DIY Network

Inlaid Hall-Table: Decorative Leaf-Inlay From "Wood Works" episode WWK-608

	An inlaid leaf design adorns the top, adding an eye-catching artistic touch to the table. The decorative inlay is handcrafted from exotic ziricote and pernambuco woods.
	Six individually shaped segments are aligned and shaded to create a three-dimensional look to the design.

With the base and top assembled, work can begin on creating the decorative inlay made in the shape of a leaf.

Materials:

Pernambuco and ziricote stock
Band saw
Scroll saw
Plunge router; 1/16" bit
Wood-burning tool
Hot plate
Sand
Riffler file
Razor knife
Mechanical pencil
Hand scraper
Double-stick tape
Yellow woodworker's glue
Safety glasses or goggles

Safety Alert: Always wear safety goggles or safety glasses, and follow proper safety precautions, when working with wood, power-tools, saws, drills, routers, etc.

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Decorative Leaf Inlay

We opted to place our inlay off-center at the upper corner of the tabletop. The design measures about 5 inches in length (figure A). We made the leaf stem from pernambuco, a rare and colorful wood from Brazil. For the leaf-design itself, we used the Central American wood ziricote, a species distinguished by highly figured, swirling grain-patterns (figure B).

Figure A

Figure B

Steps:

• At the band saw, cut veneers 1/8" of the pernambuco and ziricote woods (figure C). Then use the power sander to sand the slices to 3/32" thick. Using these slices, you can begin the process of carefully cutting out the leaf inlay.

• The design should be worked out first on paper. David began by making six copies of the leaf design. Each copy represents one piece of the leaf inlay. A dotted line indicates the slight overlap where the individual pieces come together (figure D).

  Figure C

  Figure D

  
  

• Carefully cut out the patterns for each individual piece, then lay the patterns on the wood. Position and rotate the individual pieces of paper to find the best matches on the grain (figure E).

• Once you've selected your matches, carefully glue the pattern onto the wood in the selected locations (figure F).

  Figure E

  Figure F

  
  

• Using a scroll saw with a very fine blade, carefully cut out the first piece (figure G). In our case, we cut out the stem first. Because the stem piece is so small, we attached the stock to some 1/8" MDF with double-stick tape to make cutting easier.

• The scroll saw is the perfect tool for cutting out fine, detailed designs since it allows precise turns and cuts (figure H).

• Repeat the steps for the other leaf-design pieces.

  Figure G

  Figure H

  
  

  
  

• To accentuate the leaf design and give a three-dimensional effect, we added a "shadow" to the edge of each piece. To do this, heat some 30-mesh sand over a hot plate, then dip the edges of the ziricote pieces into the hot sand (figure I). It doesn't take long to achieve the desired effect. Check the wood every 10 seconds to prevent over-burning the wood.

• Since the stem piece was too narrow to burn in the sand, we used a wood-burning tool with a fine tip. The hot tip of this tool is ideal for getting into small areas (figure J).

  Figure I

  Figure J

  
  

  
  

• Now, trace the overall design onto the cherry tabletop (figure K).

• Take the stem piece, with double-stick tape on its back side, and align it to its position on the tracing. Using increased pressure on each pass, scribe around the pernambuco stem with a fine razor knife. Then carefully remove the stem and darken the scribed lines with a fine-tipped mechanical pencil (figure L).

  Figure K

  Figure L

  
  

  
  

• Use a plunge router with a 1/16" bit to make the recess for the stem in the cherry stock.

• Check the fit of the pernambuco in the recess, and mark the areas that are still too tight (figure M), then carefully rout to the marks and re-check the fit.

• For a tight fit, carefully chamfer the bottom edges of the pernambuco using a detail riffler file (figure N), easing the fit of the inlay.

  Figure M

  Figure N

  
  

  
  

• Carefully add yellow glue to the recess (figure O).

• Set the inlay in place, and clamp it carefully using a piece of wax paper between the inlay itself and a block of wood (figure P). The wax paper will prevent glue squeeze-out from sticking to the block.

• Allow the glue to dry for about 10 minutes, then flush the first inlaid piece smooth using a hand scraper. Carefully using the hand scraper, level the inlay with the tabletop.

  Figure O

  Figure P

  
  

  	Figure Q
  	Figure R
  	Figure S

  
  

• Repeat the steps for the remaining pieces. Adding the pieces in stages, and overlapping the boundaries, ensures a perfect fit.

• For the next inlay piece, trace the entire leaf design onto the tabletop (since it was scraped off), set the next inlay on top and scribe the boundaries using a razor knife (figure Q).

• As before, rout a recess for the piece using the plunge router, chamfer the edges, glue the piece in place and scrape the surface flat.

• Repeat the steps, meticulously working your way through the leaf design, until all the pieces are in place (figures R and S).

• Some final hand scraping and shaping completes the inlay.

In the segment that follows, the finished tabletop is secured to the base and a lacquer finish is added to the completed table.

RESOURCES :

Woodworking Techniques: Best Methods for Building Furniture from Fine Woodworking
Author: Editors of Fine Woodworking magazine
Publisher: Taunton Press
ISBN: 1561583456

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

Woodworker's Guide to Wood: Softwoods, Hardwoods, Plywoods, Composite, Veneers
Model: 080836878
Author: Rick Peters
(2000)
Sterling Publishing Co. Inc.
Website: www.sterlingpub.com

Fine Woodworking
A magazine devoted to high-quality craftsmanship in woodworking.
The Taunton Press Inc.
Website: www.taunton.com