It pays to make a full-sized drawing of the design, as the relation of
the inlaid work to the space it is to occupy is important. For a box
proportioned like the one just described, 11 × 7 inches, the inlaid
design should be in about the same general proportion. A square centre
piece in such an oblong space would not look well; it should be about
one and a half times as long as the width. The best plan is to draw the
box top full size and then carefully work up the design.
This sort of designing will be a new experience, as the veneering is
all cut in a mitre box, no tool but a saw being used, and this fact
limits the designs.
Several pieces of the veneer are glued together and placed in hand
screws over night.
[Illustration: Fig. 182. Inlaid designs cut in a 45-degree mitre box]
Suppose the combination shown at Fig. 182 is used. Five thicknesses
composed of two 1/16-inch walnut, next two of 1/16-inch holly, and in
the centre one 1/8-inch ebony, will make a strong combination 3/8 inch
thick.
The dimensions should be about 18 inches long by 3 inches wide. These
five pieces when glued together make a solid piece 18 × 3 × 3/8
inches. This built up board is sawed into strips 1/8 inch thick, and
these strips 3/8 × 1/8 inch form the basis of the design.
In drawing the centre piece, border, or whatever form the inlay is to
take, it must be constantly kept in mind that 3/8 inch is the width of
the pieces. Fig. 182 shows the shapes possible on a 45-degree mitre
box. Four pieces like _a_ make a square. To make an oblong design from
this shape, ten pieces will give _b_. Four pieces like _d_ will give
a hollow square, in which may be fitted a piece of fancy wood such as
rosewood, snake wood, satinwood, or some other South American wood.
The Greek cross is a favourite figure, and it is composed of twelve
pieces, eight like _f_, and four like _a_. Some of its variations are
shown in _c c_.
This design can be elaborated as shown at _e_. Some of the most
pleasing combinations are extremely simple. An oblong piece of
beautiful wood such as bird's-eye maple, with a simple mitred frame, is
far more satisfying than the more complicated figures.
The Swastika is a favourite among boys, and it is shown at Fig. 183
applied to an oblong box design. In such a figure the border strips are
not put on until all the pieces for the Swastika are cut out, fitted,
and glued.
In many of these designs two, three, and sometimes four gluings are
necessary. The pieces, having been cut and fitted, are all brought
together on a piece of paper and glued with liquid glue. The hot glue
dries too quickly. The paper holding the design is laid on a piece of
pine 7/8 inch thick, and wire brads driven into the pine up close to
the inlay to hold the design together while it dries. Two nails should
be used against each piece of the outside border. These nails may be
used to exert pressure by bending them with the fingers over the design
to force the pieces together.
[Illustration: Fig. 183. The Swastika used as an inlay]
When each piece has been pressed into place, allow it to stand over
night. Next day bend the nails back, and lift the design, paper and
all, out of its nail fence, tear off the paper and cut away any glue
that projects beyond the edges with a knife or chisel.
You now have a solid inlaid design 1/8 inch thick ready for use. Find
by measurement the exact place where you want this figure, lay it on
the surface and with a sharp knife scribe a line around the design.
Place the inlay to one side, and cut out to a depth of 1/8 inch the
whole space inside the knife lines. This can be done with socket chisel
and mallet, or with a router. The final cut should be made with the
chisel, bevel side in and straight down.
You now have a space cut in the surface the exact size of the design,
except possibly the depth. Coat the bottom of this space with glue,
press the design down into the space and hammer it tight with the
mallet and block of soft wood.
Allow the glue to harden thoroughly, plane the design down to the
surface, scrape, and sand-paper.
This is one of the things much more easily done than described on paper.
Instead of the solid designs just described, an inlaid border is
sometimes preferable. Fig. 182 at _g_ gives a good idea of a very neat
one. In this case, the groove to receive the inlay is drawn directly
on the surface of the box, and cut out to the usual depth, 1/8 inch.
The pieces of inlay are sawed out in the mitre box and fitted into the
groove individually, but not glued until the entire border has been
fitted. They are done all at one time, and then a piece of board is
laid over the whole top, and it is placed in hand screws over night.
[Illustration: Fig. 184. Built up borders for inlaying]
The number of combinations which can be obtained from three or four
veneers of different thicknesses is astonishing, but perhaps the most
interesting form is called built up work. Fig. 184 shows several forms
of built up borders. The method of making _a_ is as follows:
Ebony and holly 1/8 inch thick are required and two separate
combinations are glued up, one containing two pieces of holly with one
ebony, and the second two of ebony with one holly.
When dry, saw out of each combination a strip an inch or an inch and a
quarter wide. From strip No. 1 saw a dozen or more pieces an inch or so
long. To make these pieces exactly alike, drive a nail into the bottom
of the mitre box an inch from the 90-degree saw cut. By pushing the
strip up to this nail each time a cut is made the pieces must be the
same length.
For combination No. 2, shift the nail to 3/8 inch from the saw cut, and
saw out an equal number of pieces as from No. 1.
