Painting In Wood Packet

Guide To Species and Green and Mahogany Layers

I promise to make a video soon about this method.  Those of you who have issue 109 (February 2008) of the magazine Woodwork, will be able to look up the article I wrote then about it, with good photographs.

To illustrate how I make a veneer packet for a picture using the Painting In Wood process,  I took apart the packet waste, layer by layer, after I finished removing all the pieces I needed for the final picture.

Most important is the initial layout and proper orientation of the individual species of veneer.  I use the four corner edges of the design as a locator.  Each layer, no matter how roughly put together, must have all four corners match exactly with the drawing.  From that reference, I can confidently locate the elements inside the design so there are no errors.

Note that I usually have at least two different species for each flower, and sometimes three.  That gives me a colorful flower, and, since I keep each of those colors for each flower as I cut them out, I can change my mind when I put together the final picture on the assembly board.  For example, if I have a flower with a light and dark selection, I can decide to have a dark flower with light edges or a light flower with dark edges, depending on my mood.  What is not used is discarded, but not until everything is done.

At the top of this post is the layout design with my notes on the woods I selected to use.  The yellow highlighted areas are isolated pieces of ebony background, so I don't forget to keep them. The layer missing from this photo is the ebony background, which I used and can be seen in the last post about this.  Note the green and mahogany layers are usually full sheets, since leaves and branches are all over the design and too much trouble to try to place individually.  The pieces of veneer tape are left over from taping all the layers together securely.  Always tape each layer one by one to be sure nothing moves.

I try to use the smallest piece of veneer possible for each element of the design.  These pieces are usually small scrap pieces from previous projects, so, in the long run, this is an efficient use of surplus material.  In between each element I place a cheap scrap veneer of the same thickness as the others to fill up the gaps and prevent the blade from tearing up the veneer when I saw.  Since all the veneers I use for these jobs are sawn material, I can use the 1.5mm Sipo wood that I have on hand for the front of the packets.  It is cheap and easy to saw.

Layers 3 and 4 Face Down

Looking at these two layers, note that they are face down, so you can see the woods more clearly.  The white wood areas are the Sipo and not important.  Going down the left side first, you can see the two woods I selected for the Tulip, the two different yellow woods for the next flower, the two woods for the next flower, and so on around the packet.  There are no woods for the second tulip on the top right as they are included in the first and second layers sown here:

Layers 1 and 2 Face Down

The first two layers in the packet are shown here.  Now you can see the two woods I used for the top flower, again on the right hand side the two woods for the tulip and so on.  In the center are the two woods for the blue bird, and at the bottom are two woods for the central leafy motif.

Note that I can select the grain direction for each species to correspond with the design.

It is true that all this wood is thrown away, after I select the single piece from the 7 or 8 layers which I intend to use.  However, I gain a lot of time, as the cutting is very fast.  For example, I might take 4-6 hours to construct a packet of this size, and another 8 hours to completely cut it out.  So in two days I can go from design to assembly, and produce a picture which some may think is complicated.  I just think it's a fun and rewarding way to pass the time.

To see the final picture check out the last post.

Back To Work On Lecount

Marquetry Panel For Lecount Case Door

I have been rather busy lately with the business of business.  I knew that when the jobs and housing markets turned around the phone would ring.  Well, it has, and I am looking at a shop full of antiques that need my attention.  Also, I had two weeks of teaching which is always a nice change in routine.

The Lecount project has been calling me...literally.  The clock works sit on a stand in the corner of the shop and chime precisely on the hour, reminding me that they need a case.  The amazing thing about this set of works is that they run for 30 days!  And they keep time to the second.  Not bad for a set of brass works made by hand around 1690.  How many mechanisms made today will still be running perfectly in 300 years?

During the last week we had a holiday, and holidays mean that I can work without interruption.  So I returned to the chevalet and cut out the remaining panels for the door of the clock.  At the same time I thought I would make a video of the process of building marquetry face down on an assembly board, which is the French method.

