Fisher 500c Cabinet Build

[gthang]

I can't really help as I've only done a little bit on veneering on a hifi stand I made, though I think you should do the top or front last as the joint will only be (slightly) visibly from the side.

Looks like a great job so far, I bet if you made a few you could sell them on ebay!

[willbewill]

This may help - using a file:

http://www.dannylipford.com/video/how-to-cover-plywood-edges-with-wood-veneer/

[flencolix]

Good point from Malcolm. If you want more tactile control than a file:
I cut some pieces of ply and sandpaper to the width of a double-sided adhesive tape roll.
I tape the sandpaper to the ply strips and have a "file" with the coarseness of my choice that is
around 6cm wide and is good to hold in your hand

[ZZMoko]

It's more the problem of joining two sheets of the veneer to make a piece big enough to cover the top of the cabinet.

I have been doing all the thin edges first so the top piece when fitted will cover any of those joins, but hiding a joint in a plane flat piece may be a bit harder.

[Johan]

Such a thing I haven't tried but it should be possible. Either you cut the both sheets very straight, or you put one over the other and cut through both at the same time. Afterwards you iron/glue them to the cabinet.

Use a sharp knife and be careful when sanding!

[willbewill]

Good point from Malcolm. If you want more tactile control than a file:
I cut some pieces of ply and sandpaper to the width of a double-sided adhesive tape roll.
I tape the sandpaper to the ply strips and have a "file" with the coarseness of my choice that is
around 6cm wide and is good to hold in your hand

 

I always use sandpaper (I hate that term - when I was doing my apprenticeship my lecturers would always correct us "It's glasspaper! Sandpaper is for putting in budgie cages!") wrapped around a sanding block.

[flencolix]

okay.. I meant "a fabric with abrassive coating"

when you wrap the "fwac" around a block you have to use some force to secure the paper
on the block. If you stick it on you can work with a "loose wrist" or two-handed with way more control.
Plus, I cut the ply as long as the sheet of "fwac" so it is around 25cm long -
a very good tool

[ZZMoko]

So far I have always used abrasive paper to file the edges of the veneer I think a file might be a bit bit overkill for the small bits I'm doing.

There seems to be loads of stuff about using veneer tape to join sheets together but with the iron on variety do you need special tape or would ordinary masking tape on the top surface do the job of holding the veneer together whilst the glue melts & then dries.?

[flencolix]

Veneer is usually joined with either paper strips or a thin glue soaked rope that is applied with a special machine.
Then there are two types of iron-on methods: either you buy the stuff that has the melting glue already
applied to it, or you brush on wood glue on both sides, leave to dry (to touch) and then position and iron it.

If you join veneer strips with tape from the outside you risk diffusion of glue from the tape in the veneer
which might still show after sanding.
The ready glue covered veneer can be joined just by positioning the next strip to an already fixed one. But
needs some experience.

Youl'll make it

[ZZMoko]

Well got back from work and managed to get a bit more done



I just went for matching the grain as closely as possible and ironing it whilst pushing it as close as possible to the larger section I had fixed down earlier.

Can you see where the join is?



So what's the best way to sand the edges to get the joins to look virtually invisible?

[Johan]

It's looking good, it's looking good...

Cut the edges with a sharp knife with a ruler as distance and then sand, but only TO the supporting back. Here are some pictures when I veneered my deck http://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=3065.90

[ZZMoko]

Thanks Johan that's pretty much the technique I've been doing....so hopefully that means we are doing it correctly

Nice deck by the way.

[rfgumby]

Don't sand away from the joint, it will crack and rip the veneer.

Nice looking joint where the two veneers meet.   

[ZZMoko]

So as I am getting closer to finishing this project, any ideas of what to use on the veneer to give it a nice finish.?

In general I like a satin type finish with nothing looking too shiny, I have some of the Meubeline dark stuff that Rene recommend for re finishing old teak cabinets but I'm not sure if it works on raw wood... So any ideas welcome.

[Velvetsunrise]

Nice work!

I do like an oil finish myself, easy to apply and easy to get a profesional looking finish, any of the common Tung, Teak or Antique oils should bring out the colour, and give a nice sheen, and protection.

Easy to freshen up in the finish in the future, if need be too.