Thread: Laminating Different Species of Wood

Great idea for a plain big leg . He went about it funny in that he glued the walnut on then sawed the walnut in half to add to the sides . It worked though . Id just machine up the walnut first then press it on. It was good that the Walnut ended up thin . like 5 or 7 mm roughly. better than thick like 19mm which is what I first thought he was doing until he sawed half off. You would want to avoid knots in the pine if you can because they can show up later. Although under a thick facing like that it may take ages and be harder to notice . Pine like Our Radiata pine can move a bit . Covering it lessens that happening . laminating over a better wood if possible would be good. Hardwood or Cypress Pine , Golden Macrocarpa . The stuff you see sawn up for sleepers is very stable when dry . That's a good cheap alternative . Or just get the most clean knot free radiata you can find. The timber yards sell clear radiata which means no knots. And if you laminate two pieces of pine together keep the heart sides in the same direction .

like that .

edca.png

I dont really see a problem with this but if you're going to go to the trouble then you may as well machine your veneers to 5mm or so to maximise your output and reduce the possibility of future wood movement.

Originally Posted by auscab

You would want to avoid knots in the pine if you can because they can show up later. Although under a thick facing like that it may take ages and be harder to notice .

Hey Rob!, I'm glad someone with your expertise replied. I wasn't sure if it would work in the long run but now I know its perfectly ok thank god. I've actually used some scrap tassie oak then faced that with American oak to make up four 70x70 coffee table legs, The American oak is roughly 6-9mm thick so I can route some flutes if the design needs it.

Originally Posted by auscab

Pine like Our Radiata pine can move a bit . Covering it lessens that happening . laminating over a better wood if possible would be good. Hardwood or Cypress Pine , Golden Macrocarpa . The stuff you see sawn up for sleepers is very stable when dry .

Great advice I'll keep that in mind.

Originally Posted by auscab

And if you laminate two pieces of pine together keep the heart sides in the same direction .

like that .

edca.png

Woops, crap.... I didn't do this with the tassie oak , will I still be ok?.

I assumed you were talking about issues that might arise with the different rates of expansion and contraction.

I assumed that if one timber is more inclined to e/c then the other then when conditions change it would lead to one projecting slightly or perhaps even glue line failure. Not a problem in real life I guess.

If the tassie Oak is not laminated that way it will be fine .

There's two reasons for laminating with heart in same direction I can think of atm .

One is if they were loose and not glued then any movement will be in the same direction . So they would both cup the same way . Things change one they are glued up but its still the best way to go I think . The joints are not fighting each other as much if things did want to move .

The other reason is when the wood is to be polished and seen, not covered like in the Youtube link.
It gives the most invisible best match with the grain. I buy my wood for legs so its long and wide enough to be able to cut and stack like this for that reason . As well as the movement possibilities.

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That's 200 mm wide Oak cut and stacked as above being sawn down the middle to get two 90 x 90 legs .
IMG_2770.jpg

That will end up like this next week.
Rob Brown on Instagram: "Matching pair of Oak chamfered leg dining tables to be used together that need a wax finish to finish them off ."

Rob .

Originally Posted by auscab

That will end up like this next week.
Rob Brown on Instagram: "Matching pair of Oak chamfered leg dining tables to be used together that need a wax finish to finish them off ."

Rob .

Is that European oak in the Video?, thanks for the all the info mate, I think I'll plod on.

I don't suppose you know how to minimise snipe using a lunchbox thicknesser do you?

Thanks,

Sam

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

Is that European oak in the Video?, thanks for the all the info mate, I think I'll plod on.

I don't suppose you know how to minimise snipe using a lunchbox thicknesser do you?

Thanks,

Sam

US White Oak .

To reduce snipe with a thicknesser you either have to hold the wood level with the bed rollers as it enters and exits the rollers. Or build an in feed and out feed extension fitting or tables to do the same . Same thing happens with my 3 phase Delta thicknesser if I dont pay attention and hold the wood .

Time will tell everything. Woods of different species react to humidity changes differently. If you've ever had the opportunity to look at how really thick legs such as billiard table legs are made you'll see that they don't try to use different species of wood, probably for a good reason.

On my soap box...

For the past, at least 4 centuries, craftsmen, with far far more knowledge than us, haven't utilised this method. I have to say I wouldn't try to buck that either.

Off my soap box

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

For the past, at least 4 centuries, craftsmen, with far far more knowledge than us, haven't utilised this method. I have to say I wouldn't try to buck that either.

Off my soap box

Not quite right. Its been used ever since humans needed wider or thicker pieces.

https://www.ehow.com/about_6733867_history-wood-lamination.html

Originally Posted by auscab

To reduce snipe with a thicknesser you either have to hold the wood level with the bed rollers as it enters and exits the rollers. Or build an in feed and out feed extension fitting or tables to do the same . Same thing happens with my 3 phase Delta thicknesser if I dont pay attention and hold the wood .

As I understand it there's no way of eliminating it no matter what you do?.

Bloody noora!!!! thunder just rocked my house!!!, gotta love Victoria!

Originally Posted by EagerBeaver71

As I understand it there's no way of eliminating it no matter what you do?.

Bloody noora!!!! thunder just rocked my house!!!, gotta love Victoria!

Another way I forgot is to lower the bed rollers so the wood slides on the cast table . It needs a wax for this to work at its best . And then support the timber on entry and exit as well . Can you lower bed rollers on those smaller machines ? It may not work on them even if you can lower rollers . You might just end up grabbing the timber to hard.

Originally Posted by auscab

Can you lower bed rollers on those smaller machines ?.

I'm pretty sure you can't, at least from what I understand.

When cladding a timber core with thick veneer, keep the heart side facing out on all 4 sides; this will mean that natural movement will try to press the corners closed, rather than try to peel them open