Butterfly inlay ideas?

[Ryan Sparreboom]

I am making a small oval shaped box out of purpleheart for my daughter who will be born sometime near the end of next month (due date is Jan 27th). I want to do a butterfly design in the lid and am looking for some ideas on how to do it.
I have some ideas already but fear I may be overthinking it.

Here is something similar to what I want to do:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthre...utterfly+inlay

But Charley description of how to do it is a bit hard to understand.

Any help, ideas would be appreciated.

Ryan

[Jeff Hallam]

Check out this inlay pictorial "how-to". I think it sounds similar to what Charley was describing.

http://thewoodwhisperer.com/inlay-pictorial/

[Dewey Torres]

Ryan,
When he talks about cutting with a scaple. That is veneer. Once you start talking about veneer, it is in the marquety category. Some folks get the two confused.

Both marquetry and inlay can be used to create pictures but...

Marquetry is the cutting and assembly of veneers to make a shape or picture. It is then affixed to a substrate.

Inlay is done by cutting a recess and then filling it with a contrasting wood or other materiel.

Here is a link I want you to take a look at. I think those butterflies were done the same way as the names Liora and Micheal on page 6 and 7. If you have never tried this before it may be worth looking at more of these tutorials or buying a book or DVD.

Of course you could just come beck here for help too.

http://www.gtcreations.com/tutorial/index.html

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Thanks guys. Inlay with solid wood is exactly what I want to do, not marquetry with veneers. Jeff that tutorial is very helpful, thank you. Dewey, I may try marquetry someday and that article will be very helpful as well.
I assume in a case where you don't want the entire surface covered, you have to go with inlay, because you can't really router a shallow enough depression to put veneer in, and otherwise the veneer would sit proud of the "substrate" which isn't really desireable. Is that right?

So here is my plan, the lid and the box I've made are oval shape, approx 7" by 4" at the widest points. They are made of purpleheart and the lid is 5/8" thick. I plan on inlaying a butterfly design in the lid. The butterfly will be made of a single piece of highly figured bird's eye maple that I have. I will resaw and plane the BE maple to about 1/8" thick. Then, using a 1/8" blade on my little bandsaw, will cut out the butterfly from the BE maple. I will sneak up on the lines and tight corners with a small file and sandpaper.
Then I'll tape the butterfly to the lid exactly where I want it with double side tape. Trace the outline of the butterfly onto the purpleheart lid with an X-acto knife, being very careful to stay tight to the maple butterfly. Go around a few times to get a decent little groove cut with the x-acto knife, then remove the maple butterfly.
Then I'll use my little PorterCable laminate trimmer and, if necessary my dremel to route out the butterfly design from the lid, being careful not to go over the lines.
Then clean it up as necessary and glue the maple butterfly into the lid, clamp it and let dry. Then sand it flush.
Then I want to DYE the birdseye maple either blue or pink (havn't decided yet, even though we know it's a girl), being carful not to get the dye on the purpleheart (that may be tricky!) The analine dye will make the figure in the BE maple really pop!
Then I'll use sanding dust from purpleheart and CA glue to fill any lttle gap between the purpleheart and the dyed maple, sand gently again, and I'm done!
Please let me know how that sounds, and If I'm missing anything or got it wrong at all.
Dewey your pretty much the expert on this, have you ever dyed wood after inlaying it? I'm looking forward to seeing how this goes and I'll be sure to post my results!

Thanks again for your help!

Ryan

[Dewey Torres]

...
I assume in a case where you don't want the entire surface covered, you have to go with inlay, because you can't really router a shallow enough depression to put veneer in, and otherwise the veneer would sit proud of the "substrate" which isn't really desirable. Is that right?



No,
Please see my marquetry tutorial where I show how this technique is done.
http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=87806

You can inlay a marquetry motif which is essentially what I did and what I think was done also done in your OP example. All it take is a VERY carefully depthed recess.


Having said that and since you are comfortable with it, your below plan will still work but with a tweak: (See my comments in bold)

So here is my plan, the lid and the box I've made are oval shape, approx 7" by 4" at the widest points. They are made of purple heart and the lid is 5/8" thick. I plan on inlaying a butterfly design in the lid. The butterfly will be made of a single piece of highly figured bird's eye maple that I have. I will resaw and plane the BE maple to about 1/8" thick. Then, using a 1/8" blade on my little band saw, will cut out the butterfly from the BE maple. I will sneak up on the lines and tight corners with a small file and sandpaper.


