Marquetry Kits

Marquetry kits have been around as long as I remember and have inspired many to take marquetry up as a hobby. Once thought to be the domain of specialized craftsmen it has enabled anyone to practice this craft. Kits come in a variety of skill levels and sizes. At the bottom end are those that include nothing more than a pattern and a selection of domestic veneers. These are the ones that individual craftsmen offer, usually of a small size. The user is required to do his own cutting either with a knife or a fretsaw. The top end kits include everything to create a marquetry picture with the veneer pieces already cut out. Backing board, sandpaper, finish and frame are all included. I thought it would be interesting to inspect one of these better kits and the results are detailed below.

Each piece that makes up the picture is laser-cut from veneer that has a permanent paper backing as seen below. This makes it more stable and an excellent bond for the adhesive.




The kerf which results from this type of cutting is identical to that of a #5 jeweler's blade. This same laser cuts the pattern onto a backing of 1/8" pressed hardboard. A clear adhesive film is placed over this pattern and the pieces of veneer are assembled (paper-side up) working from the center out to the edges. When this is complete the backing board is turned over and the protective covering is removed exposing the contact-adhesive. The marquetry assembly is placed onto the backing board little by little or by using a slip sheet. After pressing into place the clear adhesive film is removed. Finally, the finish is applied and framed.

I thought the assembly approach was straightforward. The kit contained 15 different veneers - both domestic and imported. All were of the same thickness and the only problem I encountered was that 2 pieces had to be trimmed slightly with a knife to fit. This was a large picture and my guess was that it contained over a 100 pieces. Marquetry kits have evolved over the years and this one was as simple as it gets with no marquetry experience needed.

NOTICE

I will be relocating in the near future and unable to do any posting during that time. After I get settled my posting will resume. Until that time, though, this blog will continue as usual.

Vector Patterns

Any marquetarian of any merit has their own stash of patterns, especially those that have been practicing the craft for some time. If you are like me, you have more than you will ever use. With that being said I am always looking for designs that are new and intriguing. Two that I came across recently are shown below and intended for marquetry. Download them for free from a website located here. They look promising as well as challenging. Also, be sure to check out the scrollsaw patterns as they are adaptable to marquetry.




These are vector ESP files. In a previous post I discussed the advantages of using vector drawings. Basically, they can be enlarged with no loss in quality. However, one question that comes up is how to print patterns that exceed your shop's printer. What I do is convert the vector to a TIF file after it has been resized. Burn this to a CD and take it to a commercial printer who prints posters. Most can handle anything up to 36" x 48" with any paper weight.