I'm working on a table that's approx 24"x60"x4" (think torsion box)
and was planning on using 3/4" Oak plywood. Because I will be using
butt joints all around, I plan to use Ash veneer over all surfaces to
hide any edges and make it look as one piece. I understand that it's
wasteful (and expensive) to veneer over veneer, but the oak/birch ply
is the only one that seems to have a flat surface. I thought about
doing miter cuts, but that's a bit optimistic for a garage project :)
The question is whether I'm asking for trouble wrapping Oak-veneered
surfaces in Ash veneer? And also whether I should apply across the
grain or parallel to it? If there is a better overall approach to
this project, please let me know! I'm still learning.
fourrings wrote:
> I'm working on a table that's approx 24"x60"x4" (think torsion box)
> and was planning on using 3/4" Oak plywood. Because I will be using
> butt joints all around, I plan to use Ash veneer over all surfaces to
> hide any edges and make it look as one piece. I understand that it's
> wasteful (and expensive) to veneer over veneer, but the oak/birch ply
> is the only one that seems to have a flat surface. I thought about
> doing miter cuts, but that's a bit optimistic for a garage project :)
>
> The question is whether I'm asking for trouble wrapping Oak-veneered
> surfaces in Ash veneer? And also whether I should apply across the
> grain or parallel to it? If there is a better overall approach to
> this project, please let me know! I'm still learning.
Do the back side too and you will have no problems. Probably wouldn't doing
just the show side.
--
dadiOH
____________________________
dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico
On Oct 9, 11:38 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> Ash veneer is usually thick enough not to have to worry about
> telegraphing sanded end-grain. The stuff can be very crumbly though.
> Making the torsion box out of 3/4" is overkill. imnsho. Maybe the
> outer perimeter, but the cells and top itself would just as well be
> made out of 1/2" (6x6 cells?).
> If you're using wood glue on ash veneer anywhere, be careful. The
> stuff bleeds through. Go for the paper-backed veneer, much safer and
> usually better quality.
> YMWV
Good point. My original sketch had 1/2" all around but I figured it
needed more rigidity in the frame. My reasoning is that the top has
three cutouts sized approx. 15"x15" for recessed mounting of a pair of
turntables and a mixer. Which means I only have three cells over the
whole table span. Would you still use 1/2" for the top and bottom
skins? Here's a rough drawing (top view):
+------------+---------------+------------+
| +--------+ | +---------+ | +--------+ |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| | | | | | | | | |
| +--------+ | +---------+ | +--------+ |
+------------+---------------+------------+
On Oct 8, 9:54=A0pm, fourrings <[email protected]> wrote:
> > I've veneered over 3/4 birch ply with no problems. =A0The substrate
> > is stable and it doesn't seem to make any difference whether the
> > veneer is parallel or cross grain to the top layer of the ply. =A0The
> > edge is a different story as the internal layers can telegraph thru the
> > typical thin veneer. =A0Wrapping the edges with solid wood first solves
> > that. =A0I don't bother veneering both sides of 3/4 ply and have had no
> > issues with warping.
>
> > Alternatively you could use MDF for the substrate. =A0It's very flat an=
d
> > usually less expensive than bitch ply. =A0If you already have the ply t=
hat's
> > a different matter.
> > Art
>
> Perfect. =A0I'll have to keep an eye on the edges -- definitely not
> something I would've thought about until too late. =A0I plan to do an
> ebony stain on it, will that help or make it worse? =A0MDF would
> definitely be perfect, but I hate working with it. =A0Last time I made a
> subwoofer cab with it, every crevice in my garage was covered in fine
> dust. =A0Plus something about using real wood makes me feel better about
> quality, even if layered.
Ash veneer is usually thick enough not to have to worry about
telegraphing sanded end-grain. The stuff can be very crumbly though.
Making the torsion box out of 3/4" is overkill. imnsho. Maybe the
outer perimeter, but the cells and top itself would just as well be
made out of 1/2" (6x6 cells?).
