# Intarsia



## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*New Intarsia Blog for TripleB*

I really am starting to enjoy this Intarsia art, and since this is new to me, I thought I would start logging everything into a blog.

I have always admired and been a little intimidated by the Art of Intarsia, I think that I thought only somebody that has been behind a scroll saw for many years would have the talent to do it. As being I've only been using a scroll saw for a little over a year, I figured it was simply above my abilities. I finally decided to just give it a shot, after all it's only wood and a saw and a lot of sanding, and I'm glad I did.

I think another reason I was reluctant to try Intarsia was the shaping aspect of the pieces, I simply did not think I would have the patience to do all the sanding work that is required to make your piece look good. With that in mind I bought some additional sanding equipment to help make the sanding task easier before I started. I purchased a sanding mop and some padded disk sanders, and I am willing to say that had I not bought those items, I probably would have no further interest in Intarsia due to the sanding involved. Those two items not only made the sanding easy, but actually made it fun. If you are considering starting Intarsia, I would highly recommend having these before you start.










Just in case you want to know, I bought these items at Klingspor's 
 As you can see I put them in my drill press, pull up a chair and shape away. I know, I may be weird, but I find it very relaxing. Since I do this in my garage and saw dust is an issue, I put the drill press right by the door and set a box fan up behind me to blow all the saw dust outside. Sawdust is an issue, there is lots of it when shaping, so please take that into consideration if you are going to do Intarsia. We all know saw dust is evil!

To catch you up, the below photo's are my first three Intarsia projects, even though I really don't consider the train "intarsia" the pattern did come out of an intarsia book.




























Thanks for taking the time to read my new blog, I will try to keep up with pictures when I start my next Intarsia project (I have a pattern ordered that I hope will be here in the next couple days), I will do my best to document the next project while I am making it. I could really use input from all of you since I still have no real clue what I am doing.

Thanks

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

TripleB said:


> *New Intarsia Blog for TripleB*
> 
> I really am starting to enjoy this Intarsia art, and since this is new to me, I thought I would start logging everything into a blog.
> 
> ...


I have been meaning to make something that is this style of woodworking for some time. I really like the santa bear look fwd to watching your blog.


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## RussInMichigan (Oct 15, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *New Intarsia Blog for TripleB*
> 
> I really am starting to enjoy this Intarsia art, and since this is new to me, I thought I would start logging everything into a blog.
> 
> ...


Bob,
Which padded disk sanders did you get? I'm wanting to get into intarsia myself, but the shaping intimidates me a bit. I want to stack the deck in favor of success without yet dropping the hundreds of dollars for pneumatic sanding drum and the like.

Thanks, 
Russ


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## RussInMichigan (Oct 15, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *New Intarsia Blog for TripleB*
> 
> I really am starting to enjoy this Intarsia art, and since this is new to me, I thought I would start logging everything into a blog.
> 
> ...


Bob,
Which padded disk sanders did you get? I'm wanting to get into intarsia myself, but the shaping intimidates me a bit. I want to stack the deck in favor of success without yet dropping the hundreds of dollars for pneumatic sanding drum and the like.

Thanks, 
Russ


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## RussInMichigan (Oct 15, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *New Intarsia Blog for TripleB*
> 
> I really am starting to enjoy this Intarsia art, and since this is new to me, I thought I would start logging everything into a blog.
> 
> ...


oops


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *New Intarsia Blog for TripleB*
> 
> I really am starting to enjoy this Intarsia art, and since this is new to me, I thought I would start logging everything into a blog.
> 
> ...


Hey Russ,

Here is the set I bought from Klingspor, it's $40.95 has two sponge pads and 100 sanding disk of various grits. So far I have done 95% of all my shaping with these and they are proving invaluable. I can't speak as to their longevity, I haven't had them but a few weeks, but they are getting a workout and so far so good.

http://www.woodworkingshop.com/product/fr70000/

Give intarsia a try, with these disk I think you will enjoy it, and they wont break the bank if you don't like it. I'm sure even if you dont use them for Intarsia, you will find yourself using them for a lot of other sanding task.

Bob


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 1*

My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.

When I get an Intarsia pattern I first tape it down to my work bench so that it will not move around, than I cover it with clear packing tape. I use the clear packing tape to protect it from sweat drips, spills and glue. When I'm done with it I just pull up the tape and it is ready to use again. The pictures below show the tube and accessories that came with the pattern and than a clear shot of the pattern taped down.

As I go through this process you will get a better understanding as to why the pattern is taped down.



















