I’ve got my two clock faces (quilted maple) ready to go except for the hour markers. I’d planned to just carve them and let light, shadow, and differential finish uptake take care of it. But a test piece has shown me I need more contrast, so I’d like to inlay some ebony or maybe just cherry (the case wood).
The problem is, I’ve already got several coats of BLO rubbed into the face. Can I glue to this OK? If worse comes to worst, I can always cut all the way through and glue to a small backer board (sort of like repairing drywall), but if the oiled wood will glue solidly, that’s nicer.
My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
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It's probably worth glueing test pieces to check, but I think if you use epoxy, oil will interfere a lot less than with other glues.
I was planning a test, but some problems don't show up for years -- and I'm delivering these clocks next week. Fortunately you guys have that experience! :)
I don't have any epoxy, was just planning to use Titebond. Depending on what else I hear, maybe I'll go with epoxy. Thanks!My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
If you are going to actually inlay these markers, instead of gluing them to the surface, you will find, I think, that you will have gone past the BLO with quite a small recess. That would allow you to glue as usual.
Thanks, I can check that by just sawing my test board. Makes sense, if I inlay deeper than the penetration, there's no issue.
I intuitively feel the oil must be pretty deep, because the wood itself has such amazing texture and apparent depth. But it's an illusion, like those 3D postcards that look so deep but are paper thin...My goal is for my work to outlast me. Expect my joinery to get simpler as time goes by.
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