have more than intarsia so you have to scroll through their galleries to see their intarsia work.

http://picturesinwood.co.uk/1112.html

Looking forward to the next lesson.


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


Wonderful blog, Kory! Lots of great points. Although I am not able to make this right now, I am following (and learning) along with the rest. Thank you for taking so much time to make this possible for us all. 

Sheila


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


Thank you Kory, for doing this! I am not able to work along at this time as we have a show coming up next weekend and I have to get things prepped for that.


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## SCOTSMAN (Aug 1, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


I love your work and what a saw how does it differ from your previous models apart from the obvious price. I have the nice big delta. Question is it easier to cut the eyes out your way by sawing or just drill them out on the drill press as I do?Alistair


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


I was wondering the same thing that Alistair asked. Could you use the drill press to do the eyes and then fill them with pieces cut from dowel rods? Or would you consider that 'cheating?'

Sheila


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


Good point on the drilling out the pupil, I usually make them in a oval shape and have to cut them out. To be honest, I'm so used to doing it that way I just cut it out of habit. I have used dowel rods in the past but found that I could not get the color right because the part your seeing is the end grain and it soaks up your stain and/or your finish. I don't consider anything to be cheating, if you are happy with the results and have fun doing it, that is what matters. No snobs allowed.


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## BrianStrothcamp (Jan 10, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


One thing I have done with pupils is to just drill a dimple then place a few drops of black enamel paint… or you can use a black bead…

I have yet to do it but… if the job calls for it, I have wanted to use taxidermy eyes:
http://www.mckenziesp.com/Van-*************************-C2148.aspx

There is a whole eye section on the left menu


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## EPJartisan (Nov 4, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


I was checking out all your latest work last night and was reading this blog before I fell asleep, and I woke up with a great improvement to a project of mine. Thank you very much. can't wait to see the final steps.


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Let's Do Some Cutting!*
> 
> Thanks for joining us for the third installment of "Intarsia Basics" and this is where it starts to get really fun. Cutting out the pattern is one of the best parts of doing this kind of art. It takes a little practice to get used to using your saw. You can look up some practice patterns or just make some zig zags, loop the loops, straight lines, gentle curves, and circles on a piece of paper and glue to a practice board. Cut out some of these and you will start getting used to the "feel "of your saw.
> 
> ...


Hope I can find this blog when I start my project. Thanks for doing it.


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

*Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*

I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


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## steliart (Jan 15, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


get well soon


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## jfk4032 (Jun 26, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


Get better Kory!


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


No apology needed Kory. I just hope you will take the time to get a fully healed before you start up again.

I am currently working on my first 'real' intarsia. I really dived in over my head as usual, but I thought it would be a good learning project with lots of challenges. If it turns out good enough I will post it. Meanwhile I will look forward to seeing your next blog when you are up to it. Here's hoping you have a speedy recovery!


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


Kory, my friend, get healed up first. No apologies needed


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


No apology needed Kory, get well soon and take your time. Its worth the wait for me, as I'm sure our fellow LJ"s would also agree!


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


Wow! Be nice to yor bones caus they are your foundation? Heal well. Take it slow.


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## Kokopelli2011 (Aug 18, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


Hoping for your quick recovery! I am fortunate to be encouraged by my school and school board to teach woodcrafting as an extracurricular activity to students from grades 5-9. I have done quite well with pen turning and scrollsawing however I have always wanted to develop solid skills in doing intarsia. Your tutorials seems easy to follow and straight-forward! I want to thank you for taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences with the rest of us who are so eager to learn yet so far away from skilled intarsians! Please do more tutorials in the future!


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## jack2770 (Mar 29, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


MIENTRAS KORY SANA, LOS INVITO A VER LAS CLASES DE SHEILA (SCROLL SAW) Y SEGUIR LA PARTE PARA PEGAR EL PATRON A LA MADERA CON CINTA AZUL DE PINTOR COMO BASE, PEGAMENTO DEL PATRON A LA CINTA Y CUBRIMIENTO CON CINTA TRANSPARENTE , FUNCIONA SUPER.

