Video: Marquetry in motion
Look over Craig Thibodeau’s shoulder, and watch him assemble a marquetry panel. He makes it look easy.
Apr 06, 2021
Marquetry is a form of veneering that incorporates imagery of natural forms and complex scrollwork directly in the veneer work. In years past, it would typically have incorporated wood, metal, tortoiseshell, mother of pearl, ivory, and bone. However, most of today’s marquetry is almost exclusively made in wood and metal because several of the other materials are no longer legally available to use (ivory and tortoiseshell in particular). There has been a wide variety of styles of marquetry over the years, from the more complex scrollwork seen in early 17th- and 18th-century furniture to the more modern and subdued patterns used in most current marquetry. Marquetry imagery can be staggeringly complex or relatively simple; it all depends on the maker’s motivation and skill set. I’ve been using marquetry as a way to enhance my custom furniture pieces for a number of years and over that time have developed a series of simple steps that make creating marquetry fairly straightforward.
For more on Craig’s veneering techniques, check out his book The Craft Of Veneering.
Comments
That was a really fun video to watch. Makes me want to run to the store and pick up a scroll saw.
I really appreciate his talent and all the efficiencies he’s developed in his process. Thanks for posting this!
[insert jaw-drop emoji]
Well that's humbling.
Very cool and a great overview. Marquetry is high on my list of things to learn someday.
That was fascinating! There were several times I wondered aloud as to what you were doing only to have an "oh" moment a minute later. Great stuff, thank you!
Great wonderful demo. I have seen a lot of his work.
Thank you for that video. I have always wondered how that was done and it was especially fullfilling watching a master at work.
This video answered a lot of questions I've had about the procedure. Now I have to look for the tools needed to do this type of work.
Excellent video. He made it look easy.
Just watched this video for the first time. Very interesting. I would like to try, but I don't have a vacuum press and don't see buying one just to give it a try. Maybe another alternative? Weights??
You can get a fairly inexpensive manually-operated vacuum veneering kit from Roarockit (https://www.roarockit.com/). It's not suitable for large-scale production, but for my needs it works fine. I've veneered panels up to about 1' x 1.5' with excellent results. It also takes up very little space when not in use.
Everything Craig does is amazing. Imagine how cool it would be to live next door and be allowed to come over and watch as he works.
Be Safe have fun and check out everything you can find that Craig has done.
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