I already started on the lower leaves tonight, but honestly just to tired to take more pics, but I will tomorrow before I get much further.

Earlier I stated "That is how I was taught" you might be wondering who is teaching me. The person that is helping/ mentoring me on my new Intarsia venture is simply a Master of Intarsia. Instead of taking my word for it, let me show you some samples of his work.




























Hopefully you'll agree that the three pictures above are Masterful, They were made by Al Winberg from California. Al lives three thousand miles away from my Lakeland home in Florida, and we have never personally met, yet he is willing to share his talents with me. Today's technology with Skype and email make it a lot easier. I feel completely honored that a man with his ability is willing to take his time to tutor someone with as little talent as I have. Believe me I will learn what he teaches me, I only hope I can make my projects be half as good as his are, and I'll be a happy camper!

Until Tomorrrow

Bob 
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## Ken90712 (Sep 2, 2009)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


So far so good, Look fwd to seeing more.


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## HalDougherty (Jul 15, 2009)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


Beautiful looking projects from your friend. I'm looking forward to seeing your hummingbird.


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


This will be a beautiful pattern! Having a mentor to help you along is a wonderful gift. Sharing knowledge with others is awesome. I can't wait to see your piece develop! 

Sheila


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## woodshaver (Mar 21, 2009)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


His work is so beautiful! I'm lalso ooking forward to seeing your hummingbirds.


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## JulianLech (Jan 13, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


Looking forward to see how your projects develops. This is something that I would like to try one day.


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## jfk4032 (Jun 26, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


I like seeing your progress on this project. I'm a newbie to intarsia as well and like yourself I found Al (through another forum) and reached out to him for advice on sanding machines and he was more than happy to help and consult with me. He's quite a standup guy and I admire his knowledge and expertise. I also really like his custom patterns. Keep up the sharing of your projects, what a great way to pay it forward.


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## hunter71 (Sep 4, 2009)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 1*
> 
> My Hummingbird Intarsia pattern arrived today, quicker than I thought it would, which is always a pleasant surprise. And I actually did take a couple pictures of it. First off, the pattern came from Judy Gale Roberts at www.intarsia.com. I ordered two patterns and they both came neatly packed in a nice mailing tube. The patterns came complete with instructions and an 8 1/2" x 11" color photo of how the finished project should look. The pattern itself is printed on a heavy tracing paper and printed in red ink. The red ink supposedly makes it easier to see the lines when cutting on the scroll saw. I use the pattern strictly as a guide, I don't cut it on the saw so the red ink really has no greater value to me, but that's just the way I have been taught to make Intarsia, others may go ahead and use the actual pattern on their wood to cut out the pieces.
> 
> ...


There are 2 congratulations here, one for your work Bob, and the other for Al who is passing on his talent.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 2*

I started cutting the lower leaves out. I found a nice piece of poplar with a nice greenish grey streak going through it (The picture just doesn't show the actual colors well) and thought that it would work nicely for the leaves.




























My day today is not quite working out the way I had hoped, so I'm not sure how much more I will get too today. I am hoping to get started on some leaf shaping, If I do I will post some more pictures.

If you have any questions please feel free to ask.

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 2*
> 
> I started cutting the lower leaves out. I found a nice piece of poplar with a nice greenish grey streak going through it (The picture just doesn't show the actual colors well) and thought that it would work nicely for the leaves.
> 
> ...


Looks really good. I love the wood choice. It looks really nice so far.

Sheila


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 2*
> 
> I started cutting the lower leaves out. I found a nice piece of poplar with a nice greenish grey streak going through it (The picture just doesn't show the actual colors well) and thought that it would work nicely for the leaves.
> 
> ...


Thanks Sheila.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 3*

The leaves are coming along nicely so far. I was able to get the leaves that are cut, 80% shaped. At this point I don't want to completely shape them until I am a little further along.

You may have noticed that I "Tack" glued the leaves together, I don't think I explained this well in the previous post. I use Alleen's Clear Jell Tacky glue for this purpose because it tends to come apart easier later on if I need to take something apart to refine the shape. The other Aleen's glues seem to bond better than the clear jell for more permanent glue ups.









I sprayed mineral spirits on it just to get an idea what it is going to look like once oiled and lacquered.

Next up is the bigger leaf on the left. I did not originally cut this out with the other leaves because it is supposed to look like it is behind the two front leaves. I wanted to have the two front leaves shaped before laying this one out.

