babygrand wrote:

Hi Gary,

I designed pianos for Baldwin for 27 years, and I always found it wise to
pay particular attention to "balanced construction". Whenever I strayed from
this fundamental principle, it usually came back to bite me in the butt!

The term "balanced construction" applies not only to physical properties
such as veneer thicknesses and grain direction, but also to moisture
content. In addition, we always tried to use a five ply construction, using
a core or substrate from either edge glued lumber (usually poplar) or either
particleboard or MDF; two faces of veneer (usually .028" to .036" thick),
and then two inner plies, between the faces and the core, of poplar cross
banding, usually .125 thick. The cross banding, as it was called, was laid
at 90 degrees to the grain direction of the core and two faces, primarily to
give strength to the laid up panel, and to resist warping or twist. MDF was
actually superior in its stability to wood cores, but of course much
heavier, and caused problemns when you had exposed edges of MDF to finish
(or hide).

As to the moisture content, we always tried to dry our lumber cores to
between 6 and 7% moisture content, and preferred the cross banding around
10%, and the face veneers between 8 and 10%. In many cases, we used
different specie for the "lining veneer face" (the underside or backside of
the panel). We normally used gum veneer for this, but were very careful that
the moisture content of the gum matched whatever specie we were using for
the face; i.e., walnut, cherry, oak, mahogany, maple, etc. Making a panel
with dis-similar thicknesses of face veneers, or worse, no lining veneer, is
almost a sure recipe for disaster, even with a very thick or rigid
substrate.

Where we really got off into the wilderness was when we used highly figured
veneers for accent pieces, or decoration, such as flame crotch mahogany, or
different type of burl veneers. These pieces typically had a grain direction
that wandered all over the map, and we usually use a lining veneer grain
direction of 45 degrees away from the face veneer. These were always the
hardest panels to keep flat, and we learned that there were some things to
simply avoid, as they were were nearly impossible to keep flat and free of
warp or twist.

However, if you pay close attention to "balanced constructiuon", it will
usually turn out well.

For further reference, consult a publication by the US Forest Products Lab.

They have a "Wood Handbook" that is quite detailed, but contains a wealth of
information about wood characteristics as they apply to furniture making.

Just do a google search, or check out

http://www.fpl.fs.fed.us/documnts/fp.../fplgtr113.htm Most of

the chapters can be downloaded in Adobe .pdf format, and are rich in useful
information for any woodworker.

Hope this helps.

babygrand

"

GeeDubb" wrote in message
...

At the end of last year I made a chess table for my daughter using a

method

by David Marks. I varied some things using what I had in stock such as
using 1/2" birch ply (instead of 3/4" apple ply....) as well as cutting

the

veneer a full 1/4"+ thick vs. the 3/16" Marks used. Now in reading the
write up of the show on DIY.com I saw nothing relating to veneering both
sides of the ply but in watching the show I notice that Marks did indeed
veneer both sides though he never covered this step.

The table turned out fine as I framed the checkered glue up rather quickly
and experienced no warping. Trying to be thrifty I also constructed two
more chess boards (hoping to sell them at a later time) setting them aside
while I finished the table for my daughter. A couple of months have gone

by

and to my surprise, both of these boards warped, one quite badly and the
other enough to notice.

I know there have been discussion about the need or not of balancing

veneers

but there never seemed to be a real consensus. I ended up adding 1/4"
veneer to the back side of the board. Of course this didn't bring the
boards back into flat but I was able to sand each board flat w/o them
re-warping. It's a good thing I cut these so called veneers so thick
otherwise I would have wasted some perfectly good quilted maple and

walnut.

Now the big question, when balancing veneers on a substrate should the
veneers be similar in density? I ask because I ended up using alder to
balance the maple/walnut. Another question, should both sides be finished
equally? By this I mean oiled/varnished/lacquered with the same number of
application coats?

Gary
I was therefore I'm not.....





Now that's a post that makes reading the NG worthwhile!

What glue(s) did you guys use for veneering? clamping/cauls or vacuum?

Dave