Crossbanding Veneer Question

[Stephen Musial]

My next project is going to be a matching chessboard and cribbage board set. The fields will be makore burl and quartersawn sycamore. I'd like a substantial edge treatment so I'm going to make the boards from 2 layers of 3/4" MDF. The border will be waterfall bubinga crossbanded to go over the top and continue down the sides.

Will this be a problem with MDF or would I have to put a solid stringing along the perimiter of the edge (which would ruin the look of the bubinga)? Or, maybe a 1/2" roundover and a single piece of crossbanding hot hide glued and hammered?

Opinions?

Experiences?

Thanks,

Steve

[John Timberlake]

You shouldn't have any problems with the MDF. However, I might recommend that you put down a layer of some type of veneer or solid wood on the edge before veneering with the bubinga. MDF is not as smooth on the edges as it is on the top. A layer of veneer or solid wood before you start any face veneering will eliminate any of the imperfections of the MDF from showing through.

I use MDF for veneered projects because is is very stable. However, I do not normally have the edges showing.

[Stephen Musial]

Thanks very much for the suggestions.

I think that I'll keep the top piece of MDF 3/4" smaller on each side and the bottom piece 1/32" smaller on each side. Then I can glue in a piece of 3/4" quarter round molding, and glue in a piece of backing veneer on the bottom piece. I can then sand everything perfectly flush and have the bubinga flow from the top right over the sides in one piece.

The corners will be tricky but I'll mock it up in felt first.

Now I just need to find a fabric store on the second or third floor...
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wait for it

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wait
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almost there.
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ok
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So I can walk in and ask the lady if I can get felt up here.

[Chris Padilla]

I echo what John suggested but I'll add this:

Be sure to veneer both flat sides. In other words, completely seal/ensconce the MDF in veneer and/or hardwood to minimize any water absorption over time. MDF is a wonderful substrate for veneers as long as you understand its limitations.

Also, I would not worry too much about crossbanding as long as a good hard drying glue is used.

Finally, if you edgeband the MDF in hardwood, take some time to research a species that moves about the same as whatever veneer will go over it (or use the same wood species, of course). Likely, with such a small project, movement will be minimal.

A 1.5" thick chessboard will be nice and hefty and the men will sound good plunking down on the board.

I did a lot of veneering on my Tansu project...you may get some ideas from it.