Walnut Burl Veneer Tables

[JimMc7]

Need a place by the recliner to sit a "Pepsi" at my son's house so made a couple of small tables from walnut & walnut burl veneer. I really like veneering. Neat to take a piece of MDF and add a nice wood grain to it. I probably couldn't find and surely couldn't afford a piece of solid wood with such interesting features. Thanks for looking!

 

[thewishman]

Your tables are nice, you must enjoy your "Pepsi."

 

[vallealbert]

Great craftsmanship...

 

[bitshird]

Very nice work, they are quite beautiful.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

Jim, very nice, bet your son makes you use a coaster when placing your pepsi on "HIS" new tables.

 

[holmqer]

Great job! I've dabbled with veneer with poor results. Despite veneer softener, it still cracks when I try to apply it, so I'm clearly missing something.

 

[boxerman]

Very nice tables I really like. I prefer coke.

 

[leestoresund]

I see a googly eyed fish and a camel in the top.

Lee

 

[1dweeb]

Great job with the tables. The veneer work looks good as do the dovetail joints. As someone who does veneer work from time to time I can say that the result was worth the effort. I am curious about your technique to glue the veneer to the substrate in as much as I have used a couple different methods and wonder what your preferred method is.

 

[Craftdiggity]

Very nice tables I really like. I prefer coke.

+1 for Coke.arty: Those tables are beautiful, by the way.

 

[JimMc7]

<snip> I am curious about your technique to glue the veneer to the substrate in as much as I have used a couple different methods and wonder what your preferred method is.

I use vacuum pump & bag (joewoodworker.com "Project EVS" kit). I usually use MDF as a substrate but will use baltic birch plywood instead if I need support for screws in the project. I always use backer veneer on both MDF & BB plywood. Some say not necessary to use backer veneer for the plywood but backer veneer is relatively cheap and I don't want to risk warping. Better Bond Veneer Glue from veneersupplies is the glue I prefer. I roll out the glue, use blue painter's tape to keep the veneer in place and put the backer veneer/substrate/show veneer sandwich between cauls in the bag. Cauls are MDF with high pressure laminate on the inside face and grooves cut on the outside to help channel air to the stem. Many prefer breather mesh instead of a top caul but I like top/bottom cauls better even though they are a pain to make & store. IME, breather mesh impresses a pattern on the veneer which must be sanded. I usually press the veneer for 1.5 to 2 hours.

I recommend joewoodworker.com for anyone interested in veneering.

 

[paps]

Nice work. You just can't get furniture made that well anymore unless you're willing to pay dearly for it. Great job!

 

[1dweeb]

Thanks for sharing. I read an article in an old fine woodworking magazine a while back that told about veneering with an iron and titebond 2 glue. It was showing how to veneer on curved surfaces. I tried it on a small project and was very impressed with the outcome. I tried it on a larger project and was still impressed with the ease and speed of the veneer work. Thanks again for sharing.