My first time working with crotch veneer, and of course I’m having problems with chip out along the edges of the veneer.
What is the best approach to preventing this. I’m thinking I’ll score it along the cut line, but that’s a lota work. Are there other/better approaches?
Thanks, Dave
Replies
Soften it with glycerine or other proprietory softener and place between sheets of plywood with weights on it, and between absorbant paper. Keep it flat in a press until you are ready to use it.
Attach it with a 2 part formalihide glue to another veneer, like thin poplar. Clamp the bejesus out of it and keep it flat (see above) until you are ready to use it.
The veneer backing will add structure and strength to it.
Regards,
Scooter
"I may be drunk, but you're crazy, and I'll be sober tomorrow." WC Fields, "Its a Gift" 1934
This isn't my 1st veneering. I have no problem sticking the crotch veneer to the substrate. It sticks very well. I use gorilla glue and a vacuum press. Also, the veneer is not paperbacked.My problem is, the fine chipping that is created along the cutline when running the veneered piece through my table saw. This problem is not normally seen when using flat sawn, paperbacked veneers, but it is very prevelent when using veneers with screwy grains. I scored the veneer along the cut line with a knife, and that worked giving me a nice smooth cut. But I was just wondering if there was any other tricks that I haven't thought of. This stuff chips so easily, you can hardly breath on it.Dave
LD, on the back side of the veneer, run a piece of masking tape where the cut line is going to be. Do your trimming then tape up on the face with veneer tape, then, you can remove masking tape from backside. The veneer tape will keep the masking tape from tearing out pieces when it's removed. You can also, use the no hole veneer tape on the face, cut it, then tape up with 2 or 3 hole tape. If you're using the TS I hope your using a very fine blade. I use a 200 tooth steel blade with a holder or clamp system I made to keep the veneer tight and flat.Furniture...the Art of a FurnitureMaker
Thanks, that all makes sense. I'm using my standard woodworker II on the TS. I'll look for a finer toothed blade for future.I will also need to route a 1/4" groove ~1"in from each edge of several drawer fronts that have been covered with crotch veneer. This will be used for some inlay trim. Do you have any suggestions on the best way to accomplish this without tear out?Thanks for the education
Depends on the drawer sizes, if all the same, make one jig and route them out, using a sharp router bit in a plunge router. If different sizes you'll have to work out a safe method to control the router such as having an adjustable jig. If you use a urea resin glue, I like Unibond 800, you shouldn't have any tearout issues. Main thing is to hold your breath until you finish the first one, well, that may be an exaggeration, but you feel like it.It's also possible to cut and tape up with the inlay when you glue up. Have to be careful of placement when doing that.Furniture...the Art of a FurnitureMaker
I have had good luck cuttting a straight egde with the crotch walnut with a veneer saw, by hand. I cut it about 1/8 ich oversize. I then true up the edge by taking two strips of 3/4 inch plywood about 2 inches wide by the length of the edge you are trying to cut. Sandwich the veneer betwen the boards and line up the cut line with the edge of both boards. Clamp the sandwich in place Use a small router or laminate trimmer with a flush trim bit (sharp). This cuts the excess off like a hot knife through butter. Moistening the veneer with the softener works well also.
I have used the one from Constantines. If you want to get it to stay flat you can add a lille bit of hide glue (maybe a teaspoon per quart or so). Also, I would recommend using newsprint paper (ie the paper that newspaper printed on but without the ink to smudge on everything), as a blotter wehn you are flattening it in a press. I got the latter method from a course with Phillip Lowe.
Jay
What Earl said. I've had really good results using masking tape on backerless veneer to prevent chip out. In fact, the same technique works well even on pre-veneered plywood that is wanting to chip out on a tablesaw or even a router. At least in my experience it does.
ld
IF this is your first time using veener your testing your sanity by using a crotch veener. First you need to flaten it I wet both sides with a spray bottle, then separate each piece with newspaper. The newspaper helps dry the pieces out. Cover the pieces and put as much weight on them as possible. What your tring to do is flatten all your veener out so it will be easier to work with . I used to use uf109 as my glue but I didn't like the fact that it was formaldihide. I now use tight bond cold press veener glue. I like it for a couple of reasons.It hasa long open time plus it dries in about 2 hours. I Use a home made vacum press which has worked great for me for years. If your doing any amount of veener work its well worth the money.
James
Super Soft veneer softener from http://www.veneersupplies.com will keep veneer soft for about a week, which helps. Why do you need to cut veneered pieces? Would it work to cut your sustrate to size, then veneer and trim the excess with a veneer saw and plane? Usually works for me anyhow, but maybe your project won't allow this approach. I've covered the edges of veneer to be sawn with blue tape, which helps too. The results of crotch walnut are well worth the pain.
Thanks, that a real interesting web site.
I have lots of walnut crotch veneer at $3 a foot in big flitches. I can also send you some sample veneer to practice with before you go for the real thing:) My veneer is pretty flat. http://www.joshbrower.com Josh
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