How to mark up veneer?

[leemkule]

Sorry for the basic question but I'm going to be building cabinets for the first time with oak veneered MDF, cuts mainly with my tracks.

I'm wondering how people go about marking up the wood for cuts, I'm worried about making pencil marks and having to sand them out later. If anyone could share some wisdom on this that would be great.

 

[Cozzer]

Chalk, perhaps?

For example, if a user buys a whole flitch, it's suggested that each veneer gets numbered (in order) to make book matching etc. easier....and chalk is what's used.

You can also buy red and yellow leads (Hultafors, for example) so they show up better on certain colour veneers... use them lightly?!

 

[6x4]

Sorry for the basic question but I'm going to be building cabinets for the first time with oak veneered MDF, cuts mainly with my tracks.

I'm wondering how people go about marking up the wood for cuts, I'm worried about making pencil marks and having to sand them out later. If anyone could share some wisdom on this that would be great.

A broad pencil for face marks , eg HB carpenters pencil doesn’t bother me if I sand from 120/180 upwards, carefully, I realise oak’s open grain might cause you some concern though. Try a test?

For hard fine pencil lines for cuts the saw will remove them. If in doubt or I want a bold label on a component - blue tape. You can pen/pencil on this or knife it and peel half off leaving a hard blue edge you can see under your rail/splinterguard.

 

[HOJ]

I'm going to be building cabinets for the first time with oak veneered MDF, cuts mainly with my tracks.

If your cuts are going to be all the same width, make a couple of parallel guides to set your track from, no need for any marks, plus there's a good chance they'll all end up being the same size using this method.

Or if your feeling spendy you could buy some, parallel guides

 

[XTiffy]

Meths will remove lead pencil marks. The best for marking is to use veneer tape, this is a thin pre gummed (water based glue) paper tape. This removes easily after laying etc. either with a damp cloth or sanding. Commonly used to pull veneer joints together when laying veneer.

 

[Yojevol]

What would you use to remove a pencil line from a piece of paper? Paper is made from wood..........

 

[TRITON]

What would you use to remove a pencil line from a piece of paper? Paper is made from wood..........

Exactly, use a rubber.

If you make a pencil mark and try to sand it, it takes a fair bit of sanding. But if you first rub it out, or the most of it and then sand, it takes far less sanding time and you'll get a better result.

 

[XTiffy]

Simple answer is that if you use veneer tape you don't, you remove the tape before finishing.

 

[6x4]

What would you use to remove a pencil line from a piece of paper? Paper is made from wood..........

Kinda, but i find that erasers can smudge and leave deposits in open grained woods. TBH my best answer is remove pencil with a fine set card scraper but I know if that’s not an option for everyone.