I have written before about this method, but I find that using words to explain it really is confusing.  Watching a video is much better.  So I selected a simple flower example to demonstrate.  I should note that the only thing that didn't happen during this video was the phone or door bell ringing.  What did happen was the Lecount clock chimed, the mail man arrived and Bridget kept barking, Patrice stumbled over the stool while filming, and the garbage truck drove by the shop, making it impossible to hear what I said at the end.

All in all, a very professional shoot.  Watch it HERE

I am using sawn veneers, which are 1.5mm thick.  The building process is very easy and you just place the pieces in the picture cavity face down, holding them with hot protein glue.  The glue allows for some adjustment if you do it quickly, so you can move pieces around slightly for a good fit.  Later, if you find a mistake, you can easily reheat the pieces and remove them or replace them.

When the panel is assembled, I will use diluted protein glue and fine sawdust to make a mastic to fill the saw kerf, again working from the back side (glue side) of the marquetry, so the front surface remains clean.

Here are some photos of the process of building a marquetry panel using an assembly board.  The first photo shows the gluepot, assembly board, simple tools and a tray with the parts.  Note I have just completed the first panel and am ready to build the second.  The paper design goes with the parts in the tray for the second design.  All the parts in the tray are laid face down, and the paper design is inverted left to right so I can follow the design easily.

First Panel Done, Ready For Second

Here are the parts in the tray, carefully laid out according to the design.  All the pieces have been burned in hot sand.

All The Pieces Laid Out

Here is the ebony background which has just been laid into the hot glue on the stretched paper of the assembly board.  It is important to place the branches and leaves in place first, so that the background is properly located before the glue sets.  Putting the individual flowers in place takes longer so is done after the branches and leaves.

Sawn Ebony Background Glued Down

Here is the drawing for the flower at the top of the design.  It is made up of lots of pieces, and each one is unique, having a walnut piece with cut engraving lines and a box wood piece which is the lip of the petal.  This type of flower is typical of work done late in the 17th century.

Flower Design Inverted Left To Right

Here are the pieces for the flower, carefully burned and laid out in a precise location in the tray.

Flower Pieces Ready To Install

Here is the flower assembled.  You are looking at the back (glue side) of the flower, which will be filled with mastic to complete the process.

Flower Assembled Face Down

Here is the final picture, glued to the assembly board, ready for mastic.  The entire assembly of this picture took less than an hour.  Much less.

Ready For Mastic

Old Brown Glue on YouTube

Me and my OBG

I have been making, using and selling Old Brown Glue for nearly 20 years now, and I have had a lot of feedback from other woodworkers who are also using it for their creations.  From time to time I get emails with questions about its working properties.   I am happy to respond to these questions with information that helps them to understand how protein glues work.

Some time back we created a web page, OldBrownGlue.com which includes a FAQ page with some of these questions.  The web page is kind of "retro" and was made with a bit of humor, as we here at work find glue to be a funny topic.

We spend our time trying out slogans, like:

"Sticks to you like Old Brown Glue."
"I put OBG on my wedding list."
"Even my dog likes it!"
"My wife caught me calling Patrick again."
"OBG...more than a wood glue.  Its a spirit.  A way of life.  Hide glue Republic!"
"To keep your OBG longer refrigerate it a bit like ketchup, only tastes better."
"E=OBG"

For the past few months, Kristen has been pushing me to make some videos to post on YouTube to demonstrate the glue and answer questions.  I have always found a way to avoid this project, since it is much easier for me to just do something else at the bench.  Yesterday she pushed me particularly hard to get off my ass and do something about it.  I gave in.

Patrice has been waiting for this.  He is a frustrated French film maker, and always reminds me that movie pictures were invented in France.  He has made a holder for his iPhone and we set up a simple demonstration.  We wanted a VIDEO which was informative and not over produced.  We succeeded.  I think you will agree after you see it that it is not a "professional" product.


"OBG is serious stuff.  We're not."

We will continue to make short videos soon to answer some of the questions about OBG.  Keep watching, and let me know what you think.

I'm sure Spielberg started out this way?

PS:  Here's Will Ferrell to explain the true origins of protein glues:
 Colonel Belmont's Old Fashioned Horse Glue

Is It Real?

"Marquetry?" Card Table ©Antique Refinishers, Inc.

