PC Slower Than It Used to Be?
The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →A free scan shows the junk files, broken settings and background clutter dragging Windows down - then fixes them in one click.Free scan · Windows 10 & 11
Outdated Drivers Are Slowing You Down
One free scan finds every outdated or missing driver and matches the right update for your exact hardware.Free scan · exact hardware match
ThatPainter is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Learn More
Paul Schurch’s marquetry begins with a crucial distinction: motif and background veneers are cut and assembled together into one decorative “skin,” then attached to a furniture surface. Inlay takes the opposite approach—cutting a recess in a solid material and fitting a contrasting wood, shell, bone or stone into it. The 2021 WOOD Magazine profile of Schurch explains how his Old World process combines packet, contour and knife cutting to make complex veneer pictures.
Who is Paul Schurch?
WOOD Magazine describes Schurch as a Santa Barbara woodworker whose training crossed several trades and countries. According to the profile, he apprenticed in piano building and church-organ building in Switzerland, where he learned cabinetmaking and worked with many materials. After returning to Southern California, he studied boatbuilding in England; he says learning to fair curves later influenced his furniture design.
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
|
Lumberjanes Book Three | $17.59 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
|
Lumberjanes Book Five | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
|
Lumberjanes Book One | $10.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
|
Barrons Books The New Bird Handbook | $4.47 | Buy on Amazon |
| 5 |
|
The Complete Opera Book | $2.99 | Buy on Amazon |
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
A commission involving marquetry prompted him to seek instruction from an Italian master. The article says Schurch made repeated visits to learn both production methods and more intricate work. It also describes his shop, Schurch Woodwork, and reports that he accepted apprentices, taught as a visiting instructor at Marc Adams School of Woodworking and demonstrated at selected woodworking shows. Those descriptions apply to the period covered by the article and do not establish his current activities.
“I feel that I have a commitment to pass on what I’ve learned, not hang on to it,” Schurch says in the profile. That teaching ethic is part of the story, but the lasting lesson is practical: elaborate imagery can be built from carefully selected, precisely cut veneer rather than carved into a solid panel.
#1 Best Overall
Marquetry and inlay are not the same operation
Schurch defines his approach this way: “Marquetry, as I learned it, is working veneer for the background and the design, called the motif, at the same time to create one ‘skin’ that will be glued to the solid wood.”
Quick wins for a faster PC:
Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →He contrasts it with inlay: “Inlay is routing or cutting out a recess in wood to accept either a contrasting wood, bone, shell, or stone.”
| Feature | Marquetry | Inlay |
|---|---|---|
| Where the image is formed | Background and motif veneers are cut and assembled as one sheet or “skin.” | A recess is cut into a base material. |
| What is fitted | Multiple veneer pieces, often at the same time as the background. | Contrasting material such as wood, bone, shell or stone. |
| How it reaches the furniture | The completed skin is glued onto the surface. | The contrasting piece is set into the routed or cut recess. |
This distinction matters when choosing a method or tool. Schurch’s described work is veneer assembly first and surface attachment second, not a decorative shape routed directly into a solid top.
Schurch’s three cutting techniques
The profile identifies three parts of his Old World method. Each solves a different cutting problem.
Rank #2
Packet cutting: repeatable pieces from a stack
For packet cutting, veneer sheets are stacked and cut together on a scroll saw. The resulting pieces can be rearranged like a jigsaw so that related layers produce matching motif and background parts. Schurch is reported to have stacked as many as 16 veneer layers, usually 14, and to have used a #000 blade with about 60 teeth per inch. Those figures describe his reported setup, not a universal requirement for every veneer or design.
Packet cutting is most useful when the same outline must be produced through several veneer layers. It creates repeated output in one operation, but the stack must remain secure and the cut must stay accurate through its full thickness.
Contour cutting: precision for individual motif parts
When only a few selected motif parts are needed, Schurch cuts their outlines individually rather than committing a full veneer sheet to a packet. The article calls this contour cutting and notes that it demands greater precision than packet cutting. It is the appropriate choice when a design element is too isolated or too small in number to justify a complete stack.
Knife cutting: fitting the larger background
Larger veneer sections, especially background areas, are fitted with knife cutting. The profile describes using a sharp chisel to score and cut through the veneer while using the veneer itself as the guide. This approach lets the background conform closely to the already planned motif pieces instead of forcing every area through a scroll-saw cut.
