Cutting Veneer from Wet Stock?

[Charles Davis]

As is common, I have boards in various drying states... I know that I want to use some of my wet lumber for veneer and I'm wondering if it's ok to cut it wet? I'm sure it would dry much faster that way...

Are there any problems associated with cutting veneer from wet stock. Would I just anchorseal or wax the ends and carefully mini-sticker them up?

Thanks,
Charles

[Charles Davis]

Anyone have any thoughts? Please don't make me beg... :o

[Frank Drew]

Charles,

The veneer manufacturers steam or otherwise soak the logs before cutting the veneers, but then dry the cut veneers in ovens, AFAIK. I guess it would depend on how thick they were, but stickering anything as thin as most veneers might be an exercise in frustration, and laying them together wet would almost guarantee mold or other forms of degrade.

[Jim Becker]

True, Frank...and veneer manufacturers also slice the veneer with a knife. So moistness is helpful to that process. Using a band saw to produce shop-made veneer is a little different. Cutting wet wood not only requires a different blade configuration, it's probably a little harder to do just from the standpoint of consistency. And then there is the issue of uneven moisture distribution that can make resawn stock move a lot in one direction quickly. That said, cutting thin slices may be less problematic in that respect if the material can be guided in a stable manner through the cut. My biggest concern with the OP's situation is that the stock he wants to use is a "various states of dry" so that inconsistency could make for an interesting task.