Does anyone have experience with fuming white oak case work, with solid trim on white oak veneered plywood? Did the veneer change color at the same rate as the solid stock? Would you fume the case abd the face frame separately, and then glue the face frame to the case? Thanks.
Bob K
Replies
Wood from different trees can color differently when fumed since the chemical process depends both the the chemicals in the ammonia and upon the chemical make up of the wood. V eneer and solid often behave differently as well. At the very least you will need to make several timed test samples to see how your particular woods behave. Personally, I would likely go with a dye to achieve very similar results with much less hassle. Even there it's not always a slam dunk that solid and veneer accept color exactly the same way, but it is more likely.
veneer vs solid fuming
In my experience veneer will darken more slowly than the solid edgings. Aside from the natural variations from board to board I think it's probably due to the amount of adhesive that gets absorbed into veneer which somewhat seals the wood against fuming, stains, etc. So the thicker the veneer the less marked the difference. The problem can be fairly easily rectified if necessary with a bit of wiping stain on the veneer parts before going on to whatever topcoat you want. I wouldn't fume the parts before glue up on account of the issue.
Thank you both. Seems the customer has decided she wants a more formal piece after all. That's an opening for me to push for natural cherry and avoid the whole staining phase. We live to fight another day...
bob k
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