Question for you Veneer pro's

[Nate Rogers]

I am getting ready to start a project, it is a king size bed and it will have several large veneered panels. I have used veneer on several project but never anything quite as large as this, I will need to "join" several pieces of veneer. The question is what do you use for glue? Obviously I would like a fairly long open time, with minimal bleed through. I have searched the internet and seen waaaaaaaaay to many options...So tell me, what do you use?

Nate

[Greg Robbins]

I use Titebond cold press veneer glue.

http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=2220&SearchHandle=DADBDADFDADADDDGDGGDDAGFDEDADEGECNDEG CGBGGCNDEDEDBGCCNGCGDGFDJCNDGGFGEGDGCDFDADADCDFDHG GDADADADBDADADADADIHEGJHEGFGCGPGOGEDADADADEDADADAD ADADADADBDFDADADADBDADADADADADADADADADADADADBDADAD ADADIHEGJHEGFGCGPGOGEDADADADBDB&filter=titebond

However, it doesn't have a long open time. You need to work fairly fast.

[Neil Lamens]

Hi Nate:

I would need a bit more information.

Questions:

What type of press are you using???

When you say glue together are you talking about gluing (jointing) 2 pieces of veneer together ie: bookmatch or are you talking about gluing 2 panels already veneered together???

Thanks

[jerry cousins]

neil's questions are important to know - but overall the most consistent results i have gotten is using unibond 800. and it does have a longer open time.

jerry

[Mike Henderson]

I'm not sure what you mean by having to "join" several pieces of veneer. Ideally, you'd make up the veneer into one piece, put the glue on the substrate and then lay the veneer on to the substrate. For a large panel, you'd probably need help laying the veneer on the substrate. You'd probably veneer both sides, but you can apply glue and position one side, then turn the panel over and do the same on the other side. To spread the glue quickly you can use a paint roller.

Bleed through will depend upon the type of veneer used and the amount of glue used, more than the type of glue.

Urea formaldehyde would probably give you enough time. A non-formaldehyle glue is Unibond 800 with a decent assembly time (30 minutes at 70*). Unibond also makes a "blocker" product which is suppose to minimize bleed through but I've never used it.

I assume you're going to use a vacuum bag. Make up a secondary bottom platen and put your panel on that when you do your glue up. Then, to put it into the bag, slide the panel and the secondary platen into the bag - have someone hold the bag open for you. That way, you won't drag the panel on the primary platen and possibly shift the veneer on the bottom.

When bleed through is a serious problem because of the type of veneer, I've used white glue because it can be softened and removed after setting. I press for about 20 minutes, then take the panel out and "wash" any glue that came through the veneer with a wet rag. Then I put it back into the press. I've only done that on small panels, however - never anything as large as you've described.

Before you glue up your panel, take some scrap veneer from your project and do some test glue ups using whatever glue you choose. This will help you judge how much glue to apply so that you get a good attachment but no bleed through. Even when I do this, I probably go light on the actual glue up because I'm scared to death of bleed through ruining the work.

Good luck - let us know what you choose and how it comes out.

Mike

[Dan Lee]

If you are talking about edge joining smaller pieces to make a larger panel prior to pressing.
The method I learned from watching David Marks shows is jointing all the veneer edges then carefully spread glue (Tite Bond2)on the edges, lay the pieces flat, pull together with painters tape and put duct taped wraped bricks along the seams. May have to do a little hand scraping of any excess glue on the side that goes on the substrate.
After all this drys remove the tape and go about appying to the substrate. I use a vacuum bag and UniBond 800 adhesive.
Dan

[Homer Faucett]

This article summarizes the veneer "joining" process I use. I found it quite helpful when I first started thinking about veneering.

http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/veneertaping.htm

[Nate Rogers]

Hello All,
thanks for the responses..I will try to fill in the gaps to my story, I am using a homemade press to do the veneering. As for the "joining" comment I made, I was referring to matchbooking 3 pieces to create one large piece that I was adhear to the substrate. It does appear that the unibond 800 is a common choice amongst most of you.

Nate

[Mike Henderson]

Hello All,
thanks for the responses..I will try to fill in the gaps to my story, I am using a homemade press to do the veneering. As for the "joining" comment I made, I was referring to matchbooking 3 pieces to create one large piece that I was adhear to the substrate. It does appear that the unibond 800 is a common choice amongst most of you.

Nate
You should do your "joining" before you get to the glue up stage. Use veneer tape to attach the pieces together (with the veneer tape on the show side of the veneer).

You don't want to be trying to match up veneer while you have wet glue.

Mike