Veneering - My First Try Maybe

[George Bokros]

I saw an approach to avoiding end grain on a cabinet top on Woodsmith and would like to try it on a project I am working on. What they did was apply an edge band around the top to hide the end grain then veneered over the top so the edge banding grain was not perpendicular to the field of the top. Pretty cool, no end grain but the grain on the top all went the same way edge to edge. I am thinking about trying this but have some questions.

First how difficult is it to apply veneer?

Which type do you recommend for a beginner the type with pressure sensitive adhesive or applied with contact cement?

Rockler recommends using a J-roller and veneer smoothing blade, do you need both?

If I wanted an edge profile around the edges, do I cut the edge profile before or after applying the veneer?

What about staining, is there anything I should consider if I am going to apply am solvent / oil based stain with a water based top coat?

Anything else a person that is a beginner at applying veneer should be aware of or know?

Also I would need a piece of veneer that is approx 44" long by 30" wide, how do I address that issue most of what I have seen are not that large, I am guessing I would have to have a seam across the top.

Thanks

[Bryan Cramer]

Buy the book called The Woodworker's Guide to Veneering by Jonathan Benson here (http://www.amazon.com/Woodworkers-Guide-Veneering-Inlay-Techniques/dp/1565233468/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1453680104&sr=1-1&keywords=veneering+book) . There is too much to cover so because you are just starting out read the book first. Paper backed veneer would be my choice to start with and I would use a vacuum press. I wouldn't trust the durability of a contact glue unless you are using only paper backed veneer. It is very common to edge band a man made substrate and then veneer over top of it.

[Michelle Rich]

George: go to Joe Woodworker website..he sells veneers and all that goes with it. his site is like an encyclopedia of veneering. Most of your questions are answered there. good luck

[Robert Engel]

I am just getting my feet wet myself but I wouldn't use contact cement.

Traditionally hot hide glue was, and still is, the glue of choice for many veneer artists.

I've never seen a J roller used on veneer. I use it with iron on edge banding or laminate.

I would watch some videos and get the book.

Vaccuum press is good for production shop or very large surface, but I wouldn't jump on this right away.

[Matt Day]

My first attempt with venerating years ago didn't come out so great - tried rollers and heavy weights. I bought a JWW'er vacuum press kit and it's been easy peasy since then. I use his cold press glue. I have had a veneering project in a while but veneer opens up a lot of possibilities.

[Keith Hankins]

George: go to Joe Woodworker website..he sells veneers and all that goes with it. his site is like an encyclopedia of veneering. Most of your questions are answered there. good luck

+1 I learned a lot from his site, and I built my press from his plans. Great service and good veneer! Get the better bags! They are more expensive up front, but you will appreciate it. Test and play!

[roger wiegand]

As a low tech approach I like the method of applying regular yellow glue (eg titebond 1) to each surface, allowing it to dry, then fixing the veneer to the substrate by ironing it on with a regular household iron. Works very well, bonds much better over time than contact cement and is easy to fix bubbles if they happen. Almost as good a method as hot glue, but almost no special skill or equipment required.

Contact cement is just nasty, don't use it. The heat activated stick on veneer doesn't work as well as either yellow glue or hide glue and greatly limits your choice of materials. In my experience it didn't stay stuck.

If you end up veneering a lot then getting good at hammer veneering with hot glue or a vacuum press is probably the way to go.

[Peter Quinn]

I don't like the idea of cross banding solid stock with edge banding. Is this a solid top? If so its fairly likely the edge band may fail when the top moves seasonally. I'd rather see end grain on a top than split edging or cracks in the top veneer. So proceed with caution. Most veneer goes on a man made substrate for a reason. You can veneer a solid top, but it requires a lot more preparation and the end grain issue still exists. There is some good info on veneering solid stock in the old Tage Frid books.

You should not attempt to attach standard commercial wood veneer with contact cement. It almost never goes well. You can use contact cement for paper or phenolic backed veneer. Thats pretty much like gluing down HPL (formica). You can get paper baked veneer that is seemed and sold in 4X8 sheets from companies like oakwood veneer, others sell similar. Veneering is a whole different side of wood working, has its own tools and methods. I'm not an expert, have done a fair amount of vacuum bagging and traditional clamp/caul pressing of thick veneers, worked a hot press for a short while too. You don't need a bag or fancy equipment to stick veneer to a substrate, just takes more planning and effort. I second the suggestion to read the Benson book as a primer if you are getting into veneering. There's lots of things a beginner should know, easier to read up than learn by trial and error and retrial!