Your project may be
more dimensionally complex, but the principle should be the same, that being the application
of the veneer to a flat surface. Lay your slip sheet over the glue coated core material
surface leaving only about a 1 1/2" along one edge exposed. Now, lay the veneer
(glue coated surface face down) over the slip sheet and carefully pull it over the narrow strip
of core material you left exposed, but avoid making contact at this point. Align the edge of
the exposed core material with the your pencil line on the paper underside of the veneer.
Place your thumb on the veneer over the left hand corner of the core material and
apply just enough pressure so that the veneer makes contact with the point of the core's corner.
This will be your adjustment pivot point.
Now...VERY IMPORTANT...check all corners and edges to make sure that the position of the
veneer will cover the core material completely, leaving no exposed edges or corners.
If necessary, slightly shift the slip sheet so you can see what's going on underneath
(but remember to put it back in place). If you need to make an adjustment take hold of
any corner of the veneer other than your pivot point and carefully shift the veneer allowing
it to pivot until you are happy with the position.
With the slip sheet in its original position exposing an 1 1/2" of core material and
the veneer in its best alignment, lightly run your (clean) fingers over the face of
the veneer, from the left hand pivot corner across to the right hand corner causing
the veneer and the core to make contact while driving out any potential air pockets.
Repeat this unidirectional hand stroking three or four times applying slightly more
pressure each pass until the veneer is flat and securely fastened to the first 1 1/2"
of the core material.
 Now move the slip sheet back another 1 1/2" to 2" and and smooth with your fingers again
except this time make your hand strokes from center to left, and then from center to right
overlapping the strokes in the middle. (If the slip sheet feels like it's stuck, lift the
back end of it off of the core material slightly and gently rock it loose).
You want to visualize your work surface in terms of a wagon wheel and make your roller strokes
along the spokes making sure that no part of the wheel remains unrolled. Make sure that
the strokes start a bit beyond the center so that they all overlap to prevent creating
an air pocket in the center. Be careful not to run your roller off of the edge of the
core material and break the veneer in a less than convenient place.The areas of your
finished veneer that will be most vulnerable to de-lamination down the road are the
edges and especially the corners so now's the time to apply a little extra TLC!
Give all four edges of your work surface a high pressure roll out, taking your time and
approaching the corners carefully, again so as not to break the overhanging veneer. On
each extreme edge tilt the roller slightly so it rides on the corner of the core edge
bending the veneer overhang a little, then slowly and firmly roll them out staying back
from the corners a bit.
Cut another plywood block about three inches wide (or whatever will fit comfortably in your
hand) by about 12" long. If you're right handed put the block in your left hand,
if not...(you know what to do!) Hold your block lengthwise along the edge of the work,
half overhanging the core material. Then, just as you did with your roller, tilt the block,
slightly bending (but not breaking) the veneer overhang creating a "V" shape valley between
the veneer underside and the core material. The inside point of that "V" is where you're
going to make your knife cut.
The object here is not to cut through the veneer on the first pass but to gently and
repeatedly score the veneer until we can make a controlled break. If you put enough
pressure on your knife to cut through on the first pass you risk loosing control and
cutting or gouging something you wish you hadn't. A long blade or a deep cut can be
influenced by the grain direction and the veneer very rarely aligns with the edge of
your core material.
Start at one of the corners and position your block as mentioned above and score the
veneer three or four times or until the point of the knife appears through the face of
the veneer. A controlled break will be easier on the edges where the cut runs perpendicular
to the grain. On the parallel grain cuts, you might have to finish out the cuts from
the top side of the veneer using a "sawing motion" with your utility knife.
Then reposition the block further down the edge and repeat the process. Do this on all
four sides of your work until the overhang is history! Last but not least take a piece
of sand paper and gently ease the edges over and clean them up a bit and essentially
you're done! The thickness of most wood veneers will allow for some limited power
finish sanding to work out some of those slight dents and scratches that may have
occurred while you were working with it, but once again...don't get carried away!!
Especially if you have gotten this far! Now to step back and take a few moments to
admire your fabulous creation and pat yourself on the back for the mere pittence it
cost you to complete.
All steps can be viewed in their entirity by clicking here after October 15, 2007.
For Inspection Information or
to schedule inspections
call 970-686-5791 or
720-301-0769.
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