I thought I would take you through my process of tracing the shapes for cutting. First I need to say that I did buy the pattern from Judy Gale Roberts and it included detailed instructions on how to make Intarsia, however I am not using them. Just as there is more than one way to skin a cat, there is more than one way to make Intarsia, I prefer my methods. This does not make either one of our methods right or wrong, just different. If you are expecting to learn Judy's way of making this pattern here, I just want to let you know that is not the case.

In order to prepare the pattern to cut the pieces you will need your average ordinary Artist Tracing Paper that can be found at just about any store that sells school supply's, a good sharp pencil or mechanical pencil, tape (Blue Painters or Scotch Tape), scissors or Exacto knife, clear packing tape and some spray glue.










First lay the tracing paper down over your pattern and tape it down, than place the wood that has already been cut on top of it. In the above picture I traced out the left leaf by starting at the "Critical Cut" points. The critical cut point is the area of the tracing where the wood has already been cut, carefully trace those edges first. It's important to be accurate here because the new piece you cut must line up with the cut pieces as best as possible to avoid large gaps. By carefully tracing these areas you will be transferring the exact cut to the new piece of wood. All the other cuts are not critical because you will match future pieces up to the new critical cuts. You still want to cut them carefully but they are not critical. It's also a good idea to put a mark where the critical cut starts and ends so that you know where they are at while cutting the piece out. Before taking the pattern off make sure you trace the arrow that indicates grain direction so that when you put the pattern on the wood you know how to orientate it with the woods grain direction.









Once the pattern is traced, cut it out of the tracing paper leaving a 1/4" or so around the lines. Than lightly spray the backside of the tracing paper with glue and let dry for 30-seconds to a minute before applying it to the wood.










Sorry that's a really bad picture! After orienting the pattern properly with the grain direction, cover it with packing tape, tape any lines you are going to cut, your blade will thank you for it. Now cut away, just remember to cut carefully.

Until Tomorrow

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 5*

Unfortunately, the last week or so, it's been very difficult for me to get into the shop to work on the hummingbird. But now I should be able to get back at it, the only set back now is when the Wenge wood I ordered gets here. I will not be able to finish the hummer with out it, but I can work around it until it arrives. The Wenge is only on the bird, so I will work on the Lilly flowers in the mean time.

I was able to get the bottom leaves done and partial frame together yesterday. I made a design change to the frame. I didn't really like the way the frame was broken up into four sections and the way the pattern had the grain going all over the place. I decided to keep the grain of the frame uniformed and vertical, which made some of the frame pieces bigger, but that's ok, fewer pieces to cut. I also changed the thickness of the frame from 3/4" to 1/2" thick Walnut, I don't want the frame to take away from the picture by it being so bulky.

Here is a picture of the progress so far, I'm hoping that I will get enough done today to warrant another post tomorrow. My big problem still is figuring out exactly what woods to use on the Lilly, I've gone through many different possibilities in my head, guess I'm just going to have to trust myself and go for it.










Bob 
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## intarsia92 (Aug 9, 2012)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 5*
> 
> Unfortunately, the last week or so, it's been very difficult for me to get into the shop to work on the hummingbird. But now I should be able to get back at it, the only set back now is when the Wenge wood I ordered gets here. I will not be able to finish the hummer with out it, but I can work around it until it arrives. The Wenge is only on the bird, so I will work on the Lilly flowers in the mean time.
> 
> ...


Looking good Bob, I like the contrast between the leaves and frame. Glad to see you're able to get back to it.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 6*

I was able to get some of the Lilly done today. Wood's I finally decided on are White Poplar, Red Cedar and Bubinga for the stem. I'm not sure how much time I will have to work on it today, but I should be able to get a little more done. I have another order I need to work on and get that out today, so the Hummer might take a bit of a back seat today.

This is a short update, there just isn't much more to say that the picture already does.










Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 6*
> 
> I was able to get some of the Lilly done today. Wood's I finally decided on are White Poplar, Red Cedar and Bubinga for the stem. I'm not sure how much time I will have to work on it today, but I should be able to get a little more done. I have another order I need to work on and get that out today, so the Hummer might take a bit of a back seat today.
> 
> ...


It is looking good! It is best to take your time and work on it when you can. I think it is coming out wonderfully! 

Sheila


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 7*

I spent most of yesterday working on the Lilly, but didn't quite finish it up. I did not want to update the blog until the Lilly was as finished as it could be. I spent a little time this morning finishing up the Lilly and than moved right into making the bird itself. I am going to make another blog post this evening on the birds progress as soon as I am done with this one.

