1st attempt at veneering - advice please

[markturner]

Hi,, as part of my plane cabinet project, I have decided to make some veneered drawer frontals. Picked up some lovely burr walnut veneer from Capital Crispin, brought myself a bag press set up from axminster and have made the frontals ready to laminate.

Completely new to this, is there any advice re glue, using formers, actual use of the unit etc more seasoned users can give me?

Cheers, Mark

 

[My63]

Hi Mark
I am also new to veneering so the best I can do is offer this link

http://www.joewoodworker.com/

There is lots of useful info there I hope we get to see pictures
Good luck
Michael

 

[rdesign]

In a school situation where u have 24 students glueing up marquetry we use industrial double sided sticky tape. doesn't wet the veneer so it doesn't shrink and gives a really strong bond. leave the board slightly oversized and cut it to size after which stops you having to trim unsupported veneer to size that would possibly give you break out.
regards rick

 

[yetloh]

How flat is your veneer? If it is very three dimensional you may need to flatten it first.

Jim

 

[RogerS]

Take a look at this link about half way through under-staris-cupboard-t66000.html

 

[markturner]

Thanks for the very useful links guys, my veneer is actually very flat and solid, it feels almost like suede ( the walnut burr and cross grain is extremely tight) So hopefully, I wont have too much trouble with my first attempt. Will read up and take pictures....

one thing I wondered was how much oversize I should cut the veneer on a simple small drawer frontal ? I figured if you leave anything too much, the vacuum bag will bend it over the edge and snap it off, yes?

Oh, and do I need to use a platen on the top of the veneer ? and what about sharp corners? will these damage the bag?

thanks, mark

 

[RogerS]

Thanks for the very useful links guys, my veneer is actually very flat and solid, it feels almost like suede ( the walnut burr and cross grain is extremely tight) So hopefully, I wont have too much trouble with my first attempt. Will read up and take pictures....

one thing I wondered was how much oversize I should cut the veneer on a simple small drawer frontal ? I figured if you leave anything too much, the vacuum bag will bend it over the edge and snap it off, yes?

Oh, and do I need to use a platen on the top of the veneer ? and what about sharp corners? will these damage the bag?

thanks, mark

 

[Ian]

In a school situation where u have 24 students glueing up marquetry we use industrial double sided sticky tape. doesn't wet the veneer so it doesn't shrink and gives a really strong bond. leave the board slightly oversized and cut it to size after which stops you having to trim unsupported veneer to size that would possibly give you break out.
regards rick

Mark

I have never heard of the above method and would not recommend it for quality work.

Best glue for veneering is Borden UL39 which has a low moisture content and has very little creep once cured, it can also be tinted with dry pigments to match the veneer.

http://www.hallmarkfraulo.co.uk/productdetail/UL39

Don't use a brand called Dynea from Adkwik as I had mixing issues and after contacting Adkwik about this they buried their heads in the sand and did not want to deal with it.

When veneering in the bag place the veneer side down onto a platen this way you will not break edges, round over the edges of the platen with a round over bit to stop the risk of damaging the bag.

Also make a platen with a saw cuts to help the air be removed quickly and with even pressure on your project.



HTH

Ian

 

[markturner]

Hi Ian, perfect, just the answer I needed. many thanks, Mark

 

[RogerS]

Plonker alert.....posted my reply this morning but accidentally hit the delete key.

What I was going to say was that you can have a few mm overlap and that I use an MDF platten on top as well as underneath because usually I am veneering thin stuff and so need a balancing veneer to stop the board bending as the veneer dries. I also insert white tissue paper between MDF and the veneer in case of any bleed through of the glue ...which would otherwise glue the MDF to the veneer.

I knock the corners off of the MDF to prptect the bag. I also use the breather fabric from these guys http://www.ecfibreglasssupplies.co.uk/c ... abric.aspx who are very good value.

 

[markturner]

I need to veneer both sides, is it best to do this at the same time, or could I do it next day for example without issues? It's going onto 18mm birch ply frontals. Thanks

 

[RogerS]

I need to veneer both sides, is it best to do this at the same time, or could I do it next day for example without issues? It's going onto 18mm birch ply frontals. Thanks

Given your ground is 18mm then you'll probably get away with it although ideally you do both sides at the same time. Any reason why you can't do that? The other possible downside of leaving the other side is that something unexpected crops up the next day and you don't do it then. Or the next day. Or the next. Whiich all adds to possibly pulling the panel out of line.