Just wondering if anyone has any experience trying this. I want to inlay a clover leaf, and I was thinking of using a similar technique as inlaying a feather, but I can see several problems doing that. Would encapsulating a leaf in epoxy prevent it from decomposing? I could see with the chlorophyll having no place to go that it should keep its color. But if it did start to decompose, the volume change would wreak havoc on the finish. Any thoughts from someone with botany experience or who's actually tried this?

I don't have any experience with this but no one else seems to have two cents, so here's mine. I don't see why this wouldn't work. If insects can last for millenia encapsulated in abmer why not a leaf in epoxy? Why not just test on a piece of scrap rod or whatever? I'd imagine that if it doesn't decompose in the first week or three it never will (in the lifetime of the rod, at least.)

Jonathan

You can do this - as well as flowers. What you have to do is dry the leaf (or flower first). The best way to do that is by pressing it . Check on-line for preserving flowers - another "whole new idea" for the female anglers.

Daniel, I tried to do exactly that once, with clover, other leaves and fresh flowers and it does not work at all if they are fresh. When the finish is dry, for some reason the flowers/leaves turn transparent, very dark or just plain dingy. The clover turned out the best, but still looked rather awful. Very dark and only the slightest hint of green. I've used straight finish and CP, and even after CP is dry, something goes south after several hours.

Since then I've messed around a bit with dried stuff with mixed results. Some stuff comes out okay, but for the most part, it doesn't give me an effect that I'm happy with. I've basically quit trying to work with real stuff.

hmmm.... think I just need to get a piece of scrap and try it for myself. Thanks guys. Ken, when you press a leaf does it retain its color or does it turn brown?

In your tests, try a VERY slow cure. Heat from the curing may slow-cook the leaf - might be the source of the problems Mick had? Think I too will play with this idea. I will post test methods and results.

Good luck.

Jonathan.