Another skill I didn't think I could do

[smorris]

For the pantry cabinet I'm making for LOML's kitchen I needed to veneer one side of the cabinet that will show since I didn't want to make that side out of solid ash. I looked around and didn't find what I was looking for so I decided to take on trying to make my own on the bandsaw.

Quick trip to get a 3/4 3TPI Timberwolf blade and I was ready to try it. Had to setup a fence which didn't take long and adjust for drift and I was ready to cut a 3/16 veneer. At first it was a bear and very hard then it dawned on me I had the blade too slow and it was loading up. Made that adjustment and it started cutting beautifully with that nice singing sound and no binding.

I've got a nice stack of 6' long by 5 1/4" wide by 3/16 rough cut veneer. Is this too thin to face on the jointer before I run it through the planer to get to 1/16?

The wife mentioned that it looks like I'll need a vacuum bag press to do this job so I should start pricing one. Thanks to David Marks who showed her on Woodworks how much easier it is if you have one of those.

Might as well do the inside in the ash also but maybe I can find some cheaper birch in a large sheet for that.

[drumpriest]

The other excellent tool for this is a drum sander. You can use it to flatten and thickness your veneer to appropriate size, without the risk of it exploding like it can do in the planer. Ash might work in the planer as it's so straight grained, but things like maple will just explode when that thin.

My vacuum press is just the vac-u-press 100 but works well. It's only 4'x4' though, so a 6' long piece is out of the question there. Good luck!

[smorris]

I wish I had a drum sander, maybe I can start hinting around for Christmas.

[cabinetman]

I've got a nice stack of 6' long by 5 1/4" wide by 3/16 rough cut veneer. Is this too thin to face on the jointer before I run it through the planer to get to 1/16"

That's pretty darn thin to joint, and forget the planer. For what's involved in getting together enough flitches for the panel, using sheet veneer over a substrate, or a hardwood plywood would simplify the project. You could also use 1/4" hardwood plywood as a veneer.
.

[jabe]

It's a no go for the jointer, not safe! You can use the planer but you will need a carrier board and double stick tape. The carrier board is a peice of 3/4" thick plywd. an inch wider & longer than the stock you're planing. Double stick tape your stock to the carrier then adjust your planer to the total thickness of the carrier + tape + stock less 1/64" and remove only 1/64" on each pass. Taking off more than a 64th will cause the material to vibrate too much and might cause it to explode. I would do as cman suggest just use 1/4" plywd and be done with it.

[cgallery]

I think a drum/wide belt sander is ideal tools for this job. For the amount of money you're saving making the pantry (or entire kitchen?) yourself, you could justify one. They do show up used for $300-$500.

If not (perhaps you'll never used one again), perhaps you can find a local woodworker that would help you out?

[smorris]

I made some calls last night and a friend of a friend has a drum sander. I'll be heading over there this afternoon.

I had considered using 1/4" ply but this was an educational exercise as much as anything. Now I know how to do the cuts properly.

I'll get to the veneering in a couple weeks after the wood acclimates from the garage to the house. Since I've never done this on such a large scale I need to do a little research on glues and vacuum bags.

[drumpriest]

I mostly just use titebond cold press veneer glue, but I have also used Unibond 800 plastic resin glue. The nice thing about the titebond is the quick 2-3 hour cure time. The Unibond has a great open time for getting larger projects together, but takes 12 hours+ to cure, and is heat sensitive. DAP Weldwood plastic resin glue will work also, and has the 12 hour cure time, I've used that in the past as well.