Having Trouble Cutting Veneer :(

[Tim Dorcas]

So I got my Vacuum Veneer Press for Christmas. Yeah!

I make platens. I purchase a veneer saw. I purchase "veneer" glue. Oh yeah, I purchase some veneer (Etimoe and Hickory burl). What to do now?!?

Let's make a chess board.

The first cut I make is with an exacto knife. Despite what was told to me, this is not a very good way to cut wood. I pull out my brand new veneer saw. The cut in the Etimoe is much better. The cut in the Hickory burl veneer is terrible. I remember in the Master Techniques of Marquetry by Silas Kopf (a very good DVD btw) that he cuts veneer in a crosscut sled. This would be perfect.

I build a crosscut sled (and much to my surprise I get everything dead on). I build a quick stop fence for the veneer to rest against and another fence that allows me to apply pressure to veneer while it's cutting (otherwise the veneer explodes when it comes in contact with the blade.

The Etimoe veneer cuts reasonably well with this system. I get consistent chip out with the Hickory Burl. &*$*)($@(**)!

Does anyone have any suggestions for accurately cutting burl without chipout? And what should I fill the occasional hole with?

Thanks!

Tim

[Mike Henderson]

If you're just starting to learn how to work veneer I wouldn't recommend starting with a burl. In addition to being hard to cut, it's going to buckle when you go to glue it (when any moisture gets into it).

You really should go through some preliminary steps first to learn how to work with veneer. I'd start with some normal, but inexpensive, veneer like walnut, mahogany, maple - almost any straight grained veneer.

Make a panel of your substrate (MDF) about 12" square and lay in some pattern for one side - you can do a simple X. That simple pattern will teach you how to cut veneer and you'll go through all the steps of putting it together with veneer tape and gluing it down. Veneer the back side of the substrate at the same time with just solid veneer (no pattern).

Unless you have some experience, just getting this done and glued up properly will be challenge enough.

But to answer the question you asked, one way to deal with cutting difficult veneer is (1) decide which is the show face and which is the glue face. (2) where you are going to cut the veneer (and you always cut on the glue face), put a strip of blue tape. (3) cut the veneer through the blue tape with a knife and leave the blue tape on the veneer. (4) fit your veneer together and use veneer tape on the show face (veneer tape only goes on the show face). (5) after the veneer tape is dry (please don't jump the gun - let it dry well) very carefully peel the blue tape off and keep your fingers crossed.

BTW, I use a couple of Japanese marking knives to cut veneer but almost any good sharp knife will do. Don't try to cut through it in one cut - score it lightly, then come back with another cut, then another until you cut through - don't rush.

Teaching yourself is tough. You'll progress faster and make less errors if you can get some instruction from someone.

Mike

[added note] I notice you said "new veneer saw". You have to sharpen a new veneer saw before use - it does not come ready to use. If you didn't sharpen it (or have it sharpened) that may be why it cuts so poorly.