I tried my hand at cutting some thick (1/8") veneer from birch crotch, about 8" x 6". After cutting, I stacked the slices with some paper towels, mdf panels and some weight for 3-4 weeks. They came out nice and flat. Being the first time working with thick veneer, I experimented a bit with one slice. I used a ROS with 120/180 to smooth cut marks from the bandsaw. Worked well but I think this generated a lot more heat than I expected and turned my test piece into a potato chip. Is there a way to sand these pieces without generating as much heat, or is this a normal expectation?
Now I'm looking to flatten my test piece. Searched for Veneer Softener and found a strong recommendation for Super-Soft 2 on Joe Woodworker's site. There is a comment there that says softeners generally are less effective on thicker veneers. So, my question to those in the know is if veneer softeners can work on thick veneers, and if there are any special steps to soften thick veneer?
Thanks for your help.