THE MAKING OF

ILLUSIONIST PENDANT #28

(Part 2)

Photos and Text
©2007 YKO Studio, LLC

At this point, the pattern for the butterfly shape needs to be
drawn on the blank, and then cut out using dental burs. This part must be done
carefully so the pattern looks right in both the oval AND heart shape. If you
look at some of the pieces that others are selling, and compare them with mine,
and the originals in the movie (yes, the movie used more than one) you’ll see
what I mean.

Cutting out the slots is also very careful work. If they are too
shallow, the finish sanding will remove too much of the inlay and cause
discoloration. Too deep, and you run the risk of cutting into the hole that
holds the pivot pin (don’t want any glue in there). Uneven depth results in
uneven inlay height which requires additional sanding to smooth it out, which
could lead to the problems encountered with the too shallow cut, mentioned
above.

The inlays for the butterfly pattern are then cut from Maple
veneer (for #25 I used Piano Key Ivory) to fit the shape of the slots cut into
the pendant, and glued in place.

The smaller pieces (heads, tails, antennae) are the hardest, but
the whole inlaying process is slow, careful work which involves selecting veneer
that looks right, making sure the grain goes the right way, and shaping it correctly to fit the slots without any major
gaps. The grain in all the inlays must face correctly so as to work together to
enhance the beauty of the pendant, NOT detract from it. Attention to detail is
important, here.

Shaping the antennae and tail wings can be quite a pain at times. They are so
tiny, delicate, and hard to hold. Sometimes they break just as I have them
almost right… Other times, they slip out of my fingers and fly off, never to
be seen again.

After all of the inlaying is finished, the two sides must be
rough, and fine sanded so the inlays are flat and are perfectly flush with the surface of the
pendant.

Both faces MUST be smooth to the touch!

Then the edges must be rounded over, and hand sanded smooth as well.

Next comes a quick wipe with Walnut Oil to darken the body of
the pendant, enhance the grain, and help protect the wood. After this, I apply a
light coating of bees wax for added protection.

After that, I cut the number of the pendant, and "YKO" into the
face of the upper diagonal cut.

Two holes are now drilled for the bail

 and then are filled with glue and the bail is pressed in.

Lastly, the chain is threaded through the bail,

 the heart shaped box is numbered, and I shoot photos of
the completed pendant. From there the pendant gets sold, either privately, or on
eBay.

And there you have it. This is how a piece of wood becomes an
Illusionist Pendant.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at
jon@ykostudio.com