Thread: Vaneer?

Something cheap and stable - MDF is a good choice.

Ply is also a good choice

An texans dont worry us none boy we's tuffa than yous fellas an heck yer state is smaller than Tazzy's phart anyways

Veneer is always good to use when possible, especially for lids. I've use it on about 50% of my boxes and generally like these benefits. I use 3/8 or 1/2 inch birch plywood, veneering both sides with my choice of wood (even if the inside gets a lining). Generally I use it most on lids where I can dado the panel in the sides. This plywood veneer combination makes for excellent stability and generally not prone to movement. Since this is the case, I can glue each edge thoroughly, instead of just a few spots when I use solid wood panels to allow for movement.

See my State Fair box and Humidor for veneered lids.

See my "Another Jewelry Box" and "my artist box version" for solid panels.

ICN,

Bill

My take is that veneer is a good cover for anything stable.
Other than the mdf and ply options already given, you can use anything for your substrate .... glueing up the substrate from offcuts and bland wood that you would normally throw out is a good way to minimise waste.

If using offcuts (or any solid tiber), its best to consider minimising wood movement by veneering both sides, with a first veneer across the grain, then the face veneer at right angles to the 1st veneer. Laying a veneer under the face veneer will also assist in stopping any surface defects showing up through the face, which happens more when hide glue is used but not as necessary if using a good gap filling x-linking glue.

Soooo... while ply and mdf are excellent substrates, if you have some offcuts that you can glue up into a larger board - venner is a good way to make a silk purse from a sows ear.