Tesa or veneer tape??

[sihollies]

Hi all,
I am just about to start making a chess board/box and intend veneering the actual board with what I think is Masur Birch and what I know is Burr Walnut.
In the past I have always used veneer tape to construct Marquetry pictures and Parquetry design prior to gluing, but often find that there is a residue showing on the surface where the tape has been after gluing and when the tape is removed.
In this instance I want to do as little amount of preparation before I finish the board as possible due to the random grain pattern.
I have recently invested in some blue Tesa tape after reading 'glowing' reviews about it and was wondering if this product leaves a clean surface after it is removed from a glued veneered surface and would greatly appreciate any advice as to how it is best used.
Many thanks in advance

Simon

 

[sunnybob]

Somewhere around 60 years ago my dad made a chess board. I remember "helping" him. He hand cut each square and stuck them on one at a time to get a perfect fit. I believe he used cascamite glue (it was mixed up in a pot and stank enough for mum to moan at him)

Its still perfect and my sister has it as a family heirloom.

 

[custard]

Tessa tapes are the best available, I’ve been using them for veneering for many years and they’ve never let me down.

Having said that you shouldn’t experience problems with residue when using traditional paper based veneer tape. Hot water and, in extremis, a light pass with a scraper, will always clean it up.

 

[woodbloke66]

Tessa tapes are the best available, I’ve been using them for veneering for many years and they’ve never let me down.

Tesa tape is good (I've used in in the past) but there's other stuff out there which is equally as stretchy and sticky. I'm currently using some rather excellent 3M tape for veneering - Rob

 

[custard]

One of the advantages of Tesa tape is that it's thinner than every other, non-paper tape that I've found, this is a significant advantage if you veneer in a hydraulic press. With higher veneering pressures and softer timbers you'll often be left with an impression of the tape embedded in the veneer surface. Tesa is the only tape I know which combines high stretchiness, low tack/no residue, and is sufficiently thin to avoid leaving an imprint. That's why Tesa is so frequently chosen by commercial workshops despite its high cost.

 

[sihollies]

Thanks for the replies.
I have never used hot water with veneer tape, so that's probably where I'm going wrong, so thanks for that.
From your input, I will be using the Tesa option, so thanks again.
I will be making the board only when I have spare time, so it could take a while, and would like to ask one more question if I may, regarding Tesa tape?
Will the tape leave any residue on the veneer if it is left on the work for perhaps two to three weeks, which may be the time it will take for me to complete it?

Simon

 

[custard]

I've known jobs that have come out of the press and been left for a couple of weeks before they've been cleaned up and had the tape removed, I can't recall that ever being a problem.