Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

[Dirk]

Be gentle. This is my first time with veneer.

I'm using 2-ply (hopefully to be a bit more durable and minimize telegraphic sins) and as I was cutting the rough pieces from the sheet, I got to wondering how I was going to do the final trim after adhesion. My initial thoughts were to use a razor knife, akin to LouC's tutorial doc. However, this 2-ply feels to me like it's too thick to easily cut by hand. Only one of the 5 veneerable sides has anything approaching a perpendicular angle, so a flush-trim router bit is out. Any tips? I'll take 'em.

Also, with large cabinets, is there a smart application order? I was thinking back, sides, front & top to minimize visible edges.

[Mark65]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

What about a Dremel with a drum sander bit? The potential for disaster is still there, but if you take it slow, it should work.


Mark

[jettore]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

I'm no expert, just two veneer jobs under my belt but I have been using a razor knife with break off blades. It has worked very well so far. I extend the blade out about an inch so I can press the blade flat to side of the box and get a very flush cut from the back of the veneer. I usually make a very light cut then go over it a couple time until it cuts through the veneer completely. Then use some sand paper to smooth the cut flush. I also break off the blade on every cut so I have a nice sharp blade.

[Dirk]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

What about a Dremel with a drum sander bit? The potential for disaster is still there, but if you take it slow, it should work.

Mark

I enjoy your sense of the violent, but I was really referring to trimming flush from a 3/4" overhang... :D

The dremel has saved more than one part of this build, though!

[r-carpenter]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

2 inch chisel. Has to be very sharp! If you can shave the hair on the back of your hand, you can cut veneer as well.
May take you a couple of hours to sharpen the thing but 10 minutes to cut veneer perfectly with no tear outs.
Laminate file will work too. It's a bit crude but does the job.

[abpc1]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

Since you are using 2-ply, use a veneer saw http://www.veneersupplies.com/produc...eneer-Saw.html

Regards

[bobbarkto]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

A very sharp knife and a veneer saw.
Use the knife for cross grain work, the saw is best used for cutting with the grain but will cut cross grain too if you want, it's just a little slower and leaves a slightly rougher cut.
The saw should not be pressed hard into the cut, use an easy, quick stroke. Let the saw do the work.

If you get a veneer saw (highly recommend one, they're cheap) you'll need to de-burr it. Not the faces of the teeth but the sides. They all come with rough burrs that need to be polished out. If you have a fine sharpening stone use it, if not some really fine sandpaper glued to a flat piece of mdf or other flat surface will work just as well.
Remove the blade from the handle, place it flat on the abrasive and rub gently. Be sure to keep the blade flat on the abrasive. A few passes on each side will do the job, takes 5 minutes tops.

[rene]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

i'm kicking myself for not documenting the last veneer job I did. but every one here has good ways of doing it. but the one thing people have failed to mention in their methods of cleaning the edges of veneer overhang is. ALWAYS use a downward motion when trimming!. a chisel does work the best, and I do not recommend anything less than an inch wide. always use a slight down stroke when trimming it. this will prevent the veneer from chipping upwards and give you a much better finish. Also when you're done trimming take some 300grit sand paper on a block of wood and run it along the edge. making sure you're flush with the side. one or two strokes should be more than enough.

As someone has suggested, do NOT use a router and a flush trim bit. the chances of it "blowing" out a chip of veneer is good, and unless you spend a LOT of money on a good flush trim bit, they're almost never exact. Better to do it by hand and slowly to be safe and sure.

maybe this summer I'll get a chance to do my step by step guide for veneering.. and while i'm at it i'll finally finish that write up on cleaning HVLP spray guns..

Rene

[williamrschneider]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

If you get a veneer saw (highly recommend one, they're cheap) you'll need to de-burr it.

My last veneer saw was unsharpened, and I had to spend a little quality time with a stone to put an edge on the teeth, not just de-burring.

Joe Woodworking has an online tutorial for sharpening a veneer saw...

http://www.joewoodworker.com/veneering/saw-sharpen.htm

For flush trimming veneer at odd angles with a router, Jon Marsh (of HT Guide fame) prefers to use a Bosch Colt hand-held router with an adjustable tilt base...

http://www.htguide.com/forum/showthr...olt#post468519

[mgrabow]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

Cover the edge with blue tape first. this will help minimize the tear out and if it happens, it will hold it in place to make the repair easy...I use wide blue tape over all the edges and across the grain to minimize cracking if you are heat pressing the veneer.

I agree with the downward motion theory. also, just get it close and finish it with block sanding whats left...

Start with the bottom first then your method to hide the edges should be fine. I have not seen the edges with the 2-ply, but the edges are usually less of a concern than with paperback... I also start with the bottom so that I get a feel for the veneer I am using on the side no one will see...

[Dirk]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

Thanks, gentlemen. I seem to have my plan of attack. I needed to go to the hardware store anyway. :D

I'll be sure to post a few pics if this goes well and a lot of them if it does not.

[Ron_E]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

I use a timber framing slick that I picked up used on Ebay. Think really big chisel with a big handle. There are some examples here. http://www.rlarson.com/Product/timber/index.html



Ron E.

[LouC]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

Small trim bit (1/4" D) high speed. And something to clean the adhesive off the bit after each pass. Tape both edges, that will leave the trimmed edge a bit proud. Hand sand with a wood block and 120.

[critofur]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

Did you look at this?:

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/marvel_3in1_router.html

[Paul Carmody]

Re: Deathly afraid of trimming veneer

I tried using a veneer saw on 2-ply veneer before, and it just ground away all the teeth on the saw! It's tough stuff.