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Thread: Finishing Bird's Eye Maple Veneer Top, and more

  1. #31
    Join Date
    Apr 2009
    Location
    Mandalay Shores, CA
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    2,690
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    Ira, sorry about your knee. I hope it heals quickly.

    Given your lack of confidence in veneering, I suggest you buy some cheap (mahogany, etc...) veneer and some small pieces of a decent ply and practice veneering a bit. There are four common ways to clamp the glued up veneer:

    vacuum bag (probably the best but requires equipment)
    platten, cauls, and clamps
    platen and weight
    Hammer veneer (with or without contact cement)

    With a flat topped guitar like the Tele, it is that much easier. If, you don't vave a vacuum bag / set-up, I'd recommend the platten, cauls, and clamps method. I have used the platten and weight method and been sucessful, but it doesn't apply as much force as clamping.

    Veneer prep - flexible and flat. If it is over dry and brittle, use a conditioner to prepare it the day before. Press it flat overnight.

    Base material prep- make sure it is flat and clean with no dips where you filled in the pickup pocket.

    Platten- i use a piece of 1/2" steel with cork facing the veneer. Without the steel, I would use two flat pieces of 3/4" ply. With the clamp method, I would not use your piece of plate glass.

    Cauls- buy or build a minimum of 4 cauls for a tele. These are needed to ensure you have clamping pressure in the middle of the piece.

    Clamps- use 8 very strong parallel jaw clamps (they don't need the parallel jaws, but you want as powerful a clamp as possible.

    Glue- I use TB veneer glue (but have used both hide glue and contact cement). Let sit for 24 hours before removing clamps.

    I have done this numerous times including BE veneer on a guitar body (last one was jazzing up a cheap Flying Vee with beveled front). I have never had a problem with bleed through. You seem hyperconcerned over what is most likely a non-problem.
    Last edited by Shawn Pixley; 02-27-2016 at 1:59 PM.
    Shawn

    "no trees were harmed in the creation of this message, however some electrons were temporarily inconvenienced."

    "I resent having to use my brain to do your thinking"

  2. #32
    We have liftoff:

    I used something called HDX spray adhesive, and she went on solid as a rock. As you laid the veneer down, you couldn't budge it a millimeter after it made contact. No bleed through, no bubbles, flat and smooth.

    I still have to sand down the edges to the right of the neck pocket, and do a few small patch fixes near the perimeter, but all in all, I'm satisfied. Then it's on to stain testing.
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    Last edited by Ira Rather; 02-28-2016 at 10:30 AM.

  3. #33
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    SF Bay Area, CA
    Posts
    15,332
    Where are you located, Ira? Fill that in on your profile you don't mind. Perhaps there is a local Creeker nearby who can help you.
    Wood: a fickle medium....

    Did you know SMC is user supported? Please help.

  4. #34
    I don't use transtints I use Locke water based aniline dyes, you can buy them at LV. Julie is right, a black sand back will leave you with a muddy finish. To pop BE with your colour scheme I would lay down bright yellow first as I find that this base colour really plays with stage lights. Now you can apply honey tone or amber tone maple dye over top. You may have to tweak the colour a wee bit after this by adding a few drops of red. Done.

    As for your filling I'd suggest that you strive for solid wood zero clearance plug fits, easy on the bondo.

    Now your veneer, if it's commercially sliced has two faces because of the slicing, one is closed and one is open. You want to glue the open face and finish the closed face. How do your tell which face is which? Gently bend the veneer from side to side and look at the surface, as you bend it you'll see that one face face is far rougher than the other - glue face.

    Have fun!

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