handling veneers?

[fujimo]

i have some really awesome burl veneer. .024"
being a burl, it is quite brittle and unpredictable. can i laminate ( smooth on) it to some core material, then slice off the blanks for grinding, and grind the lams.
or will that glued lamination be too stiff, and adversely effect the bow?

anybody done this befor??
many thanks

[2treks]

Done it. It can be stiff I guess but if you grind it back down to a thin lamination it works fine.

CTT

[fujimo]

thanks chuck, will start working towards that.

[Trux Turning]

Another way is to cut your veneers to width and glue them up with the core and glass at the same time. Just count the .024 as part of the stack thickness- use plenty of glue and air up slowly.
 

[2treks]

What I did was cut a 2" strip of veneer and laminated it to a board of bamboo, flat.
Then I sliced it off and ground a new veneer out of that glue-up. I think I ended up at about a .030-.035 laminated veneer. Trimmed to 1.5" wide and proceeded to build a bow in the normal fashion as Trux suggested
The reason I did it that way was because the veneer was thin and brittle. I glued one bow as "normal" and had it split out on me. then I was out a bows worth of material. When I glue it to a board and re-grind the lam, I only stand to lose the veneer and the some time. Some veneer is a serious pain,

[fujimo]

yup, thats the problem i have - this veneer has crazy grain, very thin and brittle- just cutting it is going to be difficult- the last bunch i wet with a spray bottle, cut it and allowed to dry, but cutting 2" wide will leave me some error room on the sides, and when glued to my core material, will just use it as my top and bottom lams in the 4 lam stack

thanks guys

[Trux Turning]

Good idea with those troublesome veneers- think I'll hive that a try on a set.

[BigJim]

I have never used it before, but they make a veneer softening agent...claims not to affect adhesion.

can't say as I have had a lot of problems, but occasionally on walnut burl or redwood burl I have destroyed a veneer before making to glue up.

BigJim

[2treks]

I have used the veneer softening spray Jim. Not for bow work though. I can't convince myself to try it. It will make a veneer pretty pliable.
I am friends with a big veneer supplier and they have told me a hundred times that it will be fine, but.....

I will generally mess up a veneer before it gets glued. During my hand sanding phase. I have only had to "back" my veneer a couple times and that was years ago. Maybe I am better now, or maybe I don't use such wacky material theses days.  

[Buemaker]

Those veneers can be a pain in a certain place. I have done it as follows: Place the veneer on a smooth board, then I use a heavy 2 meter long steel straight edge and cut carefully with a sharp utility knife. Bue--.

[Swissbow]

For my swap bow I used some olive ash veneers that also were very brittle and all curled up. I cut them the same way Bue said and used some clamps to hold everything in place.

 
__________
Andy

[LittleBen]

I like the utility knife idea ... never underestimate the utility knife.

I built an entire sailing dinghy of 5mm ply using only a utility knife for cutting the ply panels ... Sometimes I forget how insanely sharp they are.

[2treks]

I guess I forgot to add that part. straight edge and razor knife is the way to cut veneer. Light scores until thru.

[Buemaker]

http://www.veneering.net/veneer-saw.php
A veneer saw is of course an option. Bue--.

[fujimo]

looks like a sound investment Bue- will have to get one
thanks

[Trux Turning]

A veneer saw does work better for me vs the utility knife.