Jewerly Box - the good one & the fail

[john]

Great Job, Beautiful Box!

Beyond my skill level so I won't make any suggestions on the "fail".

John

[wa2crk]

I don't think that I would use a power tool to fix this. X-Acto has several tool tips that could be used to fix the problem but a power tool would work too fast and may cause more harm than good. Sometimes it is better to slow down and use more conservative methods. Think like an art restorer restoring a Rembrandt. They don't use 4" brushes, they use surgical tools and work slowly.
Bill V

[berry]

The boxes are beautiful. I have never done inlay, but what are the two woods here in the “Fail” ? It looks like the dark wood is oak with a stain on it. If so, couldn’t this be oil or stain bleeding from the dark wood to the top of the light wood in the inlay? First thing I would think of is something bleeding over when I put dark and light woods next to each other.

The dark wood is walnut. There's no finish on work in that pic.

[berry]

Very nice work indeed.

As far as removing and re-doing the maple strip, how about using a small trim router or dremel type tool? Some cleanup may be required with chisels or knives to finish and get nice square corners, but a guided power tool may be more accurate for the bulk of the removal. It may be more than you want to remove, but removing all 4 of the maple strips might be easier than just the one.

How thick is the maple? What was the sequence of assembly of the box lid and the maple strips in the first place? Would it be possible to cut the lid down to just the dark center area with the inlay and then add new maple/dark edges?

Removing the banding with a router was one thought. I actually have the router out, mounted a fence and chucked a 1/8" bit - then I decided I'd ask around and maybe someone will have a tried and true method.

The banding is 1/16" thick and 5/32" wide. The marquetry inlay is attached to a piece pw with contact cement. The edges of the lid have grooves that captures the pw. After dry fitting everything a rabbit was cut on the edge of the inlay/pw assembly at the router table. I glued it together. Then I started fitting the banding. Working with hand tools has never been a strength. But two of the three I made came out well and this one has the walnut coming through.

[RFGuy]

The dark wood is walnut. There's no finish on work in that pic.

I haven’t seen that particular grain pattern in walnut before, but I guess it makes sense because it is an open and porous wood just like oak. Gorgeous looking either way. I still wonder if it isn’t a combination of walnut sanding dust and either oil from the wood and/or the finish you used that kind of smeared over the top of the maple inlay. Hoping it is more of a superficial top layer that could be reworked easily. Of course, I am sure 95% of people would never see it or even know that it is there.

[JPG]

After looking closer I have concluded that the banding edge broke off exposing the edge and bottom of the groove. The edge of the groove is undamaged. That so? If not ignore the rest .

I see two choices, both involve replacing the banding that has broken off. Easy but not ideal is to use some filler. That could be a paste made from banding sawdust and glue. Or it could be a miniscule strip of the banding wood.

More 'ideal' would be to attempt to remove that entire side band. Depending upon the tenacity of the glue that may be very difficult. Yes very sharp/very small chisel work. I would go the router removal route as a last resort.

Sacrifice a small screw driver to make a 'very small' chisel.

[mellowmarshmellow]

Something to aspire to imo, nice work

[charlesw]

Love your inlays. Something I only dream about. I have made boxes, but nothing that fancy.
Charles