By gluing these pieces together alternately, border _a_ will result. It
is necessary on these built up combinations to add an outside retaining
strip of thin veneer to hold the pieces rigidly together.
[Illustration: Fig. 185. Method of making an Inlaid checker-board]
When the final gluing has dried, the usual 1/8-inch strip should be
sawed out. This is best done on a power, band, or circular saw, but it
can be done by hand if the rip saw is good and sharp.
Other built up combinations may be handled in the same way. For square
spaces, the checker-board is a great favourite. It calls for a dark
and light veneer of 1/8 inch thickness. Glue up four light and four
dark pieces in alternation as shown in Fig. 185. When hard, saw out
eight strips as wide as the veneer is thick. Glue these eight strips
together, reversing four of them, so that the black and white squares
come together. The result will be a solid piece one inch square, and by
sawing off 1/8-inch slices, each slice will be a checker-board composed
of 1/8-inch cubes.
The very best glue obtainable is needed for this work, especially if
the woods are ebony and holly, as these are so hard that the glue
cannot penetrate.
When a 30-60-90-degree mitre box is used to cut the strips, an entirely
different class of designs is obtained. Fig. 186 shows some of the
endless possibilities of these combinations. They are suitable for the
top and shelf of an hexagonal tabourette, and the oblong figures are
suitable for the top of an oblong box or the space between the wells of
an inkstand.
Some of the simplest yet most effective forms give the impression of
overlapping shown at _a_, Fig. 183, this being an oblong piece of fancy
wood with a narrow mitred frame around the four sides; _b b_ are pieces
of the same kind of wood but different from _a_, with a narrow frame on
three sides; _a_ appears to be laid over _b_, and _c c_, still another
kind of wood, both cut from the same piece.
It looks more uniform and harmonious if the frames of the five pieces
representing three distinct kinds of wood are the same.
It is important in choosing these borders to see that the outside
veneer be in marked contrast to the surface into which the design is to
be set.
A very simple centre piece may be made interesting by surrounding a
plain oblong or rectangle of rare wood with an interlaced border.
Inlaying of curved designs means some difficulty in accurately cutting
out the opening to fit the design; but this is overcome by reverting to
the ancient art called marquetry work. Three or more veneers 1/16 inch
thick are glued together at the corners and the design drawn or glued
on the top layer.
Suppose the figure is that of a butterfly. Assume that the veneers are
holly, mahogany, and rosewood. With a fine fret saw cut or saw directly
on the lines. The three thicknesses being sawed at one time, the pieces
must exactly fit. The rosewood may be used for the outer edge of the
wings, the holly for the main part of the wings, and the mahogany for
the body. As all these parts fit accurately, they may be glued to a
1/4-inch backing piece and dried under the pressure of hand screws.
Flowers, birds, etc., in infinite variety, and even landscapes, can be
cut out and used in this way. Veneers coloured green are on the market
and may be used for leaves or foliage effects.
[Illustration: Fig. 186. Designs cut on 30-60-90-degree mitre box]
A great deal might be written about this old style of ornamental
woodwork, but it would deal almost entirely with questions of design,
as the method would be practically the same in every case. One form of
this interesting art is called buhl work, in which sheet brass, German
silver, or even the precious metals are used. Brass and ebony were a
favourite combination at one time, the two layers being glued together
with paper between. The design was sawed out, and then a sharp knife
blade inserted into the joint to separate the brass from the ebony.
That gave two distinct designs. In one case it was a brass background
with ebony inlay. In the other, an ebony background with brass inlay.
There will always be as many resulting combinations as there are
original layers of material. A backing of cheap material is always
necessary to support the finished work to which it must be securely
glued. In polishing the finished surface, a steel scraper must first be
used, followed by fine sand-paper; then polish.
Some of the newer forms of decoration, while lacking the richness of
inlaid work, admit of greater freedom. Pyrography, for example, is
closely akin to drawing, and in the hands of a careful worker may be
made to produce very artistic effects. Like all arts, it also has
its limitations. In woods of the pine family, it will not do at all,
on account of the pitchy sap. In dark-coloured or very hard woods,
it is equally unsatisfactory, so that it is used almost exclusively
on basswood, because of the white colour, softness, even grain, and
freedom from pitch.
Outfits for pyrography may be purchased quite reasonably. They consist
of a glass bottle containing benzine; the vapour from this is forced
through a rubber tube by means of a bulb held in the left hand out to a
platinum point. This point is first heated in the flame of an alcohol
lamp sufficiently to ignite the benzine vapour as it comes out through
openings in the point.
While the left hand keeps pumping the vapour, the right hand guides the
point along the lines of the design, which has been drawn or traced on
the wood.
Many articles made and stamped with designs are to be had at the art
stores; but the joy and satisfaction in achievement come from making
the articles and originating the designs.
Basswood is very easily soiled by handling and a coat of white shellac
should be applied after the burning is finished. Sometimes staining is
used on certain parts of the design, as for flowers or fruit, and in
that case the staining must be done before the shellac is applied.