Marquetry DVD
by Marc Adams
Review by Mark Gezella – April 2007
By the time you read this, the Klausz weekend will have already passed. However, upon hearing of it's postponement, I thought I'd take advantage of the "window" and slip in another Adams DVD review before everyone was completely captivated by Mr. Klausz!
Of all the Adam's DVDs I've viewed thus far, I definitely enjoyed his Marquetry the most. As with the two I described last month, this video begins with a slideshow that showcases much of the work Marc has produced. Included are some great furniture pieces that incorporate much of what he instructs in his series. I'm compelled to mention his baby bed once again because it's most prominent feature is some great marquetry of favorite cartoon characters. This is one of the longer running DVDs in his series, comprised of thirteen menu options (listed below, and merged where appropriate), and I feel it merit's an entire article to describe.
- Introduction
This (brief) option provides a description of furniture styles, which includes an historical perspective along with typical uses and even "implications" of furniture pieces. Also included is his definition of marquetry, or decoration obtained through use of thin pieces of wood. These can be arranged to produce patterns or pictures, depending on desired effect.
- Veneer
He quickly transitions from "days of yore" to present-day veneer manufacturing and preparation. I'm intrigued by industrial veneer-making processes; did you know a one inch thickness of tree can yield up to 40 slices of veneer? Incredible! Wooden sheets are typically sliced from a log on a LARGE lathe with huge, elongated knives. It's not only efficient, but yields many different grain patterns as well. Once purchased, veneer sheets should be "packetized" and pressed into thick sandwiches prior to use, typically several days in advance.
- Tools
More than I thought there'd be! What came to mind were obvious cutting tools; e.g., knives, scissors, and either a scrollsaw or fretsaw. But what I didn't think about were a few additional items like a straightedge, french curves, veneer saw, sanders, and tape (duh)! And to really embellish the work, a shading system can be used which consists of a hot plate and sand, intended to scorch veneer edges to produce interesting burn marks. These add dimension to a pattern, especially when many are assembled as segments of a larger picture.
- Cutting Technique
Marc stresses first projects should be more like parquetry, or geometric designs (straight-line cutting/assemblies). Once you've had some success with this, move on to marquetry, or pictorial designs. Design style not withstanding, he likes to use a "double-bevel" cut to obtain a precise fit. He layers pieces to form a packet of veneer, then cuts on an (approximate) eleven degree bevel. He prefers his scrollsaw for these operations, and uses a s-l-o-w speed with a 2.0 skip tooth blade, always cutting counter-clockwise to keep pattern lines visible.
- Repair and Patching
Marc demonstrates the most basic of repairs in this segment, and I mean basic. He quickly shows how to lay in a sliver of wood to mask cracked veneer, and repairs a small hole with sawdust created from sanding. Anything beyond this is left to the specialists.
- Substrate Selection
A surprise to me, but Marc prefers to use birch and/or maple plywood as his substrate. MDF is a close second, followed by particleboard, and finally solid wood. Particleboard is generally stable and quite flat, but is very heavy and can swell from moisture - not good for adhesion. And we all know the perils of working with solid stock - moving cell structures could wreak havoc on a piece of veneer, especially if the project is of a larger size.
- Glue Choices
Hide glue was the adhesive of choice prior to WW2. However, post-war technology brought us our ubiquitous white/yellow glue, which are an excellent choice for veneer work. He also likes Urea-Formaldehyde due to it's long open time. However, you must be cautious regarding health risks with this product. Aside from glue, backing material runs a close second in importance during glue-up. It takes a healthy "sandwich" of cauls, substrate material, paper, veneer, and tape to render a successful appliqué'.
- Pressing System
Marc loves his vacuum press (and refers to it many times in his DVDs). He doesn't go into much detail about it though. Simply put - if you can afford it, buy it! Clamping by mechanical means just doesn't distribute pressure evenly enough for a truly professional finish.
- Clean-Up
Once all parts are permanently assembled, inspect your results. Scrape veneer tape away with a sharp hand scraper (and hope for no bubbles!). Once the bulk is gone, you can safely sand ever so lightly with an orbital sander and 120 grit paper. Pay attention and you won't sand through the veneer. Or so he says...
- WOE's
He wraps up with some very positive reinforcement (ha - fooled you!). He provides some Words Of Encouragement before parting, and suggests everyone try getting creative with this craft. It's an exciting brand of woodworking, and can be used to highlight and add value to woodworking projects. Consider slight modifications such as banding, or something more complex to use as a focal point for a piece.
This is some pretty good instruction, and most of it is by example with a nice floral pattern he chose for the video. This DVD runs the better part of two hours, which I consider pretty comprehensive coverage for his example project. If you're into marquetry, or considering it for a project, take a gander at this DVD. I think you'll agree it's worth the time. This DVD is available for checkout at the next general member meeting.