Info on applying veneer for you.

[Bill Wyko]

I recently received some backless Elm Burl and ended up putting some into the top of one of my latest projects. The piece was only about 4x6 inches in size. I though I could glue it down, put a caul on it and just clamp it with 4 clamps. Boy was I wrong. The glue made the wood wrinkle up into little waves and ruined the first piece. I thought the pressure from 4 clamps would keep it flat, no way, not even close. Then I ended up routing it all out, adding a bunch of bracing to the inside of the box and putting the whole thing in the vacuum press. ( I already had the lid on it hence the attempt with clamps) By using the vac press it turned out perfect. You would think 4 big clamps would apply as much preasure as the vac press. Not even close. Now it turned out beautiful. I'll be posting pics asap. I just thought I'd share this with you all so you don't make the same mistake I did.:o

[Mike Henderson]

Burls can be a real problem - as soon as they get wet, the make like a potato chip. Two things you can do to improve your chances of success.

1. Use a flattening solution on the veneer first. You put the flattening solution on the veneer and dry it between cardboard with a mild press. I think what the flattening solution does is reduce the ability of the veneer to soak up water and thus reduces the tendancy to potato chip.

2. Use a non-water based glue such as epoxy. Epoxy is more expensive but for a small piece like you had it wouldn't be too bad.

But in any case, it sounds like you got it to work. Congratulations!

Mike

[Bill Wyko]

Thanks mike. I did use a flattening solution and dry it like David Marks says to. I do think the trick though is to use a glue w/o a water base. As soon as that glue hit it, it turned into pringles potato chips.

[Lance Norris]

Every time Ive used a fancy veneer on a box lid, Ive used contact cement. Ive had good results, but dont know if this is the correct technique(contact cement on veneer?).

[Bill Wyko]

In our desert heat it can become a problem. I've done speaker boxes with contact cement and it buckled up and ruined itself. That application was in a car though so in a house I don't think it would ever be an issue.

[richard poitras]

I just went to a veneering seminar last Saturday were Bill Hull was the speaker. He stated not to ever use contact cement on a veneering project and after the 8 hours of the seminar he put on I tend to believe everything he said when it comes to veneering. He definitely new what he was doing ….

[Bill Wyko]

Alright Richard, spill the beans. What else did you learn in this seminar? :D

[Lance Norris]

I just went to a veneering seminar last Saturday were Bill Hull was the speaker. He stated not to ever use contact cement on a veneering project

Richard... did he say why?

[Mike Henderson]

I was taught not to use contact cement, also. I don't remember the reason given but the person teaching had a lot of veneer experience. He recommended UF glue in general, or regular yellow glue for small glue ups. I think it might have been due to the contact cement coming loose after some period of time.

Mike

[Brad Shipton]

RFor those that might not have checked out Darryl Kiels (vacu press) DVD's I would suggest it is a very good investment. He has three very descriptive ones explaining in great detail how to work with veneers (difficult ones included), glue types, and even covers some ideas how to do complex curved shapes. Contact cement is not a good choice from everything I have read or watched, but I am no expert.

Brad

[Travis Gauger]

I've done some veneering with contact cement on "Backed" veneer. Good results. When I cut my own veneer though, and don't have that backing on it I use Urea Fermeldahide glue. Good results with that too. Don't know why, that's just what the old man taught me years ago. I guess I always thought of it as wood to wood use glue and wood to whatever, use cc. My $.02, right wrong or indifferent.

[richard poitras]

Bill as far as what else I learned? WOW is all I can say! There were so many topics he covered cuts of veneer, tools, panel balancing, veneer matching, glues, pressing, edge treatments, forms and curved work, parquetry, patterns and lay out, defiantly worth it.

But in regards to Lance’s question (about using contact cement) some of the reasons were if I am not mistaken were the glue is to flexible (movement can a cur) and anything hot can lift the veneer of off the substrate, he also stated that he did use it once a long time ago and it turned into a nightmare (Bill has his own company that does veneering for large and commercial projects he should slides of his work at the seminar)
Hope that helps? That’s all that I can remember about that, he didn’t cover that much on it, he was there more for showing us the techniques of things that did work … :)