Philly, welcome to veneering - I veneer a lot, but not with a bag so I just do flat stuff (mind you I need a bag for the backs to my Love Chairs
http://croeso.typepad.com/photos/furniture_making_love_cha/index.html so any chance you can DHL it across the water for a week or two ?
)
I use a special German non creeping veneer pva with a 20 minute open time. I think the name is Elberet (or something like that), comes in handy 5 litre pots as well as 1 litre versions.
The open time of the glue is what I find important so Extramite or the hide glues are also very useful. The ability to heat and do it again in hide glues are great, so I do all exotic bumpy veneering using hide glue as often an unseen bump can sneak in after the caul or pressure plate is removed. I find veneering takes a long time so with normal PVA the short open time is never quite enough.
Always flatten exotic veneer before use with wet paper clamped either side, maybe with glycerin added for very wavy stuff. If you also when you add the veneer, a spay of water on the non glue side will stop it from curling (due to the water in the glue) and allows you time to get the whole thing in the bag.
A veneer shooting board is a must for bookmatching. I have one 1.8 metres long made from MDF - works a treat and drop dead easy to make.
You'll love Crispins - as Scrit suggested. Houtslager put me onto them. If I'm in London on business I sneak along and buy the odd exotic bit and again have fun at the airport check-in :roll: It's like an Aladdin's Cave. I feel the credit card twitching with anticipation as I walk through the doors
Did you buy a BagPress? I was thinking of going for their one that works with a water venturi, as I'm trying to minimise new equipment as we'll be moving soon. Anyone else use this one- andy feedback?
