To create a marquetry version of a picture I admired, I needed to represent the sun. After many different handwork ideas, and simultaneously wanting to attempt a radial match, I decided to try it with a full flitch of maple. (A flitch is a bundle of veneer cut from the same part of one log.)  

 

Those who have worked on radial matching know that there are three big internal construction challenges:
(1) The alternate flitch piece layout moving up both sides of the circle.  This is tricky because each veneer piece is, of course, a little different than the previous or next one, so that there is no real perfect match, but rather near matches through the alternate layout to minimize the differences.  One hopes when you reach the final opening, across from where you started, the pieces have enough match left over so the flow of the pattern isn’t destroyed.

(2) Then there is the problem of overlap spacing (or lack of perfect overlap) and the center point culmination, which seldom works out well.  I learned a key technique from expert Bill Kimbel to make each wedge ever so slightly (minuscule really) overlapped because the BIG fail is for any visual gap between pieces as you construct the radial pie.  Then each piece has to be hand sanded delicately to the final fit since any real material overlap will not result in a flat piece.  

(3) Finally, there’s the center.  If you look at really fancy old work on radial matched antique tables, you will likely find a flower or some other decorative piece at the center point. That’s because getting all points to fit perfectly without damage where they all meet is very difficult. It is very delicate and prone to breakage.