I used some different woods to finish up the Lilly. The leaves in back are Maple, the stem is Bubinga and the seed pods are Purple Heart. The back Maple leaves might end up changing once the Wenge arrives to make the beak. I just made them to get a feel of how the beak will come together, which at this point is still a mystery to me. The pod stem is Bubinga that I used a cut off blade on a Dremel tool in order to accent the grooves in the stem. The cut off wheel burned the wood while I was cutting the grooves which I did not expect, but I actually liked the unintended effect and just went with it, I like the way it came out. The seed pods I thought could use some color so I went with Purple Heart, but they were boring looking, so I got the soldering iron out heated it up and added some impromptu wood burning effects to the pods with the goal to be a smaller seed effect. I'm not sure if that was successful or not.

Well you can see for yourself in the picture below. Now on to the bird posting which I am finally glad to be able to get to!










Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 8*

I have been very apprehensive about doing the actual Hummingbird, I honestly didn't think I had the skills to be able to make the very tight color transitions in the body of the bird without having massive gaps to contend with. That's why I started with the easy parts first. But after all is said and done, I think I did ok for a newbie.

The top part of the body is Lace wood or Leopard wood, I thought it would give a good feather effect, but at this point, I'm thinking I should have gone with a different wood. I'm not completely happy with the look it just isn't what I was hoping it would be. I'm not done with the shaping of the body yet, maybe when I am I will feel better about it. I cant finish shaping the body until I have the wing and tail done. But I am very happy with how the transition between the Lace wood, Aspen and Bloodwood look, that came out much better than I anticipated.

I intend to work on the wing tomorrow, barring any unforeseen interruptions, until the Wenge wood I ordered arrives. I am hoping that it will show up with tomorrows UPS delivery.

Here are some pics, the first one is of the body of the bird cut out with out any shaping.










The next one is of the preliminary shaping of the bird. I sprayed some mineral spirits on it just to see what it would look like in a close to finished condition, it's a bit shiny in this picture.










And finally the shaped bird in the pattern.










Would love to hear your comments and suggestions, this is only my 3rd intarsia so I could use all the help I can get.

Bob 
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## RyanHaasen (Oct 29, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 8*
> 
> I have been very apprehensive about doing the actual Hummingbird, I honestly didn't think I had the skills to be able to make the very tight color transitions in the body of the bird without having massive gaps to contend with. That's why I started with the easy parts first. But after all is said and done, I think I did ok for a newbie.
> 
> ...


Looks like its coming along great! The choice of wood for that bird is perfect. I look forward to watching this come together.


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## intarsia92 (Aug 9, 2012)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 8*
> 
> I have been very apprehensive about doing the actual Hummingbird, I honestly didn't think I had the skills to be able to make the very tight color transitions in the body of the bird without having massive gaps to contend with. That's why I started with the easy parts first. But after all is said and done, I think I did ok for a newbie.
> 
> ...


I think Lace wood was a perfect choice for the body of the Hummer. So far the whole thing is coming out great!!!


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 9*

My Wenge finally arrived yesterday, and I went straight to work! It's frustrating looking at your project all weekend but not being able to progress on it. So now I'm happy again. I was able to get the beak together which was my major hold up because it is critical that the bird fits correctly before I can finish the frame.

I did take the liberty during the down time to take part of the Lilly apart and reshape some of it, I simply wasn't totally satisfied with my shaping of it.

Here are yesterdays pictures. The wing is still a work in progress and I am doing shaping on that today, hopefully I will be close to finishing this project this week end.




























Bob
TripleB

Scroll Saw Forum


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## intarsia92 (Aug 9, 2012)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 9*
> 
> My Wenge finally arrived yesterday, and I went straight to work! It's frustrating looking at your project all weekend but not being able to progress on it. So now I'm happy again. I was able to get the beak together which was my major hold up because it is critical that the bird fits correctly before I can finish the frame.
> 
> ...


Hey Bob, You're doing a fantastic job. No one will ever believe you think of yourself as a novice at making Intarsias. 
I've seen ones, made by people with years of experience, that haven't looked this good.

The extra time you spent on the Lilly has really paid off.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Hummingbird Day 10/ Completed*

Well, it's finally done!! I have learned a lot making this project, probably the biggest lesson has been patience. Most of my projects don't take this long to make so it has been a very different experience for me, but I will admit I'm hooked! This project has been challenging, at times frustrating, but it has been fun and I really did enjoy making it. I'm pretty sure Intarsia is definitely going to be a new direction in my wood working future.

