diff --git a/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp b/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp
index 9b77e03c..c632fa29 100644
--- a/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp
+++ b/libsrc/meshing/python_mesh.cpp
@@ -196,9 +196,25 @@ DLL_HEADER void ExportNetgenMeshing()
 
   bp::class_<FaceDescriptor>("FaceDescriptor")
     .def(bp::init<const FaceDescriptor&>())
+    .def("__init__", bp::make_constructor
+         (FunctionPointer ([](int surfnr, int domin, int domout)
+                           {
+                             auto fd = new FaceDescriptor();
+                             fd->SetSurfNr(surfnr);
+                             fd->SetDomainIn(domin);
+                             fd->SetDomainOut(domout);
+                             return fd;
+                           }),
+          bp::default_call_policies(),        // need it to use arguments
+          (bp::arg("surfnr")=1, 
+           bp::arg("domin")=1,
+           bp::arg("domout")=0)),
+         "create facedescriptor")
     .def("__str__", &ToString<FaceDescriptor>)
     .def("__repr__", &ToString<FaceDescriptor>)
     .add_property("surfnr", &FaceDescriptor::SurfNr, &FaceDescriptor::SetSurfNr)
+    .add_property("domin", &FaceDescriptor::DomainIn, &FaceDescriptor::SetDomainIn)
+    .add_property("domout", &FaceDescriptor::DomainOut, &FaceDescriptor::SetDomainOut)
     ;
 
   
@@ -282,17 +298,20 @@ DLL_HEADER void ExportNetgenMeshing()
                                     return self.AddFaceDescriptor (fd);
                                   }))
 
-    /*
-    .def("__init__", bp::make_constructor
-         (FunctionPointer ([]()
-                           {
-                             cout << "create new mesh" << endl;
-                             auto tmp = make_shared<Mesh>();
-                             return tmp;
-                           })),
-         "create empty mesh"
-      )
-    */
+    .def ("GenerateVolumeMesh", FunctionPointer
+          ([](Mesh & self)
+           {
+             cout << "generate vol mesh" << endl;
+             MeshingParameters mp;
+             MeshVolume (mp, self);
+           }))
+
+    .def ("Refine", FunctionPointer
+          ([](Mesh & self)
+           {
+             self.GetGeometry()->GetRefinement().Refine(self);
+           }))
+
     .def ("BoundaryLayer", FunctionPointer 
           ([](Mesh & self, int bc, double thickness, int volnr, string material)
            {
diff --git a/py_tutorials/merge.py b/py_tutorials/merge.py
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..931d095a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/py_tutorials/merge.py
@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+from netgen.meshing import *
+from netgen.csg import *
+
+from ngsolve import ngsglobals
+ngsglobals.msg_level = 2
+
+geo1 = CSGeometry()
+geo1.Add (OrthoBrick( Pnt(0,0,0), Pnt(1,1,1) ))
+m1 = geo1.GenerateMesh (maxh=0.1)
+m1.Refine()
+m1.Refine()
+
+
+geo2 = CSGeometry()
+geo2.Add (Sphere (Pnt(0.5,0.5,0.5), 0.1))
+m2 = geo2.GenerateMesh (maxh=0.05)
+m2.Refine()
+m2.Refine()
+
+print ("********************")
+print ("** start merging  **")
+print ("********************")
+
+mesh = Mesh()
+fd_outside = mesh.Add (FaceDescriptor(surfnr=1,domin=1))
+fd_inside = mesh.Add (FaceDescriptor(surfnr=2,domin=2,domout=1))
+
+
+pmap1 = { }
+for e in m1.Elements2D():
+    for v in e.vertices:
+        if (v not in pmap1):
+            pmap1[v] = mesh.Add (m1[v])
+
+for e in m1.Elements2D():
+    mesh.Add (Element2D (fd_outside, [pmap1[v] for v in e.vertices]))
+
+
+
+pmap2 = { }
+for e in m2.Elements2D():
+    for v in e.vertices:
+        if (v not in pmap2):
+            pmap2[v] = mesh.Add (m2[v])
+
+for e in m2.Elements2D():
+    mesh.Add (Element2D (fd_inside, [pmap2[v] for v in e.vertices]))
+
+
+print ("******************")
+print ("** merging done **")
+print ("******************")
+
+
+mesh.GenerateVolumeMesh()
+mesh.Save ("newmesh.vol")
+
+