If you're using wood glue on ash veneer anywhere, be careful. The
stuff bleeds through. Go for the paper-backed veneer, much safer and
usually better quality.
YMWV
> I've veneered over 3/4 birch ply with no problems. =A0The substrate
> is stable and it doesn't seem to make any difference whether the
> veneer is parallel or cross grain to the top layer of the ply. =A0The
> edge is a different story as the internal layers can telegraph thru the
> typical thin veneer. =A0Wrapping the edges with solid wood first solves
> that. =A0I don't bother veneering both sides of 3/4 ply and have had no
> issues with warping.
>
> Alternatively you could use MDF for the substrate. =A0It's very flat and
> usually less expensive than bitch ply. =A0If you already have the ply tha=
t's
> a different matter.
> Art
Perfect. I'll have to keep an eye on the edges -- definitely not
something I would've thought about until too late. I plan to do an
ebony stain on it, will that help or make it worse? MDF would
definitely be perfect, but I hate working with it. Last time I made a
subwoofer cab with it, every crevice in my garage was covered in fine
dust. Plus something about using real wood makes me feel better about
quality, even if layered.
On Oct 9, 12:14=A0pm, fourrings <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Oct 9, 11:38 am, Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Ash veneer is usually thick enough not to have to worry about
> > telegraphing sanded end-grain. The stuff can be very crumbly though.
> > Making the torsion box out of 3/4" is overkill. imnsho. Maybe the
> > outer perimeter, but the cells and top itself would just as well be
> > made out of 1/2" (6x6 cells?).
> > If you're using wood glue on ash veneer anywhere, be careful. The
> > stuff bleeds through. Go for the paper-backed veneer, much safer and
> > usually better quality.
> > YMWV
>
> Good point. =A0My original sketch had 1/2" all around but I figured it
> needed more rigidity in the frame. =A0My reasoning is that the top has
> three cutouts sized approx. 15"x15" for recessed mounting of a pair of
> turntables and a mixer. =A0Which means I only have three cells over the
> whole table span. =A0Would you still use 1/2" for the top and bottom
> skins? =A0Here's a rough drawing (top view):
>
> +------------+---------------+------------+
> | +--------+ | =A0+---------+ =A0| +--------+ |
> | | =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0| | =A0| =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 | =A0| | =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0| |
> | | =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0| | =A0| =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 | =A0| | =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0| |
> | | =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0| | =A0| =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0 | =A0| | =A0 =A0 =A0 =A0| |
> | +--------+ | =A0+---------+ =A0| +--------+ |
> +------------+---------------+------------+
I would opt for the 3/4 in that application.
"fourrings" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:dde6bfb7-fe55-4628-9490-2e2434ad374f@l14g2000yqb.googlegroups.com...
> I'm working on a table that's approx 24"x60"x4" (think torsion box)
> and was planning on using 3/4" Oak plywood. Because I will be using
> butt joints all around, I plan to use Ash veneer over all surfaces to
> hide any edges and make it look as one piece. I understand that it's
> wasteful (and expensive) to veneer over veneer, but the oak/birch ply
> is the only one that seems to have a flat surface. I thought about
> doing miter cuts, but that's a bit optimistic for a garage project :)
>
> The question is whether I'm asking for trouble wrapping Oak-veneered
> surfaces in Ash veneer? And also whether I should apply across the
> grain or parallel to it? If there is a better overall approach to
> this project, please let me know! I'm still learning.
I've veneered over 3/4 birch ply with no problems. The substrate
is stable and it doesn't seem to make any difference whether the
veneer is parallel or cross grain to the top layer of the ply. The
edge is a different story as the internal layers can telegraph thru the
typical thin veneer. Wrapping the edges with solid wood first solves
that. I don't bother veneering both sides of 3/4 ply and have had no
issues with warping.
Alternatively you could use MDF for the substrate. It's very flat and
usually less expensive than bitch ply. If you already have the ply that's
a different matter.
Art