I'm almost done with my Kit281TLs and I'm wondering where to order veneer from? I've never used veneer so I'm not exactly sure how to do it, but I've searched the board and found some god information. Is it possible to get veneer that doesn't require any more finishing? The local menards has 48" x 24" sheets for $25, but this seems pretty expensive, and they are all unfinished woods.
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks,
rob
Anyone have any ideas?
Thanks,
rob
Check out a supplier that supplies local area cabinet making shops. They will usually have veneer. Constantines (I am not sure of my spelling) sells a wide variety of veneers via mail order from somewhere around Miami. If you can't find them on the web, look them up in a woodworking magazine or ask the question in an internet woodworking forum if someone here can't help.
Jeff R said:
Constantines is a great source for veneer. They're on the web at <a href="http://www.constantines.com">http://www.constantines.com</a>.
se
I used
woodworker.com
Their prices were not too bad, and they had a store about 15 minutes from where I work. They do mail-order as well. A fair selection of basic veneers is available.
Joe L.
Audix Home Theater Center Channel - Red Oak 10 mil paper backed veneer unfinished
Black Aniline Dye applied to veneer. Grain is very visible
Satin Polycrylic finish over dyed Red-Oak veneer
woodworker.com
Their prices were not too bad, and they had a store about 15 minutes from where I work. They do mail-order as well. A fair selection of basic veneers is available.
Joe L.
Audix Home Theater Center Channel - Red Oak 10 mil paper backed veneer unfinished
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Black Aniline Dye applied to veneer. Grain is very visible
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Satin Polycrylic finish over dyed Red-Oak veneer
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
very nice..... since im new to veneer, how did you apply it around the rounded corners? The veneer that menards carried would have broken if bent like that.... also how do you clamp it, make it stay until the cement is dry?
thanks,
rob
thanks,
rob
The veneer I used is very flexible
Rob,
The veneer I used is very flexible. It was easy to wrap it around a 3/4 inch radius as long as I did it with the grain. I paid about 65 dollars for a 4x8 foot sheet of 10 mil paper backed red oak. Perhaps it is thinner and more flexible than your veneer?
If new at veneering, I would suggest that you do as I did. Do the back of the speaker cabinet first (where it shows the least) then the top and bottom, and finally the front and sides. By the time you get to the front, you will be an expert🙂
The veneer was wrapped around the front and two sides after the rest of the cabinet had been covered.
To apply the veneer, I used the dried yellow glue and hot iron method. Slightly thinned (about 5 percent water added) yellow glue is applied to both the cabinet and the back of the veneer and they are both left for a few hours until dry.
Yellow glue is applied to back of veneer and to cabinet and let dry.
When dry, glue will look shiny, almost like varnish
Then, once the glue is dry, the veneer is cut to size (actually about 1/4 to 1/2 inch oversize) and a hot clothes iron is used to "iron on" the veneer working from the center outward. It is easy to work the iron over the rounded front edges.
The heat melts the glue and very securely bonds the veneer to the cabinet. Once bonded, either a very sharp razor knife or a router with a flush trim bit is used to trim the veneer.
The hot iron technique is described in detail here
I preferer this technique over the use of "contact cement" since I could easily control where the veneer was bonding. I could "iron out" any bubbles in the veneer as I worked from the center outward and ensure it was all securely fastened.
Joe L.
Rob,
The veneer I used is very flexible. It was easy to wrap it around a 3/4 inch radius as long as I did it with the grain. I paid about 65 dollars for a 4x8 foot sheet of 10 mil paper backed red oak. Perhaps it is thinner and more flexible than your veneer?
If new at veneering, I would suggest that you do as I did. Do the back of the speaker cabinet first (where it shows the least) then the top and bottom, and finally the front and sides. By the time you get to the front, you will be an expert🙂
The veneer was wrapped around the front and two sides after the rest of the cabinet had been covered.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
To apply the veneer, I used the dried yellow glue and hot iron method. Slightly thinned (about 5 percent water added) yellow glue is applied to both the cabinet and the back of the veneer and they are both left for a few hours until dry.
