Which contact adhesive?

[Craig Salisbury]

Evening chaps!

I need to veneer a cabinet back and drawer bottom. my plan is to resaw some oak for the veneers around 2 mm which i guess will end up 1-1.5mm after sanding. i plan to use 4 or 5mm ply as a substrate and with the lack of a vac system or long reach clamps was just planning to use contact adhesive.

any recommended brands?

 

[MattS]

I’ve no idea about veneering but have found a contact adhesive which I think works well after trying a couple of dreadful ones!

https://alpha-adhesives.co.uk/products/thixofix/

I bought if for leather work and general house hold repairs, not used in wood yet. It’s very thick and not at all stringy so very easy to work with and seems to hold really well. Contact adhesives seem to have suffered from chemical regs and I’ve tried some which are so weak they shouldn’t be on sale.

 

[Mike G]

....Contact adhesives seem to have suffered from chemical regs and I’ve tried some which are so weak they shouldn’t be on sale.

I concur. And I'd add that contact adhesives used to last years in their tins, and now seem to harden within weeks. It's a glue I now avoid wherever possible, and if I do need it, try to buy the smallest container possible because it's almost a one-use product.

 

[AndyP]

Are you sure contact adhesive is the right glue for veneering? If I was to do the same I think I would use my preferred wood glue, currently Titebond 3, place a single piece of a thick MDF over the veneer and thoroughly weigh it down, of course the substrate needs to be on a perfectly flat surface too.

 

[MattS]

contact adhesives used to last years in their tins, and now seem to harden within weeks.

You’re right about shelf life. I had a tin which I’d acquired in a job lot of second hand tools etc. no idea how old it was but when it ran out a couple of years ago my hunt started for a new one! I’ve only had the Thixofix about 6 months but doesn’t seem to have started to dry out in the tin at all yet.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Are you sure contact adhesive is the right glue for veneering? If I was to do the same I think I would use my preferred wood glue, currently Titebond 3, place a single piece of a thick MDF over the veneer and thoroughly weigh it down, of course the substrate needs to be on a perfectly flat surface too.

oh im not sure at all.

Im really trying to reduce overhead on this as its already over cost.and i dont really want to buy a sheet of thick MDF just to use for clamping veneer on one project as well as storing it after.

I have seen contact adhesive can be used for veneering (its just a cabinet back and drawer bottom) and figured it would be an easier application as well as reduce the need for clamping/vacuuming buying extra sheets.

 

[Lurker]

I chucked away half full tin of evostick yesterday, mind you, I have had it for years :lol:

Until recently, I’d have recommended wilko own brand tubes ( is anyone else missing wilko?).
I bought a tube of Uhu from home bargains a few weeks back, for a quid but haven’t opened it yet. I doubt it will be as good as it was in the past.

 

[Woodbloke]

Are you sure contact adhesive is the right glue for veneering? If I was to do the same I think I would use my preferred wood glue, currently Titebond 3, place a single piece of a thick MDF over the veneer and thoroughly weigh it down, of course the substrate needs to be on a perfectly flat surface too.

I tend to agree; TB3 or Everbuild D4 are the ones I use with a bit of flat stuff over the top, onto which in the past I've used cauls and G-clamps to provide pressure rather that weights - Rob

 

[meccarroll]

Evening chaps!

I need to veneer a cabinet back and drawer bottom. my plan is to resaw some oak for the veneers around 2 mm which i guess will end up 1-1.5mm after sanding. i plan to use 4 or 5mm ply as a substrate and with the lack of a vac system or long reach clamps was just planning to use contact adhesive.

any recommended brands?

This sounds ambitious, sawing down oak to make your own veneer for a cabinet back and draw bottom.

I can't see how it's worth cutting veneer from solid oak for the bottom of a draw when you could use 1/2" or 5/8" solid oak from your boards without the faff of first cutting it then gluing for a veneer finish.

I'm not sure is you are aware that it is best to veneer both sides of the ply to balance things up and stop bow? So you could be potentially in for a fair bit more than you are bargaining for.

It sounds like a lot of work to re-saw oak down to make veneer. Why not just buy veneer off the shelf?

It would also be much easier to buy some oak faced ply and use that.

I'd cost out the glue you need and other things like ply and labour time and see how it compares with buying oak faced ply.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Evening chaps!

I need to veneer a cabinet back and drawer bottom. my plan is to resaw some oak for the veneers around 2 mm which i guess will end up 1-1.5mm after sanding. i plan to use 4 or 5mm ply as a substrate and with the lack of a vac system or long reach clamps was just planning to use contact adhesive.

any recommended brands?

This sounds ambitious, sawing down oak to make your own veneer for a cabinet back and draw bottom.

