I’ve what I think about to be a slight dependancy to working with wooden veneers.
Whenever you begin to examine the out there veneers available on the market, it turns into very troublesome for me to grasp any resistance to it, that some individuals have. Possibly it is worry of the unknown.
For some, it could possibly be that veneered furnishings is considered inferior to stable wooden furnishings. This could not be farther from the reality. It could possibly be the truth that among the woodworking guidelines are invalid for utilizing this materials. Or possibly the price of investing in a brand new side of an already costly passion. Or possibly it is the concept of shopping for the tools, and ending up not utilizing it. Solely the person can reply these resistances to a brand new technique of woodworking.
I wish to provide a straightforward, cheap method to “check the waters”, to search out out whether it is for you. Discover I did not say, in case your able to it. You might be.
First off some supplies wanted, that are cheap. We are able to begin with a easy undertaking, which could possibly be used for various factor, and even that may be determined after
finishing the veneering half.
Utilizing a small piece of M.D.F.,(medium density fiberboard), both half” or three/four” thick, and no matter measurement you will have laying round. Plywood will work for this too, be just isn’t as secure as M.D.F. For these of you that are not conscious, there’s an extremely gentle model of M.D.F., that weighs about half that of the common product. The working properties are virtually equivalent.
The subsequent factor wanted could be some veneer. Woodcraft and Rockler each promote small
packs of *sequence matched veneer.* This implies the items within the packs have been minimize from
the log, and stored within the order through which they have been sliced. This ensures there will likely be little or no distinction within the grain sample from one piece to the subsequent.
These packs are available varied sizes, and differ in worth from $ 25.00 to about $ 70.00. One factor to bear in mind when eradicating them from the pack, is to quantity them with a pencil. This may assist you maintain them in the identical order as they have been faraway from the log.
The subsequent merchandise to purchase could be veneer tape, which is offered in various thicknesses, and likewise in a stable, two gap, or three gap model. The most typical is a medium weight, three gap tape. This tape should be moistened and utilized to the *face* facet of the veneer.
All of my slicing and matching is finished on the again facet,or glue facet, of the veneer.
Slicing might be finished with a desk noticed, wooden chisel, veneer noticed, or scalpel. Once I minimize
veneer, I normally tape at the very least one facet of the veneer with blue painters tape, the place it’s to be minimize. If solely taping one facet, it’s the again facet. This manner, the tape will assist maintain the slicing system from following the grain of the veneer. If it’s a troublesome veneer, like a burl, I at all times tape either side. This make chip free joints attainable.
When slicing the veneer with a desk noticed, sandwich the pre *taped* veneer between two
items of plywood, that are screwed collectively. One of the best ways to do that is to make the
plywood longer than the veneer to be minimize. Preserve the veneer parallel to the sting of the plywood. Preserve the screws inside the width of the completed width of the veneer. (Simply to forestall you from slicing by way of the screws). Utilizing your desk noticed, rip one fringe of the veneer. Now spin it round, or flip it over, and rip the opposite *pre taped* edge.
At this level you’ll be able to take away the screws on one finish of the plywood. Utilizing your miter
gage, you’ll be able to sq. up one finish of the sandwich. Assuming you probably did tape the veneer
earlier than placing it within the sandwich.
As soon as that finish is minimize, spin it round, maintain it in opposition to the miter gage and take away the screws. It’s unlikely something will transfer on this vogue. Now minimize that finish. I can do that in much less time than I might sort it.
Now the veneer is freed from the plywood. Rigorously take away the blue tape, by pulling it *with* the grain. For those who go in opposition to the grain, it can chip the perimeters.
You realize have a superbly uniform pack of veneer, which is able to be joined. Resolve on the sample you need. To make a 4 means ebook match, open the items like a ebook. The 4 equivalent corners will likely be within the middle of the panel.
Now, working from the again facet, line up the ends of two items. Utilizing small items of
blue tape, maintain the joint tightly collectively, and place the tape throughout the joint. Pulling on the tape will stretch it barely, and when launched will pull the joint tighter collectively. Repeat this each 4 inches or so.
Now flip it over and apply the veneer tape in the identical vogue. Upon getting utilized the veneer tape throughout the joint, run a bit down your complete size of the joint. Utilizing a display screen curler, or veneer curler, or perhaps a delicate brass wire brush, work the tape into the veneer.
Now do the opposite two items the identical means. If you end up completed this, be a part of the 2 halves, utilizing the identical method. Now, gently flip it over and take away the blue painters tape. By no means veneer a substrate with both masking tape or blue painters tape within the glue.
The subsequent resolution to be made is the glue sort, and technique of fastening the veneer. With a view to maintain it easy, we’ll think about the three hottest strategies.
The primary could be a urea resin glue. The perfect clamping technique could be a vacuum bag.
One other chance is a caul, with a platen. The platen applies stress over a larger space. The cauls are spaced evenly and clamped tightly. Remember to use a bit of wax paper between the Clip on veneers and the platen, to forestall them from bonding collectively, ought to any glue squeeze out ontoyour work.
The subsequent technique, which is sort of equivalent to the primary one, apart from the usage of Tite Bond Chilly Press Veneer Glue. The gluing utility technique is similar for all three forms of glue. That might be a brief napped curler, spreading a light-weight even coat to each surfaces.
The third technique stands out as the best for some, and that will be to use Tite Bond Sort II, P.V.A. glue. This technique requires coating each surfaces, letting them dry, and ironing them on, with a home maintain iron, set to a medium excessive setting.
After the glue has cured, dampen the veneer tape, and let it sit. After a pair minutes, dampen it once more, once more ready a pair minutes. Then utilizing a putty knife or cupboard scraper, *gently* take away the veneer tape.