Learn a straightforward approach to creating stunning details. I come to the field of woodworking with an unfair advantage. I grew up in a family jewelry business and did a lot of detail work [...]
Make this traditional design with a router and plug cutters. Line and berry inlay is an old American tradition. There are many variations of the design, but all consist of a series of circular [...]
This sled allows me to cut the 1/8-in.- wide strips of veneer that I often use for inlays. I can cut strips all day without having to measure or reposition the saw’s fence. The sled consists of a [...]
Years ago I discovered Federal furniture and knew that with beautiful veneer, superb inlay and simple carving, this would be my furniture period of choice. Federal furniture has much to offer [...]
Small pieces transform your work from austere to awesome. Signature features of Federal-style furniture include bellflowers and stringing that often adorn furniture legs, but are also found on [...]
Get a perfect fit using a shop-made jig. Oval and circular inlays are a time-honored method of adding class to a project, such as the top of a jewelry box. It’s an interesting challenge to [...]
A few shop-made appliances allow you to add stunning face-grain inlay to your work. Geometric bandings and inlay patterns, or parquetry, are widely used, from Japan to Egypt to Spain. I developed [...]
A rotary tool, hammer and a few shop-made tools are all it takes. I recently had the opportunity to explore a concept that has been rattling around the dark recesses of my cranium for almost [...]
A trip to the hardware store yields clamps that put the bend in inlay. Inlaid bandings are a time-honored technique to embellish furniture, as are curves. Combining the two is surely a way to [...]
Router and hand tools combine for line and berry inlay on this 18th-century piece. In 1746, at the age of four, Hannah Pyle stored her prized possessions in a small three-drawer chest with line [...]
Though not traditional, router patterns make quick work of the inlay. In southeastern Pennsylvania, just northwest of Philadelphia, is Chester County. It was one of the original three counties [...]
Use unconventional techniques to create a traditional tea caddy. England began to import tea about the middle of the 17th century. When first introduced, tea was expensive, so it was a drink [...]