Beginner's Guide - The Vacuum Press & Veneering #1: Bag Storage

Meeting you online is going to cost me money. I can tell. I have been really interested in watching the series on veneering at furnitology. It has sparked my interest and I hope that your growing pains help all of us! I look forward to this series. That’s a good idea with the bag tube. One could actually incorporate that same concept in the storage and protection of straight edges and rules. Thanks for the post.

-- You can discover more about a person in an hour of play than in a year of conversation. (Plato)

Great post David. Looks like your having fun this weekend.

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Thanks David. I’ve been looking into ordering one of Joe’s vac press kits. Your series will help my decision making process.

Check out Marc’s newest podcast. He ordered supplied from Joe’s and you might want to see how it turned out before you begin the process.

David, thanks for doing this. I have never worked with veneer before and know that you need a vacuum press to properly attach the veneer to the substrate. I saw Marc’s podcast on cutting veneer and it was great. I will be following your progress.

Once again, David, thanks.

-- Fred Childs, Pasadena, CA - - - Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll to the least accessible corner.

Thanks guys for the comments! I will try to keep this blog updated as I progress.

Tom – LOL! I think this is equivalent to the Canadian kettle calling the US pot black!

markrules – I have followed Marc’s podcast. I have done a fair amount of reading and research on veneering. I knew in advance that I did not want to make my own poly bag. The cost differential is not worth the effort. Also, I am not set-up to do re-sawing and thickness sanding like Marc’s shop. I am primarily exploring veneering with commercially available veneers for flat panel work. Someday I hope to have a big band saw and thickness planer . . . I was lucky I was authorized to purchase the vacuum press equipment!

In addition to reading articles and some books, my primary online motivation has been from Neil Lamens at Furnitology Productions. His two episodes ( Episode 6 - Part 1 and Episode 6 - Part 2 ) were very influential. Check out his website and video blog.

I am hoping that LumberJocks experienced with veneering and the vacuum press will add comments thier experience to this blog. I know Karson has taught classes in vacumm press work for his guild.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Neil has a LJ account these days. His profile is

http://lumberjocks.com/jocks/furnitologist

-- We must guard our enthusiasm as we would our life - James Krenov

Wayne -

Thanks! I was aware of Neil joining LJ and neglected to add a link – too many deatils when making these postings! I made an update above with Neil’s LJ account.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

David,

I bought my vacuum press from www.vacupress.com. They have a great set of videos to learn veneering. I use their glue, Unibond 800, with tremendous success. I will have to check out the JoeWoodworker site.

I mix my glues in a blender that I bought for this sole purpose. You want to avoid getting little pockets of undissolved catalyst powder in the glue. They will create little lumps under the thin veneer.

Another key to success is to get the glue even on the surface.

My bookcase is constructed of my own resawn veneer. The modern furniture is all curly maple veneer. The torri gate stairwell barrier stands all have veneered black walnut panels. The doors on the entertainment center are all glued up strips of poplar with curly maple veneer. I love the vacuum press. It is so reliable in clamping performance.

I get my veneers from Bill Kramer Veneers Inc. in New Albany, IN. I can’t think what their web adress is. I have always called and ordered over the phone from them, I actually have never been on their website now that I think of it. I may have to google them.

I am really excited for your purchase of the vacuum press. It will open a whole new realm of possibilities for you in woodworking. I even brought my vacuum press back to Ohio with me. It is that important of a tool for me.

-- Todd A. Clippinger, Montana, http://amcraftsman.com

Todd -

Thanks! I am most definitely taking notes!

Thanks for the photos.

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Hey David…..........that’s an excellent storage idea. I’m having a heck of time finding a permanent home for my Dovetail jigs, if I use your idea for my bags, that opens up a space with the length needed to store my jigs.

You are a clever one…..Dr Pruett….................Neil

PS: man your weekend was full…......did you get in trouble for not mowing the lawn. Veneer bags, Boy Scouts…..which by the way is pretty cool to do, (do they give the wookshop provider one of those merit badges….I like that badge,..... then a resource library for veneering…......and you still have all day today…....too….......................who knows with you!!!!

Neil -

LOL! Well my friend, you started me down this journey and I think it will be fun and interesting. I do use that tube idea for other things – smaller PVC & caps to store expensive an drill bit, ect.

I already got the badge when I was younger and achieved my Eagle Scout!

-- http://foldingrule.blogspot.com

Hey Dave…........I’m not surprised about you being Eagle Scout. Here’s a good one for you, my mother is still mad at my brother for dropping out of Scouts. Not sure which is one before Eagle….... Star or Life but he just one day said I’ve had enough!!! To this day, she still wonders what it would be like to have the pin that mothers get. Of course to this day we still tease them both.

Today I’m doing my final planting….Peppers and Tomatoes…...I’m late but today its done. Rain for 2 days them, clear skies to finish the ash cabinet.

Say hello to the Chief Financial Shop Officer….........Neil