| Blanket Rack -- Decorative Inlay |
From "Wood Works"
episode WWK-306 |
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Decorative Inlay With the curved legs and rail pieces made, including the curved crest rail, work can now begin on the carved decorative inlay for the crest-rail. Inlay can be thought of as the art of "painting with wood." Intricate patterns are created by putting together pieces of wood with variations in color and grain. This distinguishing touch will be the visual focal point of the finished blanket rack. Materials: Maple and zirocote stock for inlays
Scroll saw
Plunge router
Hot plate and sand
Razor knife
Riffler file
Scraper plane
Fine-point pencil
Yellow wood-glue Clamps
Safety glasses or goggles
Note: Cut sizes may vary. For exact measurements, please contact David Marks through his Web site -- information below under Resources. Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc. Steps: - The inlay design begins with a diagram to lay out the exact shape (figure A).
- Our design has three components: a stem and two leaves. Three copies are made of the overall design, and the individual components are cut out. These paper cutouts are used as templates for selecting and marking sections of wood that will be used based on the desired color and grain pattern of the wood beneath. The leaves for the inlay are made from quilted maple that is 3/32-inches thick (figure B). The figure and grain pattern of the maple simulates the texture and fine lines of actual leaves.
- Zirocote is used for the stem. This dark hardwood comes from the Yucatan peninsula in Mexico, and has a very distinctive grain pattern (figure C). By holding the paper stem-template over the zirocote stock, a section can be chosen that closely resembles the look of a stem.
- Once a suitable pattern is found, the paper template is glued to the zirocote. Then the wood and paper template is glued onto a piece of MDF (figure D). Since zirocote is a brittle wood, this extra support is necessary for cutting out the fine shape.
- Select the maple grain-pattern you like for the leaves, and trace the design onto the thin quilted maple (figure E).
- With the patterns all traced out, cut them out using a scroll saw (figure F). The scroll saw is the perfect tool for making fine, detailed cuts. Carefully cut out the stem and leaf shapes.
- To make the leaf shapes stand out, a shadow line is added to the edge of each one to give a three-dimensional effect. To create the shadow line, the edges of the maple forms are burned using hot sand that has been heated on a hot plate (figure G).
- Leaving the edge in the hot sand for about 20 seconds leaves a visible shadow line along the edge (figure H).
- Next, create the recesses to hold the inlays. Begin by tracing the whole design onto the crest-rail (figure I).
- Double-stick tape the pieces onto the rail, and score around each piece using the point of a razor knife (figure J). To create a good inlay, the boundaries have to be clearly defined. Using the razor knife, score around each piece several times, with increased pressure, to create a deep-scribed line. vRemove the inlay, erase the trace lines, and use a fine-point pencil to darken the scribe lines (figure K).
- Use a plunge-router with a 1/16-inch bit to make the recess for the stem (figure L).
- Use a fine razor-knife to clean up the edges of the cut-out (figure M).
- To get a tight fit, chamfer the bottom edge of each inlay piece with a riffler file (figure N).
- Apply glue to the stem inlay (figure O) and the recess.
- Insert the inlay (figure P), and clamp it together to dry. Use a wood block and wax paper to prevent the inlay from sticking to the clamp.
- When the glue has dried, plane the inlay flush with the surface of the rail using a scraper plane.
- Repeat the process to cut out the recesses for the lower leaf using a 1/8-inch router bit (figure Q), followed by a 1/16-inch bit for the corners.
- Apply glue and secure the leaf inlay as before (figure R).
- Repeat the process for the upper leaf. Completing the inlay process in stages will help ensure a perfect fit.
In the segment that follows, the rack is assembled.
Sponsored Resource
> Click here to order your tools and materials for this project from Woodcraft!
RESOURCES :
Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com
The Small Wood Shop (The Best of Fine Woodworking)
Author: Helen Albert (Editor)
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561580619
Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456
Mastering Woodworking Machines (Fine Woodworking Book)
Author: Mark Duginske
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 0942391985
David Marks Website
David Marks, DIY's Wood Works host, is a master woodworker. For more information on cut sizes and project details, please contact him via his Website at www.djmarks.com
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