Questions and Answers on the Topic of Marquetry.(Please note I have not recieved any formal tuition and these questions and comments are only a reflection of my practice.)
Q. What equipment do I need to pursue straw marquetry?
A. The Napolionic Prisoners of war who excelled at straw marquetry, had only the straw in their cells. They produced tools from scrap metals, nails, wire bolts etc. The glue they used came from boiling beef and mutton bones. However the objects listed below make the task easier for the modern day worker
Straw
The only straw I have used at present comes from Something Corny and is listed as being suitable for marquetry.www.somethingcorny.co.uk/product-category/straw-working-supplies/straw/
Straw Splitter
I split my straw with a Hindenburg. An item which is available from :- www.somethingcorny.co.uk/product-category/straw-working-supplies/tools/page/2/
Before purchasing a Hindenburg, I used a seam ripper and a knife.A Working Surface
I work on a 'self heal' mat. I have two. One is large (42cm x 60cm). The second is smaller (14cm x 22cm)
I have two because when I am cutting straws I attach them to a board, which I need to easily rotate to trim both sides of the straw.A Cutting Blade
I have an 'x cut' craft knife from Hobbycraft. The blades are easy to replace as they go blunt very quickly with the straw.
A Metal Ruler
Essential for cutting straight lines but not the ruler. I suggest one without padding attached to the back as this tends to slide.
Glue
The glue I choose to use depends upon the project I am involved with. For small cutouts on item such as cards, I use a Pritt Stick. For larger surface areas I choose either a PVA glue from Hobbycraft or the Pinflair Book Binding Glue available on line.
Q. How do I prepare the straw strips?
A. Currently I split and flatten dry straws with my hindenburg.
Some places advise you to soak the straws first. This seems to make them easier to split and flatten but is also time consuming as the damp straw seem to curl back to their original tubular shape and have to be flattened a second time when they have dried out. The process can be sped up by ironing the split straws flat. I have noticed that this sometimes causes bumps in the straws. I think this may be because I have a steam iron and it is drying the straws unevenly.
Q. My straw strips are uneven. How can I cut them easily to lay parallel?
A. A flattened straw is not a uniform shape. They tend to bulge in the centre. In order to lay down a series of parrallell strips the straws need to be trimmed straight. I do this quickly by attaching a number of straws to the smaller cuttting board with cellotape and quickly trimming all the right hand edges. Then rotating the board and trimming the opposite sides of the straw.
Q. Should I apply glue to the back of the straw or to the item I am sticking it onto?
A. Provided your straws are not overlapping, I would apply the glue to the object which you are covering. It is easy to wipe away excess glue with a damp cloth.
However, if you are making an object such as a card with a backing material which wouldn't tolerate being mopped with a damp cloth, then apply a light, less liquid glue to the back of the straw.
Q. I tried to glue directly onto a surface but my straw didn't appear to want to stick/ the straw slide. Am I doing something wrong?
A. Try covering the surface with a layer of PVC first and leaving it to dry. Then start working with the straw.
I watched a video where the gentleman was covering cork mats with straw. It looked easy but my straw didn't stick at all until I discovered the trick of covering the surface with glue first. Sometimes the reverse happens. The surface is covered with PVA which peels off when you apply the second layer with the straws.Possibly highly porus surfaces need to be prepared with a layer of glue, whereas non porus surfaces don't need the preparation.
Q. Should I stick and trim with a craft knife onto the object I am covering or should I stick my shapes onto a backing sheet and make the design by laying adjoining shapes.
A. It is certainly easier and quicker to work and trim directly onto a surface but it does need a high degree of accuracy not to get small gaps between the shapes. You can 'cheat' by placing thin strips over the gaps as part of the design.
If you assemble precut shapes together on a surface, the cutting has to be very accurate. It can be prepared on pre marked out paper which helps with the accuracy
Q. I've heard of 'bonding', what is that?
A. Bonding is a process used in wood marquetry where the surface of the wood is swith water to dampen it and the product is then ironed. The heat from the iron supposedly activateds the glue so the designs go very flat. I have ironed this table top and it is very flat though I will still protect it with a layer or glasss or perspex.