MIMF

Hi everyone,

I'm wondering where people here get their veneer for purfling, rosettes, etc. I just can't find it affordable. I may be spoiled, but I expect to get a square meter of natural maple or black at $20 or less. I used to get it from madinter or maderas barber, but I can't wait several weeks. Is that asking too much? Any sources ideas?

With these prices, I am thinking to import it and sell it here...

Thanks

What thickness are you after? Figured grain, or just different colors of wood?

For domestic wood like maple or walnut, I just go to Woodcraft and by the packs of sheets (usually 36” by 8” or so). I buy the colored stuff (black or white for me) and the exotics from LMI. Woodcraft’s price on the colored stuff isn’t any better than LMI.

Brian Evans wrote:What thickness are you after? Figured grain, or just different colors of wood?

Hi Brian,

Plain natural maple or any other white wood, and dyed black wood, at around 0.5 mm thick ( I guess 0.020 of a inch) and I’m open to other natural colors. I build classical guitars so I need quite a bit of it for the rosettes , headstock and purflings. I have enough for a while of colored maple and Brazilian rosewood veneer.

Thanks

Bob Gramann wrote:For domestic wood like maple or walnut, I just go to Woodcraft and by the packs of sheets (usually 36” by 8” or so). I buy the colored stuff (black or white for me) and the exotics from LMI. Woodcraft’s price on the colored stuff isn’t any better than LMI.

I bought there 12" long, but I didn't see the long ones, or I got scared about its price! I'll have to buy a small quantity from LMI and import later from Spain.

Thanks for your help.

Manel

Bob Gramann wrote:For domestic wood like maple or walnut, I just go to Woodcraft and by the packs of sheets (usually 36” by 8” or so). I buy the colored stuff (black or white for me) and the exotics from LMI. Woodcraft’s price on the colored stuff isn’t any better than LMI.

I forgot! Do you buy the wood or the fiber sheets? The black poplar is kind of brittle.

I buy wood when I can. I use veneers in a sandwich so that the edge shows fine lines. I worry that a peghead veneer sandwich with fiber might not be a good idea for structure. For white lines, I use the maple veneer mentioned above when it doesn't have to be exactly white. For exactly white, I use holly which I make into veneer myself (a lot of waste) from a tree cut in my neighbor's yard. I have some white fiber that I use when structure doesn't matter, like for layering up purfling, but I don't use it often. Yes, the black dyed veneer is brittle along the grain, but I work with it. Also, I found out the hard way that the dyed veneer needs to be scraped just before it is glued. The surface seems to oxidize and doesn't hold glue well without being scraped clean.

This is the maple I buy: https://www.woodcraft.com/products/mapl ... sq-ft-pack For me, this pack lasts a long, long time.

And, the walnut: https://www.woodcraft.com/products/waln ... sq-ft-pack

I used to get some really good deals off of eBay.

Thanks Barry, I didn't find what I'm looking for in ebay this time. I'll keep an eye on it.


Bob, I have never used the fiber sheets. I guess once on hands I would know about its weakness. I'll probably avoid them altogether.
I always scrape veneers when structurally strength is need it. I had a back center seem split cleanly many years ago, that taught me the lesson. And if we stress the idea of fresh plane woods before gluing, it makes a lot of sense to do the same with veneers. I scrape plain (European) maple as well. But yeah, the black one seems more necessary.

How do you make veneer? I made a bit wetting wood before planing, but the thickness wasn't consistent enough, not horrible though, at 0.25 mm.

Those links are good. Not too expensive! Thanks so much! It was worth it to ask!

Manel

To make my veneer, I slice it as thin as I can and then sand it between a flat block on the belt sander. I never make a very big piece and make it uniform by eye. Measuring would probably disappoint me.

Bob Gramann wrote:To make my veneer, I slice it as thin as I can and then sand it between a flat block on the belt sander. I never make a very big piece and make it uniform by eye. Measuring would probably disappoint me.

thanks!

I just ordered ebonized Pear wood (black) from John Bogdanovich, same size and price than LMI but, hopefully better quality than Poplar. Shipping is less than $4. I couldn't see long sheets in woodcraft.

Thanks every one!

Manel

Constantines is also a good source.

I get mine from here:

https://www.dyed-veneer.com/dyed_veneers.aspx

Yup, the site is literally called “dyed-veneers.com”.

There are several places that offer various veneer options. Veneersupplies.com is a good source and I have also bought a fair amount from http://www.constantines.com/flitch.aspx. Constantines has a pretty good selection, and lots of species to give variation in color with natural woods.

Veneersuplies.com
You can email Joe directly.

I don't know how they are for small quantities, but I found their service, packing, shipping and the quality of the veneers to be outstanding.

https://www.certainlywood.com/index.php

Dan Smith wrote:Veneersuplies.com
You can email Joe directly.

They periodically have special boxes for very cheap. They are usually a set number of sqft of a particular wood; you don't know the length and width or number of sheets (just the total area). I got a box with more cherry veneer than I will ever need for something like $30. They just has a special on macaser ebony that I wish I had pulled the trigger on. I now check in regularly to see if there is anything interesting.

I get black and natural veneer strips to my spec from Gurian Instruments in Seattle. One quarter the price of anyone else, but they have a $200 minimum. They have lots of other wood choices and combinations.