Veneer and Vacuum storage bags

[Caspar Hauser]

Hello, I'm new to the forum and should like to ask a question regarding veneering.

Would one of those 'as seen on TV', shrink your closet, vacuum bags and a shop vac be sufficient to veneer a few flat drawer fronts for instance?

It is unlikely that I will be doing a great deal (though you never know) and understand that there are other clamping options.

I am however curious about the bag/shop vac, as if I could only shrink my (wife's) closet, I'm fairly certain I could find some of the bags.

Has a veneering guru tried this?

Thankyou

[Mike Henderson]

If you're going to veneer small flat things like drawer fronts, you can easily clamp them. Use some MDF on both sides. Put some plastic or waxed paper between the veneer and the MDF so that if you have any glue leakage it doesn't reach the MDF.

Much easier than messing around with a vacuum system.

I have a vacuum set up but for small things, I clamp them. Too much bother to set up the vacuum stuff.

Mike

[Caspar Hauser]

Thanks for the reply I'm sure you are right.

However I'm still curious, would it work? Has anyone tried it? I would try it myself but finding veneer on a Labour day weekend is not so easy nor is finding the bags:)

[Mitchell Andrus]

Thanks for the reply I'm sure you are right.

However I'm still curious, would it work? Has anyone tried it? I would try it myself but finding veneer on a Labour day weekend is not so easy nor is finding the bags:)

You must avoid 'tenting'. Thinner bags will 'pop' like a balloon in reverse. Sharp corners will also be a problem.

That said, I've seen 3 mil garbage bags used quite often. Cheap, and reusable as a garbage bag.

[Roger Everett]

I tried a shop vac back in 92, before I made up my vac veneer set-up. Shop vac didn't pull enough vacumn to be a good source, and I abanded the idea. In an ideal condition with a good vac pump pulling 23-24 inches of vac. = 1700 - 1800 lbs./ sg. ft.. I, by the way, make my own bags out of 10 mil visqueen.
Roger

[Caspar Hauser]

Thanks,

That answers the question I hadn't articulated particularly well re: shop vac, saving me an afternoons closet archaeology and leaving me time for a frosty beverage :)

[Jim Becker]

I don't think you'd be satisfied...and in my experience, those "Seen on TV" bags don't hold a vacuum very long even with clothing in them. Really.

JoeWoodworker.com is a good place to start relative to getting into vacuum veneer work.

[rob mason]

I don't think you'd be satisfied...and in my experience, those "Seen on TV" bags don't hold a vacuum very long even with clothing in them. Really.

JoeWoodworker.com is a good place to start relative to getting into vacuum veneer work.

Ha! My wife and I bagged about 8 bags of clothes, pillows, comforters, etc. and stored them in the attic. I checked them a few months later and all but one had leaked - total waste of time...

[Caspar Hauser]

..and it seemed like such a good idea at the time.. :)