I finished it with five coats of Deft Semi Gloss Spray Lacquer. The overall size ended up being approx. 16" in diameter.

Please let me know what you think of it.














































Thanks for following this project.

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## intarsia92 (Aug 9, 2012)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 10/ Completed*
> 
> Well, it's finally done!! I have learned a lot making this project, probably the biggest lesson has been patience. Most of my projects don't take this long to make so it has been a very different experience for me, but I will admit I'm hooked! This project has been challenging, at times frustrating, but it has been fun and I really did enjoy making it. I'm pretty sure Intarsia is definitely going to be a new direction in my wood working future.
> 
> ...


Bob, I think your Intarsia turned out fantastic!!! I like your choice of woods and you did a great job cutting and shaping the pieces.

Can't wait to see your next piece.


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## JulianLech (Jan 13, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 10/ Completed*
> 
> Well, it's finally done!! I have learned a lot making this project, probably the biggest lesson has been patience. Most of my projects don't take this long to make so it has been a very different experience for me, but I will admit I'm hooked! This project has been challenging, at times frustrating, but it has been fun and I really did enjoy making it. I'm pretty sure Intarsia is definitely going to be a new direction in my wood working future.
> 
> ...


Looks great. I would have assumed you were doing this for many years. The wood selection for the bird and flower are superb.


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## Broglea (Dec 9, 2009)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 10/ Completed*
> 
> Well, it's finally done!! I have learned a lot making this project, probably the biggest lesson has been patience. Most of my projects don't take this long to make so it has been a very different experience for me, but I will admit I'm hooked! This project has been challenging, at times frustrating, but it has been fun and I really did enjoy making it. I'm pretty sure Intarsia is definitely going to be a new direction in my wood working future.
> 
> ...


WOW!!!!!!


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## luv2learn (Feb 4, 2012)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 10/ Completed*
> 
> Well, it's finally done!! I have learned a lot making this project, probably the biggest lesson has been patience. Most of my projects don't take this long to make so it has been a very different experience for me, but I will admit I'm hooked! This project has been challenging, at times frustrating, but it has been fun and I really did enjoy making it. I'm pretty sure Intarsia is definitely going to be a new direction in my wood working future.
> 
> ...


You presented a wonderful step by step Intarsia blog Bob. There is almost nothing on youtube that comes close to explaining the process like you just did. Thank you!! The project came out beautifully. You have encouraged me to jump in with both feet. I also enjoyed you Intarsia class.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Hummingbird Day 10/ Completed*
> 
> Well, it's finally done!! I have learned a lot making this project, probably the biggest lesson has been patience. Most of my projects don't take this long to make so it has been a very different experience for me, but I will admit I'm hooked! This project has been challenging, at times frustrating, but it has been fun and I really did enjoy making it. I'm pretty sure Intarsia is definitely going to be a new direction in my wood working future.
> 
> ...


Thanks L2L, I'm very happy that you enjoyed the tutorial. When you do jump in, be prepared to love it! If I ever get over my camera shyness, I might start doing actual intarsia videos.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Lilly Cross Day 1*

I'm starting a new project but wasn't going to blog about it because I thought it would be boring. While I was working on cutting the cross parts out I decided to make this project quite a bit different than originally designed. I decided that documenting my thought process and figuring out how I'm going to actually accomplish it will give me reference for later if I decide to do it again. What better way to do that than with the blog, so here I sit.

This pattern comes from Kathy Wise's book "Intarsia Woodworking for Beginners" page 102. Here is a picture of the Lilly Cross from the book and what it is supposed to look like:










What I have in mind for it is to not make it as a wall hanging but to put it on a base and make it a stand alone item. I also want it to look just as good on the back as it does in front, which is going to be a real challenge!, but I'm gonna give it a try. I like the cross but I don't like the plain square edges of the cross pieces, so I am going to give them a 45 degree chamfer on both the front and back of it.

As luck would have it, I'm not having a great start. I've already made a couple boneheaded mistakes. I can overcome them, but it's simply stuff I should have given a little more thought to before I started cutting. I will be more careful from here on out. I guess these type of brain lapses can happen when you decide to change stuff while you are working on it, the frustrating part is it just takes additional time.

Bonehead mistake #1: The cross pieces are supposed to be 1/2" thick, I'm using Walnut, I have a piece of 1/2" Walnut, but for some reason, I grabbed 3/4" and applied the patterns to it and started cutting before I realized it was the wrong thickness. Unfortunately I do not own a planner, so I'm gonna have to spend quite a bit of time in front of the belts sander.

