16 - Custonize Your Radial Arm Saw, страница 11

TECHNIQUE

Trimming & Finishing

Once the veneer has been pressed in place, the last step is to trim it to size.

KNIFE. My tool of choice for trimming most veneer is an ordinary utility knife, see Drawing A. The important thing is to use a sharp blade — it'll slice right through the thin veneer.

veneer saw. But whenever I have to cut highly figured veneer (like burl), I use a veneer saw, see Drawing B. To use the saw, place the side of the blade flat against the edge of the core. Then slide it back and forth as you would any other hand saw.

router. If you need to trim a lot of veneer, you can use a router with a flush trim bit, see Drawing C. Just run the router along the edge of the core. The bit trims the veneer perfectly flush.

table saw. Another quick way to trim a lot of veneer is to use a table saw — especially if the core and the veneer are oversize. But if the veneer is overhanging the core, the workpiece can't be placed against the rip fence.

To get around this, I "fool" the fence, see Drawing D. All it takes is a thin spacer between the core and the fence. After one side is trimmed, remove the spacer.

HOLD SAW FLAT AGAINST EDGE OF CORE

A. Utility Knife. When using a utility knife, flip the workpiece over and follow the edge.

B. Veneer Saw. To trim the veneer, place the side of the saw flat against the edge of the core.

NOTE:

CARPET TAPE SPACER TO RIP FENCE

VENEER•

SPACER

core —

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C. Router. A quick way to trim a lot of veneer is to use a flush trim bit and a hand-held router.

D. Table Saw. Another quick way to trim veneer is with a table saw. But you'll have to use a spacer.

finishing

When you're ready to apply a finish, there are a couple of things to keep in mind.

scratches. First, since flexible veneer is extremely thin, you shouldn't use a cabinet scraper. If you do, you may cut through the veneer. If you have scratches to remove, sand them out with 240-grit (or finer) sandpaper.

thin coats. Second, some finishes can dissolve contact cement. So when you're applying a finish, apply several thin coats. This way, the solvents will evaporate before soaking through to the adhesive.

Step-by-Step Veneering

jj Select Veneer. Decide on a finish right away. Foil-backed veneer should be used

USE EDGE OF CORE TO GUIDE UTILITY KNIFE

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