woodmosaics

If you were wondering how this product is made, I will tell you how I got started doing this type of work. I use 6 different shapes to make my craft. The 6 shapes are pictured on the heading on my home page, along with the foot powered table saw I cut them on. There is the regular size, the half size diamond and triangle and the diamond and triangle cut on a different angle for the Tumbling Block pattern.

In 1980 I incorporated small diamonds and triangles from different kinds of wood onto a cedar chest I made for my daughter that she was to fill by using half of her allowance for things she would need when she got married. Through trial and error, in the following 6 years I perfected my technique. Without an established method to go by, my skill is self-taught. The designs, concept, and the work are my own. I have been doing it full time since 1986.

There are no dyes or stains used on any of my work, only a clear finish. On most items, I use 4 or 5 coats of wiping varnish rubbed in by hand. On some of my larger items, I use 6 or 8 coats of “Varathane Diamond Wood Finish” for floors. After it has cured for at least a month, I level and rub it to a high gloss, finishing it off with rubbing compound and a buffer.

The “Old Fashioned Thick Wood Inlay” is glued onto a Baltic Birch base to give the article strength. The type of wood, used, is listed on the bottom of each item, in the order it was placed, from the center out. An exception to that is a chess board or a “Tumbling Block” pattern where there are 2 or 3 types of wood equally close to the center. This inlay is a lot thicker (3/16”) and holds up much better than “paper thin” veneer.

To start with I use a band saw to cut strips off the edge of a board. I get 4 strips per inch each being .200 thick. I then take that strip and run it through a table saw, with a hollow ground plywood blade in it. This makes a satin smooth cut and takes the strip to within .005” of .734”. When I cut the diamond I make sure it is exactly the same both ways across. The triangle is cut so the size fits the diamond as you can see on a lazy susan. No matter if the star has 3, 4 or 5 diamonds out on each point or even 12 diamonds out as is on the big star tables I make. The 2 triangles put together to form a square fit perfectly in multiples of two, out to the tip of the star from both sides. Everything has to be exact, the angle and the size. They are cut one piece at a time and glued on one or two pieces at a time. I usually hold two triangles together to form a square and glue them on as a unit.

The diamonds and triangles for the “Tumbling Block” patterns are just cut on a different angle. Those triangles are only used at the edge.

I maintain a tolerance of within .005” (5 thousandths) on each diamond and triangle for a very tight fit. The diamonds are .734” (47/64 of an inch) across, each way. I also make a half size diamond that is .520” across. When using the half size diamonds and triangles I use 16 of each where I would use 8 each of the regular size diamonds and triangles. Another example is 16 diamonds and 24 triangles where I would normally have used 8 diamonds and 12 triangles. It makes a smaller and finer design, yet ends exactly the same size.
After I glue all the pieces on, it’s rough so I sand it smooth and fill the cracks with sawdust and glue. Then it’s sanded glass smooth and finished. That’s all there is to it.
After the list of wood I put the year I made it. On most items it will say “Foot Cut” after the date. This lets you know I made it on a “foot powered table saw”. My brother helped me make the saw around 1992. Since that time, most of my product has been made on that saw. .
I know of no better way to make wood stand out and be truly beautiful.
For a lot of people, this is what dreams are made of, they dream of buying it and I dream of selling it.

Dreams do come true!