Taarkashi-Jaipur
The process of wire inlay involves a lot of steps. Following are the major heads under which the product can be classified:
• Seasoning of the wood
• Cutting of the wood
• Preparation of the metal strips
• Marking
• Engraving
• Inlaying
• Leveling
• Filling
• Scraping
• Buffing
Seasoning of the Wood:
The wood cut from a log contains high percentage of moisture which has to be removed for better results. Drying or seasoning is the process of removing the moisture from the wood. For this purpose the planks of wood are stacked in a covered place, keeping enough space in between two planks and the ground for the air to pass. The planks are exposed to natural air and protected from direct sunlight and rain. Seasoning takes around 6-7 months, but more the time given, better is the seasoning. Seasoning prevents the wood from developing cracks in it.
Cutting of the Wood:
The seasoned wood is cut to the required shape and dimension according to the product to be made. Depending on the design to be inlaid/ incorporated, the product is either completed before inlaying or first the inlay is done on separate parts and then the parts are joined together to form the product.
Preparation of the Metal Strips:
For the strips to be inlayed first marking is done on the sheet of metal. Approximately 1 inch wide strips are marked on the sheet of brass, copper or silver. According to the marking strips are cut out with the help of scissors. This cutting is done free hand without any marking. With the help of hammer, one side of the edge is beaten to make it sharp. This side is cut with the help of scissor having a width of approx. 2 mm. These thin strips of wire are called as taar and used for inlay. The wires are further straightened with the help of a Chimti.
Marking:
The design and pattern to be made on the product are either drawn directly or printed on a paper and pasted on the surface of the wood. The method changes according to the number of pieces or the shape of the product. Mainly the artisans draw the design by hand using scale, compass and right angle. The designs and patterns made are mainly in grids which are marked on wood with the help of marking tool. Parallel lines are drawn with the help of a marker and right angle. With the help of compass equal distances are marked and a grid is drawn. Once the grid is made the patterns are set in accordingly.
Engraving:
Once the layout and pattern making is done on the wood the craftsman starts engraving the design with the help of a half-round chisel and hammer. The depth of engraving is around 1 mm which is less than the width of the prepared wire so that the wire fits in tightly. In case of intricate designs the entire pattern is not chiseled at one go as the wood starts chipping off. To prevent this, a small part of the design is chiseled and the wire is inlaid and the process is repeated to complete the design pattern.
Inlaying:
The wire is held and moved with one hand along the contour of the design and constantly hammered with another hand. The prepared wire is used continuously till it gets over. The sharp edge of the wire is inlayed in the wood while the thick edge remains on the top When the wire inlay is complete the excess wire is cut either with hammer or broken by twisting the wire in hand.
Leveling:
After the design is complete by inlaying the wire, the product is sanded with Silli to make the surface even.
Filling:
Burada is the saw dust of the same wood is mixed with fevicol and water. This mixture is applied all over the product with the help of a metal blade. The product is then kept in the sun for drying. This helps in filling the cracks, grooves and spaces left while engraving or chipping of wood.
Scraping:
After filling and drying the product is scraped with the blade to remove all the excess Putti from the surfaces. Once the product is scraped 100 number sand paper is used to rub the surface. This process is done to give the surface a smooth finish
Buffing:
The product is thus given the final finishing by buffing. Buffing includes the use of two kinds of buff pads:
• Cutting pad (used to give a good finish)
• Shining pad (to give a lustrous look)
Once the product is buffed it is rubbed with a cotton cloth containing wax polish. This not only saves the surface of wood but also enhances the shine.
