Finishing Bird's Eye Maple Veneer Top, and more

[Ira Rather]

We have a problem, Houston:

My Titebond Veneer Glue arrived today, and I have 6 small pieces of BE cut as testing samples (like 3x5) to glue to a piece of unfinished pine.

Well damn, did that first piece curl up like a mother on the edges when it came in contact with the glue! So the next piece, I put a thicker layer of glue on, and same thing. I have some cans weighing it down now.

There's nothing in the Titebond instructions about letting it set before connecting your pieces, but when I glue that next sample piece on, I'm going to apply the glue and let it sit awhile--maybe that will help its tackiness?

Otherwise, I don't see how the heck I'm going to apply my cut piece to the body and "weight it down" properly so it'll set! As it is, it's going to be a bit tricky perfectly positioning the veneer, with ittsy bittsy overhang to sand back after.

[Ira Rather]

Yep.

20 minutes curing time helped tons. I'm now trying 25.

[Ira Rather]

This is gonna be scary. Maybe I should apply a super thin layer of glue to the veneer too.

[Julie Moriarty]

I just found this:

Maybe it will help.

[Ira Rather]

Yeah--I saw the ironing technique this morning.

So you glue both sides, but the DANGER is, glue coming through the veneer.

And this ain't something you can test on a scrap piece!!!

I'm tempted to do this, but there are still too many freaking variables!

Meanwhile, my dyes arrived today, and I just finished sanding off the veneer under the original paint, so I'm ready to rock and roll!

[Julie Moriarty]

And if the glue comes through the veneer, you have sealed the wood and it won't take the dye the same way fresh wood would. THAT would be a problem!

[Shawn Pixley]

Theoretically, the veneer glue is designed not to come through the veneer. I have never experienced it. Maple is a close pored wood and would be less likely to come through the pores (as opposed to an open pored wood like oak).

When I veneered things with BE Maple, everything went exceedingly well. Concern is good, but at some point you are going to have to go for it.

[Ira Rather]

An effin disaster. The crap bubbled up like crazy. Total garbage. Total waste of time.

[Julie Moriarty]

Can you post pictures? Sometimes it helps us see what's going on.

[Ira Rather]

Long vertical bubbles running half the length of the guitar. Like 7 or 8 little mountain ranges.

[Shawn Pixley]

Did you use a vacuum bag or platten with cauls on the veneer glue-up?

[Shawn Pixley]

Long vertical bubbles running half the length of the guitar. Like 7 or 8 little mountain ranges.

Depending upon the actual "bubbles", you may be able to glue those back down. Pictures will help.

[Ira Rather]

I just used a heavy piece of tempered glass and weighed it down big time.

[Shawn Pixley]

Pictures will still help. Not enough force to fully lay down the veneer. You may be able to soften the veneer bubbles and work glue behind the bubble and flatten it down with a platten and caul with clamps.

Repaired lots of veneered tables this way.

[Ira Rather]

This was beyond repair--especially since I started tearing it up. Later today, I'm sanding back to raw face again.

I have another piece of bird's eye, and an alternate plan.

I'm going to glue it to a thin sheet of wood. They sell thicker-than-veneer but very thin sheets of pine, other types, in 2' by 4' size. And I'm going to test using contact cement. If there's no bleed-through with that, I'm good to go:

I now have a rigid composite which I can glue to the body, using the Veneer glue.

This ain't easy for me, considering I just got fitted yesterday for the latest Paris fashion in springwear:image.jpeg