Cutting 1mm veneer across the grain

[JohnK]

I wonder if anyone has the solution to cutting very thin wood sheet veneer.
I have started to make the Viking boat "Oseberg" by Billing which I have had stored away for many, many years (perhaps about 30). The side planking parts that I have in the kit are printed on 1mm fine grain wood sheet (there were no laser cut parts for models in those days). As many of you might know that are familiar with the boat, the planking is shaped to the curve of the boat and printed on the sheets, which means the parts curve across the grain. Cutting along the length of the planking pieces that run with the grain is not a problem but when the shape curves across the grain and narrows to a point this is where the problem of splitting or the point of the piece braking off.

I am using a 25tpi blade in a powered scroll/jig saw, so I get a reasonably smooth cut. The throat on the machine is 8mm wide so I thought I might cover it and reduce it right down to just 1mm wider than the blade so to give more support to the thin wood. I have tried sticking paper onto the parts, this works to some degree but if I remover the paper the point of the part will inevitable split and come off. I have thought about double sided sticky tape but not sure if this will not degrade or shrink over time.

Any help or suggestions will be gratefully received.

 

[Uwek]

The wooden veneer seems to be completely dry - over the years stored in a dry room the wood is loosing all the humidity. so you have maybe only 5% water inside (if any)
One possibility is, that you bring back the humidity into the veneer. Often it is enough that you kwwp the wood outside of your house for some days, so that the wood can take back the humidity out of the air - with this often you will get back to 15 or 20% water content.
You can also try to spray some water (like fog) on the veneer, so that the veneer can soak the water....... try it on a smaller part, if this will work for your needs.

 

[Jimsky]

Hello John, The planks are relatively straight and should be cut with a sharp hobby knife. Or, you can try using sharp scissors.

 

[Thomas Marocke]

Hi JohnK!

Sometimes simple mistakes happen even to professionals and they clamp the saw blade the wrong way round, for example. The cut must be downward.


You can also adjust the saw blade to the respective cut. From left: a very fine metal saw blade, then a normal wood saw blade, then a saw blade with 2 teeth each and a coarse wood saw blade. With all of them there are different results when sawing wood.


Cut with the coarset saw blade in 0,7 mm solid wood. Above and below a clean cut..


Cut in 1 mm plywood with a cartboard (or even wood) place underneath when the wood tears out.


Cut from below.


Cut from the top and that with the coarset saw blade.


Narrow cuts against the grain are also possible.

For "difficult cuts" or when sanding on disc sander I always sacrifice a base of wood, which is processed with and then discarded. With bad wood, whether veneer or solid wood, processing is often problematic and it make sence, if you have tried everything, to exchange it for another wood.

to a good success
Thomas.

 

[JohnA]

Here's some video that may help:

 

[Steef66]

I used a lot of veneer to plank the ships. This is how I do it:

I got the best results with these knives:


The roundness of the knife makes a straight cut in the veneer without splinters, a straight knife like x-acto follows the grain of the wood. and gives bad cut's.
I put a extraa cutting mat under the veneer en let the cutter go along the side of the mat to get straight strips.


I don't even need to sand them

And glue the to the hull using white glue and a soldering iron to heat the strips. Put glue on both sides and let the glue dry for 75% before I put the strips on the hull, then with the iron heat the strips on the hull and the glue melting and fixed the strip.

 

[JohnK]

Many thanks for all who replied.

I never realised how brittle the sheet of wood had become. A little damping and it changed to become quite manageable to cut without splitting; I also sellotaped the pointed ends which stopped them breaking away.

I have sent away for some veneer sheets to to try out all the other excellent tips that I have received in handling and cutting veneer, might even try out some marquetry.

Once again many thanks

JK

 

[JohnK]

I used a lot of veneer to plank the ships. This is how I do it:

I got the best results with these knives:
View attachment 212020
View attachment 212025
The roundness of the knife makes a straight cut in the veneer without splinters, a straight knife like x-acto follows the grain of the wood. and gives bad cut's.
I put a extraa cutting mat under the veneer en let the cutter go along the side of the mat to get straight strips.

