Replies

1. 
   user-5880422 | Dec 11, 2004 06:19pm | #1

   you could use MDF as a substrate and skip veneering the other side altogether.

   As far as the vacuum press is concerned, this guy has a lot of info on them and a relatively inexpensive setup that you can put together yourself

   http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/welcome.htm

2. 
   RickL | Dec 12, 2004 02:18am | #2

   Definitely a way to go. Old technology, goes back to the 30's.
   A good forum here on the subject...
   http://vacupress.com/

3. 
   giametti | Dec 12, 2004 02:28am | #3

   Vacuum presses are wonderful tools. They provide a tremendously flexible way to veneer on all kinds of shapes and sizes. Veneering on a curved door, either coopered or using bending ply, is a piece of cake provided you make a sturdy form. The first form I made was crushed like an egg. The clamping power of a vacuum press is tremendous. It will not even out a glue line well, so you want to apply glue evenly. I use mine for making bent laminations--it's expanded my repertoire a lot. I also put an electric blanket on my press to speed up the glue set.

   Jim Eddy

   http://www.jameseddywoodworks.com

4. 
   BArnold | Dec 12, 2004 02:38am | #4

   Repairman,

   Vacuum bagging is a great way to go for a lot of things all the way from flat veneering to bent laminations.  There is a learning curve to it, but it's not a difficult thing to master.  Also, you don't have to spend a ton of money if you don't want to do so.  As another poster said, read the documentation on Joe Woodworker before you proceed, then check around for surplus or auction vacuum pumps.

   The system I put together started with a friend who was downsizing his shop and sold me an A/C vacuum pump he had for $60.  I got some additonal components from Joe Woodworker and Lowe's and built my own system.  For the bag itself, I use a $6 shower curtain from Walmart.

   Regards,

   Bill Arnold - Custom Woodcrafting

   Food for Thought: The Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

   ---

1. 
   migraine | Dec 12, 2004 05:47am | #5

   "For the bag itself, I use a $6 shower curtain from Walmart"

   Now that is thinking outside of the box.

   Have you ever used it with a few 2" strips of plywood that have a cheap adhesive backed foam/neoprene tape.  You can clamp the shower curtain down to a flat sheet of melamine with a dozen of so 2" spring clamps, creating a single sided bag.  Makes getting stuff "into the bag" alot easier

   Because of where I live now, I have found that titebond2 is a great glue to use.