In this woodworking tutorial, the focus is on crafting custom veneers to enhance creativity in woodworking projects. While acknowledging various approaches in woodworking, the benefits of making your own veneers, enabling woodworkers to choose their preferred wood types and control thickness. Highlights of the significance of essential tools such as the bandsaw and planer, with optional additions like a jointer and drum sander for finer results.
The focus is on creating custom veneers. In woodworking, there are often multiple ways to achieve the same result. While you might see professionals using high-end machinery, I’ll show you how to accomplish this with budget-friendly DIY tools. However, making veneers today won’t fit that category entirely.
To craft veneers, you’ll need specific tools, making this tutorial suitable for those with a well-equipped woodshop. If you lack these tools, purchasing veneers might be a better option. Nonetheless, there are compelling reasons to make your own veneers. Firstly, it allows you to select any wood you desire. Additionally, it allows you to control thickness, as store-bought veneers can be costly and prone to sanding through.
Using veneers offers practical advantages, such as veneering plywood to prevent seasonal expansion and contraction. Moreover, it maximizes the use of rare or unique boards. Consider a recent cabinet project with walnut doors that I worked on. I crafted these veneers to accentuate the contrast between sapwood and heartwood in a walnut slab I had.
Now, let’s delve into the essential tools. The must-have tools are a bandsaw and a planer, while the nice-to-have additions include a jointer and a drum sander. The choice of planer isn’t critical; even a benchtop one will suffice for smaller projects. For the bandsaw, ensure you use the appropriate blade, specifically one designed for resawing. The sharpness of the blade is paramount, as dull ones force excessive pressure and lead to drifting.
To begin, prepare a board with three sides surfaced, running one face through the jointer to achieve flatness. Proceed to plane the opposing face for parallelism and joint one edge to a perfect 90-degree angle. Setting the fence just beyond 1/8 inch, make a pass through the bandsaw. This thickness is thicker than our final veneer thickness. Remember to go slow, allowing the blade to clear sawdust efficiently and maintain a straight cut.
On larger bandsaws, the tension and tracking concerns are less demanding. It’s acceptable for the blade to ride against the guides. If necessary, pause to readjust during the cut. The process leaves a rough surface as expected. After cutting the veneer, set it aside and plane the remaining rough surface. Then, run this newly planed surface along the fence on the bandsaw, repeating until you exhaust the board.
Now, all your veneers have one smooth side and one rough side. We’ll run the rough side through the planer next. Since planers struggle with such thin material, employ a sled, consisting of 3/4-inch plywood with sandpaper for grip. Run the veneer through the planer on the sled, ensuring that you get thinner veneers than you would achieve with a straight cutter.
Back to veneers: I managed to produce five sheets from a single board. Though you can stop here for thicker veneers, if you desire even thinner ones, a drum sander comes in handy. Expect some chip-out, particularly where the grain isn’t straight. The straighter the grain, the better the yield.
Lastly, when veneering, apply glue to both sides simultaneously to prevent warping. I created these veneers for a unique project involving solid walnut plywood. By alternating the veneer direction, I’m aiming to produce a sheet of solid walnut plywood. While it’s not a typical approach, this project should be exciting.
Main ideas from this making your own veneers video:
- Focusing on making your own veneers for creative woodworking.
- Mention of the need for specific tools, including a bandsaw, planer, jointer, and optional drum sander.
- Explanation of the advantages of making your own veneers, including wood choice and thickness control.
- Emphasis on blade selection and sharpness for the bandsaw to achieve straight cuts.
- Step-by-step process of preparing veneers: surfacing, jointing, and creating a smooth edge.
- Using a sled with sandpaper on the planer to handle thin veneers and the possibility of chip-outs.
- Optional use of a drum sander for achieving even thinner veneers and smoother edges.
- The importance of veneering both sides to prevent warping when using wet glue.
- Special project mention involving creating solid walnut plywood with veneers.