Harmonica case #2: Part 2: How to make wood look like brick

I spent some time refining the “brick building” technique. I originally was going to do it with a dremel tool, but the lines weren’t straight enough for my liking. So I did some more experimenting and decided I am hand chiseling this.

First I draw my brick marks in pencil. Each brick is about 5/8” long, 1/4” high. I draw out my pattern using a square and a pencil, alternating the pattern up the piece. then i use a chisel to dap along the line

Next i turn that chisel on it’s side and i remove the area that i dapped. this was a lot easier on walnut than bloodwood / cardinal wood.

It takes a lot more time and effort but it looks good and clean. this one wall side took about two hours to do. i’m going to work on it a bit every night and it should be brick walls soon. but it takes a light careful hand – you can very easily split the wood in half. but the result is amazing. After i have “layered” all of my bricks, i will fill in between the bricks with mortar (aka maple wood dust mixed with wood glue). I think the result will be fantastic

again i know this project has taken a long time but i really wanted to experiment with the technique and get it right

The brick wall is apart of the whole piece – the harmonica case, which is based on a depiction of a fellow artist, leaning against a wall playing his harmonica

I tell you what, the next lumberjocks contest that deals with boxes… I have you all beat ;)

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