Homemade black veneer!!

gasmansteve · 15 May 2008

Hi
I am attempting to make a segmented bowl and want some black (Ebony?) veneer maybe 1/16th to 1/8th thick for some decorative joints above and below the feature ring and can`t for the life of me get any anywhere so I had the idea of cutting some lightish coloured veneer on the bandsaw maybe some oak that I have and staining it with some Ebony wood stain. As its only 1/16th to 1/8th thick I thought the stain should penetrate enough to still be there after turning the bowl to shape, not sure if anyone has tried staining wood prior to turning, I`d be interested in what more knowledgeable folk than I think to this 8)
Cheers
Steve

Anonymous · 15 May 2008

Seve

I regularly rip veneer of that thickness on the bandsaw (cut a bit thicker and then plane).
Good Timber sell rectangualr blocks of ebony for turning tha are very cheap and I use it on my boxes for inlays and splines - might be worth buying a chunk and ripping your own veneer

Paul.J · 15 May 2008

Tony.
How do you plane wood that thin,how do you hold it :?: :?:

jasonB · 16 May 2008

Timberline do 2 & 3mm ebony veneers

When I have needed this tyhickness for banding & stringing I just plane one side of a block of ebony, rip off on the bandsaw then plane the sawn edge.

Stick one end of the veneer to a bit of board, white melamine works with DS tape, tack a thin batten to the far end of the board that sticks up just less than the required thickness to stop the veneer sliding, then just plane. It works like a shallow bench hook.

Don't use too much tape otherwise you wont get the veneer off the board.

Jason

gasmansteve · 16 May 2008

Couldn`t find any ebony on the Good timber web site Tony but sent them an enquiry also asked Timberline for dimensions available so see what turns up!.
So you reckon my dyeing idea maybe a non starter??.
Regards
Steve

jasonB · 16 May 2008

It is possible to buy coloured veneers but not sure about the thicknesses you want. If doing it yourself you would be better with a timber with a more open & even grain, something like Tulipwood (N A Poplar)

Jason