As I stated in another post, I am the proud new owner of a new Jet 18″ bandsaw, jointer, and dust collector. I purchased these items to take my building of small tables, coffee tables, etc. to the next level. I would like to begin to resaw cherry, walnut, maple, and other hardwoods for the tabletops so I can bookmatch them. I want to do this so I can make my wood go further and also end up with a more stable piece of furniture. I am going to order some books but want to get started sooner than they will arrive, so any help with the following questions would be much appreciated.
1. What thickness should I aim for when resawing to make veneer, does it vary depending on the wood used or the substrate that I glue it to.
2. What substrate should be used and how thick, The plywood at the box stores here is junk, even the laminated plywood looks bad, is mdf my next choice.
3. If MDF is acceptable, what type of glue should I use.
4. For a coffee table, etc, is a vacuum press absolutely necessary, or can I use cauls and get by until I save up for a vacuum press.
Thanks for the advice.
Tony
I just found some of the answers to these questions in another thread, but any advice would still be appreciated.
Edited 8/25/2008 9:27 am ET by docrx
Replies
Hi, Tony,
Your questions cover a lot of material, and I would recommend finding a book on basic veneering as a help. I will try to give you the benefit of my experience to a limited extent.
1. Thickness: This will depend upon the degree to which you are able to tune up your saw. I have cut veneer to 1/16" with good results. 1/8" thick is a recommended maximum to avoid wood movement and cracking problems.
2. Core: mdf works very well. There is a lot of warped plywood out there, so beware of that. In either case, you will need to apply solid edging. Be sure to use backing veneer to avoid warping of the panel.
3. Glue: Urea formaldehyde glues work well, and I have used Titebond III for smaller panels. Joe Woodworker sells a cold press glue that works well.
4. vac press: You might be able to use clamps and cauls, depending upon the size of your coffee table. There is some technique required for this, such as curving the cauls to put more pressure in the middle. I hope you have a lot of clamps.
Good luck, Tom.
Tom,
Thanks for the quick reply, that info was just what I needed to get started on my first practice project. I'll give MDF a try and look for that glue as well.
Thank You
Tony
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