Wood Veneer as decorative wrap - updated with Pics

[StickFish]

I've been sort of absent for a while working on a new process. Using wood veneer as a decorative wrap base layer. Most of the guys who build have seen Kevin Knox's work with Abalone Veneer. If you have not - don't worry that'is next. Anyway, there is no secrete that Woody has built a bunch of stuff for my house and rod building shop. He wanted a rod that said WOOOOOD!

I'm a bit tired and torn apart (knee, sitting hurts, so does standing and sleeping - heck it just hurts like a bad tooth), but I couldn't keep the secrete any longer.

You are going to have to use your imagination (Ya I knew you could), Burl Maple veneer .04" thick as the base for a decorative wrap. It had to be wood, no decals, no pictures, but WOOOOOD!

More later, the specifics a Seeker CJBF65H, slick butt rear grip, brown Hypalon front grip to match the wood, every guide underwrapped with a tiger wrap in medium brown and Chestnut, trimmed in black and gold metallic, guides - Fuji Gunsmoke SIC Turbo Boat guide, spiral wrapped.

have to go babysit finish - shhh baby is sleeping!:whistle:

[Hookmiester]

Cant wait to see it. I am curious about the weight and if the veneer absorbs any finish. I am sure you will cover all the questions when your present it on here.

Jon

[Raymond Adams]

Sounds interesting..looking forward to hearing and seeing more too!

[Woody]

Sweet!!! I've seen the rod under construction, and test runs of the veneer on the test blank, but I can't wait to see the finished product. It's going to spectacular!!

[dixiefisher]

This will be very interesting!!!.....

[StickFish]

OK lets get started with the how to part.

On Don's rod I wanted to cover about 6" of the butt section for the butt wrap. We talked about doing veneer for the underwraps, but being a new unknown material in rod building I wasn't sure I wanted to subject that much of the rod to potential problems. So for the guide underwraps I decided to use Tiger wraps to simulate a wood grain pattern. I thought about using a Clemens wrap, but having just done one of those it was time for something new.

The white masking tape was used to layout the area where the veneer would be applied.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_00972.JPG

The next issue to over come was applying the material to the blank. I settled on using a double stick vinyle tape from Tap Plastic. Look under the Repair Products section of their web site for adhesive tapes. The stuff is sticky enough to stick to UHMW, yet still flexible.

The tape is 1/2 wide and has a red protective film. Since I'm cutting strips I felt it important to stagger the joints in the tape so they all do not line up.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_00983.JPG

Here is the tape applied to whole area where the decoration will be located.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_00992.JPG

Next I cut a sheet of veneer that was oversized. 6" x 4" and taped it down to a scrap piece of wood.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01003.JPG

The reason for this is I'm about to sand a bevel on one edge. When starting to work with this material if the edge wasn't beveled the veneer would crack - assuming that you were overlaying the edge. I spent some time at this point trying different methods of dealing with the edge, cutting exact, overlap, cutting oversize and shrinking with water, sanding to fit. Overlap resulted in the best edge.

The bevel is about 1/16"

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01062.JPG

Next step getting the veneer lined up. First remove the protective red film exposing the adhesive. I previously marked the 180 degree point on the blank and using the glare line from over head lighting I lined it up and stuck down the beveled edge, bevel up.

An important note at this point, it depends on the direction you will wind thread on the veneer as to the direction you wrap the veneer. If you wrap thread over the top with the carriage between you and the blank, you want to wrap the veneer in a clockwise direction so the trailing edge is pulled by the thread into the blank.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01083.JPG

Once you get it wrapped all the way around, trim the excess by scoring the veneer and snapping off the excess. It really isn't important to get this straight as the imperfection of the line will help hide its existance. Our eyes pick up horizontal lines very easily.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_0109.JPG

If you look close at the trailing edge you will see that I have coated it with a thin layer of U40 Quick Bond. I chose quick bond because I know the material is friendly to other rod building finishes and will not cause me grief later.

Clamping the veneer down. Using some thread (I always have lots of White NCP on hand) start wrapping thread before the veneer to get it started and begin wrapping the veneer down. In thi picture I'm just getting started and didn't want to split the material so used some wide spacing at first, then coming back to completely cover the veneer.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01101.JPG

Here is the veneer completely covered in thread and tied off

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01112.JPG

Now the waiting begins. I let this set for two hours basically enough time for the quick bond to set up but not completely harden.

