Anyone playing with veneer or vacuum presses?

[flip]

I hate.  Let me rephrase that.  I think some veneered stuff looks like cheap scrappola.  I am from the school of solid wood.  I use as much solid wood on my projects as I can (with the exception of back panels on casegoods where I use cabinet grade ply).  There is a local guy (keithfritz.com) that does a lot of custom furniture and I may have the opportunity to do some work with/for him.   I bought a DVD on veneering steps, glues, processes, matching yada yada.  I have a good handle on how why and where it is done and the general mechanics of vacuum veneering.  I like the idea of adding figured veneers to my solid projects to add a new dimension to my work.  Unfortunately I googled veneer presses and Joewoodworker came up and I am building a vacuum press.  Does anyone here do much veneering?  I have not seen much mentioned in the wood working section.  Goods, bads, uglies??

[Don_Papenburg]

I have a vac tank/pump set up in shop but have yet to use it .  I set it up because I have a buddy in the UP that makes a lot of veneer stuff . He almost exclusivly uses vac bags.  He also makes his own veneers  I think that his thinest would be 1/16"

makes for a better look ,flatter crisper lines.  One of the things he does is make stair treds ,with a thick veneer over laminated baltic birch. completed treds look like solid lumber without the warp shrink squeeks of solid wood stairs.  One of his bits of advice was to buy the best vac bags as the cheap ones do not last .

[Larry]

Just a beginner.  I bought a pump from the Surplus Center and bunch of parts from joewoodworker for the press.  Book matching walnut crotch has kept me occupied so far.  I would like to try a compass rose one of these days...possibly a floor medallion if I get good nuff.

I would jump at a chance to learn from someone with experience.  Sounds like you have a golden opportunity flip...don't pass it up.

[low_48]

I have a bag system from Vacuum Pressing System in Maine. Watched Daryl Keil several times in seminars and bought his system. Great guy, great video that he has put out. I visited with him when we vacationed in Maine many years ago. His business is in a barn behind his house. Really and enjoyable visit. I bought a hand held stitcher years ago when I had a lot of pocket money to get rid of.  ;) I still prefer the gum tape after trying it a couple of times. I like the control and pull I can put on with the gum tape. I have a BUNCH of figured veneer that I bought on Ebay and then from a supplier that went out of business. Ebay has some good sellers that buy cutoffs and trimmings from veneer manufacturers. Really gorgeous stuff but on the small sizes. 4 way matches stretch it in a beautiful way. You can't beat these highly figured veneers for stability over solid. I trim on a fixture that uses a bearing flush trim bit in the router. I bought a sheet metal "stomp shear" some time ago and had a special blade ground for it to trim the veneer, but haven't got that together yet. For little jobs i use original Titebond, but on high figured or large layups I use Unibond that I buy from Daryl. I haven't laid up a job in a couple of years, but I'm pretty sure he still sells it. It comes in both light and dark colors.

[flip]

Here's one of my veneering projects I'm almost finished with.  I just put one coat of natural finish on so that's why it's kinda glossy.  The field is birds eye maple and solid mahogany for the border.  There is a small 'hog skirt and the tapered legs are veneered with qs 'hog. Ogee around the top edge. Fun project and I get brownie points from Lori ;)

[Larry]

I like your design along with the choice of wood.  Quite attractive...and I bet ya got extra brownie points from Lori for your effort.

[TexasTimbers]

flip that is really nice. I don't care for veneer stuff usually either but I should probably work on m attitude about it.

I do enjoy taking a real thin cut off of a real nice log with the LT40 every now and then and I imagine making a veneer with it. I guess a fella would run it through the planer after the glue dries.

The "veneer" I am talking about is like 1/16th - 1/8" off the mill. I think if I was gonna glue it to MDF or another board I would want to leave it at least 1/8" or else you'd plane it right out of existence on the first pass. A fella would not need a vaccum for that would he? Just mill some 1/8" thick slices and build a cheap platen press with some air bladders you can buy from a truck supply.

[low_48]

I was taught that you have to get the final thickness at 3/32" or less. If you keep it too thick it will still act like solid wood and the seasonal expansion and contraction will not be controlled by the substrate.

[flip]

I got a bunch of veneer from a guy that sells on Ebay, his name is Ron Fritz and he's in Georgetown, IN.  John and I drove down to his place and picked up a bunch of stuff for CHEAP.  If any of you need something call him he will give you a heck of a deal.  Let's just say I filled up the back seat of my truck with walnut, figured bubinga, birdseye maple, ebony, santos and a few others for under $100.

Here's the press I use, homie with parts from joe woodworker.