Cat-Bits Build #1: Make some panels

Cat-Bits Build #2: Frame the Panels

There are some things that LittleBlackDuck (aka LBD) puts on display that are like staring at a traffic wreck and are intriguing to revisit.

His Yin and Yang of Dim Sims is the basis for this build.

I'm in a small town and small towns have distinct groups of people who like similar things. One of the primary objects of affection are birds and catering to these groups can help spur sales of otherwise typical wood projects.
Birds are tough to incorporate, too many small bits to efficiently add to a project without looking really lame. It takes real skills to make birds look like they should and trying to achieve that goal would eat up too much of my time.

This is an attempt to break into the underworld of "cat people", those who can't pass up on something with cats as a theme.

Enter the misappropriation of LBD's work and the design of Steve Good
LBD explains his process and has better prepared the design for laser work. He also offered access to this work so I downloaded a PDF for another one of my experiments.

This needed to be distorted to fit on a 6"x4" panel as part of a project I had in mind to build. I needed four panels and planned on using up some of my smaller pieces of veneers to play with various color combos.

The shapes are not symmetric and there were some anomalies when laying this out in LightBurn for the laser, but I just fiddled a bit to get it to cut, not really caring about compensating for the laser kerf and other small details. There is always going to be a second go at this type of stuff so I can do all that some other day.

Anyhoo,
Cut a bunch of cat bits out and had them (mostly) sorted as to where they needed to go.

Step 1:
Lay out a piece of standard black shelf paper onto my work platform (granite surface plate), sticky side up.

Step 2:
Begin the assembly of the cat(s), frame first (Tamo Ash)

Step 3:
Insert the cat-bits, using a Speedball 4" ink pad roller to stick all the parts to the shelf paper.

Tweezers are a must!
The bits are two veneers, one is pommele eucalyptus, not sure what the other is.

Step 4:
Cut some Anigre for backer and some 1/4" BB plywood as the panel interior.

Step 5:
Roller now becomes a glue spreader for the veneering.
I liberated the shelf paper from the surface plate and with it keeping all the cat-bits in place, prepared to apply some "Cold Press" glue to the BB plywood on the first side. The backer veneer is resting on the lower caul (3/4" melamine) with a paper towel in between. Tape is ready to wrap around the panel to keep things from sliding around.

Glue on plywood, plywood laid onto the backer, glue applied to the exposed side of the plywood, cat panel set on top (shelf paper side up).

Step 6:
This panel is small enough to just use some clamps and cauls to press it out.
I let it sit in the clamps for about two hours, the shelf paper will be peeled off in a day to allow the glue to fully dry.

The three remaining panels were made of different veneers for different cats. What cat person limits themselves to just one?

Marble Walnut/Curly English Sycamore

Marble Walnut/mystery wood

Curly English Sycamore/Pommele Eucalyptus

Next part should get into the framing and build up.