Index... Preperation Cooking Slicing Drying Clipping Costing Measuring Veneer Cutting Methods
Veneer Production
		Making veneer is the most decorative and at the same time most economic way of producing high quality, genuine wood facing materials. Modern production technology makes exploitation of wood to veneer possible in a manifold of ways. Between 800 and 1000 sqm of veneer are produced from one cubic meter of lumber. No other kind of woodworking renders such a yield. The production of veneer is described briefly below:
Preparation of the logs		The veneer log is used depends upon the following factors which have to be assessed in the round log form:
		Heart and tension cracking
		Visible faults (knots, pin-knots, decay)
		Dimension
		Color
		Texture
		Shape
		To meet present day quality standards, a veneer surface as far as possible free of defects, uniformly colored and evenly textured shall be achieved. This means to say that a very great deal of experience and knowledge of veneer are needed to ensure correct, optimal conversion. There are various methods of slicing which give different surface effects to the veneer (see also the graphic diagram on the methods of slicing). Thorough and skillful assessment of the log with due consideration to the prospectively achievable quality and possible usage thus are the basis for the quality of the veneer achieved in its further processing. After debarking the veneer flitch is cut on the band saw depending on its preparatory indications.
Cooking		The next step in the production process is the cooking of the flitches. Exceptions are species such as Sycamore or White Beech for example where light or white coloring is desired. Two effects are achieved by cooking in hot water:
		The wood is given the necessary suppleness to ensure smooth slicing and thus perfect quality in production.
		The color of the produced veneer is influenced by the cooking time. For example, the color of original white beech is changed by cooking to a pink or salmon-colored hue. Depending upon the species of wood and color demands, cooking periods vary from one day to one week. A different temperature profile is given for the various species of wood for the respective cooking period. This profile has to be kept precisely to avoid color defects. Since the quality of the water (hardness, chemical composition) plays a considerable role in the course of the cooking operation each veneer manufacturer has developed his own time and temperature values which he considers to be most favorable for him.
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