medallion for blanket chest

Try here:

Wed, Aug 15, 2007, 10:33am (EDT-3) snipped-for-privacy@ellzey.net (rlz) doth query: I am fairly new to furniture making and have just finished a blanklet chest as a birthday gift to my wife. I'm looking to put a brass medallion on the front, just a decoritive piece maybe 3" by 6". I'm not even sure what these could be called. Any ideas for sources for this type of piece?

Well, I know what you mean anyway. Personally, I'd either get a piece of brass, and make my own; or, go to a place that sells plaques and trophies, they should hav someting you like. They should be able to engrave something personal too. Me, I'd probably etch a design, or inscription, myself. I'd rather do things like that myself, so it's a one-of-a-kind thing, instead of a multiple reproction piece. That, and I'm usually too damn cheap to pay the high price most places want.

JOAT I do things I don't know how to do, so that I might learn how to do them.

- Picasso

Brass looks cheap. If it's oak, walnut or something dark, then use copper instead, You can patinate this, or just let it age naturally. For other colours, consider silver, or pewter. Compared to the work or cost of making the thing, the materials cost is cheap, even for silver.

You might have this piece engraved by a local silversmith, or have some repousse work done to it. If you have the skills for it (as a start, can you draw or carve?) then you can do it yourself. Especially on pewter, any woodworker with the hand and eye to sketch moderately well can work a metal plaque by punches into repousse on a pitch block and some punch or graver work on the front.