Necessary to veneer both sides at the same time?

[atgcpaul]

I know I need to veneer both sides of my project for balance and have always done that. However, I have a large project that will make it difficult to get veneer on both sides at the same time and then into my vacuum bag. Will I be OK if I veneer one side (I'll be using DAP plastic resin glue), then on a different day veneer the opposite side?

Thanks,
Paul

[fredhargis]

I have to think it is, as long as that second day isn't in the far distant future. Besides, if you have to do it that way...then that's the way it has to be.

[jcousins]

i would ask darryl keil at vacupress - http://forums.vacupress.com/category-view.asp
jerry

[Steve N]

Not having a vac bag (veneer by hammer here) I guess I am surprised. I always thought the purpose there was to be able to do both sides at once. Guess I was wrong?


Woodweb

video


Wondering now what people making a lot of veneered panels do about one at a time, or both at once?

[jteneyck]

I've never had a panel too large to do both sides at once, but it really shouldn't matter if you do only one side at a time. The substrate is likely to cup when you take it out of the bag, but that should go away after the other side is veneered. The best way I can think of to keep it flat prior to veneering the second side is to leave it in the vacuum bag, under vacuum until you are ready to do it.

Even if the substrate cups after veneering the first or second side, it should flatten out again after all the moisture has evaporated or is at least uniformly distributed in the substrate.

John

[Ken Vick]

For what it's worth, I hammer veneered a panel, about 12"X30" a month ago on one side. That was not what I started out to do but a tooth abscess and then a trip to Europe got in the way of doing the other side. I put curly mahogany veneer on 1/2" plywood. The plywood came from Home Depot although it seemed better quality than some I have gotten there in the past. After a month of the one side veneered piece leaning up against my drum sander, I checked and it was still dead flat. Not what I expected since hammer veneering adds a lot of water to the wood.

Two nights ago, I hammer veneered the other side. Yesterday the piece was bowed maybe a heavy 1/8" (along its long axis). I layed it on my TS outfeed table wet side down and today the piece is dead flat. Go figure! Just saying that after 40+ years of woodworking I take all the so called woodworking rules with a grain of salt. Ken

[jteneyck]

That actually makes perfect sense, Ken. I'll bet the panel was bowed after you veneered the first side, you just might not have seen it. While you were gone for a month it flattened back out as it dried. It did the same thing after veneering the second side, although I'm surprised it flattened out so quickly. When I did some 4/4 walnut with veneer on one side, it took nearly a week to flatten out again.

This can be a mysterious craft.

John

[Richard D.]

Paul, You said it yourself, it's a good idea to do both sides at the same time. I've done both sides and had it bow and some here have told of doing one side and it was OK but.... odds are better that it will stay flat if you do both sides at the same time.
I'd recruit a helper and practice the glue up one or two or three times. It will cut your drying time in half.