'No veneer in ere'

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mailee

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Just seen the latest advert for the oak company on TV stating 'No veneer in ere' and thought to myself their correct it's all offcuts instead. :lol:
 
Precisely my thoughts Mailee when I saw the advert last night. I was drinking a cuppa at the time and I almost choked laughing!
 
It's sad that veneer has such an image problem among the general public. I enjoy explaining the case in favour of it: the possibility of effects unattainable in solid wood; maximising the limited supplies of precious and rare timbers, tree-saving, the technique's long and honourable history, &c. &c.
Then I go on to stress that veneering is actually quite an advanced woodworking technique, which demands a lot of extra knowledge and skill.

Most people don't realise this and see veneer just as a 'con' to conceal chipboard and other nasties.
 
I used plenty of veneer in the past. I liked making what I call 'real veneer', on the bandsaw; about 2mm thickness. That was one way of stretching expensive timber to make nice looking (hopefully) furniture.

I don't understand how people can look at some of the stuff today, and think it's beautifully made. Drawers that fall out rather than 'draw'... Wonky doors and tacky, boxy designs. I appreciate that the best timber is hard to come by, and that furniture today is seen as consumable, and subject to 'fashion'. But there are limits ! :shock:

As Mailee said, 'No veneer 'ere. Just solid offcuts!' :?


John
 
I agree with all the above, but let's not forget that the smaller pieces used do end up making a more stable worktop or table top.
And almost using up what could be waste is now in fashion.
As you say, Veneering is most certainly a skill and an economical way of using otherwise costly solid wood,
I think veneering has bad press from being very thin and attached to a very cheap and nasty backer in many cases, in the past. Rodders
 
blackrodd":1dcufgjc said:
I think veneering has bad press from being very thin and attached to a very cheap and nasty backer in many cases, in the past. Rodders

I think veneering has bad press because for the vast majority of the population, they only know the word in relation to that vinyl stuff you [used to] get on the outside of MFI MDF/chipboard furniture, and the textured plastic top of their cheap desk at work.
 
I look at that sort of furniture and I'm usually fairly impressed, I know it's lamination's and mass produced but it's reasonably well made utility furniture, just like in the old days, it serves a function and market.

I think it's rather snobish to turn your nose up at it, I've seen plenty of high end furniture in posh department stores which was far worse and 3 times the price.
 
There is no problem (to me) with the furniture, only the way it's sold - but if we are to be hypercritical (as Bob said) we could find fault with many (most) things. A lot of "veneered" stuff isn't veneered anyway - it's a photographic process.
 
Slight topic drift.....

One thing that amused me was the fake 'wood block' flooring. Nothing wrong with a picture of wood stuck onto compressed donkey turds. But why is a picture of pine cheaper than a picture of oak?
 
Bob,

I wouldn't normally turn up my nose at stout furniture, but I just can't abide sloppy drawers, and ill fitting doors, especially on furniture which is made for sale. it just isn't the kind of quality you'd expect; and clearly it's made down to a price, even though it's all rescued offcuts.

I was obliged to buy two pine bedside cabinets last month, because I just don't have time to make them. The items I bought, are okay for the money, but the drawers fit as well as the proverbial piece of fruit thrown down an alley-way!! As soon as I have time they will be replaced, and they will finish up in my shed! 8)

regards

John
 
My brother a few years ago paid a fortune for an "american cherry" kitchen and was very impressed with it till I told him it was just orange coloured paper stuck onto chipboard. The quality was rubbish and it showed. This was from a local company who are supposed to have a good reputation. Just shows you how easy it is to fool the public!
 
acewoodturner":1j81hgm0 said:
My brother a few years ago paid a fortune for an "american cherry" kitchen and was very impressed with it till I told him it was just orange coloured paper stuck onto chipboard. The quality was rubbish and it showed. This was from a local company who are supposed to have a good reputation. Just shows you how easy it is to fool the public!
Just playing devil's advocate here, but it sounds like he would have been quite happy if you hadn't told him!
Have you said anything about Santa or the tooth fairy yet? :D
 
It was that bad John I had to tell him. A couple of the doors had dents in them which pentrated the wood and showed up as an entirely different colour underneath, which was the much lighter coloured chipboard. It was shockingly bad, and was sold to him as a solid wood cherry kitchen. He should have taken legal action but couldnt be bothered. The only decent bit in the kitchen was the tiling which was carried out by a mate of ours.
 
I did laugh at the offcuts joke :)

My dad has been buying some of this furniture in recent years, he's quite happy that he can now buy some affordable solid wood furniture in the high street (so to speak) after having put up with decades of overpriced chipboard crap that only lasts a few years.

I occasionally maybe snobbish about it but to be fair, dad's right :)
 

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