Bone head mistake #2: While routing the pieces, I routed an edge I was not supposed to! Doh!!! So now my cross is going to be a 1/4" shorter than originally intended. Normally this would be no problem, but now the pattern is off and I will have to adjust it as I move forward.










Well gotta go do some belt sanding for a while, I'll update when I get to a point that I might actually do something right!

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Lilly Cross Day 1.1*

Re-design on the fly can lead to many changes in a project from minute to minute, I am quickly learning. I finished the sanding of the cross pieces to get the proper thickness and laid them out. It was than I realized, I need to make two of these now. In order for me to get the design I have visioned in my head, I need to remake the cross as a solid piece. I'm cheap, which means I don't want to throw away the material and time I have already spent on making the cross pieces, so when I'm done with this one, I will make another that more resembles the actual intended pattern. That's Ok with me, cus I will still get the 3D style sculpture that I want out of this one. So those pieces will be saved, and made into a more typical pattern once I am complete with my "Visioned" piece, it just won't be as much fun and will not be blog worthy.

I'm picturing this Lilly Cross on a base without the backer board. I also want the vine to wrap around the back of it so that when looked at from the back and sides you will see the vine with more leaves and the flowers draping over the back of the cross and the flower jumping out away from the cross. I know this may be a bit ambitious, but I think it can be done and I'm going to give it my best effort.

I really like doing Intarsia, I think it can be stepped up a notch though if it wasn't always flat on one side, hence my attempt at a sculptured intarsia piece. At this point I don't know if it will work let alone be possible to do, so please don't laugh at me if this ends up in total failure!! I'm still going to put it up here be it good or bad. Tomorrow I will re make the cross as a solid piece and see what develops from there.

Bob 
TripleB


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Lilly Cross Day 2*

I recently received a couple more orders that put the Intarsia Lilly Cross on the back burner, paying customers always come first, but I finished what I needed to get done on those orders and had some time to spare so I worked on the Lilly Cross. I started working on the wrap around vine, I knew this was going to be a real challenge, so I am extremely happy with what I was able to get done today. Below are the steps I took to get the vine to "Wrap Around" the back side of the cross. I have never attempted making a 3D intarsia sculpture before so this is a learning experience for me as I proceed through this process. I'm sure I will have unexpected challenges to overcome. The pictures and captions below will give a more detailed explanation of the processes I had to come up with.

I have had to come up with creative ways to drill and cut the piece on the scroll saw in order to accomplish the task without breaking it. Below are some of the steps I used to accomplish this.









This is the vine cut out and placed on top of the pattern for layout.









Drilling the entry hole for the saw blade.









Cutting on the scroll saw.









What the cut out piece looks like from the front.









And what it looks like from the back.

I am pleased with this so far and hope all else goes as well!

Bob
TripleB

Scroll Saw Forum


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day 2*
> 
> I recently received a couple more orders that put the Intarsia Lilly Cross on the back burner, paying customers always come first, but I finished what I needed to get done on those orders and had some time to spare so I worked on the Lilly Cross. I started working on the wrap around vine, I knew this was going to be a real challenge, so I am extremely happy with what I was able to get done today. Below are the steps I took to get the vine to "Wrap Around" the back side of the cross. I have never attempted making a 3D intarsia sculpture before so this is a learning experience for me as I proceed through this process. I'm sure I will have unexpected challenges to overcome. The pictures and captions below will give a more detailed explanation of the processes I had to come up with.
> 
> ...


This is coming along nicely, Bob! 

Sheila


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Lilly Cross Day 3*

When things turn bad, it seems to snowball! In my last post I was saying how happy I was that everything was going so well (Yes I know that post was a while ago at this point, sorry bout that), and it was, until I tried to lay the Lilly out to match the flower to the stem. It simply would not work because the stem was not thick enough. The problem is, I was so concerned about wrapping the stem around the back, I never considered how high it would need to be on the front. Whoops! I intend to lay the Lilly on top of the cross now instead of inside the cross so the stem needs to be higher in front in order to match up with the bottom of the Lilly. Here's a pic that I hope will help you understand what I am saying.










The top of the stem needs to protrude over the front of the cross to connect with the Lilly, so all that jubilation I felt was all for nothing and the stem went in the garbage can.

