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Nice marquetry work. Did you do this by double bevel method with scroll saw? Did you use commercial thin veneers (~1/40"). I'm curious since I'm currently teaching myself a bit of marquetry.
 

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Yes, it was double bevel method with scroll saw. I use 2mm thick veneers. Some I cut myself (the background for instance), others are commercial veneers that I mount to a backer of poplar or sometimes alder (it's cheap here in the Pacific NW). There are some commercially stained veneers in there and the light green part and orange cap is sycamore that I stained. I don't like staining my own wood, but in this case I couldn't find the right colors in commercial veneers. Let me know if you want to know anything else.

George
 

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Thanks for the info George. It seems as though a lot of folks use thicker veneers for marquetry. Interesting idea of adding a backer to commercial veneers ( I assume you cut your own backers?) I've been using ~1/40" commercial veneers, and it almost seems like the scroll saw is too aggressive for the thin veneers. But perhaps I just need more practice. Do you have much experience doing double bevel marquetry with commercial veneers without backer?
Yes, it was double bevel method with scroll saw. I use 2mm thick veneers. Some I cut myself (the background for instance), others are commercial veneers that I mount to a backer of poplar or sometimes alder (it s cheap here in the Pacific NW). There are some commercially stained veneers in there and the light green part and orange cap is sycamore that I stained. I don t like staining my own wood, but in this case I couldn t find the right colors in commercial veneers. Let me know if you want to know anything else.

George

- George Seifert
 

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Yes, I cut my own backers out of poplar or alder usually. I sand the backer down to about 1.5mm and then glue on the veneer. I use epoxy and don't have any trouble with cupping. The only time I have trouble is when I have to flatten a veneer. If it doesn't get completely dry before gluing it will cup.

I've tried just using thin veneers, but I can't control the cut at all. Adding a cardboard backer kind of helps. Although it's a bit of a pain to make the thicker veneers, the cutting and gluing is much easier. No messing around with taping. I also don't have any issues with pieces breaking at the corners. I use a 2/0 double tooth blade and have lots of control.

George
 

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Thanks again George. Your experience with lack of control when cutting thin veneers on scroll saw confirms my initial experience. I'll experiment a bit more trying cardboard (or similar) backers before I resort to thicker veneers. Either that or I'll go back to using the window method and scalpel. That worked fine with thin commercial veneers but is rather slow .
 

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Looks great George.
Have you tried packet cutting for thin veneers? I personally prefer 1.5 mm myself but because of availability issues it can be limiting. I can see how double bevel (conical) style would be a challenge without solid backing but it is really very easy in Painting in Wood style in a packet.

Great likeness, good work!
 

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Have you tried packet cutting for thin veneers?
- shipwright
I haven't tried packet cutting. I've never cared about making more than one of anything that I've made.

George
 

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Have you tried packet cutting for thin veneers?
- shipwright
Cool. I haven't seen that. Looks like I've got some homework to do. Thanks.
What am I going to do with all my thick veneers? I've got a pretty big stack of it now!

George
 

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You save the thick veneers for special projects. :)
 

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2/0 kerf is very small and very easily hidden (1/100") and the pieces are carefully inset in the waste pieces.
 

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I use the double bevel method with a shop made hand operated saw. I posted a quick video here on how the saw works. You can purchase a saw from our guild or obtain plans and build your own. Check our web page at Rocky Mountain Marquetry Guild.
 
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