The history of furniture design includes a maze of objects in form and decoration, function and style.  The study of this field in the Decorative Arts has been exciting and rewarding, and has taken me to thousands of homes, and hundreds of museums and galleries around America and Europe.

As a professional pastime, this endless search for understanding the culture of the past has given me a unique perspective on the "business" of collecting and dealing antiques.  Therefore, my analysis of what an object is and when it was made is more rapid and accurate than the casual observer, as that is the focus of my interest.  The general public looks at a piece of furniture and sees the "image" that suffices to provide enough information for them to make a general conclusion.  They don't take the time to examine the details closely or to look at the piece from different angles or in a different light.

I know this is true, since I have talked over the phone with clients who try to describe their furniture.  Usually it goes like this:  "What style is it?" I ask.  "It's old, but I don't know how old." is the response. "What wood is it?" my second question.  "Not sure.  (pause) Dark wood." they say slowly.  "Is the wood red, brown or yellow?" I ask, trying to determine if it is mahogany, walnut or oak.  "What do the feet look like?" I ask.  At this point they usually put down the phone and go look at the feet, even though they have lived with this piece since their grandmother left it to them 50 years ago.

An absolute truth in the antique business is that you never know exactly what a client has from their description.  Only a photo will tell you.  That is why I love the internet.  I can tell them to just email me a photo and we will go from there.  It is amazing how often the photo has nothing in common with their understanding of what they thought they had.

Of course, there are fakes and reproductions of genuine antiques which make up a fair amount of the business, and telling the difference is not always easy.  Good professional fakes can fool the experts, and make the business of appraisal and authentication challenging.  Reproductions are another matter.  They usually are easy to spot with simple examination.  Normally reproductions are made with modern materials or methods which were not available during the original period.  Plywood, MDF, Phillips screws, plastic elements, and other 20th century materials are obvious.

I had a client show up with a Louis XV bureau plat in the back of a pick up truck.  Over the phone, the description was fairly accurate: cabriole legs, marquetry surface, gilt leather top, ormolu mounts, etc.  As I walked out the front door of the shop and saw the truck parked down the street, I immediately asked, "Did you buy this from a catalogue?"  "Yes, how did you know?" was the surprised response, as we walked closer to the desk.  "Because it was made in China.  I bet you paid less than $500."

Look Closer!

I then proceeded to show the problems with the plastic marquetry, fake leather, bad "ormolu" and structural defects which were filled with epoxy.  I could see the expression of the client change and I felt sorry for him.  He thought he had a wonderful bargain, but when I told him it was not worth repairing, he left disappointed.  In this case, he got what he paid for.

Look Closer!

Recently two pieces showed up in the shop which illustrate this situation.  The first is an Italian game table, made early in the 20th century.  The owner had purchased it 20 years ago in an antique shop and it was damaged during a move, as the movers broke all the legs off.  Stupid movers.  Can't even move a card table without breaking the legs.  As soon as she set it down, I informed her that the "marquetry" was painted.  Again, the familiar expression change.  I wish I was not always the person with the bad news.

See the Difference?

The table does have veneer, at least.  However, all the central decoration is painted with a process that represents the traditional marquetry designs using paint and stains.  The "ebony" panel is a single piece of light wood, onto which is drawn the design with black ink.  Inside the ink design stains are used to make the different elements attractive.  Outside the ink lines the light wood is painted black.  It is not easy and reminds me of a similar process used in decorating ceramics.

Poor Quality Mount

The usual indicator of quality is in the mounts.  Cheap copies of mounts are often cast and left rough.  Higher quality copies have bronze mounts which are cleaned up and often gilt.  Original period mounts are spectacular, and should be closely studied in museums, where most of them are these days.  By the way, the English speaking collectors call these mounts "ormolu" which is a term not used these days by the French.  "Ormolu" is derived from the old  French term ("or moulu") which mean "ground gold."  The accurate term used in France is "bronze doré."

"Boulle" Stand ©Antique Refinishers, Inc.

Another piece which came in about the same time is this little "Boulle" stand.  The condition is bad, as is most Boulle, with elements lifting and pieces missing.  However, the "tortoise shell" on this piece is plastic, like you find on guitars.  The case is made of MDF.  The mounts are basic and crude.  The brass is extremely thin and there is no engraving at all.  The finish is catalyzed lacquer.  I informed the owner that it would cost much more than the piece is worth to repair it.  Sad story.

