Trapper John

I always used spray-on glue for pattern attachment but never was satisfied by the process, simple though it might be. I took a gamble and tried a Xyron Creative Station as an alternative. The pattern is placed into a printer-like feed tray. A hand crank moves the pattern into the machine where it passes through a set of rollers and is affixed to a removable adhesive backing. This backing is very easy to remove manually. The entire process takes a few seconds. The cost of the machine was $58. Spendy for a "toy"? Yes indeed. But hey, I'm 73. I get to play a little, too!

CharlieL, I have been using my DW788 set up the same way! I use an Optivisor 5x with an attachable led light bracket. The AA battery and switch assembly attaches to the visor with a velcro strap, while the leds are in a frame which snaps over the changeable lenses. The whole unit weighs next to nothing. My (terrible) close-in vision requires the use of the 5x lens. The visual quality is great, and the added light is a much appreciated accessory as I am not always at my well-lit saw. The visor flips up and out of the way for normal viewing. The savings in time and hassle are tremendous, and the entire assembly cost less than that of a dedicated and separate lamp - at least in the 20 years or so that I've owned it. The unit can be obtained almost anywhere online a woodworker would choose to look.

Wow - a lot of interesting comments here. I am curious (or stubborn) enough to attempt both knife/window technique and the bevel cut approach with my scroll saw. I see advantages to both techniques. Knife work requires a different kind of deliberacy; pressure, blade quality and sharpness, and cutting angle are more deliberate and obviously slower. Using a fret saw and chevalet are even more traditional. This approach allows the ultimate in speed and control. At this point I am not smart enough to do more than observe and question. For example, I am not at all sure about why a simple bird's mouth is not as favored as a chevalet. For me the two methods that I have worked with have shown me that patience is as important as method, and the jury is out on which I prefer. Ultimately the answer to that question will require more time.

The meetings were held on Wednesday at 7:30 pm GMT- or in my case, 11:30am (PST). Your time depends on what time zone you are in. You may either remove your shoes and count it out, or do what I do and ask a loved one to do it for you. Sorry I didn't reply sooner!

Well, my problems with woodworking are largely self -inflicted. As mentioned above, one project leads to another, and to another... ad infinitum. I make more sawdust than most. I measure twice and still wind up on the short end of things. Any difficulty that I am having with marquetry simply points to where I am on my own learning curve because I am easily distracted. For example, and as I may have mentioned before, I am extremely interested in applying marquetry to Pacific Northcoast indigenous painting. As noted above, marquetry can be as simple or as complex as you want it to be, but it is basically painting using wood coloration and grain as a medium. I have taken a sidestep to learn as much as I can about this type of cultural representation and have made a few attempts at drawing and combining with marquetry. Thus, I spend as much time reading and organizing as I do actual cutting. This is probably why I don't have much to show for my efforts - yet. It must be a character flaw! Rockytime, I too buy my blades in bulk, just 100 at a time instead of 1,000. I need to declare that since Covid I have become increasingly reliant upon Mr. Bezos' company, which sources a lot of stuff from China. The important thing to remember about nearly any imported product is that is is being specifically designed and produced to specs, which we are all (myself excepted) comfortable with. So ultimately the quality of an imported blade depends upon the specs, the manufacturer's quality and honesty . . . and of course, the price. This is my explanation of why good old #11 blades are not all the same; a blade manufactured on the cheap is simply going to flex more, cut shallower, and dull faster than a higher quality blade. It's a bit like buying a scroll saw from Arbor Fright or . . . (fill in your tool name & model #). Or, perhaps this is not unlike a Chevy vs Ford discussion, lol.

The Marquetry discussion seems to have tapered off. Since last posting I have joined the "American Marquetry Society" and participated in a few of the weekly Zoom meetings conducted by its parent, "The Marquetry Society." This group is based in England and the attendees comprise a most helpful group of well-established marqueteers. Their work is most impressive and their willingness to share and discuss technique reflects patience (no doubt a benefit enhanced by the practice of the art form) and experience. For a rank beginner like me, the difficulty with this informal structure is that at present I have nothing to show or discuss. Ernie Mills, the U.S. Rep, has a website known as "Marquetry Magic," ( See www.marquetrymagic.com) which is well worth visiting. Be sure to check out the section entitled "Tutorials.". After selecting this option scroll all the way to the bottom of the screen and select the link to "The Beginner's Guide." After introductory material is covered there is a section entitled "Basic Techniques" which is well worth your time to review. The basic "Leaf Pattern" seems to be a classic introduction to the window method of cutting veneer. There are also several variants of the exercise to be found on Youtube. No matter your skill level this exercise is well worth the small amount of time and materials required to complete it. For this novice the simple act of cutting the first piece of veneer was a learning experience, in that I quickly found that choice of knife handles and blades was important to my success. If it doesn't "feel" right to me I tend to distract myself and to begin fussing with my work. (I also learned that not all #11 Xacto replacement blades are created equally, but that's another story.) Although I ultimately plan to use a scroll saw for my marquetry work, I concluded that learning several different approaches to cutting and developing "windows" into my work would only be helpful. Ernie Mills has been most encouraging and helpful in launching my efforts and I highly recommend joining the American Marquetry Society for its benefits. Since marquetry, as opposed to inlay, is a relatively obscure approach to woodworking and art (especially in the U.S.) it would be useful to have a regular forum for exchange of ideas and information about projects on this site.

At long last I may have found my niche - on this site, as well as in my scrolling. I am a rank amateur when it comes to scrolling and marquetry and have read many of the books referenced by others. I am addicted to watching videos offered by popular streaming services. I began with a Craftsman saw and, having gotten my feet wet, soon replaced In with a Dewalt DW 788. In an era of Covid, traveling from my location, and at my age, are out of the question. That rules out formal classes, such as many responders have reported experiencing. A forum dedicated to marquetry would serve two purposes. First, it would allow for a more focused set of sub-topics. Veneer sources, diy veneer presses, discussion of practical issues - these are a few examples of what I am referring to. The second purpose is simply this: to provide an opportunity for the camaraderie that goes with sharing a common interest and assisting others with our own experiences and ideas. Count me in for further discussions!

Glad to see your growing interest and participation. Folks here are super friendly and have been quick to help this rookie and I'm sure you will enjoy the same. Welcome!

I can only echo what others have said about your work. I too have followed Steve's work and have begun to cut my wedges. I'm having a beginner's start; my first half-circle is drawn and cut from wedge #1, the arc left on wedge #1 is traced upon wedge #2, and so on . . . correct?

In my zeal to get started on this site I failed to introduce myself, soooo... I'm a retiree in St Helens, Oregon. Although I am not a Native American I have an interest in Pacific Northwest Native art and I am presently interested in combining formline art with intarsia but have found very little reference material that incorporates both disciplines - not a big surprise. As a novice in both I signed up for this site in hopes of learning and sharing knowledge. To date the kind folks who have replied to my first post have been most supportive!