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I'm making a large black walnut headboard for a king size bed. It will have three raised panels. The frames are already made (3/4 inch boards) with cope and stick router bits, so I'm ready to make the panels.
My question is about resawing (on a table saw) a highly figured block of wood to make the 19x27 inch panels. Because of the size of the block, I could cut into 3/8 inch boards, or I could cut it real thin, say 8th of an inch, to make veneer.
Question 1: if veneer, how do I glue it, and to what substrate? Walnut so it expands together, or plywood.
Question : if cut into 3/8 boards, will that cause grief fitting them into the frames which were made for 3/4? Thanks
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3/8" is pretty thin for a panel on a headboard, especially for a panel that large. It will sound too thin every time it gets hit. If your frames are cut so a 3/8" thick panel is centered, then you could make the panels 3/8 + 3/16" = 9/16" thick and cut a rabbet around the back edges of them to give a 3/8" tongue to fit into the frame. The panels will be flush with the frame on the back side, look the same as a 3/8" panel on the front side, and feel a lot more substantial. They are also likely to stay flatter after glue-up, especially if you use solid stock.
With no bandsaw I wouldn't try resawing veneer on your table saw. You'll waste more wood than you get. Best to stick with solid stock.
You also may want to consider raised panels instead of flat ones. That would allow you to make them 5/8" to 3/4" thick so they will feel even more solid and give you some additional architectural detail. I don't know what look you are after; just thought I'd throw that out there.
John
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I agree with John on every point. Your idea of cutting thin veneer (if that's on a BS) would make flat panels, you could glue the 1/8" veneer to a plywood substrate and most (including me) would suggest also putting another layer of backer veneer on the opposite side. I suppose you could get the 1/8" material while resawing on the tablesaw, but the excess waste is certainly something to consider. Would love to hear what you decide and see the final product!
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Thank you for the helpful replys. I'm now thinking I will cut some 3/8 boards from the highly figured block and then face-glue those boards to same size plain boards. That way the wide panels can be made with 3/4 boards as normal. --Peter
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petertay15 said:
Thank you for the helpful replys. I'm now thinking I will cut some 3/8 boards from the highly figured block and then face-glue those boards to same size plain boards. That way the wide panels can be made with 3/4 boards as normal. --Peter
my math tells me you will be unhappy with the end result
if the panels are to fit in a 1/4" groove that a 3/4" cope and stick set makes you will end up with a glue line exposed in the raised panel area
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If you want to use the highly figured wood only where it shows, which is a good idea, get someone else with a bandsaw that has done it before to saw it into 1/16" - 1/8" veneer for you. Then you can glue that onto your plain boards. When you mill the raised panels use a bit that has a 1/16 - 1/8" straight rabbet around the edge of the field. That will hide the veneer glue line.
If you are gluing your veneer to a wood backer, as you propose, you can use pretty much any glue you choose, except contact cement. Normal yellow glue will work fine.
John
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If you really want to go that route and resaw your thick stock why not cut the wood to 1/8" then glue the veneer to 1/2 MDF. Frame the MDF panels with solid stock, mitered at the corners, then glue the venneer over the mitered frame as well as the MDF. Raise your panel as usual. You just need to make sure that the solid stock frame is a little wider than the width of the raising. It would make a really stable panel. If you really want to go the extra mile, your frame could be short grain at the appropriate ends so that even an experienced woodworker might be fooled. If you REALY want to go an extra mile, veneer the back too.