This next picture shows the thread removed and the extra quick bond that needs to be removed. Since it has not fully hardened yet it is sort of like stiff rubber cement. Using a pick I removed the excess glue.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01132.JPG

Once all the glue is removed, sand the edge with course sand paper. I started with 120 grit. In this picture you can see the material being removed on the left and the untouched joint on the right. You need to get it as close as possible with the course sand paper. I didn't turn the blank at this point.

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01144.JPG

Once the course work is done, I start spinning the blank on the lathe and moved up in grit to 220 and eventually 400. This next picture shows the sanded veneer ready for finish. You will never get rid of the edge completely because the wood will fracture when it is very thin

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01177.JPG

The next step is to apply a thin coat of lite build thread finish. This step had some work behind it to. First attempt I tried using high build and the veneer would off gas air as the finish soaked in leaving behind craters from bubbles popping and not popping. I did try using color preserver and that might be something to keep in mind if you are using a dark veneer because the finish does darken the wood. Anyhow, baby sitting the finish with a bubble buster and lite build (better bubble releasing properties) turned out to be the best method for this light colored material.

Questions - Hook asked about weight of the product. You are correct this will add weight and bulk to the butt section. The veneer I had to work with is .04" thick and the tape adhesive is 20mils (there is an 8mil version but I didn't try it). Since this is a 40-60# Halibut/Tuna rod I really wasn't concered about a few grams of wood, tape and adhesive. There is another veneer available, but I have not gotten a line on it yet that is much thinner and will allow light to pass through its called Tennage. I probably wouldn't use this material on a rod that demands high sensitivity. Hook also asked about the finish - without CP the finish does soak into the veneer, but it will not saturate it.

More pics later when I can get some finish on it.

[StickFish]

OK, got some finish applied - it sort makes the grain stand out a little better :cool:

This pic shows what the joint looks like, its just under the glare line

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01194.JPG

Here is the whole piece of wood

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_01213.JPG

Now I need to add some thread trim to each end and another coat of finish. But that is wood veneer in a nut shell.

[dixiefisher]

That really turned out very nice...and thanks for the detailed write up....that is one personalized rod!

[alice4227]

WOW,that is awesome can't wait to see the tigers running down the rod, I will be up @ 5am to look. :D

[E. Harry]

That is really attractive and I am surprised at how well the joint turned out. You would not notice it if you did not know it was there.
How are you going to finish off the ends?

[StickFish]

That is really attractive and I am surprised at how well the joint turned out. You would not notice it if you did not know it was there.
How are you going to finish off the ends?

Thanks Emory. To tell you the truth I was amazed, with the test I did the night before. I was so jazzed to nail it again I couldn't sleep.

Two layers of Black D and one of A with gold trim bands. The tiger wraps are trimmed in black with gold to match.

If I get the time I'll post and describe the failures. Pics of the whole rod will be required as well.

[Pilar]

Ted all I can say is Wow!

As a side note we 'sharpen' the ends of veneer sheets in a process called scarfing when making LVL. This prevents void formation and also somewhat limits cracking. But the veneer we are laying up is .1" not .004".

You may have just painted your masterpiece, congratulations.

[Twitchs_Tackle]

Wow... :applause:

[Raymond Adams]

I too am surprised how well it turned out. BRAVO!

Thanks for the tutorial here too! Nice extra for ones bag o' tricks.

[StickFish]

OK here is the veneer with its pants on

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_02422.JPG

Hope you all enjoyed the wood, no off to play with Abalone

[dixiefisher]

:applause:...that looks really sharp!!...I am really enjoying following this build.....I can't wait to see what is planned for the guide wraps...?!?!?!?

[StickFish]

The guide wraps are all tiger wraps

One Tiger

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_02303.JPG

Two Tiger

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/IMG_02312.JPG

Three Tig - err well you get the idea

[Woody]

I picked up the rod today. Words can not explain just how freaking cool this thing looks in person. Thanks again brother. From one craftsman to another; you are a true artist.

[Roperguy]

WOW, looks great.
I am curious how it will hold up to the flexing of a hard fighting fish on there?
Maury

[Woody]

WOW, looks great.
I am curious how it will hold up to the flexing of a hard fighting fish on there?
Maury

There is very little, if any, flex at that point on the rod.

[StickFish]

There is very little, if any, flex at that point on the rod.

I do have several test wraps on walking stick blanks that flex and under a heavy load they have not cracked yet

[bldsmith]

Very cool. I am anxious to hear and see some performance reports..