Replies

1. 
   SgianDubh | Jun 04, 2002 04:49pm | #1

   Traditional veneering techniques as taught in the old days and described in old technical books include toothing both the surfaces with a toothing plane prior to application of the glue and sticking down the veneer with either veneer hammers or hot cauls. There again, these techniques come from a time when veneers were thicker, and grounds were normally of solid timbers, such as pine, and the glue was Scotch or hide glue. The reason always given for toothing the surfaces is to provide a 'key' for the glue, and this makes some sense as hide glue has gap filling properties.

   Your argument for abrading the surfaces prior to applying the veneer seems to make sense. The surfaces of man made boards do get grungy and grimy, so sanding this off to reveal a fresh surface is probably a good idea. If you examine joints that have been long cut but never assembled you'll notice that they take on something of a glazed look. I've always thought that these old prepared gluing surfaces would glue up much less successfully than freshly cut joints. With some timbers, with teak as a particular example, the advice given to me was always to work the joint, and glue it and assemble it immediately before the oil gets fully to the surface.

   Incidentally, I still always tooth the groundwork-- and I'll lightly sand the leaves of veneer if they look dirty or glazed just prior to laying. It seems you get my support. Slainte, RJ.

   RJFurniture

   
   

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   Edited 6/4/2002 9:56:32 AM ET by Sgian Dubh

2. 
   kcg99999 | Jun 04, 2002 04:50pm | #2

   Hi Sequel,

   I can’t imagine it would hurt to sand the surface, but I’ve never felt it was necessary and I don’t know anyone else who does it. One draw back I can think of is you would have less veneer to sand against and therefore be more prone to sand through when doing the final sanding of the panel. Also from a commercial standpoint, adding another step to the process wouldn’t be cost effective. There is a guy down the street who makes high end veneered panels – that’s all he does. He makes probably a hundred a day. He has a hot press, a couple of guillotines, a big stitcher, and a $1/4M sanding machine. He doesn’t presand and he’s considered the best veneer guy in town. So while it wouldn’t hurt, my feeling is that with modern veneer technique, it’s unnecessary.

   Hope this helps.

   Best,

   Kim Carleton Graves
   Carleton Woodworking