I can't see how it's worth cutting veneer from solid oak for the bottom of a draw when you could use 1/2" or 5/8" solid oak from your boards without the faff of first cutting it then gluing for a veneer finish.

I'm not sure is you are aware that it is best to veneer both sides of the ply to balance things up and stop bow? So you could be potentially in for a fair bit more than you are bargaining for.

It sounds like a lot of work to re-saw oak down to make veneer. Why not just buy veneer off the shelf?

It would also be much easier to buy some oak faced ply and use that.

I'd cost out the glue you need and other things like ply and labour time and see how it compares with buying oak faced ply.

I guess if i were charging anything above cost or for my time, then that would make sense. That being said my bandsaw will happily cut 1mm veneer nice and cleanly and with a ply substrate the movement will be negligible. ill probably go with 1.5mm so i have some sanding leeway.

If anything I see this as a good way to try some new things and learn a bit.

 

[meccarroll]

I guess if i were charging anything above cost or for my time, then that would make sense. That being said my bandsaw will happily cut 1mm veneer nice and cleanly and with a ply substrate the movement will be negligible. ill probably go with 1.5mm so i have some sanding leeway.

If anything I see this as a good way to try some new things and learn a bit.

Hi do you mind saying what bandsaw you have and the blades too? I may not have my bandsaw set up as well as it should be (although I did spend time setting it up so it may also be my current bandsaw blades that might not be the best as I would struggle to cut veneer on my bandsaw right now.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

I guess if i were charging anything above cost or for my time, then that would make sense. That being said my bandsaw will happily cut 1mm veneer nice and cleanly and with a ply substrate the movement will be negligible. ill probably go with 1.5mm so i have some sanding leeway.

If anything I see this as a good way to try some new things and learn a bit.

Hi do you mind saying what bandsaw you have and the blades too? I may not have my bandsaw set up as well as it should be (although I did spend time setting it up so it may also be my current bandsaw blades that might not be the best as I would struggle to cut veneer on my bandsaw right now.

Sure thing, I have a Laguna 18BX, the blades I use are from tuffsaws. depending on what im cutting I use one of these:

M42 (Wood Cutting) Bandsaw Blade - 3673mm x 1/2" x 6/10 Vari-Tooth
M42 (Wood Cutting) Bandsaw Blade - 3673mm x 3/4" x 3tpi

I even popped out to cut a sample and take a snap





these were cut with the 1/2" blade

 

[Cabinetman]

That’s most impressive Craig, Never tried it as I wouldn’t have thought it would work! And much prefer to work with solid timber.
Ian

 

[meccarroll]

Sure thing, I have a Laguna 18BX, the blades I use are from tuffsaws. depending on what im cutting I use one of these:

M42 (Wood Cutting) Bandsaw Blade - 3673mm x 1/2" x 6/10 Vari-Tooth
M42 (Wood Cutting) Bandsaw Blade - 3673mm x 3/4" x 3tpi

I even popped out to cut a sample and take a snap


View attachment 1
View attachment 2

these were cut with the 1/2" blade

Thank you very much for your reply, that cut looks amazing! I might have to consider some new bandsaw blades as a first resort. Thank you again and very kind of you to take the photos with gauge too. Mark

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Sure thing, I have a Laguna 18BX, the blades I use are from tuffsaws. depending on what im cutting I use one of these:

M42 (Wood Cutting) Bandsaw Blade - 3673mm x 1/2" x 6/10 Vari-Tooth
M42 (Wood Cutting) Bandsaw Blade - 3673mm x 3/4" x 3tpi

I even popped out to cut a sample and take a snap


View attachment 1
View attachment 2

these were cut with the 1/2" blade

Thank you very much for your reply, that cut looks amazing! I might have to consider some new bandsaw blades as a first resort. Thank you again and very kind of you to take the photos with gauge too. Mark

no problem sir. give tuffsaws a call and they will get you the blades you need

 

[RogerS]

Is this of any use, Craig ?

https://oakwoodveneer.com/ironon.html


Also you can get iron-on sheets of glue to use in veneering.

https://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/pro ... adhesives/

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Is this of any use, Craig ?

https://oakwoodveneer.com/ironon.html


Also you can get iron-on sheets of glue to use in veneering.

https://www.originalmarquetry.co.uk/pro ... adhesives/

VERY useful! thanks Roger. I have seen PVA used and then ironed to activate it but i didnt realise you could do that with titebond for example?

