FINISHING OLD PROJECTS VII: Marquetry

AUSTRALIAN MARQUETRY:

SUNDAY 24/08/2014

The saga of the wildlife (snake, bird etc), exploding water mains and the saga of the pool have now been merged. After three days of rain, I thought, I should make sure everything was secure, when checking the pool, I looked down, and the saddest eyes i've ever seen were looking back at me. 

A giant rat, not really it's an eastern Bandicoot, must have tried for a drink and couldn't get out. There were plenty of these when I was a kid, but I haven't seen one for a few years, we did know something was visiting at night as the yard has been dug up each morning, The next twenty minutes must have looked pretty hilarious, an old man in a wheelchair, trying to save a bandicoot in a swimming pool, glad my wife didn't get the camera out.

Alls well that ends well. Well thats what I thought at this stage, so went back to my woodplay, next thing my wife is saving the bandicoot, from a hawk.

Back to what the blog is supposed to be about.

Yesterday, I finished with the box clamped up, waiting for the glue to dry.

Today I sanded the box.

I use a good quality, supposedly environmentally friendly Oil Sealer, bit expensive at over $30 for 250 ml.

Stop winging, I put a little oil on the surface of the box.

Gently rubbing in a circular motion, until the surface is covered.

All finished.

I'm not as happy with it as I might be, after I cut the veneer for the marquetry inside the lid, when I taped, the veneer I have reversed it and the front became the back, This meant the cutout for the hinges was wrong. I had to trim the veneer, meaning I have a gap around the hinges, and along the bottom of the lid. Doesn't really matter.

Sat infront of the computer, wondering what to do next.

Then came up with the idea of making an Australian themed box, I did something similar before, but this project will be more detailed.

Gum leaves and Cookerburra. 

I haven't drawn it in yet, but I intend putting the southern cross over the center of the map, 

and if the Australian government doesn't wake up to itself I might make it a Eureka Flag.

Thanks for visiting, please coll again.