Yellow glue is applied to back of veneer and to cabinet and let dry.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
When dry, glue will look shiny, almost like varnish
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Then, once the glue is dry, the veneer is cut to size (actually about 1/4 to 1/2 inch oversize) and a hot clothes iron is used to "iron on" the veneer working from the center outward. It is easy to work the iron over the rounded front edges.
The heat melts the glue and very securely bonds the veneer to the cabinet. Once bonded, either a very sharp razor knife or a router with a flush trim bit is used to trim the veneer.
The hot iron technique is described in detail here
I preferer this technique over the use of "contact cement" since I could easily control where the veneer was bonding. I could "iron out" any bubbles in the veneer as I worked from the center outward and ensure it was all securely fastened.
Joe L.
Thank you sooo much! I think I'm going to route my cabinets just like yours are. By yellow glue you mean elmers wood glue? Just want to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing before I go ahead and mess up my cabs!
Thanks,
rob
Thanks,
rob
Rob,
I used "Titebond" brand yellow glue, but from what I understand, Elmers yellow wood glue works the same way.
I used a felt pad applicator to apply the glue to the two surfaces. When I did the back of the center channel, I used the glue "full strength" and it was much harder to apply an even coating. I learned that if it is not even to the touch before adding the veneer, the veneer will have the same unevenness. For all the other surfaces, I thinned the glue a little.
I added about 5 percent volume of water to the glue bottle to thin it out and it worked perfectly. It does get tacky pretty quick, so either use a felt pad to put it on evenly, or get a small disposable roller to apply it.
The glue takes a few hours to dry. You must wait, or else the moisture in the glue when heated by the iron will turn to steam under the veneer and cause it to bubble. If your MDF soaks up all the glue, apply a second coat and let it dry again. It should look shiny once it has dried.
One advantage of this technique is that you can re-heat an area if it did not bond well. You might want to follow close behind the iron with a smooth block of wood or a veneer roller (in your other hand) to make sure the glue hardens with the veneer tight and secure to the cabinet.
Heck, you can experiment with this technique with a scrap of MDF and some thin card stock. (a file card perhaps) You can try your hand at ironing the card stock to the scrap of MDF. No need to waste expensive veneer.
Here is a closeup of the rounded over corner and the dyed veneer on one of the Audax Home Theater L/R Front speakers I built
Good Luck with your project....
Joe L.
I used "Titebond" brand yellow glue, but from what I understand, Elmers yellow wood glue works the same way.
I used a felt pad applicator to apply the glue to the two surfaces. When I did the back of the center channel, I used the glue "full strength" and it was much harder to apply an even coating. I learned that if it is not even to the touch before adding the veneer, the veneer will have the same unevenness. For all the other surfaces, I thinned the glue a little.
I added about 5 percent volume of water to the glue bottle to thin it out and it worked perfectly. It does get tacky pretty quick, so either use a felt pad to put it on evenly, or get a small disposable roller to apply it.
The glue takes a few hours to dry. You must wait, or else the moisture in the glue when heated by the iron will turn to steam under the veneer and cause it to bubble. If your MDF soaks up all the glue, apply a second coat and let it dry again. It should look shiny once it has dried.
One advantage of this technique is that you can re-heat an area if it did not bond well. You might want to follow close behind the iron with a smooth block of wood or a veneer roller (in your other hand) to make sure the glue hardens with the veneer tight and secure to the cabinet.
Heck, you can experiment with this technique with a scrap of MDF and some thin card stock. (a file card perhaps) You can try your hand at ironing the card stock to the scrap of MDF. No need to waste expensive veneer.
Here is a closeup of the rounded over corner and the dyed veneer on one of the Audax Home Theater L/R Front speakers I built
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
Good Luck with your project....
Joe L.
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