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by Doug Denton
First you must decide on the diameter of the box you would like. Try and find a suitable size glass jar such as Kraft Mayonnaise or Bick's Dill Pickles to use as a mould. Make sure the jar is straight-sided. Some jars taper slightly from top to bottom. Some jars have little bumps on them which will have to be sanded off.
Cylinder
To start you need to measure around the outside or circumference of the jar with a cloth tape or piece of string and multiply this figure by five and add about 2 1/2 inches. This will make the box 5 layers or laminations thick with about 3/4 of an inch overlap at the end. You now have the length of veneer you need to make the cylinder lamination. You will also have to decide on what depth you would like the box. If you do not have a piece of veneer of the required length you will have to splice two pieces together with white glue. The veneer should be of a straight grain type running lengthways. Make sure pieces to be glued have perfectly straight sides and ends. (Fig. 1A)
Wrap a piece of saran wrap around the jar so that the veneer will not stick to it when you need to remove it. Mark off the circumference distance from the starting end of the strip and apply white glue to the remaining area of the strip. Brush the glue well into the veneer and wait a few minutes in order to let the glue become tacky. Place jar on unglued portion of veneer strip and roll tightly keeping edges straight. Hold the veneer tight with rubber bands and or string. Leave overnight to dry.
Taper ends inside and outside by rubbing with sandpaper and sand edges square by rubbing on a sheet of sand paper.
Bottom
Measure the inside diameter of the cylinder and cut 4 circles of veneer about 1/16" larger than the diameter. Use a compass to mark the circles and cut out along the mark with a knife. Glue the circles of veneer together changing the direction of the grain 90 degrees each time and place under a weight overnight. Sand edges of circles to fit tight into cylinder and glue. Measure outside diameter of box and cut circle 1/16" larger than diameter and glue to bottom. After glue sets, sand to fit sides. (Fig. 2A)
Sides
The outer shell of the box now needs to be covered with a face veneer with the grain running at 90 degrees to the grain of the cylinder. This will have to be made up of one piece or smaller pieces butt-joined with glue. If you wish to cover the box on the inside you may do so the same way as the outer shell. The top of the box sides may also be covered. (Fig. 3A)
Lid
Measure inside diameter of box and cut 5 circles of veneer. Glue together in the same way as the bottom. Sand edges to fit but not tight. Measure outside diameter of box, add at least 3/8" for lip and cut 4 circles of veneer. Glue together in the same way as the bottom and lid.
Marquetry
For the marquetry decoration on the top of the lid you will need one more circle the same size as the last. Use your imagination for the design. After the marquetry design is completed glue it to the top of the lid and finish as you would a marquetry picture.
Fig. 1A Top view of laminated cylinder.
Fig. 2A Profile of bottom.
Fig. 3A Profile of top.
Perhaps the most common of all marquetry subject are flowers such as roses, lilies, daisies, and a multitude of wild and domestic varieties. Although the selection of flowers is limitless, some have become so stylized as not representative of their real life examples. The reason for this is particularly due to "technique", most antique jewellery boxes and accent inlay pieces feature stylized roses. These standardized "cookie cutter" motifs have been around for at least 150 years. They are now so common, that plastic film facsimiles transfer are set under a heavy lacquer or acrylic coating. These fake marquetry motifs are exact colour photocopies of the originals right down to the cracks and gaps. It was these designs and others like them that eventually saw marquetry reduced from the premium furniture enhancement of the very affluent to just another wood decoration available to the many not so rich and famous : my word for it is Mac-Marquetry
Having outline what is boring to the point of being comatose, I would like to suggest a few techniques and designs which while being common in visual medium are not often seen in marquetry. First one of the most valuable tools here are illustrated botanical books or seed catalogues. For those of you who cannot draw from a life example there are a multitude of illustrated floral design books and patterns.
Things to remember:
Now to the "how to" part. While I am not concerned with speed and production I see no reason to make unnecessary cuts. What often appears to be difficult is simply the result of selective cuts much like cutting a daisy chain in paper - the final pattern bears no resemblance to the cuts made. In the following flower examples you will note that a certain degree of realism is achieved without a major cutting exercise. Any one of these flowers can be positioned at the end of a vine with alternating leaves placed in conjunction with other flowers.
In the following pages are samples showing the sequence of cuts and various floral patterns including a woodburning pattern I adapted for a serving tray design given as a wedding present. note the pattern should be oriented so the candles are at 90 degrees.
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