I did order some thixofix although im going to do some tests before commiting as I dont have a drum sander....if it all goes fruit shaped i might just buy some veneer sheets and be done with it.

one thing this has taught me is that I find making anything for someone else far too stressful and on a number of occasions thought i might just sell all my gear and go buy a sportsbike

 

[Woodbloke]

...one thing this has taught me is that I find making anything for someone else far too stressful and on a number of occasions thought i might just sell all my gear and go buy a sportsbike

And then some! I don't make for anybody except friends and family as the stress level is just somat I need like a hole in the head :lol: - Rob

 

[thetyreman]

I recently tried hammer veneering with hot hide glue, works incredibly well, you have to work fast but if it's wood on wood then I wouldn't use anything else now, no clamps needed either.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

I recently tried hammer veneering with hot hide glue, works incredibly well, you have to work fast but if it's wood on wood then I wouldn't use anything else now, no clamps needed either.

oooo whats thats then?

I did try the iron on method using PVA which wasnt great really. i have a tin of thixofix and just waiting for a couple of rollers to come before attempting

 

[RogerS]

It's 'old skool'....try this

[youtubessl]qSlPBEjOjBI[/youtubessl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSlPBEjOjBI

Starts around 6mins in.

 

[thetyreman]

It's 'old skool'....try this

[youtubessl]qSlPBEjOjBI[/youtubessl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSlPBEjOjBI

Starts around 6mins in.

+1 that's the one, I used it for my guitar on the headstock veneer.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

It's 'old skool'....try this

[youtubessl]qSlPBEjOjBI[/youtubessl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSlPBEjOjBI

Starts around 6mins in.

+1 that's the one, I used it for my guitar on the headstock veneer.

Thats definitely something to look at for later projects, I imagine it would be a pain for this as the panels are 650x900 though

plus i'd need to sort out something for all the paraphernalia

 

[Alasdair]

Is this of any use, Craig ?

one thing this has taught me is that I find making anything for someone else far too stressful and on a number of occasions thought i might just sell all my gear and go buy a sportsbike

I'm glad this isn't just me, I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago about this and we decided that we are our own worst critics. But like I said to him if we weren't the quality and standards that were battered into us as apprentices would go and we would end up like the majority of 'Tradesmen' getting churned out now.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Is this of any use, Craig ?

one thing this has taught me is that I find making anything for someone else far too stressful and on a number of occasions thought i might just sell all my gear and go buy a sportsbike

I'm glad this isn't just me, I was talking with a friend a few weeks ago about this and we decided that we are our own worst critics. But like I said to him if we weren't the quality and standards that were battered into us as apprentices would go and we would end up like the majority of 'Tradesmen' getting churned out now.

I see the point. I have no formal training but i do see every mistake and even though others may not, it makes my blood boil to the point of not wanting to let things leave the garage.

 

[Alasdair]

MIstakes are part of the learning journey, one of my old tradesmen used to tell me that anyone could cut wood but it was how we dealt with mistakes that defined us.

 

[thetyreman]

It's 'old skool'....try this

[youtubessl]qSlPBEjOjBI[/youtubessl]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSlPBEjOjBI

Starts around 6mins in.

+1 that's the one, I used it for my guitar on the headstock veneer.

Thats definitely something to look at for later projects, I imagine it would be a pain for this as the panels are 650x900 though

plus i'd need to sort out something for all the paraphernalia

what about cascamite?

 

[AndyP]

quote="Alasdair"]MIstakes are part of the learning journey, one of my old tradesmen used to tell me that anyone could cut wood but it was how we dealt with mistakes that defined us.[/quote]

As far as my creations are concerned I live by the adapted mantra of Japanese wabi sabi. There is beauty in imperfection, nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect.

 

[Woodbloke]

As far as my creations are concerned I live by the adapted mantra of Japanese wabi sabi. There is beauty in imperfection, nothing lasts, nothing is finished and nothing is perfect.

It has been known, on some occasions, that if a job of mine had too many 'faux pas' it was unduly fed through that small bandsaw you now own
A lot of mistakes though, happen when you're not 'in the zone' :eusa-whistle:

This pic below:



...may be of interest - Rob

 

[Craig Salisbury]

well some thixofix and a preliminary sand, they turned out ok although a bit thick. I ended up widening the drawer bottom groove to sand less and the back sits in a rebate so no bother there. An ideal job for a drum sander but i think I dont think i could justify one of those.

 

[RogerS]

Once when I was short of funds I sold my Jet oscillating sander. Silly thing to do. Very.

 

[Craig Salisbury]

Once when I was short of funds I sold my Jet oscillating sander. Silly thing to do. Very.

Dont get me wrong, id quite like a drum sander.....and an edge sander. but just don't have the room or justification for the odd job once or twice a year. After my firm decision of never making anything for anyone where i put myself under too much stress...eyeing up a Shaper Origin

 

[RogerS]

Thought you might be interested in this that I made while on the veneering course run by John Lloyd https://johnlloydfinefurniture.co.uk/

It used hide glue.



I've had this panel knocking around for probably ten years and always meant to turn it into a tray. In hindsight, the aspect ratio is all wrong