Laying a Veneer Panel

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I'm working on some cabinets for a client and document my work so the client can see that I'm making progress (since I'm very slow). One thing I have to do is make some veneered back panels for the cabinets (one upper cabinet, and one lower cabinet).

In doing the back for the bottom cabinet, I took progress pictures to document the process of veneering a flat panel. You can see it here.

Other people may use a different process and, if so, I'd like to hear how you do it. This process works for me but it's slow and labor intensive. Also, I have a very small shop and no special tools for veneer, so I have to improvise.

Mike

[P.S. I do know that I could buy walnut faced plywood.]
 
Looks like the same number of steps I take Mike. Looks great!:thumb: Only difference I see is in the glue. I bought the cold press veneer glue from Woodcraft for when I did my veneering. Left it in the press for a total of 45 minutes and then inserted the next one. As I removed them I would sticker them to allow them to fully cure for atleast a day before cutting them to size. I found out the hard way if I cut them to size to quick the veneer would shrink slightly more then the substraight.
 
Looks like the same number of steps I take Mike. Looks great!:thumb: Only difference I see is in the glue. I bought the cold press veneer glue from Woodcraft for when I did my veneering. Left it in the press for a total of 45 minutes and then inserted the next one. As I removed them I would sticker them to allow them to fully cure for at least a day before cutting them to size. I found out the hard way if I cut them to size too quick the veneer would shrink slightly more then the substraight.
Thanks for your comments, Alan. I've tried a number of glues and they all work pretty well. The reasons I mostly use white glue is that it's cheap and I can wash it off if it gets on the veneer, even after it's dry (white glue is not even close to waterproof). The disadvantage is that if the furniture is ever caught in a flood, the veneer will come off, but that's a low probability event and the flood would probably ruin the furniture anyway.

I always make a panel oversize and as slow as I work, it'll be days before I get around to trimming to final size:)

Mike
 
either i missed it mike or maybe you dont do it but i have seen a realxing or flattening operation for veneer??? do you do that proir to the begining of your panel work? and what do you look for in the RIGHT amout of glue?
 
Flattening veneer is a tedious operation and one I'd only do on high value veneer such as a burl. For regular hardwood, I expect the veneer to be flat.

I bought a package of multiple bundles of walnut veneer off eBay a while back and one bundle was warped so much that it wouldn't lay flat when I put it in press. There were bubbles in the veneer. I used a seam roller to try to flatten it out but some of the bubbles were so big that I got a ridge when I forced them down. Rather than try to flatten that veneer, I threw it away. The other bundles were okay. When you buy on eBay, you take your chances.

I can't really tell you how to judge the "right" amount of glue. I probably could show you but I don't know how to describe it in words.

Mike
 
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