In Reply to: Veneer Question posted by Luxmanlover on September 08, 2002 at 09:07:00:
I can tell you for sure what NOT to use: 3M #77 spray. I veneered the 4Pi's with it and when they were exposed to some dampness, became washboards!
It had been recommended to me by a veneer supplier.
It's suppposed to be possible to use contact with unbacked as long as it is flat, straight grained and no checks or cracks. But the rubber contact is said to lose it's bond even in direct sunlight.
Right this minute I have a batch of hide glue warming up in a drip coffee pot and in about one hour I'll know if a method learned 40 (yikes) years ago has left me or not.
Hot hide glue goes back to the ancient Egyptians and was used for pretty much everything until PVA was developed after War II.
If you need to make NO seams, spread yellow carpenters glue on the substrate, let it dry and then iron the veneer with a DRY iron set on highest heat. When the veneer hits the glue it will want to curl so have a sprayer ready to spray the face side. But don't get it too wet. The veneer will shrink away from the edges if you do.
And if you veneer panels, as opposed to completed carcases, you must veneer both sides. Veneer one side of a piece of 3/4 MDF and see the bow next day!
If you don't want to invest in the tools and time for hot hide glue, go to the Tape-ease sight for NBS backed veneer. Not cheap, but everyone seems to get good results. Good tutorial there too. Sorry, I lost the bookmark.
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