Replies

1. 
   woody | Jan 03, 2003 08:40am | #1

   I have used this technique successfully for planing thin pieces as long as the veneer lays flat. Use a board or plywood a little longer than your veneer. Apply double sided tape at each end and place the veneer on the plywood. Taking some of the tack out of the tape aids in removal of the veneer. Taking light passes with sharp knives should work fine.

2. 
   joker | Jan 03, 2003 10:50pm | #2

   I also have a piece of 3/4" plywood on my planer for just that purpose. Just run the veneers through as you normally would. The one problem I do find is that on some wood when planed that thin it will have problems with tear out. It might be my planer.  I do the double bevel method of marquetry and will typically cut veneers in 6"x12" pieces.

   Since my marquetry uses small areas of different veneers, any tear out is not usually a problem. What kind of marquetry are you doing? I have been doing it for about a year now and I really enjoy it. Any pieces of furniture I make now  involve some sort of marquetry or inlay or a combination of both. Do you use a fret saw or a scroll saw? I learned to do it by hand and have not done any using a scroll saw. Anyway, nice meeting a fellow marquetarian.

1. 
   Bob2113 | Jan 04, 2003 04:19am | #3

   Hi There.  I am using a Delta 16" Variable Speed Scroll Saw and the double bevel method.  I just set up my hot plate and sand to try shading.  My first go at marquetry will be on a couple of small boxes to get the hang of it all.  I have a family commission to build an English Garden Bench (72"). I thought it would be a nice touch to place a design at the top of the bench back. With your 3/4 plywood on your planer, do you feed the combination of veneer and plywood through together?  I was thinking that instead of double sided tape, I could cover the plywood with formica or UHMW plastic or teflon and clamp it to both the infeed and outfeed table. Then let the planer feed the veneer???? Probably would shred the veneer.

   I got the bug by accident.  I made 16 cheese cutting boards for XMAS presents out of highly figured maple and walnut.  It was a father/son (son 8 years old) project to start training my son in woodworking. I double side taped the maple on top of the walnut and cut the boards in half with a series of curves that simulated mountains.  Then swaped the maple and walnut pieces and glued them together with a band of birch veneer between. I made maple and walnut moons and then glued them into a shallow hole made with a forstener bit.  They were finished with Salad Bowl Finish.  When I looked at the first completed boards...I though WOW! It looks like a scene in a painting by an artist named Charles Bonesal.  He painted scenes in space (outer space). This one painting was of Jupiter from one of its moons.  I though, you could do some serious art/craft with marquetry and frame it.  Using the figured grains to simulate real life scenes really appealed to me.

   We'll see how it goes.  Regards, Bob.

1. 
   UncleDunc | Jan 04, 2003 04:54am | #4

   Chesley Bonestell?

   http://www.bonestell.com/the_chesley_bonestell_archives005.htm

1. 
   Bob2113 | Jan 07, 2003 10:31pm | #8

   My bad. I didn't pay attention to the correct spelling of the name.

   Thanks

   Bob

2. 
   joker | Jan 06, 2003 06:43pm | #5

   Hi Bob,

   No, I do not send the plywood through with the veneer. Perhaps if you do it that way it might eliminate some of the problem with tear out, I don't know. Shading with hot sand is really cool. Play around with it as you you will find woods that will shrink more than others, but the effect is great.

   I took a seminar from a graduate of the College of the Redwoods so I good a really good taste of the whole marquetry/veneer aspect of woodworking. I just finished a mirror with 4 maple leaves on it, the mirror is made of walnut, the leaves of figured maple, excellent combination. I did the marquetry of the leaves, cut them out as a whole, then inlaid them into the walnut. I had not done that before and fortunately it turned out sweet. I will also typically do some marquetry on the inside bottom of any drawers I make.

   Anyway, the options are endless as I am sure you know. Have fun with it, it's a nice way to give your pieces a unique little "signature" .

1. 
   jcousins | Jan 07, 2003 01:45am | #6

   hi to all - just found this forum board. i've doing marquetry for 8 or 9 months - attended a 5 day class at the college of the redwoods - great xperience. and i too use the double bevel cut method - with veneers 5/64's (+/-).i was pretty leery of sending the veneers throught the planer for finishing - so finally bought a used performax drum sander - it does make the difference - a bit slow going, but it trues the veneers nicely.

   was wondering how most folks cut their veneers? i bought a minimax16 and have been really pleased.

   thanks for the information - looking forward to more.

   jerry

1. 
   joker | Jan 07, 2003 03:37am | #7

   Hi Jerry,

   I have a friend of mine cut veneers on their bandsaw and then I run them through my planer. If I am desperate I may rip them on my table saw then through the planer.