There is a simple solution, double the thickness of the stem! so I did. I glued a couple pieces of 3/4" Mahogany cut it out and all is good. Wait a minute, that's not necessarily true! I did glue it together and cut the shape out, that all worked great. Where I made another boneheaded mistake was when I fit it up to the cross. I was concentrating on getting the cross to fit in the middle of the stem, I simply didn't realize I had the stem upside down when I marked it!!! DOH!!! Needless to say I cut it out, and when I went to fit it to the cross, well it was upside down. That's stem number two in the garbage can. I was rather ticked of at myself when that happened and was not thinking about taking pictures of the blunder at the time, so the stem is already at the dump, and I have no pictures to show it.










I knew when I took this project on that there would be hurdles for me to overcome and yes the now ever popular "Bumps in the Road" however I am not discouraged, just more determined to get this right finally. I know I can do this, I just need to stop making these lame mistakes. It's embarrassing.

I understand it might look like I had given up on the Lilly cross, but I promise I haven't, I simply have been busy with a bunch of new orders that I had to get done with before I can get back to the Lilly. I'm actually hoping I don't get any orders for the next few days so that I can get this very frustrating project complete. I'm off to make yet another stem, wish me luck!

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Lilly Cross Day 4*

*BONUS POINTS at the end!
*
Well I finally had success with making the stem, and now things are moving along a little quicker. I guess the third time is the charm! If you've been following this blog you'll know that making the wrap around stem has been my nemesis on this project, and it took me 3 tries to get it the way I wanted it to be. The below pictures are the completed stem (minus some more sanding).



















This next one shows the result that I needed for the wrap around stem to work, by protruding above the top front of the cross in order to mount the base of the Lilly to it.










The rest of the pictures show the stem mounted on the cross, front back and side views.




























As you can see I already have most of the leaves on and now I have started on the Lilly. I gotta say, it's starting to look pretty cool. The base in the pics is just temporary, I will make a much nicer base when the cross part is done.

Bob
TripleB
Scroll Saw Forum

*Bonus Question! *10 points to anyone who can figure out the other project I am currently working on. You have 20 seconds and the time starts…..NOW!


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day 4*
> 
> *BONUS POINTS at the end!
> *
> ...


Hi, Bob! I just saw this today. Wow! What a tedious part of the project. I think it looks great though. Your patience paid off and it looks really good. You should be proud of yourself! I look forward to the next installment. 

Sheila


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day 4*
> 
> *BONUS POINTS at the end!
> *
> ...


Hi Sheila, Thanks! The stem has been tedious, basically because of all the trial and error aspects of it. I am going to add more leaves to give it an even more 3D visual, other than that I am happy with it.

I really wish I could spend more time on it than I have been able to lately. Business has been picking up locally for me and being I am a true one man shop, the fun stuff has to get set aside until the orders are filled. I will update as soon as I possibly can

Bob


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day 4*
> 
> *BONUS POINTS at the end!
> *
> ...


Boy! I can relate to that Bob. I still have trouble trying to find time for the 'fun stuff' among the 'fun work stuff!' But that is OK. It always works out in the end.

Yes, shaping can be really time consuming. You certainly don't do these types of projects for mass production. I don't see how people would want to ever sell one.

You are doing a beautiful job and I think the time you spend on it will pay off in the end. You are on your way to a real masterpiece!

Have a great Sunday, Sheila


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day 4*
> 
> *BONUS POINTS at the end!
> *
> ...


" I don't see how people would want to ever sell one."

As you know I made this Hummingbird









Well I put it up on Etsy never really expecting someone to pay the price I was asking for it, Low and behold it sold, which is good, but now I wish I hadn't sold it. I actually miss it hanging on MY wall. It is a good feeling that someone liked my work enough to pay for it, I never expected that I would have become emotionally attached to it, but now I do regret selling it.

When the cross is done, I'm really going to think carefully before I decide to try to sell it.

You have a Great Sunday as well.

Bob

Hummingbird link
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/70754


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## CMobley (Feb 5, 2013)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day 4*
> 
> *BONUS POINTS at the end!
> *
> ...


Beautiful! Great work and thank you for the post!
Chris Mobley
www.cmobleydesigns.com


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*Lilly Cross Day's 5 & 6*

I finally was able to spend some real time on the Lilly Cross, now it is almost complete. I don't think I need to go into big explanations here other than to say the Lilly is complete, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If you have any questions, please ask I will be happy to answer any of them. I will probably be finished with it tomorrow and will post the final pictures than.


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## scrollgirl (May 28, 2010)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day's 5 & 6*
> 
> I finally was able to spend some real time on the Lilly Cross, now it is almost complete. I don't think I need to go into big explanations here other than to say the Lilly is complete, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If you have any questions, please ask I will be happy to answer any of them. I will probably be finished with it tomorrow and will post the final pictures than.


