Face Gluing QS Cherry to Flatsawn Cherry

[Bob Coleman]

Has anybody done this before? I have a project that calls for a bunch of drawer fronts with nice straight QS/RS grain. Widest is about 5.5". I thought rather than spending the $$ and using the entire piece (and also having to use two boards that might not match), I would just bandsaw out 1/8-3/16" slices and glue them to some crappy "rustic" flatsawn cherry. But QS moves about half as much as flatsawn (3.7% vs 7.1%)

Good idea, bad idea? Wood is kiln dried. I'm not sure of the current MC, but can check when I get back to the shop later this week (I have no idea what it would be in July!)

Thanks all!

[Kevin Jenness]

At 5.5" I can't see a problem as long as the mc is the same. Thinner means less potential for issues and more yield. Do both sides for balance.

[Malcolm McLeod]

I have done similar with shop-sawn curly cherry veneer over #1 com cherry w/ TB II. No issues to date (https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?272231-Good-Scotch-deserves-a-good-home).

[Jim Becker]

I see no issue and it's a great way to use material that isn't the best choice for show faces, but is structurally identical...odd coloration, sapwood, cathedrals inappropriate for the show faces, even narrower material edge joined to get wider. It can help make "the really good stuff" for show to be affordable for sure. I've done this with multiple species, not just cherry. Plain white oak covered with figured or natural edge English brown owk is one recent example as it allowed me to have enough of the special material do stretch around the aprons while maintaining necessary thickness for structure.

[Mitch schiffer]

It would probably be best to balance it with the same veneer on the back to prevent cupping.

[Richard Coers]

I wouldn't do it. 3/16" is too thick to be veneer, it acts like solid wood. My shop sawn veneer is 3/32" thick and then sanded after lamination to 1/16" or a hair thicker. That acts like veneer.

[Bob Coleman]

Thanks for the replies all! I hadn't considered doing both sides to prevent cupping, figured the flatsawn part would be thick enough (1/2 - 5/8) to withstand the stress.

Richard, I'm aiming for a little less than 1/8" after planing away the bandsaw marks. My bandsaw needs a tuneup honestly and doesn't always slice consistently enough to allow much thinner! What is about the max that you'd think would not act like solid wood?

Thanks!

[Jim Becker]

Bob, your decision whether or not to laminate both sides can be done at the component level. I've also never had an issue with up to .25" show layers on the kinds of components I've used the technique with, but it's always a good idea to test things first if there is any concern.

[Bob Coleman]

Thanks all!

I think I'm going to see what just gluing to one side does. I'll leave enough between the dovetails and the front so if I need to plane some off later to fix anything, I can do that.

Thanks for the expertise!