View attachment 212017View attachment 212018View attachment 212019View attachment 212021
I don't even need to sand them

And glue the to the hull using white glue and a soldering iron to heat the strips. Put glue on both sides and let the glue dry for 75% before I put the strips on the hull, then with the iron heat the strips on the hull and the glue melting and fixed the strip.
View attachment 212026View attachment 212022

Hi Stephan

Can you tell me the make of cutter you are using?

Thanks

JK

 

[Steef66]

Wood Strip Cutter

Buy our Wood Strip Cutter for only $15.95

www.micromark.com

I modify it by put a piece of straight plexiglas on the bottom to get a straight and strong slider. And using round knives (#10) to get a better cut.
It cost me a lot of veneer to find the best way to do, and you see the straightness of the cutting strips that this way is good.

Edit. Even the screw I fix With strong tape when the distance is good

 

[Philski]

I wonder if anyone has the solution to cutting very thin wood sheet veneer.
I have started to make the Viking boat "Oseberg" by Billing which I have had stored away for many, many years (perhaps about 30). The side planking parts that I have in the kit are printed on 1mm fine grain wood sheet (there were no laser cut parts for models in those days). As many of you might know that are familiar with the boat, the planking is shaped to the curve of the boat and printed on the sheets, which means the parts curve across the grain. Cutting along the length of the planking pieces that run with the grain is not a problem but when the shape curves across the grain and narrows to a point this is where the problem of splitting or the point of the piece braking off.

I am using a 25tpi blade in a powered scroll/jig saw, so I get a reasonably smooth cut. The throat on the machine is 8mm wide so I thought I might cover it and reduce it right down to just 1mm wider than the blade so to give more support to the thin wood. I have tried sticking paper onto the parts, this works to some degree but if I remover the paper the point of the part will inevitable split and come off. I have thought about double sided sticky tape but not sure if this will not degrade or shrink over time.

Any help or suggestions will be gratefully received.

Use a veneer saw. There are YouTube videos ow to use a veneer saw correctly.

 

[Bob Ellis]

I also have an old boxed Oseburg. I've photocopied the planks and will transfer them to decent timber. I always do this for Billing's kits, the supplied stuff fragments and is far too brittle.

 

[JohnK]

Uwek suggestion about wetting the veneer sheets definitely made a difference to their brittleness. I have ordered some veneer sheets from a UK supplier just to see the comparison.

 

[wmgrimball]

When cutting wood as you described, you might use a very sharp xacto, but do not try to cut through all at once. Use multiple easy cuts. Keep glue handy to fix any breaks. Also, you might rub a watered down solution of glue into the wood on both sides and, when dry, make your cuts.

 

[Steef66]

In post #6 the way I do it. I cut in 1 maybe 2 cuts. Not necessary to wet the wood. I cut very dry veneer in that way. But use the half round X-acto knife number 10. Other knives will follow the grain and you need to cut more than once. With the round knife you got straight cuts like I showed in post #6. I tried a lot of ways to do it. But this way gave the best result and easiest way to do.

 

[danielsje]

I have had success using a fabric cutter...I snatched an old one from my spouse who is a quilter. A fabric cutter is a round wheel blade that is run over fabric cutting it cleanly. In my case running over thin styrene plastic sheet, thin veneers, and thin wood sheet. Use a cutting mat under the blade. Replacement blades are available to keep a sharp blade in play.

 

[Philski]

I have had success using a fabric cutter...I snatched an old one from my spouse who is a quilter. A fabric cutter is a round wheel blade that is run over fabric cutting it cleanly. In my case running over thin styrene plastic sheet, thin veneers, and thin wood sheet. Use a cutting mat under the blade. Replacement blades are available to keep a sharp blade in play.

AKA rotary cutters. They come in different diameters too. I found a site that shows how to sharpen the blades too. They're not cheap......

 

[JohnK]

Thanks for all the tips, I have a rotary cutter which I have not used before, so will try that as well as ever bodies suggestions and have also bought a strip cutter as per Stephan's suggestion.

I ordered a sheet of thin mahogany (1.8mm thinnest I could get hold of quickly due to CV19) which arrived yesterday, you can smell the trees it seems so new. I must say it I have tried blades that have been suggested and my scroll/jig machine with great success, no splits, no splinters so perhaps the original sheet I had from all those years ago was just too brittle for a scroll machine.

Hope you are all lining up for your Jab!

regards

JohnK