As many of you already know, veneer can really open up some possibilities. I admire a lot of the work many of you do. So, I thought I’d give it a low budget first attempt and see what happens. After a bunch of YouTube videos, I decided on the hot iron method and a small box top. I bought some veneer from Woodcraft.
Well, I think redwood burl (or any burl for that matter) might not have been the best choice for a first attemp, or a hot iron method. The veneer was wavy, and I didn’t do anythig to flatten it. Just slathered on glue (Titebond Original) on both the veneer and substrate (Baltic birch plywood) and waited an hour or so before ironing it. It was interesting. After lifting the iron it looked pretty good, then as it cooled slightly, the crack down the middle appeared right before my eyes. I know there are ways to soften it, but hey, I was going for low cost/low effort.
After additional cooling, a nice air bubble appeared. Oh well. We’re leaning, I said to myself.
So, with learning in mind, it gave me a good subject to try a few repair techniques. Bought a few of those glue needles and some liquid hyde glue. Made a few slices with an exacto knive, attempting to follow some existing grain. Injected the glue, covered it with wax paper, and clamped it down. That seemed to work pretty well.
For the crack, I decided to saturate it with Watco and wet sand some slurry in. Could have probably worked that for a few more grits, but the technique appears to work for future projects.
Was also my first attempt with wipe on poly. I like the finish, but need to work with it a little more to get better at eliminating swirls/wipe marks. It did polish out pretty well using a paper towel and then wax.
Here’s the result:
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Close up of the repaired crack:
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And extended cuts to repair the bubble:
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I enjoyed the process, and already planning the next attempt. Not sure I’m anywhere near ready for panels, but glad I gave it a try.