AUSTRALIAN MARQUETRY BOX: Post II

The AUSTRALIA BOX, Marquetry

Tuesday 26/08/2014

Welcome to new readers and welcome back to all those that have visited before.

Guess what!!!

It's raining, the twelve hour drought we had yesterday is over, makes it easy to decide to go to the shed.
Finished the frame of the box yesterday.

I needed some small wood knobs, to finish off a small cabinet.

I don't have a lathe, so I had to make one, worked great.

This morning using my home made router, I routed the groves for the box bottom.

Measure and cut a piece of three ply for the bottom.

 Dry assemble the box to make shore all is square.

Apply a cote of glue to each part of the joint.

Press together.

Wipe off any excess glue, it's much easier at this stage, then after the glue is dry.

Continue around the box.

Clamp securely, with even pressure.

Make sure the box is square.

Measure the diagonals, just to be sure

Measure and cut a piece of MDF for the the top of the lid.

Next using masking tape and super glue, stick to a flat piece of wood.

Spread glue around the edge. 

And place the lid into position, ensuring everything is flush.

Making the marquetry:

Select the veneer for the top of the box.

Print and cut out the design.

Tape the veneer and glue the pattern to it.

Allow the glue to set before cutting, or the glue will gum up the blade.

Time to start the marquetry.

Set the scrollsaw table to about 6 degrees.

Secure the veneer to the back of the marquetry.

Saw in a clockwise direction.

I use a gas soldering iron to create shading. For this piece of marquetry I am only going to shade down the west side of the country, as if the sun were rising in the east.

Glue the pieces into position.

I use a sand clamp (my invention, bag of sand) to ensure the surface in flat.

Smooth of the back with a scraper or router, what ever works.

That's it for today, thanks for taking the time to visit, next post i'll start the gum leaves, and if time permits, my old mate kooka.


If you have any questions, or would like a copy of the plans, you can email me direct at.

Peter Holmes

holmesp06@gmail.com