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The Official Website of this Non-Professional Woodworker ™ |
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Part 1
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It's becoming hard to find highly figured veneers in large sizes. You'll often find it necessary to join two or more pieces of veneer together to make up a large panel. The good news is that this method can reveal some amazing results that can only be achieved with veneer. Using the right tools, the process is simple and nearly fool-proof. In the picture below, four sheets of a lesser grade walnut burl veneer are quad matched to achieve a visually appealing effect. Even the most mundane veneers offer stunning character potential. You can use any number of methods to prepare the veneers for edge to edge joining. The method you choose may depend upon factors such as the thickness/quality of the veneer and the size of the seam. For some joints, you can clamp the veneer(s) between two boards and trim the edges with a flush trimming router bit, low angle block plane, or even a stationary jointer.
Start with two flat pieces of veneer. For more information on flattening veneers, click here. Ideally, these veneers should be taken in the order in which they were sliced from the log. This is often referred to as sequential order which is what most veneer suppliers offer. For the most pleasing effect, the veneers should be laid side by side with one veneer face up and the other face down (with the same edges touching each other). This is called book matching. This way, one veneer is mirroring the other. For straight grained veneers, this minimizes the visual effect of using multiple veneers to lay up a single panel. If you are using a figured veneer (especially a burl veneer), book matching can yield some intriguing and hidden patterns. Place a straight edged board (about ¾" thick) along the projected seam line, and lightly saw into the veneer (along the entire length of the seam) until the cut is complete.
Be sure that the straight edge board is on top of the "keeper" side of the veneer. In other words, you are sawing off the waste side. It is imperative that the straightedge be absolutely true. While sawing the veneer, place adequate pressure downward on the straightedge. You should also make certain to hold the saw 90° to the veneer face by keeping it firmly pressed against the straightedge. It should take several passes of the saw to fully cut through. The straight edge I am using in this example is piece of walnut that has been passed across my jointer. It has a nice, clean edge. I placed some 100 grit self adhesive sandpaper on the bottom side of the board to help keep the veneers from shifting while being cut. If you are not sure about your straightedge or the veneer pieces are very large, you can place the two veneers with one slightly overlapping the other (both facing up) and saw a straight line down the middle. Your straightedge will not have to be perfect because you will be sawing reciprocal parts at the same time. Just saw lightly so the keeper piece on the opposite side of the straightedge doesn't tear up. Click here for a drawing of this technique.
Frequently Use Veneering Words or Phrases Book Matching - Laying up two or more veneers side by side with opposite faces showing. This method can yield some amazing results with figured and burl veneers.
Slip Matching - Laying up two of more veneers side by side with the same face showing on each. This is often done on quartersawn veneers to eliminate the barber pole effect in which light reflects differently from every other piece of veneer in the lay up.
Butt Matching - Laying up two or more veneers end to end with opposite faces showing.
Quad Matching - A combination of book matching and butt matching in which four or more veneers are laid up side by side and end to end. As with book matching, this can create the most interesting patterns.
Sunburst Layup - A process of cutting veneers into pie slice pieces and laying them side by side with alternating face direction. This type of arrangement can create a stunning effect on even the most ordinary veneers. They are time consuming to make but the results can be outstanding. VeneerSupplies.com has some pre-assembled sunbursts ready for use.
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