Rank #3
| Technique | Best suited to | Defining trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Packet cutting | Many repeated pieces cut through a stacked veneer packet. | Efficient repeated output, but accuracy must hold through the entire stack. |
| Contour cutting | Individual or small-number motif components. | Greater precision required than packet cutting. |
| Knife cutting | Large background sections and fitted veneer areas. | Uses the veneer edge as a guide for a close fit rather than cutting a full packet. |
The scroll saw’s role—and what the source does not establish
A scroll saw is the clearest tool connection in this process because it performs packet and contour cuts. A fine blade such as Schurch’s reported #000, approximately 60-teeth-per-inch setup is intended for delicate veneer work. The article does not identify a current make or model, test competing saws, or provide a current product listing. For shopping purposes, treat “scroll saw” as the tool category, not as an endorsement of a particular machine.
Recommended Free Tools
Assembling and checking the veneer skin
Build the complete pattern
After the motif pieces are cut, Schurch combines them with knife-cut background veneer to form the complete skin. He applies thin veneer tape to the face side to hold the assembly together. The tape uses a water-soluble adhesive, allowing removal after the skin has been glued down; the profile says he sands the tape away to avoid raising the grain.
Backlight the assembly
Before pressing, he checks the skin against a window. Light passing through saw kerfs exposes small gaps and chipped edges that can be difficult to see on the bench. This simple backlighting check turns a nearly invisible fit problem into a visible repair.
Repair chips and pinholes
For small chips after gluing, the article says Schurch uses a paste made from dark wood dust and hide glue. He applies thinned shellac as a sealer around the repair area first, protecting the surrounding veneer from the paste. The profile presents this as his shop practice, not as a universal color-matching formula for every species.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Pressing the skin onto furniture
Schurch matches the pressing method to the workpiece’s form and scale.
The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →| Workpiece | Pressing method described in the profile |
|---|---|
| Smaller tabletops and cabinet doors | Hot pressing. |
| Curved or round projects | Vacuum pressing. |
| Large panels or pieces | A larger veneer press. |
The profile says Schurch uses hide glue because heat can make repairs possible while the glue still holds firmly. That is his stated reason and preference; the article is not a comparative adhesive test or general glue-selection guide.
Finishing choices
The finish depends on the piece. The profile reports that many of Schurch’s works receive two sprayed coats of conversion varnish. It also mentions tung oil, varnish and wax. For marquetry tops and panels, Schurch says he favors French polishing: shellac applied in thin layers with a linen pad. These are finishing practices attributed to Schurch, not a claim that one finish is best for all veneer furniture.
“Rosie”: a measure of the detail possible
The profile’s named example, a small table called “Rosie,” is reported as 24½ inches tall with a 24½-inch-diameter top. Its motif contains more than 600 wood pieces. The 2021 article reports a sale price of $10,000. That is a historical sale reported in that article, not a current appraisal, asking price or market benchmark.
Best Value
Other examples include a display cabinet with revolving doors and a ribbon high cabinet. The article also discusses pietra dure, the stone-inlay work Schurch studied with an Italian master. Pietra dure belongs to the stone-inlay tradition and should not be confused with the veneer-based marquetry sequence described above.
What a woodworker can learn from the process
- Define the construction before cutting: a marquetry skin is assembled from veneer; an inlay is fitted into a recess.
- Use packet cutting when a stacked set of veneers can produce repeated matching pieces.
- Reserve contour cutting for isolated motif components that need individual precision.
- Fit broad background areas with knife cutting, using the veneer edge as the guide.
- Inspect the assembled skin with transmitted light before committing it to the furniture.
- Choose the pressing method by shape and size: hot for smaller flat work, vacuum for curved or round work, and a larger veneer press for large panels.
Schurch’s method is demanding because every stage protects the next one. Accurate cuts reduce gaps; backlighting finds the gaps that remain; careful repairs and an appropriate press determine whether the finished skin reads as a continuous image rather than a collection of loose fragments.
Source note
The biographical details, quotations, techniques, equipment figures and “Rosie” example in this article are reported from WOOD Magazine Staff, “The Marquetry Magic of Paul Schurch,” published January 4, 2021. The original feature is listed in WOOD Magazine, March 2001, Issue 131, page 44.
Quick Recap
