Synopsis: Inspired by a guitar maker, Craig Thibodeau decided to explore the use of exotic materials for inlay in furniture making. Learn how he uses materials such as abalone, mother of pearl, and composites as highlights in his marquetry, inlays in solid pieces, and accents on veneered wood. He found a wide array of inlay materials that contrast beautifully with wood and can be cut with simple tools. Follow along and learn his technique as he creates a dragonfly inlay for a cabinet project.

I’ve used wood for marquetry and inlay for many years, but I began using more exotic materials after seeing the beautiful guitar inlays done by fellow Californian Larry Robinson. While his complex inlay work is the focal point of his guitars, I use it more sparingly as highlights in my marquetry, accents on veneered pieces, and small inlays in solid wood. The good news is that the techniques are basically the same no matter what the background is.

The only new tools you’ll need are a jeweler’s saw and files, a scalpel and a few tiny router bits. The best glue for the job is cyanoacrylate (CA), which sticks to everything and hardens instantly with a quick shot of activator spray. I use it both to assemble multiple parts into a single inlay and then to give the inlay in place. For very large inlays, I sometimes give myself a bit more working time by using a 24-hour epoxy.

The inlays themselves can be as simple as precut mother-of-pearl dots, which only require a shallow hold drilled with a Forstner bit, or as complex as the multi-part dragonfly on this page. But none are particularly difficult, and all make a strong impact.

A new world of brilliant materials

I was surprised to discover a wide array of inlay materials that contrast beautifully with wood yet can be cut with simple tools. Mother-of-pearl and abalone shell are both readily available in thin pieces, while reconstituted stone and Acrylester (a form of colored plastic used for pen turning) have a wider variety of color and figure. By the way, I often combine these materials with thick wood veneers. The dragonfly has a body made of wenge to tie it visually to the cabinet’s wenge frame.

From Fine Woodworking #217

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