Panel Processing

Comment

Comment by Vinnie Scarlata on May 13, 2010 at 9:15pm

Hey John,
Good luck. Book matching is the fun part. It's not complicated. Keep me posted.

Vinnie

Comment by john daze on May 13, 2010 at 8:47pm

Hey Vinnie,
Now you understand my problem; this is why I'm asking for advice. They want the threads veneered. Your idea about getting them to spec them with the process is good. I'll do that.
Personally I would do like you say or even solid stock. Usually it's designers that come up with ideas like this and we just work around them but those architects will look for matching grain etc.
These threads will come in 2 parts. 2 long bolts will come out of the wall and support the thread. I'll make a channel for the bolts and inbed the bolts in epoxy.
Ok Vinnie, I'll keep you posted; this is going in around September. My next round of questions will be about bookmatching.
Regards,
John Daze

Comment by Vinnie Scarlata on May 13, 2010 at 10:26am

Hey John,
You said stair parts were getting veneered but I didn't think you were doing the treads. If they are asking for treads to be veneered I would I would really pound the architect for its practicality. You'll never get any longevity out of a veneered stair tread unless they carpet or runner over them. Call a stair company and ask the question to them, see what they say !!! You need to have substantial material on the surface of a tread. What you can do is, if the exotic can be purchased in board stock instead of veneers, resaw it to 3/8" and laminate that to a core tread and nose it. That will give you some meat for wear. But I wouldn't do it with a standard veneer. If they insist, ask the architect to spec out the process and finish and make it clear that you claim no resposibility for it's durability. Throw it back to them.

If you looking for veneering supplies try Vacuum Pressing Systems. They're on line.

Vinnie

Comment by john daze on May 12, 2010 at 10:08pm

vinnie,
It looks like we are going to get some exotic raw veneer. We don't normally do this but now we have to. We will have to paper tape the veneer together and vacuum it. I have seen thick veneer before but not often; it must have been custom order. I don't like the tought of people climbing up and down stairs on such thin wood. We will have torely on the finish for protection.
I did a lot of hot pressing and some stitching in the past but as a worker; I didn't have to make those kind of decision.
What about 3 layers; one being a crossband in between? Doable in a hot press but maybe one ply at a time under vacuum. I'm afraid of delamination 3-4 months down the road. I will try to find unibond in my area.
I'll have a lot of questions later about bookmatching; where to start in the flitch etc. but I have to do those stairs first.
Thanks for responding so quickly.
Regards,
John Daze

Comment by Vinnie Scarlata on May 12, 2010 at 1:35pm

Hey John,

Welcome. Elementary questions, doesn't sound like you've done much veneering. There are several different ways to be thinking about this. First, are you thinking of this veneer as a sheet good laid up onto a backer material that you can apply to the OSB? If so, you can easily use a contact cement and make quick work of the veneering process. If an exotic wood is specified you can still request a layup done by the veneer supplier and still get a sheet good to work with. If you choose to buy natural rough veneer leaves and join them yourself there's a whole process involved and you'll need a vacuum press. The glues can be a simple yellow glue to a 2 part resin adhesive like Unibond 800. As far as thickness, you going to be limited. Most veneers will be cut to a about the thickness of heavy business card. I've found walnut 1/20th of an inch but that's the exception.

Vinnie

Comment by john daze on May 12, 2010 at 12:42pm

hi,
I will have to veneer stair parts made with oriented strand board (not the common osb). I would like advice on veneer thickness and glues for that. I don't know yet what species of veneer the architect will chose.
Regards,
John Daze
Calgary