Bellflower inlay technique

Re: Bellflower inlay technique

Wiley Horne--Glendora, CA

>Mike,

I've developed an interest in the Hepplewhite style also, and am a rank beginner. But I'll tell you what I've come across so far, which may help a little. And also refer you to a forum dedicated just to period furniture.

Robt. Mussey's book, Furniture Masterworks by Robt. and Thomas Seymour, has some information on how the Seymours executed their bellflowers. The Seymours' bellflowers have a simple curve, and can be cut from veneer with one gouge of the right sweep and length. To make the whole strand down the leg of a secretary or table, you need a graduated series of gouges (the exact ones you need is another issue you'll come across).

Anyway--and this is the point--Mussey says that the Seymours used the same gouge to sink the mortise in the work, that was used to cut the flower from the veneer. He doesn't say if they used patternmaker's (incannel) gouges or regular outcannel carving gouges. But even as a total beginner, I've been able to get pretty good results right off the bat using carving gouges.

Here's what happens. You cut the inlay piece from veneer by making one strike of the gouge, which makes a curved slice in the veneer, then turn the gouge around and make a mirror image cut, and a lozenge-shaped piece pops out. Hold the gouge at a bit of an angle toward you so that the lozenge is slightly undercut. Now go to the work, and make the same two cuts, holding the gouge at the same angle. Here's the magic--if you hold your mouth just right and practice a while on scrap, you'll be able to get a lozenge-shaped chip to pop out of the work that is the same depth (or slightly deeper, which is OK) as the veneer thickness--the undercutting of the gouge makes this happen. What you're relying on is the geometry of the gouge. The veneer piece will sit down in that mortise like it was born there, because the undercutting is all at the same angle, and the gouge geometry ensures the shape is right. I'm using about 3/32" depth right now.

I am also working on compound-shaped bellflowers, such as those used by Goddard and Townsend--each of these flowers requires a group of gouges to make the various curves, and are probably best done by overlaying a template on the work, as a guide.

I asked a similar question to yours on the forum of the SAPFM (Soc. of American Period Furniture Makers), and got some good answers from people with real experience. You might go there and search under 'bellflower' and pull up the thread. There's some good stuff in there on sand-scorching the inlay pieces also.

Finally, and the reason I'm being so long-winded here, is that this business of making ornament with just gouges and hide glue has tremendous possibilities. You can make very striking banding the same way. For the most part it can be done just with hand and eye, and really minimal setup.

What patterns are you interested in making?

Wiley

Re: Bellflower inlay technique

Mike in Sac

>Wiley,

Thanks. That was great. Can't wait to give it a try. Actually, I was looking at the Baltimore game table that appeared in a recent PWW. I think it was by Glenn Huey. Anyway, he said that he had simplified the inlay. I assumed that the first elements he simplified were the bellflowers, which started me thinking about how they were done. They are such a common element of those tables.

Mike

Thanks Wiley, great post

Frank D. in Montreal

>

Hey Wiley

Dan Donaldson

>This sounds like a good one for an article. A series of pictures and a bit of text (don't worry about the formatting, we can clean that up) and it would be a good resource for others to look at.;-)

Re: Bellflower inlay technique *LINK*

William Claspy in Cleveland

>In addition to Wiley's excellent post, if you want to see a short (4 minute or so) video of someone actually doing a bell flower inlay, check out the web page from the special exhibit of Seymour furniture that was at the Peabody-Essex museum a few years ago. The videos are still up and running, feature Phil Lowe, and show several techniques, including inlays. Not exactly a step-by-step how-to, but at least will give you the idea...

Wm


Phil Lowe videos at Peabody-Essex Museum