Need Veneering Advice

[timf67]

I have some curly/birdseye maple veneer that I want to use for a project. However, the veneer is very wavy and I am looking for advice on how to flatten it and glue it to my workpiece. I am assuming that getting it wet will make it flexible enough to flatten, but where do I go from there? Do I glue it while moist or try to dry it flat? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Oh, and I have very limited veneering tools (i.e. no specialized tools like a vacuum press/clamp or veneer roller or anything like that.)

TIA

Tim

 

[dancam]

I've not done any real veneering yet but I've looked at a website (http://www.joewoodworker.com/) and there is a load of info here. Good luck.

Dan C.

 

[Larry Rose]

I would try misting it with a spray bottle of distilled water then place news paper on both sides and place under a plywood top and clamp or weight down. Change the paper as it soaks up the moisure. When it dries it should be flat enough to work. You don't need a vacumn press although they are nice for larger surfaces and curves. All you need to do is use a caul and plenty of clamps.

 

[DaveO]

I have worked with burl and figured veneer, and wavy is par for the course due to the wild grain. I purchased a commercial veneer softener which is basically glycerin and distilled water. I moistened the pieces and then sandwiched them between some scrap Melamine and layers of paper towels with weight on top. I kept changing the paper towels until the veneer was dry. You want to make sure it's good and dry , because if not it might shrink on the substrate and that could open up any seams you might have..DAMHIKT
There are various concoctions for home made veneer softeners that I am sure would work just as well - Flattening veneer

Dave

 

[Splint Eastwood]

I read in a book, (will try to track it down). This person used an ordinary Clothes Iron with mist

low to medium setting. Just ironed it flat.

Go Figure!

 

[Splint Eastwood]

I found the book:

Veneering A Foundation Course

Revised Edition

Mike Burton, Author

Sterling Publishing Co, Inc.
New York

C.2000,2006

@240 pgs

I got this book on Amazon.com for @ $10.

Good comprhensive course in veneering.

Highly recommend as add to library

 

[Ozzie-x]

Lots of good info above. Joewoodworker is definetely a great tutorial and reference for veneering. The first veneer softener I used was distilled water with 10% glycerin from the drugstore, and it worked fine. Dave made a good point that it needs to be distilled water. (I forgot this on one project and ended up with black spots from the minerals in the tap water). I have used the flattening and craft paper method that Larry talked about, and with some patience it works also. The last few times I have used commercial softener and a clothes iron, and it worked too, and was also a lot faster, very little waiting around. Every species of veneer has its own quirks. I've found birdseye/figured maple to be difficult, especially on larger sheets.

Another important thing is the glue. Joe Woodowrker poo-poo's using anything but water base glue, I think mostly because of the extra cost, and I'm sure he knows a lot more about it than I do. But I've had problems with these large panels I'm gluing up and I'm trying to up my odds of success. It's at least something to think about, to spend time spraying, flattening, and drying the veneer only to re-introduce more water based material back onto the veneer that can cause more reaction (i.e. wrinkling, buckling, swelling)?? Seems kinda contrary? I received some Unibond 800 from the brown truck today and going to give it a try. It's a non-water based resin glue, so it will not introduce water to the veneer.

 

[fergy]

Tim,

I live in Charlotte, and have a vacuum press and two bags. One is 24x48, the other is 48x48.

I just finished up some bubinga panels that were moderately wavy. The first batch I used commercial softener on, and then put them into the veneer press between the cauls and papertowels. They came out extremely flat. The second batch I just pressed them between the cauls for a couple of days and taped them up. However, I noticed that as soon as the moist veneer tape touched the veneer, it started to buckle and curl again. The moisture really affects it.

It all depends on how you are gluing, and if you're taping them up. I had to tape multiple pieces together to create bookmatched surfaces. That's a lot easier with the pieces being very flat, because of how you need to get a straight edge. If you don't need to do that, you wouldn't need to flatten it IF you're using a press, because it will press it flat. You'll just need a good glue to bond well.

I used PPR glues (which is what Unibond is...powdered plastic resin). I've still got a bunch. I'm happy to let you use some of that and my press here at the office, so long as you're not getting crazy. You could just meet me at the end of the day and we could put it into the press overnight.