WHILE KORY SANA, invited them to see the kinds of SHEILA (SCROLL SAW) AND FOLLOW THE PART TO STICK TO WOOD PATTERN WITH BLUE RIBBON AS BASE PAINTER, GLUE PATTERN TO TAPE AND COVERAGE with clear tape, works super.


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## byrdman61 (Mar 21, 2013)

KoryK said:


> *Part 4 Coming Soon (Sorry)!!!!*
> 
> I just wanted to update on the status of the class and inform every one of the delay. For those of you that do not know, I had a misfortunate (stupid?) accident and broke a bone in my right hand a couple of weeks ago. I was hoping that I had progressed far enough beforehand that it would not affect the class. Unfortunately the bones are not healing correctly and it is taking longer for ir it to heal. I tried again tonight, but do not have enough dexterity or hand strength to sand while I'm still in the cast. Sorry for the delay for those following along and I will post the next section ASAP. Again, I apologize.


Wish you a quick and full recovery Kory. Thanks for what you do.


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

*Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *

Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.

In this section we will focus on shaping and sanding our pieces. In my opinion, this is the most important part of the process. Depth is what makes a piece really stand out and the more depth you use in your project the better you're going to like the end result. We have all seen intarsia pieces that look flat and if you put the extra time into adding spacers, sanding a little more, and shaping you will be much happier with your project when you're done.

When I started this project I wanted to show that you only need some basic tools. These tools are the only ones I had when I started doing intarsia and it progressed from there. To create this project the only electric tools I used were a drill, scroll saw and Dremel tools. So, you can make some very nice projects without having to sell your first born.




























Before we start shaping pieces we need to put your spacers in if you want them to add depth. If you're not familiar with adding spacers it is using some plywood behind certain pieces of your project to add height to an area. Here is a series of pictures to show how I put spacers behind the eyes for the frog that will show you better than I can explain it in words.


















































































You can use as thick or thin plywood as you want, I suggest using thicker than you think needed because you can always sand it down to you desired height.

I did not get a good picture of it, but I also put a ¼ spacer behind the left hand of the frog to raise it up a little more.

You can also get creative with spacing out your pieces like I did on the rear end of the frog. Rather than using a spacer I glued two of the pieces together before sanding. You can do this when one piece meets another that you want to raise on at least 3 sides.



















It is your choice of what areas you would want to put spacers behind, just remember that it will not look good if it is not surrounded by other pieces. You don't want to use spacers on the outside pieces of your project because you will be able to see them when finished. Make sure not to raise a piece too high that a gap will form to the next piece. You can glue two pieces together if you want to raise any outside pieces if it is necessary (example: see Koryk's project page and look at the lazy dragons toe nails)
.
After you have added you spacers you can start shaping the individual pieces.

Dremel tools were used for almost all of the shaping on this project and the attachments for them are readily available at your local hardware store (Lowe's or Home Depot). Here are the ones I used for this project.










Start out with your small drum sander attachment with the 60 grit sand paper (408) to do the major shaping. This is a personal choice of how you want to shape your pieces, just try to picture in your mind the whole project and how that particular piece will fit in it. Do a couple of pieces a little at a time and fit them together to see if you like the results, you can always go back and sand some more.










When you're trying to meet two pieces together like on the mouth you need to sand out the first piece to your liking then mark it on the other to make them match up. This will help with the basic shape and then you can fine tune it with your other steps.










Once you have gotten the basic shape you're looking for you can switch to the 120 sand paper for finer sanding (432). After that you can put the drum sander to the side for now.

Even after that, some of the curved pieces will still not be completely smooth and it is time to use your 120 grit flop sander (503). I prefer to do all the pieces in each step before moving to the next because it requires a lot less changing attachments on you Dremel tool if you only have one. I know some artists that do each individual piece start to finish then go to the next and I have tried it, but it leaves little room to adjust if your pieces do not look right. This is a slow process and sometimes that will help you because it give you time to reflect and revise as needed.

You can use EZ4725A attachment after that for those hard to reach areas, but be careful on your Dremel tool speed. If you have the speed up too high it will really gouge out an area if the wood is soft.