Really beautiful piece! I think you did a wonderful job! 

Sheila


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## intarsia92 (Aug 9, 2012)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day's 5 & 6*
> 
> I finally was able to spend some real time on the Lilly Cross, now it is almost complete. I don't think I need to go into big explanations here other than to say the Lilly is complete, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If you have any questions, please ask I will be happy to answer any of them. I will probably be finished with it tomorrow and will post the final pictures than.


Great job Bob, it turned out beautiful. Your first picture really shows how nice you did on shaping the Lilly. I like the whole thing, including the base.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day's 5 & 6*
> 
> I finally was able to spend some real time on the Lilly Cross, now it is almost complete. I don't think I need to go into big explanations here other than to say the Lilly is complete, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If you have any questions, please ask I will be happy to answer any of them. I will probably be finished with it tomorrow and will post the final pictures than.


Thanks to both of you, but it's still not quite done yet. I still have to finish the base and put a finish on it. It will look much better then, these pictures didn't come out very well. I will take better ones tomorrow and list it under projects.


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## Bigkahunaranch (Apr 9, 2014)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day's 5 & 6*
> 
> I finally was able to spend some real time on the Lilly Cross, now it is almost complete. I don't think I need to go into big explanations here other than to say the Lilly is complete, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If you have any questions, please ask I will be happy to answer any of them. I will probably be finished with it tomorrow and will post the final pictures than.


Great work, I love the style !!!!!!!!

Did you work off a pattern?

if so, Where can I find it ?

Thanks
Dave


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *Lilly Cross Day's 5 & 6*
> 
> I finally was able to spend some real time on the Lilly Cross, now it is almost complete. I don't think I need to go into big explanations here other than to say the Lilly is complete, I'll let the pictures speak for themselves. If you have any questions, please ask I will be happy to answer any of them. I will probably be finished with it tomorrow and will post the final pictures than.


Thanks Big K'

The basis patterns is from Kathy Wise's book "Intarsia Woodworking for Beginners". The base was simply hand drawn arbitrary shapes cut on the scroll saw, the vine was a bit more complicated and took several attempts. The vine was also hand drawn and cut out of 1 1/2" thick wood.


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## TripleB (Feb 4, 2011)

*How to make Intarsia, Video series*

Hey Lumberjocks! I've grown to love making Intarsia, and it's much easier to make than it looks. I decided to let others see just how easy intarsia can be. I put together this 7 part video series on how to make a simple Intarsia sea shell so that those that might want to try can at least get a nice taste of it. Once you have the basics down, than you can take on just about any Intarsia pattern there is.

Click on the picture below to go to the 7 part series and also get a free pattern to be able to make your own shell. Every thing is covered from pattern prep through finishing.

I hope you enjoy it and would love to hear your comments.

Bob


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## jim65 (Feb 8, 2013)

TripleB said:


> *How to make Intarsia, Video series*
> 
> Hey Lumberjocks! I've grown to love making Intarsia, and it's much easier to make than it looks. I decided to let others see just how easy intarsia can be. I put together this 7 part video series on how to make a simple Intarsia sea shell so that those that might want to try can at least get a nice taste of it. Once you have the basics down, than you can take on just about any Intarsia pattern there is.
> 
> ...


I liked your videos! I saw a quick view of an Ariel intarsia, do you have better pictures? Thanks


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## punk (Oct 14, 2011)

TripleB said:


> *How to make Intarsia, Video series*
> 
> Hey Lumberjocks! I've grown to love making Intarsia, and it's much easier to make than it looks. I decided to let others see just how easy intarsia can be. I put together this 7 part video series on how to make a simple Intarsia sea shell so that those that might want to try can at least get a nice taste of it. Once you have the basics down, than you can take on just about any Intarsia pattern there is.
> 
> ...


i agree wants you try it and see it aint as hard as it looks your hooked havent seen your videos yet heading there now good day


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## woodsmithshop (Sep 10, 2008)

TripleB said:


> *How to make Intarsia, Video series*
> 
> Hey Lumberjocks! I've grown to love making Intarsia, and it's much easier to make than it looks. I decided to let others see just how easy intarsia can be. I put together this 7 part video series on how to make a simple Intarsia sea shell so that those that might want to try can at least get a nice taste of it. Once you have the basics down, than you can take on just about any Intarsia pattern there is.
> 
> ...


very informative videos, great job


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