Drying of Veneer.........

[Dave Lehnert]

If a person were to cut there own veneer on a bandsaw or a bandsaw mill fresh from a log (green) how would you dry it? Just like 4/4 lumber or something special? How long would it take to dry and any other info.

[Richard M. Wolfe]

I don't really know how thin you could cut stock and still sticker it like dimension lumber.....probably depends on the species. I have read about using cardboard sheets between veneer layers and changing them out as needed as thin stuff tends to warp. As I recall the article said the cardboard needed to be changed either once or twice. I don't see why the cardboard couldn't be dried and reused.

[george wilson]

I'd dry it between cardboard lightly clamped in a press. If you clamp it too tight,the veneer will probably split itself open as it will dry fairly fast,and shrink in width. Lacking a press,try alternate layers of veneer and cardboard,laid upon a flat surface,and topped by a sheet of 3/4" plywood,with bricks,or cinder blocks on top,to be heavy enough to prevent the veneer from curling up. I'd really prefer the kind of solid,gray cardboard that the backs of writing tablets are made of. You could get sheets of poster board at the dollar tree store.But,even at $1.00 each,the cost would add up quickly. Poster board costs a lot more than that at retail.

In Colonial Williamsburg,we used pieces of felt to press freshley made sheets of wet paper between. Probably corrugated cardboard would be fine for you. I don't think veneer would have the force to warp in it if properly weighted down. I'd leave it for at least a month,give it a quick check,and re weight it if it doesn't seem bone dry.

IIRC,veneer cut in mills is run between heated rollers to dry it.

[Jamie Buxton]

I've read that you can freeze-dry it. You sticker the leaves, and then put them in a self-defrosting freezer. The wet wood freezes within minutes, and is frozen flat. Then, over a few weeks, the water sublimes from the wood, just like the water subliming from the ice-cube tray. Eventually you get dry flat wood.

[Dave Lehnert]

I've read that you can freeze-dry it. You sticker the leaves, and then put them in a self-defrosting freezer. The wet wood freezes within minutes, and is frozen flat. Then, over a few weeks, the water sublimes from the wood, just like the water subliming from the ice-cube tray. Eventually you get dry flat wood.

Now thats interesting.

Thanks!

[Derek Lyons]

I've read that you can freeze-dry it. You sticker the leaves, and then put them in a self-defrosting freezer. The wet wood freezes within minutes, and is frozen flat. Then, over a few weeks, the water sublimes from the wood, just like the water subliming from the ice-cube tray. Eventually you get dry flat wood.

Slow freezing, like what a home freezer does, plays hell with the cell walls of whatever you freeze though...