I’ve been spending the past few months building an elaborate reproduction of a bed designed by Harvey Ellis. The central panel features some inlay work. I cut the wood and metal for this inlay using a jeweler’s saw. My first few attempts were so bad that I considered trying to cut the material at my library’s maker space with a laser cutter. But I struggled for two days trying to learn the software I’d need to use. I just don’t like sitting in front of computers if I don’t have to.
Instead, I decided to just keep practicing doing it by hand, guided by a YouTube lecture by a marquetry expert who learned his craft working at his family’s jewelry business. I used time during a pet sitting gig to make many attempts at the central woodland scene until I understood how to use the tools.
There’s nothing wrong with using computers if you use them consciously. The Bauhaus, the architects of the International Style, and the mid-century work of the Eames all make use of a machine aesthetic that can be elegant. But in 2024 I have an intuition that we need to return to hand work, perhaps as a reaction to the excesses of our Silicon Valley overlords.
The panel above, which awaits more sanding and staining, was done with a combination of hand fret saw work and inlay facilitated by a Dremel and router. Instead of a CNC router I did it freehand. It’s not perfect but that’s kind of the point.
Beautiful work, Erik. Wow!
my sentiments exactly!
Thanks Michael–hope you are well!
wow! Great work. That is going to be a one of a kind headboard.
“It’s not perfect but that’s kind of the point” — 100% agree. This is what I am constantly telling my students (I run a craft & environmental education program) who so often get upset when their first try at something does not come out like it was made by a machine. The point is that it is not made by a machine! Also, beautiful work, woodworking is not my thing personally but for my husband it is, along with metal. I will have to show him this, I wonder if he’s got inlay on his radar/to learn list.