# The Search for 1/16 Veneers!



## GreenStreet (Apr 29, 2011)

Hey guys,

New to the forum and all but I have a very pressing question!

I'm looking to buy some 1/16 oak veneers but I'm having a hard time finding cross-grains...most places only offer vertical.

I need the cross-grain to combine with the vertical to improve strength in the skateboards I'm making..

Any suggestions on what to do? 

Thanks everyone! :thumbsup:


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

Here you can find Oak 1/16" veneers. Decorative veneers usually aren't cut in crossgrain.
http://www.constantines.com/116thickveneers.aspx

Here is 1/16" Poplar crossbanding:
http://www.constantines.com/browseproducts/Poplar-Crossbanding.html












 







.


----------



## Corbin3388 (Jan 22, 2011)

Make them. 
Or try
Rockler.Com


----------



## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

I must be missing something ... I don't see why you can't just overlap sheets with the grain oriented in different directions. Having a seam because of the sheets not being as wide as you want them long is not going to make much different structurally since oak veneer doesn't have much strength between grain lines so a seam isn't going to be much weaker that the grain lines.

You are not going to find long sheets with the grain running perpendicular to the length of the sheet.


----------



## davelindgren (Aug 25, 2010)

BirchwoodBest - Birchwood Wi - 715-354-3441.


----------



## GreenStreet (Apr 29, 2011)

phinds said:


> I must be missing something ... I don't see why you can't just overlap sheets with the grain oriented in different directions. Having a seam because of the sheets not being as wide as you want them long is not going to make much different structurally since oak veneer doesn't have much strength between grain lines so a seam isn't going to be much weaker that the grain lines.
> 
> You are not going to find long sheets with the grain running perpendicular to the length of the sheet.


Actually they make them for skate decks all the time...unless I'm a total fool :/ 

"The most commonly used thickness of veneer in the skateboard manufacturing industry today are, 1/17th of an inch (.058 / 1.47mm) for the face and core layers and 1/20th of an inch (.050 / 1.27mm) for the cross band layers of veneer. They are called cross band layers because their grain runs from side to side, opposed to end to end"

The only place that sells cross-band sheets in high volume is Roar-Rocket ( see link below ) 
http://www.roarockit.com/index.php

The problem is that they won't only sell cross-band as it is prone to breaking during shipping....

I spoke to a rep from Berkshire Veneer in Massachusetts but instead of offering cross-grain he mentioned something about moving the grain 90 degrees....but I don't know what that means :/

I want to make sure the deck doesn't break...just because people have been building skate decks with the same formula above, doesn't mean its the best way; woodworking has taught me that.


----------



## GreenStreet (Apr 29, 2011)

Corbin3388 said:


> Make them.
> Or try
> Rockler.Com


I'd love to know how to make them!!!! But sadly the first and only process that I can think of to make my own veneers is by either re-sawing half inch pieces, milling them out, and then planning them down to a "thin" sheet. But to get the size I'd want, I would have to have a rather wide jointer, and be okay with wasting lots of moneyyyy.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

GreenStreet said:


> I spoke to a rep from Berkshire Veneer in Massachusetts but instead of offering cross-grain he mentioned something about moving the grain 90 degrees....but I don't know what that means :/


Longrain veneer can be crosscut and laminated across the substrate, as described below:



phinds said:


> I must be missing something ... I don't see why you can't just overlap sheets with the grain oriented in different directions. Having a seam because of the sheets not being as wide as you want them long is not going to make much different structurally since oak veneer doesn't have much strength between grain lines so a seam isn't going to be much weaker that the grain lines.
> 
> You are not going to find long sheets with the grain running perpendicular to the length of the sheet.













 







.


----------



## phinds (Mar 25, 2009)

GreenStreet said:


> I spoke to a rep from Berkshire Veneer in Massachusetts but instead of offering cross-grain he mentioned something about moving the grain 90 degrees....but I don't know what that means :/


He means exactly what I said.


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

phinds said:


> He means exactly what I said.


I said what you said, and it got said (actually I quoted you because you said it so well :yes. Thanks for saying that.











 







.


----------



## GreenStreet (Apr 29, 2011)

cabinetman said:


> Longrain veneer can be crosscut and laminated across the substrate, as described below:
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Haha okay you both have enlightened me!

I'm going to use a crude diagram to gauge whether or not I'm picking up what your putting down..

So your pieces of vertical grain would look like this from a side view:
----------> Top piece
<--------- Middle Piece
---------->bottom piece

I'm just having trouble visualizing this process :blink:


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

GreenStreet said:


> Haha okay you both have enlightened me!
> 
> I'm going to use a crude diagram to gauge whether or not I'm picking up what your putting down..
> 
> ...


One layer is long grain top to bottom.

The next layer the grain is laid left to right...that's where the 90 degrees comes in.

Then the next layer is top to bottom.

The next layer is left to right...and on and on, etc.












 







.


----------



## GreenStreet (Apr 29, 2011)

I guess I'll just say what I'm having trouble with and maybe you guys can make sense of it....

If they are cutting only vertical grain pieces that are 10in wide x 50in long...then how do I lay the grain from left to right with out cutting smaller pieces out of another vertical grain piece?


----------



## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

GreenStreet said:


> I guess I'll just say what I'm having trouble with and maybe you guys can make sense of it....
> 
> If they are cutting only vertical grain pieces that are 10in wide x 50in long...then how do I lay the grain from left to right with out cutting smaller pieces out of another vertical grain piece?


Is this that hard to understand?

Lets assume your board is 9" wide and 30" long.

*A. * Lay the first piece long wise. The piece will be cut @ 30", and the the 1/2" edges will be trimmed off later.

*B. * The second layer will be cut @ 9" (off the length), and you'll need 3 of those. They will be laid across the board (90 degrees to the first grain direction). Since they are already @ 10", you lay the three edge to edge to cover the 30" length.

The third layer...refer to *A* above.

The fourth layer...refer to *B* above.

When laying the three pieces, you need other sheets to cut from eventually. It would be wise to vary the three pieces somewhat when edge to edging them.












 







.


----------



## Bill Wyko (Feb 25, 2011)

Are you using a vacuum bag to glue your veneers together? I would think unless you have a big press, you may want to consider it.


----------



## GreenStreet (Apr 29, 2011)

I actually do have a press that I built my self out of oak strips, mdf, plywood and threaded steel rods....I've been pressing hardwood decks with it for the past couple of years!


----------