When you decide where the butterfly design will be, drill a hole though the lid dead in the middle of where the inlay will ultimately sit. Then go with the tape--->Then I'll tape the butterfly to the lid exactly where I want it with double side tape. Trace the outline of the butterfly onto the purple heart lid with an X-acto knife, Be carful with the angle on the blade here or you will cut your inlay being very careful to stay tight to the maple butterfly. Go around a few times to get a decent little groove cut with the x-acto knife, then remove the maple butterfly.
Then I'll use my little Porter Cable laminate trimmer and, if necessary my Dremel to route out the butterfly design from the lid, being careful not to go over the lines.
Then clean it up as necessary and glue NO Don't Glue YET! the maple butterfly into the lid, clamp it and let dry. Then sand it flush. After sanding flush use the same drill bit you used above to pop the inlay out of the recess. Now go to the dye in a separate container with just the inlay to soak in all the way through the 1/8". Then let it dry and reinsert. This will allow you to sand the fill dust without harming the color. The inlay will already be flush at this point.
Then I want to DYE the Birdseye maple either blue or pink (haven’t decided yet, even though we know it's a girl), being carful not to get the dye on the purple heart (that may be tricky!) The aniline dye will make the figure in the BE maple really pop!
Then I'll use sanding dust from purple heart and CA glue to fill any little gap between the purple heart and the dyed maple, sand gently again, and I'm done!
Now plug your hole on the underside of the lid.
Please let me know how that sounds, and If I'm missing anything or got it wrong at all.
Dewey your pretty much the expert on this, Thank you very much for the complement.

I have a new tutorial that is 99% done on how to inlay using the technique you mention here except for the dye part. It even has copper and various hardwoods. Click on my name and look in my album on the Morris chair thread for a sneak peak.

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Wow thanks for taking the time to help me out here Dewey. I sure appreciate it.

I see now that you can inlay a marquetry creation in that effect. You are right tho, it would take VERY careful tweaking of the depth of recess. Thanks for that.

I originally wanted to be able to install the inlay after it was dyed, but wasn't sure how to do it. You have given me a great idea. I wasn't aware however, that the dye would permeate all the way through a 1/8" piece of birdseye? I plan to use this dye from Lee Valley: http://www.leevalley.com/wood/page.a...190,42996&ap=1
To get pink I was gonna use the Ruby red heavily diluted. How long would I need to soak it for? And after it's done soaking, how long will it need to dry before I can glue it in place? Won't it warp?

Ryan

[Dewey Torres]

Ryan,
Remember that you have already sanded it flush before the dye step so it is a perfect fit which will need no sanding. The only reason for soaking is to ensure the dye goes deep enough so you won't sand through it when you flush your dust filler. I wouldn’t sand where I didn’t have to and I would use no more than 120 gt. (by hand only)

I had a another idea last night:
Just dye one of your off cuts regularly from the original and see how much sanding it will withstand. If you don't like it then drop it in the dye solution and you will be able to tell how much sanding / warping. Also there is a small chance you won't need the dust filler at all. Sometimes I need it and sometimes I get the fit so good that it really isn't needed.


If the piece were to warp you are going to clamp and glue it anyway and with an inlay this small you can find enough clamps or a caul to cover the entire thing flat until the glue dries. (use wax paper in between the caul and the inlay if you go that route)

Have you thought about a practice mock up?
Before I do something new I try to make a mock up (ie prototype). Here is a pic of my maple on oak mock up
so I could figure out how to do the copper inlay and get it sanded flush (other pic). I completely ruined the fist one sending it through the drum sander so really this is the second one. Even the pros do this so don't ever consider mock ups as a newbie thing.

Those dyes you posted are good ones. They are standard aniline and they have great color. I think this is going to come out sweet!

[Ryan Sparreboom]

Thanks Dewey. I planned on doing a mock-up but should I do it out of the material I'm using (purple heart and BE maple), or just other scrap wood?

I will also practice the dying on some scrap BE maple pieces. I have to test it to get the color just right (pink I've decided on). That will give me the oportunity to test it for "sandability" as well. When you say don't sand more than 120 grit, I assume you mean no coarser than that? I like to use 150 when making my own wood filler and such. I could only hope that I get a tight enough fit to not have to use the CA glue and wood dust, but I won't hold my breath on that!

I hope to start some work on it tomorrow evening again, work keeps getting in the way of my "fun time" in the shop!

I will certainly keep you posted on how it goes. Thanks again for the help!

Ryan

[Dewey Torres]

For you mock up it is best to duplicate what you plan to use for the final. Just make it way smaller to avoid waste.

Yes I meant no more coarse that 120.

I will stay tunes and be here for help if needed but I bet you are good to go now.

[Ryan Sparreboom]

A quick update. I have made some good progress and am happy with it so far. I have two butterflies cut of 1/4" thick BE maple. Each one is about 2" x 3". I routed the recess in a scrap piece, and other than a minor slip, felt I had a good fit. I the routed the recesses in the actual lid. which both turned out quite well. I will need to do a bit of filling with CA glue and purpleheart dust, but not bad for my first time I think.

I ended up re-making the box portion as well, as I wasn't happy with the outside look of the glued up one I had made. I bought a chunk of 2" thick (actually slightly over 2") purpleheart and re-routed the interior out. It's amazing what you learn just from doing it twice!And with my new bandsaw blades, had a great deal of success cutting it on my little 11" Craftsman bandsaw. Never thought that thing would make it thru 2" thick purpleheart, but it DID!
I also did some tests of the dye on BE maple and was happy with what I got. A nice deep pink color to go with the deep purple of the box. I'm just waiting for the dye to dry on the actual butterflies, then a bit more sanding and I can put it all together!

I will update with some pics soon.
Thanks again for your help Dewey!

Ryan

[Dewey Torres]

...I will update with some pics soon.
Thanks again for your help Dewey!

Ryan

Looking forward to it!