Plastic Tortoiseshell

I have the obsessive desire to save everything.  That is why I am in this business.  However, according to Darwin, it is the survival of the fittest.  In the case of furniture, perhaps it is best that some of these creations simply fall apart and are left behind.  It still makes me sad.

Beyond Repair Unfortunately

Le Vrai Roi Roy!

My Small Tribute to Roy ©Antique Refinishers, Inc.

A true philosopher is a person who is in touch with his immediate surroundings and understands the complex relationship between the physical existence and limitations of the human body as well as the unlimited rational and spiritual potential of the human mind.  For countless centuries, philosophers have been driven to develop a complete cosmology that would help to explain simple existence.

It has always been summarized by the running joke which ends up with the person climbing the hill and asking the guru  who is sitting at the top of the hill the same question: "What is the meaning of life?"  The punch line varies from story teller to story teller, depending on their agenda.  In fact, there is never a clear answer to this question, as the true meaning of life is constantly evolving.  It is the process of living that defines life, and the ends do not justify the means.  In fact the end is the same for all of us.

What matters is "how" you live your life.

It is also important "when" you live your life, as those events and people who surround you and influence you must be considered as significant contributors to your understanding of your "purpose."

"No man is an island" is another common expression, and it is true, unless you were raised by wolves actually on an island.

I am fortunate to live during the same time as Roy Underhill.  His career and teaching has touched literally thousands and thousands of people, and they are changed forever by his unique approach to life.  I still remember the first time I saw him on television.  There was no laugh track.  There was no quick edits to distract from what he was doing.  There was no diversion.  It was simply a man working a simple material, wood or iron, and telling a story about how and why it was done that way.

Like the Shaker expression: "Hands to work."  I was fixated as I watched him work and sweat and talk and bleed, constantly in motion, always on task, guiding the viewer step by step through the ancient process of creation.  For the past 30 years The Woodwright's Shop has remained one of the most important "reality" shows on television.  There is nothing fake about Roy.

Meeting Roy and working with him on his show years ago was not only a great influence on my life but a verification that my belief in hand tool methods was important and worth preserving.  Walking with him through the native hardwood forests which surround his home was, for me, a humbling experience.  His understanding of his surroundings and ability to communicate his knowledge in clear concepts allowed me to appreciate the subtle meaning of nature and man's relationship to nature.

After all, I was born and raised in Southern California.  Our "native" hardwood forests are all planted in front yards by residents.  There is nothing more artificial than the environment that has been created out of the desert in SOCAL.

I am thinking of all this today, since I discovered a  VIDEO on the web which is an interview with Roy.  He is older and wiser these days, not much slower, and just as involved with his career as he ever was.  He remains a leader in a historic movement which has persisted through time.  To me, the old joke is slightly changed: As I climb the hill and reach the top, seeking truth, I find Roy sitting on a stool he has just made from a tree, with his axe resting beside him.  "What is the meaning of life?" I ask.

Roy simply replies, "Work with your hands."

Someday, his hat will rest in the Smithsonian Museum, and we can all thank Roy for his wisdom.

"Classic Method" Video

Oeben Table J. Paul Getty Collection

Several years ago the J. Paul Getty Museum had an exhibition which illustrated the various stages of making a table by Oeben which is in their collection.  It was a well produced effort, and involved many of the workshops and artisans who I know from my time in Paris.

In particular, Michel Jamet was involved in the ebenisterie, and Pierre Ramond directed his top students in the recreation of the marquetry surface.  They are not given credit in this video, but I would like to mention that they produced this work at ecole Boulle, in Paris.

The exhibition discussed the sawing of the veneers, the making of the carcase out of oak, the bronze dore mounts, the polishing and, of course the marquetry.  Note the veneers used were sawn veneers which are 1.5mm thick and supplied by Patrick George, in Bagnolet, France.

