Combining Turning and Marquetry - A Cavalier Tealight Holder

This was an experiment of sorts I did attempting to combine turning and marquetry. Several people in our marquetry club had shown pieces along the same lines, including plates and boxes. I decided to attempt a tealight holder. The first step was to turn the main body. I cut a small inset around the middle for the veneer, and drilled a hole in the top for the tealight. I don't seem to have any pictures, but it was the first turning I'd done in a while, so it was a bit of a challenge. 

The next challenge was laying out a design that would fit around the circumference, and that you wouldn't see the join line. I chose two Cavalier King Charles Spaniels with a butterfly. I cut them stacked, so that I actually got two copies of it, but in opposite colourways. 

Here's a more detailed shot. The height was trimmed to the exact height of the inset, and the length was slightly longer than the circumference. 

It was at this point that I realized that I'd made my life harder than necessary. While the veneer bends quiet well, especially when covered with glue, the very tight radius I'd chosen, made it very finicky to bend without it cracking. In the end, after quite a while, I got it to work. It gets glued in two stages. During the first step, I put glue on all but the last half inch on each side, to get the majority of the piece in place. When it was dry, I put a straight edge over the overlapping end bits, and made a cut with an exacto-knife through both of the pieces at once. This gives a really tight, perfect fit. I then glued the last bits. Rubber bands are the only real way to clamp it in place. I didn't have enough hands while trying to get everything aligned to take step by step photos, but am planning another similar project, where I'll show this more clearly. 

I stamped my initials in the bottom as a signature. Then added several coats of Waterlox Finish, and buffed it on the Beall Buffing system.

And this is how it turned out. I really like how no matter which way you look at it, there's something to see. So in the middle of the table, it's interesting for everyone. I definitely learned a lot doing this project, including many things I'd do differently to improve on it, and am quite excited to give it another go!