Anyone in RTP experienced with vacuum veneering?
Vacuum Veneering
- Thread starter Douglas Robinson
- Start date
I have questions relating to the technique. In particular veneer softener: how much to use, how long to let it soak in; do I use both an upper an lower platten?
Doug, there is both an upper and lower platten when veneering flat work. The lower platten has 1/8” ish dados cut in a grid, to help in evacuation. The top platen is a little wider and longer than the veneered work, to protect the edges of the veneer
The other thing to think about is using the breather material the vaccuum bag companies sell. This will help get all of the air out and get everything down tight and flat.
With respect to the soaking. I've not had to soak the veneer in the past. The stuff I've gotten has been reasonably flat. I would probably only soak it if I was trying to veneer a curved or the veneer stock wasn't very flat and I ran the risk of it splitting when being pressed between the platens.
With respect to the soaking. I've not had to soak the veneer in the past. The stuff I've gotten has been reasonably flat. I would probably only soak it if I was trying to veneer a curved or the veneer stock wasn't very flat and I ran the risk of it splitting when being pressed between the platens.
A couple of thoughts -
1) I've softened the veneer only twice - once when it was VERY rippled/wavy and once when it was very porous (I think it was birds eye chestnut) and I wanted to limit glue bleed through. 10 minutes was long enough in both cases.
2) I only use a lower platten only when veneering on both sides (balancing veneer).
3) Process I use - a) roll on glue with a wallpaper glue roller, b) place veneer, c) cover entire surface with wax paper in case there is some bleed through, d) position upper platten with slots facing upwards, e) slip into bag, positioning the "sandwich" so that one of the cross slots is directly under the vacuum nipple, f) seal bag.
4) for the upper platten, I actually have a set of different sized MDF that can be used in various combinations to work over many different sized stock. As Robert said, the slots are merely 1/8th inch deep crosscut spaced on inch grids to allow the air to be evacuated over the entire surface without forming trapped pockets.
1) I've softened the veneer only twice - once when it was VERY rippled/wavy and once when it was very porous (I think it was birds eye chestnut) and I wanted to limit glue bleed through. 10 minutes was long enough in both cases.
2) I only use a lower platten only when veneering on both sides (balancing veneer).
3) Process I use - a) roll on glue with a wallpaper glue roller, b) place veneer, c) cover entire surface with wax paper in case there is some bleed through, d) position upper platten with slots facing upwards, e) slip into bag, positioning the "sandwich" so that one of the cross slots is directly under the vacuum nipple, f) seal bag.
4) for the upper platten, I actually have a set of different sized MDF that can be used in various combinations to work over many different sized stock. As Robert said, the slots are merely 1/8th inch deep crosscut spaced on inch grids to allow the air to be evacuated over the entire surface without forming trapped pockets.
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