If you have visited the museum, you will recognize this table as one of the great masterpieces in their collection.  It was made by Jean-Francois Oeben, around 1754.  The top of this table slides back which opens the drawer for access.  That, in itself, is a neat trick, since you do not have to move any of the stuff sitting on the top and get full access to the drawer for the writing tools inside.

The inside of the drawer is finished as elaborately as the outside of the table.  I particularly love the grill and flower motif ("jeux de fond") which decorates the aprons and sides of the drawer.  In this method, each of the individual flowers were cut into their respective backgrounds with conical cutting.  Then the grill was laid down and, one by one, the flowers were positioned into their appropriate cavities.

The Getty video is a very accurate representation of the Classic Method, invented by the French in the 18th century, also called "element par element" or "piece by piece."  The essential part of this process was making copies of the design using the picking machine, or even using a pin to poke the holes by hand.  This early "Xerox" method allowed the artist to make as many exact copies of the drawing as needed.  Each part of the design was then cut out and applied to a packet of veneers, held together by nails.

It is important to understand that this method relied on cutting the outside half of the line away for all the inside elements and the inside half of the line away for the background.  The accuracy required for the proper execution of this method depended on two things: using a chevalet, which is the most controlled and accurate tool for cutting veneers, and the simple trick that the inside elements were cut clockwise around their perimeter and the background packet was cut counter clockwise around the perimeter.  Once you understand this, you will see the advantage of this method.  Not only does it minimize waste and eliminate the saw kerf completely, it allows the worker to make many copies of the marquetry as he wants, all exactly identical.

I was fortunate to be involved in this exposition.  I was hired by the Getty Education Department to make twice weekly public presentations in the Gallery adjacent to the installation.  I had a picking machine, chevalet, and all the tools and materials used to make marquetry set up and demonstrated the techniques which were shown in the video.  These 2 hour talks allowed the visitors to ask questions and see exactly how marquetry is traditionally made in France.

Demonstrating Marquetry at the Getty Museum

Let me know if you have any questions.

Paris 11th Arrondissement

They Have Everything You Need!

There are, in my mind, three basic types of Americans.  The first type is an American who lives their whole life in the same town, city or state, never venturing outside the limits of their horizons.  The second type is an American who travels within the USA and takes the time to visit other states, gaining a wider view of different lifestyles and cultures.  Even though there are accents which reflect the diversity of our heritage, this visitor can rely on speaking English to communicate.  The third type of American is the one who leaves this country and travels to foreign countries.  This requires a bit of physical stamina, a willingness to learn other languages and taste sometimes strange food, and an open mind.

My advice is to travel while you are young.  Too many wait until they retire and then are physically limited in the scope of travel available to them.  I first went to Europe when I was 18 and travelled for three months on a bicycle, visiting 7 countries.  It was the most important decision I have ever made, and I still reflect on the events of that summer, as if they were yesterday.  Later, when I was in my early 40's I lived in Paris for a few years while I was a student at ecole Boulle, living most of that time in the 11th arrondissement.  The city of Paris is divided into districts, called "arrondissement" which are numbered and start in the center, rotating like a spiral out to the limits of the city.

The 11th district is the historic furniture making district in Paris.  It is a district which is not often visited by tourists, as it is mainly full of furniture stores, workshops and the different speciality supply shops which furnish the materials to the trade.  It generally starts from the Bastille and goes to Nation, where ecole Boulle is located.  I walked those streets literally thousands of times, and it became my "neighborhood."

Years ago there was a series on TV called "Barging Through France" with the host, Richard Goodwin.  I just found a copy of an episode on YouTube where he explores the 11th.  A highlight of this video is a visit with my dear friend, Patrick George, who supplies the most exotic materials in France for woodworkers.  This is a special video, where George, in his distinctive beard, speaks English, although with a heavy accent.  I think you will immediately appreciate his personality and passion for the trade which he pursues, and with the understanding that he is the 5th generation of his family to keep the business open.

Enjoy:Paris 11th Tour

Mr. Goodwin ends this segment with a prophetic wish, "Let's hope the developers don't move in too soon and rip out the heart of Paris."  In fact, each time I return to this district, I find fewer and fewer actual ateliers and more and more condos and upscale gift shops.  Paris is changing, and modern lifestyles have little interest in ancient trades.