Sorry to tell you that you are not through sanding yet, but the end is in sight. It is time to hand sand each piece and you can go to whatever grit you want as long as it is at least 180 to get to the smoothness you want. I am known as a bit of a masochist and have gone all the way up to 2400 grit on some of my bigger pieces, but this is a choice you can make for your project.

After your spacers and shaping you should end up with your basic shape of your project.










In the next lesson we will cover staining (if needed), adding your backboard, final prep, and finishing. Hope to see ya there.


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## woodworkerscott (Sep 12, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Thanks. I have been wanting to learn this. It is a very artistic method.


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Glad to see you're up & atom again.


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## Bearpie (Feb 19, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Thanks Kory, this is very informative!


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Great blog Kory and great work too. Glad to see that you are back.


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Love it, I need to catch up on my work, Wife keeps adding things to the honey do list!!!!


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## becikeja (Sep 12, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Thanks for doing this, this is very informative.


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## Gene01 (Jan 5, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Thanks for this great blog, Kory.


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


Looks good Kory. Wonderful blog. I'm looking forward to the staining now. Sorry I'm late seeing this. I'm still on vacation away from home, and I forgot to put it on my watchlist.


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## jack2770 (Mar 29, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


THANKS FOR THIS CLASS, AS INTERESTING PROJECT HIGHLIGHT SOME PARTS.
YOU WANT A BETTER SOON.
JAVIER


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## makeCNC (Jul 14, 2013)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


wow! you are very talented Kory I love your work !


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## mauricio (Aug 28, 2013)

KoryK said:


> *Welcome back, Let's Start Adding Spacers and Shaping Our Pieces *
> 
> Thanks for joining in again and I apologize for the delay. Hand is doing a lot better and it feels great to be back in the shop. Thanks for your patience and your encouragement to get better.
> 
> ...


gracias por enseñar esto tan maravilloso ,,gracias desde chile


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## KoryK (Jan 14, 2011)

*We are Almost There!!*

Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.

When we left off we had all the sanding done and are ready for staining and finishing. I'm making two of these frogs, one that will need staining and one out of exotic wood so everyone can participate in this project. We will go over staining next.

I'm using poplar for my piece that will need staining and this is what I came up with after sanding and shaping it.










There is plenty of different stains available from different outlets. The greens, blues, bright reds are a little harder to find and you might have to order them online. I have, in the past, used food dye mixed with water as a stain. Just put a little food dye in water and start testing it on your scraps adding more dye to achieve the color you're looking for. I have also used water based paint in the same way.










I used regular stains for this piece because I had them and they are much easier to use. After drying I checked to make sure that the color was what I wanted.


















Ok, for those of you using exotic wood, it's time to rejoin us. I changed it up on this one and used two types of finish for this one. Usually you would attach your backer board at this point, but because of the two finishes I put those on first. What I was trying to achieve was a regular satin finish on the branch so it would not be real glossy. I used high gloss on the frog because I wanted it to look wet (like a frog). I use a polyurethane finish for both.




























I put three coat of each type and lightly sanded with 320 grit between coats.










Like I said before the next two steps are usually done before putting your finish on, but we changed it up on this one.

Next we need to glue our piece together, I use CA glue with an accelerant. It is very convenient because you can place you pieces together after putting you glue on and make sure they are in proper placement before spraying the accelerant to dry the glue. I prefer to use the thick CA glue, but you do have a choice of medium, thin, or gel. Be very careful not to drip any of the glue on the face of you piece because you have already done your finish.










At this point your piece is very fragile so be very careful placing it on your backer board. You can use plywood or anything that is strong and about 1/8 thick. I like to use tempered service board for all of my projects. After placing you piece on you backer board I will trace around it with a pencil.



















I will then highlight it with a sharpie so I can see it better while cutting.



















I will then cut the backer board out making sure to cut inside the traced line 1/8 inch to make sure it does on show from the front.










Here is your finished backer board.










Again, very carefully put your piece back on you backer board to insure that it fits and does not stick out anywhere. After that you can start gluing them together. I use regular wood glue for this.










If I have already put a finish on at this point I will cover it with cellophane to make sure nothing sticks to the finish if there is any area that might be a little tacky.










