Veneer press?

[dvddvd]

I've been trying to cut some maple to actually 1.8mm thick.

I've tried lots of ways, bandsaw, cnc machine and failed each time.

The bandsaw was not accurate enough...

I then cut it roughly to 3mm thick and glued it down onto my cnc and with the 25mm surfacing cutter tried to surface it to 1.8mm
The heat generated with the cutter softened the glue on the masking tape/super glue and when I was not watching came unstuck and mangled up and made a right pugs ear of it.

So after looking on the Internet I saw you can buy pre cut hardwood veneers with a thickness of 0.6mm.

So I thought about sticking 3 pieces of that together. Maybe change the direction of the grain on the middle one to give it more strength?

So started looking at ways to press it and clamp it while it dried.

I saw the book press types on eBay? Also the 6 ton bottle jack types which both can ve bought for £70 ish

As above.
The vacuum bags type look a lot more hassle? Than the normal press types.

The pieces will be no bigger than A4 sized paper.
Any ideas?

 

[Sachakins]

Have a look at John Manura on YT under Accu-slice
He cuts veneers thinly on band saw, some good tips
Here's an example video from one of his many video

 

[Terry - Somerset]

Have you tried mounting a (say) 3mm bandsaw cut veneer onto a stable plank (say) 25mm thick with hot melt adhesive. Then run it through a thicknesser.

Carefully remove thin veneer from base.

 

[pulleyt]

I made a jig for my bandsaw inspired by the accuslice. I manged to slice a veneer very close to 1.8mm which I mentioned at https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/threads/accu-ish-slice.141782/page-2#post-1709772.

 

[recipio]

I tend to cut solid wood veneer to 4 mm on the bandsaw and then tack it to a piece of flat ply with just three bits of double sided tape. Make sure the blades in the thicknesser are sharp and take very shallow cuts. I have a Scheppach thicknesser with rubber rollers which probably helps.
Use carpet tape which is incredibly sticky and needs a heat gun to help remove the veneer.
As regards the veneer press I remember searching for one a few years ago with no success. I bough a few screw presses and made my own but don't see why the book press wouldn't work. Use cut down pieces of a yoga mat to distribute the weight top and bottom.
Using home made veneers opens up a world of lovely home grown native trees but 3 mm is about the optimum otherwise they are prone to splitting.

 

[dvddvd]

Hi thanks, I had another go and a little better.
I cut it at 3mm and then stuck it to a piece of furniture board and passed it through my drum sander until it was 1.8mm.
it strange but in my normal woodworking I'm happy to the nearest 1mm.
Start trying to do veneers with a digital caliper as a measuring tool and you start thinking it's 0.2mm to thick

 

[dvddvd]

Is there an alternative to a accu slice in the UK? Can you buy them in the UK and what cost are they?

 

[Fergie 307]

Why a press?
For the size you are talking about all you need is a couple of flat plates, granite chopping boards are good.
Clingfilm over the bottom plate, veneers, more clingfilm then top plate.
Then just pile something on top like books. Be aware that if you laminate veneers then you will find it next to impossible to bend them afterwards. So if they will need to be curved then you need to make them to the curve, a whole extra dimension of fun and games.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

Is there some reason why you can't simply buy and use constructional veneers, or veneers pre-cut to specific thicknesses?

Mundy Veneer, for example offer veneers in a range of thicknesses, from about 0.4 to 2.5 mm and greater.

Capital Crispin on the other hand seem to offer thicker cut veneers at ~1.5 to ~2.5 mm thicknesses.

Buying pre-sliced would save a lot of time and effort. Slainte.

 

[dvddvd]

Hi could do, but I have a pile of off cuts of hardwood, so thought I'd have a go.

 

[Exluthier]

Many years ago in Germany, we used a large bandsaw (it was taller than me at age 24) with a very narrow, perhaps 10mm blade for cutting veneers down to about 1.3 to 2.50 mm. The bandsaw lived in a room which had once been a second workshop, and the only other kit in the place was the bandsaw blade sharpener, which lived in the same room, and was the only other powered machine in the place.

The resulting slices of veneer were for the three-layer purfling of violins, violas, and cellos, in the usual 'BWB' (ebony / holly / ebony) and also in ebony / pearwood / ebony. When we could not get ebony--and specifically in the case of the purflings made for less expensive instruments--we made up the same three layers using the holly or pearwood, but with what was always just called 'Fiber'; a black fibre composite, but composite of what I never knew.

We pressed the layers of veneer (only ever three, for bowed stringed instruments) together using large, manually operated book type presses, several of which ran the centre length of the main workshop. We used hot hide glue, and no veneer hammers were ever used; just the pressure of the presses, and a lot more glue than you would otherwise use, just letting the excess run off, and depending on the additional and equally distributed force provided by the presses.

I still have examples of the violin / viola / and cello purflings, because I bought a lifetime supply when I left, and also have strips of the various inlayed and complicated patterns we made for us in furniture, though we only ever made instruments. I suppose I ought to provide some photographs, which I'll do as soon as I can get round to it.

 

[TRITON]

Id opt for the vac. Mainly as with the others you dont have the possibility of veneering curved work as easily and also because this job/project is small, but the next or whenever might be much larger meaning you'd need the bigger press

I've the bagpress minipress mk2, which has been absolutely fine and i've done a little bit of flat as well and convex and concave surfaces.
It's not too difficult to set up, and once you've done it a couple of times you understand the process involved, and from there curved panels arent ever going to need glue/press issues to solve.
It's about a ton of pressure per square foot, and in all directions as well. Imagine trying clamping up a tight radius curve in some sort of shop made jig.. That would be a bloody nightmare

It is an outlay, but it's a good addition to any workshop. Bit of kit that will quickly pay its cost
https://www.axminstertools.com/bagp...792&tagrid=66700318&glCountry=GB&gad_source=1

 

[Cozzer]

I've just bought one of the Thin Air jobs. Their idea uses a hand pump as opposed to an electric one, but works on the same principle.
Had to pay and wait for delivery from France, as the UK agent didn't even reply.
As I wanted something for relatively small jobs, I've gone for the basic 2' square bag.
Should add that I've yet to use it in anger...

 

[Cozzer]

Why a press?
.... granite chopping boards are good.....

I'm lucky enough to live near an outfit that makes kitchen (?) worktops, granite or marble. They leave their offcuts outside their factory in Sheffield, for anyone who's strong enough to lift 'em!

 

[Cozzer]

Just to ramble on about using granite/marble offcuts, they're also handy for flattening burr veneers and the like, and of course are also a great flat surface for sharpening, etc.
When I mentioned getting offcuts, these are two of the recent ones....each is a full 30mm thick, and I've put the 12" square down to give you an idea of the size....