veneering solid wood panels

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H

HSteier

Well-known member
I'm moving along with my  Charleston bookcase. I've glued up 2" poplar strips to form the doors as per Dennis Bork's suggestions and they are flat and square. I don't have a lot of veneer experience so I have some questions.
Along the long grain of the doors, the panels are edged with mahogany strips. What's the best treatment for the end grain? Should the end grain be veneered? If so, I assume the veneer grain orientation should be in the same direction as the wood panel.
I have done end grain panel veneering with hot hide glue. I've never considered any sort of traditional glue as I can't figure out how one would clamp the veneer. Is there some obvious technique I'm overlooking.
Now on to the veneering the panel face. I realize that I will have to veneer both sides of the panel. On the show side is there any benefit to putting down a base veneer layer prior to the finaj decorative veneer layer? Will this decrease the risk of any grain or irregularity telescoping through the veneer?

Howard Steier
 
The standard procedure is to prepare strips of veneered substrate with whatever grain orientation you require for any edging that is needed. This piece is applied to the door edges (or wherever) prior to laying on the surface veneer. It is important to realize that the edging will inevitably telegraph thru the face veneer so the edging must be kept as thin as possible. In this case I am considering the 'Waterfall' edge, where the grain direction wraps around the edge of the door. Long grain edging is obviously simpler. Where it is necessary, i.e. with extremely thin veneer, I spend the time to miter the waterfall edge in order to eliminate any finishing issues on the surface, particularly when a 1/50" Maccassar ebony veneer is to be finished with a spray varnish or laquer. I think this may answer part of your question. Please feel free to ask about specifics.
Fran
 
Howard, The Victorian method was to apply a ¼” solid timber end grain timber  to the substrate,  mimicking solid timber, and then veneer overlapped on front and back surfaces. copying their forbearers. 

                                                      Joseph Hemingway
 
Joseph
The "Victorian" method sets up a cross grain situation and is glueing end grain to side grain. Won't this fail? Or is the 1/4" trim thin enough to be pliable enough so that it will move if the panel expands or contracts?

Fran
Would an extra sheet of veneer on the face reduce/prevent the telegraphing through effect?

Howard
 
Howard, Victorian furniture is all over England in antique shops today, around top edges, and doors , (moulded and straght,end grain to end grain, end grain to straight grain) butt jointed,glued only with animal glue.  Today’s glue is far superior, there’s has never moved? Have some faith in there development of this technique.  If your core keeps straight, there will be no problem; I have used this method several times, with no come back.

                                                                        Joseph Hemingway

 
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