VENEERING SIMPLIFIED
Harry Jason Hobbs

Annotation

I found this book to be similar to Mr. Hobbs' other book that I referenced, Veneer Craft for Everyone. However, this book is written for the more experienced marqueterians and those wishing to use veneers in other applications. It has a good introduction to the history and the development of veneer production. I was particularly interested in the how the different grains are produced from different sections of the tree and the way it is cut.

He covers all the necessary tools and equipment required for Marquetry in detail. There is also an extensive chapter on glues and adhesives and their different characteristics.

The book includes lots of tips and useful "tricks of the trade". In chapter 16 Mr. Hobbs describes pictorial Marquetry. In the final chapters he describes how to make a multi-colored inlaid chessboard and discusses the techniques for veneering trays and gift boxes.

This is an excellent book that covers lots of basic techniques, however, for pictorial Marquetry, I would refer to some of the other books that I have mentioned in these pages.

COVER

Veneering Simplified

New Enlarged Edition - includes laying new flexible veneer using modern techniques.

In this era of craft revival one of the most rewarding crafts is woodworking, and the most satisfying part of it is the pleasure of working with the exotic woods.

The world's finest woods - the most colorful, most intriguing in figuration - come to us only as veneers.

This book deals only with veneers that are available to craftsmen - and that includes some very appealing kinds - and with simplified veneering techniques that can be carried out in a limited workshop. Some of the veneering projects included are table-top work. There are special tools and equipment you can make, and clamping methods that save you many dollars worth of larger clamps.

Here you will find hundreds of methods and little-known tricks of the trade to help you work pleasurably with veneers. You learn how to handle delicate veneers safely, how to repair splits invisibly, best ways to saw and cut veneers, how to glue, which glues to use, how to clamp, trim, clean up, sand, and finish.

You learn simplified ways to make veneered panels that will not warp, special treatments for panel edges, how to make handsome two-piece and four-piece matched panels, how to lay a chessboard veneer face, how to inlay bandings, boarders, and inserts in the easiest ways.

You will see the largest photo gallery ever published of nature's fascinating and fanciest veneers - butts and burls, crotches and swirls!

About the Author:

Harry Jason Hobbs has written Veneering Simplified from his lifetime experience with woodworking, most of the times as an editor of instruction books and magazine articles. he has demonstrated veneering techniques to adult groups in New York and Florida.

He developed, constructed, used, and photographed many special devices in this book. He tried out the simplified methods suggested.

In the new, enlarged edition of Veneering Simplified the author demonstrates the latest veneering techniques by adapting them to various useful projects. He shows how to apply new flexible veneer to an unpainted two-draw chest. How to make a matched crotch walnut veneer face for a serving tray. How to make an attractive chessboard with many different kinds of colorful veneers. And how to decorate small gift boxes with a variety of veneering techniques.

Other books by the author include Creative Veneer Craft, the latest revision of Know Your Woods, Working With Tools, Veneer Craft for Everyone, and he is co-edit of Modern Marquetry Handbook.

His veneer craft articles have appeared in Workbench, Family Circle publications, Popular Science, Popular Mechanics Family Handyman, and Creative Crafts.

Photographs in Veneering Simplified, unless otherwise credited, were taken by the author.

Thames and Hudson, A Sterling Publishing Co. NY
ISBN 0-806908838-X


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