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Inlaying seems to have been largely ignored by today's
woodworkers. Look at the typical projects presented in magazines
and at wood shows - you'll not often see an inlaid project - at
most a bit of edge banding or some string inlay.
Inlaying is not as difficult as it might first seem. Like
anything in woodworking, it's a skill that you have to learn and
practice in order to attain any level of proficiency. Most of us
have ample scraps of wood on which to practice, and many will
already have the basic tools needed to begin inlaying. Apart
from time and inclination, what we are likely to lack is the
good instruction.
George Stevens' "The Art of Wood Inlay" is the next best thing
to taking a wood inlay course without leaving your shop. The
first part of the book (20 or so pages) are taken up with
technique, with the second part devoted to inlay projects.
Stevens begins with a brief overview of woods and wood grain, an
understanding of which is very important for effective inlay
design. He follows this with a brief section on sharpening
knives and chisels. If you're entirely new to woodworking don't
skip this section - sharp tools are essential. With dull tools
you'll soon get discouraged with the result of your inlaying
endeavours.
The balance of the first part of the book is on technique - how
to do inlay, and how to make it look good. The instructions are
clear and concise. You'll find sections on how to transfer
patterns; on building a beam inlay press, which you can install
in dual face vises at the front of your workbench.; on making
undercutting bevels to achieve tight fitting inlays; preparing
individual pieces; building up leaf constructs in patterns of
book-matched species; laying out three-dimensional effects with
rolled leaf edges and burned edges for shading; and repairing
damaged wood with inlays.
There are just over 2 dozen practice projects to choose from in
this book, ranging from the very simple to the intermediate
skill level. A number of the projects involve the use of a
router, and here Stevens provides some jigs to expedite the
routing process. The projects are well laid out and easy to
follow.
This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to know more
about the hobby of wood inlay, as well as for any woodworker who
wants to incorporate a bit of inlay into a future project.
Inlay Projects:
- Picture Frame
- Napkin Holder
- Vegetable Wall Plaque
- Mushroom Paddle Trivet
- Bulrush Plaques
- Decorative Tiles
- Candy Dish
- Poinsettia Plaque
- Lazy Susan
- Trinket Box
- Recipe Box
- Watering Can Tray
- Fruit Tray
- Card Box
- Teddy Bear Step Stool
- Round Acorn Box
- Earrings, Brooch, Bracelet
- Walnut Tulip Plaque
- Pin Tray
- Christmas Ornament
- Lily Bed Tray
- Nested Bowls
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Title:
Author:
Publisher:
Source:
ISBN:
Format:
Date:
Price:
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The Art of Wood Inlay
George Stevens
Sterling Publishing
Available through your local bookseller
1-895569-82-6
128 pages, paperback, 8 1/2 x 10
2005
$25.95
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© Canadian Woodworking
Magazine, 2007
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