The honeybee inlay shown here was a key part of a recent entry porch makeover for a family of avid beekeepers. To create the double inlay of a bee within a hive, I found an image of a bee online and projected it full-scale onto a piece of paper marked with deck-board spacing. I traced the outline and the body parts and wings, labeled the parts, then cut out the design to transfer it onto a piece of 1/4‑inch plywood.
I used a scroll saw to cut the plywood into pattern pieces that I then attached to the decking material. As I did so, I carefully matched each pattern piece to the associated decking color and grain orientation indicated on my original design, then used a shaper table to form the final 36 inlay pieces.
Because I needed to use decking material of different thicknesses to get the colors I wanted, I used pocket screws to keep the face in plane while screwing the body together, then padded out the backs of the thinner pieces with 1/16‑inch PVC material. To give the wings a natural look, I not only used the differences of the grain but also created a gap to differentiate the wings. The antennae are simply gaps cut strategically within a few hive pieces. Each individual piece of the hive was rounded on the outer edge to form a stylized image of how many people conceive hives to look. ❖
Photos by Brian Hand