I will then cover it with a towel to add padding so your clamps will not gouge your wood. I use spring clamp in varying sizes to clamp the backer board to your piece.










Let it dry overnight and then you are ready to put your hanger on. This is a fairly small piece so I only used one hanger on the back instead of picture frame style. Doing this you will need to make sure to get the hanger in the right place so your piece will not hang lopsided. Take you thumb and forefinger and let the piece hang, then move them until the piece is level. Where you finger is where you place your hanger.



















At this point we are FINISHED!!! Here are examples of both projects

Exotic wood










Stained wood










I want to thank all of you for following along and making this project. I hope you get as much enjoyment out of this art form and making these pieces as I do. This is a basic project and the more you do, your imagination will take over and each piece will take on a life of its own. Thanks again and happing cutting.


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## sras (Oct 31, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


This has been an excellent series!

Intarsia is on my future project list and I know I will be referring back to what you have shared with us.

Thanks!!


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## Kentuk55 (Sep 21, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


I was freekin out for a minute there while lookin at that poor frog. Looked like he was disected like we did back in high school. Body parts all over. Glad your injury has healed up.


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## crashn (Aug 26, 2011)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Thank you for the series. I have not 'built' along, even though you were kind enough to send the plans  Too much work on the other side of the country these last few months. But with this posted here on LJ, I know I will be looking them up in the near future!

Thanks again, and glad your had is coming along. I know when I lopped off part of my finger (glass door accident, not table saw or other power tool), I was in the dumps until it healed up, but then I met a great girl at the physical therapy office, good friend now


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## hunter71 (Sep 4, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


I enjoyed your lessons. I have never done Intarsia but might attempt it now.
Thanks, Doug


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## stefang (Apr 9, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Thanks very much for these lessons Kory. I have learned a lot from your blog. Are the stains you used water or alcohol based?


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## SteveL (Jan 31, 2008)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Thanks Kory,

I just got me a scroll saw and have been wondering what project I might try to build some skill with it, and your frog looks perfect. I even have a piece of poplar handy, so I'll be printing the pattern tomorrow and sawing tomorrow night!


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


This is the most excellent series I have ever read!!!! I have learned so much reading and watching this. I'm ready to tackle this project. I have wanted to do this for some time. As others have mentioned I thank-you for taking the time and sharing your ways of making this project!


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## JLJones (Mar 26, 2012)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Thanks for the series! I'm excited to give intarsia a try!


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## DocSavage45 (Aug 14, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Kory,

Just saw an intarsa piece andremembered your frog. Still a long way from doing this but it is on my list of wanna's but I have to do the needas and gottas first. Looked around for a contemporary cow pattern, only found a steer, but it is a start?


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## luv2learn (Feb 4, 2012)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Kory,

I came late to the series so I read through all the lessons a few times. You have explained the steps beautifully and I am anxious to get stated on my first project.

I just have a few observations based on my limited experience with fretwork. First, I attach my pattern pieces to the wood the same as you do, with spray adhesive. Second, I use 2" wide clear packing tape to cover the pattern, it lubricates the blade. Lastly, when I am ready to remove pattern from the wood I remove the tape, dampen a cloth with mineral spirits and apply it to any left over paper stuck to the piece. Any paper stuck to the wood comes right off as well as any spray adhesive that might still be on the piece. The mineral spirits evaporate in just a few seconds and doesn't appear to have any staining affect on the wood nor does it appear to affect the finishing.

Thanks for taking the time to do this class, I really appreciate it.


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## Belg1960 (Jan 3, 2010)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


I have just found your blog and hope you do another build like this in the future. I would love to see some videos with this type of work as well.


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## byrdman61 (Mar 21, 2013)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Thanks Kory.


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## jim65 (Feb 8, 2013)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Thanks, I am going to check to give this a shot, inspiring! Appreciate that you have take the time to teach!


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## RooseveltKoepke (Jun 15, 2015)

KoryK said:


> *We are Almost There!!*
> 
> Welcome back and again sorry for taking so long to get this post out. After my hand healed I was really backed up on some other projects. I'm almost caught up and will post some of those projects on my page in the next couple of days.
> 
> ...


Excellent reality


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