Odd Veneer Size

[Doug Cook]

I am restoring a 1922 Capehart Jukebox which is mostly wooden, veneered cabinet. The veneer is in odd construction of .030" single ply finished veneer (both fiddle Maple and burl Walnut) glued to .05" wood sheeting, then glued to 5/8" cabinet wood. This may be the way old veneer was constructed? Anyways, I am looking for a source of veneer that is either constructed with the two sheets or a single veneer that is .08" thick. I have also considered .030" 2-ply veneer, but the .05" backing is the issue; would require 2 gluing processes - one for veneer to backing and one for assembly to cabinet. Any ideas?
thanks much,
DC

[Mike Henderson]

Is the backing veneer cross grain to the fancy veneer? If so, it may have been applied to reduce the chance of the fancy veneer splitting since the substrate is regular wood.

Years ago, standard veneer was about 1/25". Then the standard became 1/42" - which it is today.

When I've done a backing veneer, I glue the backing veneer to the substrate and then apply the fancy veneer last, just as if I was applying it directly to the substrate - same glue, same pressing, etc.

Mike

[Doug Cook]

Is the backing veneer cross grain to the fancy veneer? If so, it may have been applied to reduce the chance of the fancy veneer splitting since the substrate is regular wood.

Years ago, standard veneer was about 1/25". Then the standard became 1/42" - which it is today.

When I've done a backing veneer, I glue the backing veneer to the substrate and then apply the fancy veneer last, just as if I was applying it directly to the substrate - same glue, same pressing, etc.

Mike

Hi Mike,
The backing isn't really a veneer, rather a very thin sheet of possibly birch, but not plywood. I am looking for a source of the backing and it does make good sense to glue it to the substrate first. The 250622250623original veneer actually was separating from the backing in several places and was split. Would have tried to save the old veneer, but it was too far gone.

[Mike Henderson]

You've got a challenge there - not only in repairing the veneer, but in matching the finish after you do the repair. Fresh veneer is going to look a lot different than the aged veneer that's on it now. You may have to find a talented finisher to match things up after you complete the repair.

Good luck!

Mike

[Doug Cook]

That will be a problem - will take a bit of experimenting to do that. My first goal is to find 50 mil sheeting for the backing. I am currently taking off all the old veneer including the backing. Then I have to "unglue" the cabinet in order to restore it properly. Someone before me "restored" the cabinet but glued it with epoxy of all things and the result was an offset front panel by about 3/8". I am trying to soften glue with MEK, lacquor thinner, acetone, mixture, and heat. It works but is slow process and does soften wood a bit. Reason for being so anal about this is that there are only 10 cabinets left in existence and I want to restore rather than rebuild. Real fun.
DC

[george wilson]

Years ago,when I was young, standard veneer thickness was 1/28".

[Doug Cook]

Years ago,when I was young, standard veneer thickness was 1/28".

Hi George,
this project has weird dimension veneer - The veneer itself is 1/28" glued to roughly 3/64" backing. It's finding the backing that has become a problem. Methinks I will have to go to a sawmill and have it specially cut.

[Jamie Buxton]

http://www.certainlywood.com/woodmenu2.cfm?p=7 offers veneers which are not the usual 1/42" thickness.

[Peter Quinn]

You could also check with Berkshire Veneer Company. THey stock some thicker backer veneer in both 1/8" and 1/16" thickness in a few species, perhaps you could have it thrown through a sander one pass to reach .050". THey also regularly stock thicker old school veneer, and for a while had a lot of very old thick sawn veneers available from some collection or business they acquired. I'd look closely at the backer veneer for orientation. My research shows it was pretty typical construction before plywood/mdf/flake board to use a stave core solid substrate, cross band with a thick veneer, in the neighborhood of 1/16", then run the finish veneer perpendicular to that, or parallel with the substrate. The idea was to gain some of the stability of plywood, keep sensitive veneers like burls from cracking, keep vertical grain veneers from splitting too easily with seasonal movement.

[Doug Cook]

Hi George, Jamie, and Peter,
I have taken your advice and looks like Berkshire Veneer has what I am looking for. Talked to a Trevor there who was very helpful. Think this project might reach fruition after all. This is a grand site for wood info.
Doug

[Chris Padilla]

Looks like you are in business, Doug, but another thought is to simply cut your own veneer/backer and sand it down to the exact size you need. In this way, you can select the exact wood you need to match as close as possible and also provide some scrap for finishing.

[john bateman]

There is a birch plywood used by model airplane hobbyists that is 1/16" thick. Glued to 1/42" veneer would give just about .08" thickness.
Google micro thin plywood.

[Doug Cook]

Hi John,
I was able to obtain 1/16" Poplar veneer from CertainlyWoods which works fine. Thanks for the info though. I will look into the Birch Plywood as well.
DC



There is a birch plywood used by model airplane hobbyists that is 1/16" thick. Glued to 1/42" veneer would give just about .08" thickness.
Google micro thin plywood.

[richard poitras]

Thanks for the tip on where to find the thicker veneer..... I was looking for some as well...