# Intarsia or Segmentation?



## Brucio (10 Sep 2007)

I'm confused.
What exactly is Intarsia?
What is Segmentation?
Is there a difference?
Why am I asking?
See my signature....
Bruce


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## StevieB (11 Sep 2007)

Segmentation is the cutting of a pattern from a single piece of timber, shaping each piece and reassembling to the finished form. Typically pieces can be stained or painted to enhance the pattern since the wood used will still look as if the object is cut from a single piece of timber. 

Intarsia is where each piece is cut from a different piece of timber, using the natural patterns and grain of those timbers to enhance the overall effect. Typically intarsia is not painted. This teddy bear would be considered intarsia as it is from 3 different timbers.







Some people argue Intarsia is the more difficult art form since each piece must be shaped to fit the preceeding piece so as to eliminate gaps while with segmentation the only gaps will the blade cut. However if you can cut to a line it is not much more difficult to do intarsia, just more time consuming. The skill lies as much in selecting the timbers as in the cutting.

Course, others may have a different opinion!

HTH,

Steve.[/img]


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## Gill (11 Sep 2007)

Nice explanation, Steve  .



StevieB":1lwwcczl said:


> Course, others may have a different opinion!


Did you have someone in mind :wink: ?

I've cut a lot of segmentation in the past and encountered passive derision for it from some (_very _few) scrollers who regard themselves as accomplished intarsians. Generally speaking, intarsia is a more difficult technique to master than segmentation because the components are cut separately, as Steve describes, then fitted together. The difficulty in achieving a perfect fit, however, is such that intarsians recognise a gap of 1/64" (0.5 mm) as being tolerable. Marquetarians (who work with veneers rather than pieces of wood) require a perfect fit. Then again, marquetry pieces are so thin that they can't be shaped or contoured in the same way as segmentation or intarsia.

Strangely enough, some patterns are more difficult to cut successfully using segmentation techniques rather than intarsia. A little while ago Sue Chrestensen made a pattern available which a number of intarsians attempted successfully but was not suitable for segmentation because of the number of internal cuts. It's relatively easy for intarsians to fit internal pieces tightly, but much more problematic with segmentation because the effect of the blade kerf becomes more noticeable.

Another point is that if an intarsian makes a mistake, only one component is affected and it can be discarded without affecting the whole project. If a segmentation cut goes wrong, the whole project is affected.

Despite their differences, both techniques call for high levels of skill and accuracy. Most intarsians and segmenters acknowledge this and have a mutual respect for each others work, although you'll always find some troublemakers.

Gill


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## Brucio (11 Sep 2007)

Thanks, everyone.
This has put another mystery away.
I've seen lots of pictures (never the real thing) of Intarsia and/or Segmentation, but didn't know exactly what it entailed, or what the difference was.
Either way, it sounds quite complicated, and since all I can seem to get hold of is plywood, rather than real wood, I think I'll stay with my little boring boxes...
Bruce


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## Gill (11 Sep 2007)

There's nothing boring about your boxes, Bruce!

If you fancy using hardwoods, have you thought about trying Robert Duncan in Gateshead? Never used them myself but they're on Chas's list of timber merchants. There might be other suppliers up that way too.

Gill


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