Thread: Softening & flattening veneer before use

Why bleach before it's glued down and not after? if you are going to glue it down . I'm just interested ,I'm not saying it's not doable.

With the flattening , Just a spray with water and a hot iron can do it, or a spray and then clamp with the paper in between ply method you wrote of.

If I was gluing on with a PVA I would be giving it the hot iron only if it was bent enough and brittle enough that it could crack while clamping it down. A little curvy and I would just slap it on and clamp it.

Rob

Thanks for the reply Rob.

Originally Posted by auscab

Why bleach before it's glued down and not after? if you are going to glue it down . I'm just interested ,I'm not saying it's not doable.

It was a piece of CL with bad dirty grey patches in the pale areas. I didn't want to bleach the colour out of the figured area, so had to only bleach the pale sides. I didn't think it would really bleach out, so didn't waste time, energy and timber gluing it to the substrate first. As things turned out, with daily bleaching it's cleaned up well. (I think that bleaching from both sides might have sped the process, too, but I'm not sure of that.)

With the flattening , Just a spray with water and a hot iron can do it, or a spray and then clamp with the paper in between ply method you wrote of.

If I was gluing on with a PVA I would be giving it the hot iron only if it was bent enough and brittle enough that it could crack while clamping it down. A little curvy and I would just slap it on and clamp it.

Rob

The other day, I did more or less as you first suggested - wiped it down with a wet sponge, both sides, then pressed it between layers of paper towel with a stack of books on top. It flattened out pretty well, but I was concerned about future cracking. I've done a bit more bleaching since, so it's got a bit of a buckle again.
I'd heard that glycerine was good for softening veneer.
Then when I bought that book and saw the recipe.....

The main reason I started this thread was that I was unsure about the PVA in the recipe, if I was to follow it.
I was thinking of storing the recipe away for future reference when it's really needed, but wanted to see if it was really a good method first.

- One vote for water only. (I don't get a vote - don't know)

G'day Hermit, Your recipe is fine based on what I was advised by an "expert".
There is a caveat and that is you should do it just before you use the veneer.
Apparently it can be used a second time but after that it's not going to work so well.
Best of luck, lets see how you use it in the end!

Cheers, Ian

Originally Posted by Nanigai

G'day Hermit, Your recipe is fine based on what I was advised by an "expert".
There is a caveat and that is you should do it just before you use the veneer.
Apparently it can be used a second time but after that it's not going to work so well.
Best of luck, lets see how you use it in the end!

Cheers, Ian

Thanks Ian, and I'll definitely keep your tip in mind if I do use the recipe.

This piece will be going on a box-lid. It was intended for the one I'm making now, but the bleaching took too long, so I'll use it on the next. It's too nice to waste.

Resurrecting this thread. Has anyone had any experience with the homemade softener? According to Joe the Woodworker here, it leaves the veneer sticky.

His SuperSoft 2 sounds the bees knees, but I cannot find it anywhere in Oz. Carbatec sell a softener, not SS2, but at a price comparative with liquid plutonium at $60 ( incl postage) for slightly more than a Coke can full. Don't know how good it is, or if is just the homemade softener put together.

I want to flatten some veneer, then glue to a moisture resistant MDF substrate using Techniglue epoxy.

Has anyone ever had any success with any type of veneer softener?

Dengue, Here is a link to a Fine Woodworking article asking and answering the same question.
There is a recipe from Tage Frid which I believe would be very reliable from such a source.
Lots cheaper than the plutonium brand as well.
Also, I believe you should make sure you store it as suggested as after doing this as it's often not repeatable with the same results. Probably best to use is promptly.
Cheers, Ian

Thanks Ian, much appreciated. Last night I found a similiar article http://techtalk.parts-express.com/showthread.php?239927-Raw-veneer-softening-and-flattening-tutorial-with-pictures

My concern is that a number of authors have indicated the homemade brew remains sticky and inhibits the take up of stain and oils when doing a finish

This looks good. I am sure that "sticky" is not what I would want either.
Let me know how this goes for you as I have some very warped veneers I will want to use soon.
Cheers, Ian

Dengue, Tage would certainly be a reliable source.

I use a simpler brew.
15% Glycerine in water.
Mist it on then add weight gently.
The next day the veneer should be flat, soft and pliable.
It isn't sticky at all.

I keep it under weight until I use it just incase it reverts back to its wrinkled form.

No problems with glue-up.

I bought a thin, about 8mm thick, Huon pine board from Morrison's sawmill in Tasmania a few years ago. It was badly warped.
They told me to give it a heavy spray with Metho and weigh it down.

It took a few days but worked a charm.


Maybe the PVA sets the veneer flat after the Alcohol and Glycerine have softened it.

15% Glycerine in water.

what, nothing else? Sounds great

How do you dry the flattened veneer, Scally? Fibreglass mesh and lots of newspaper for 3 days?

Interesting tip about the metho and the thin HP board. Wonder if it works for other thin timbers. I wonder why it works too

Thanks for sharing this valuable info

There's a thread on OWWM forum where respected cabinetmaker Bill Thomas states use of a Glue/Glycerine sizing on his veneer.

Old Woodworking Machines

Take a look at the thread ....and the finished item Old Woodworking Machines

Regards
John

I prefer to use butcher's paper but if I don't have any I just use newspaper.

I have two Film ply boards that I put over the sheets of paper. They are nice and flat and hard so as I add weight they spread the pressure.

With veneer I add plenty of weight or use curved cauls and clamps.
The paper is changed each day until the veneer feels dry.

I had given up using veneers because I couldn't get them flat until I tried the Glycerine.

Somewhere I have a pic of a very split, brittle and wrinkled Poplar veneer that I was able to salvage. I'll post it when I can find it.

Cheers

Here are a couple of pics of veneers flattened with the Glycerine mix.

The first is a Queensland Maple veneer.
The second is the Poplar veneer I mentioned.

My memory was a bit off too.


I use 10% Glycerine in water.