Woodworking Class: Veneering for Furniture Makers with Dave Heller (2 Days)

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Learn to beautify your furniture with this two day introduction veneering class with Dave Heller. In this woodworking class, students will learn to cut veneer in order to make attractive panels, and also to make inlay decorative fans. The same techniques could be used to make other decorative inlays as well.

On the first day, we will learn seaming, cutting veneer so that the seam is invisible. It is the equivalent of cutting several pieces of wood to make a table top that looks like a single board. We will start by making a simple two way match, and then we will make a four-way match with a border and cross banding. There are several possible configurations to generate specific shapes. The result will be a panel that would look very much in place in the door or the side of a cabinet. At the end of the day we will glue up the panel with the four-way match on one side and the two way match on the other and leave it in the vacuum press overnight in the morning.

A fan is a traditional Federal period inlay, either round or oval depending on the shape of the furniture. We will make both, then inlay them into the panels we made on day one. The technique is fairly simple but requires exacting cutting, which we will have learned on Day one. It also involves sand shading, another useful veneer modifying technique.

By the end of the second day, you will have a panel with two inlaid fans, and you will know the veneering techniques that you would need in order to make a piece of federal furniture. These techniques are also useful for other styles such as Arts and Crafts, where veneered panels and decorative inlays are standard design elements.

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Read about this instructor on our page: "Meet the Instructors".

$30 materials fee to cover the purchase of your own knife, straightedge, fillet maker, veneer, and substrate. Fee payable to the instructor on the first day of class.

No students under 18 years of age are allowed. A PDF document with the full class policies and a liability waiver will be available after you register. All students are required to sign this document, and bring it on the first day of class.

Anyone can cancel a class up to 3 weeks prior to the class for a full refund (minus a $45 fee that covers credit card processing fees and administrative work). Cancellations under three weeks before a class begins will be given a refund (less $45) if we can find someone else to fill the slot. If we have to cancel a class for an unforeseen emergency, inclement weather, instructor illness/injury, or low number of registrations, a full refund will be given to students. We encourage students to not book non-refundable flights, car rentals, or lodging in case of these cancelations.

After you’ve registered for a class, you are eligible for a discount from Lee Valley (Veritas) and Taylor Toolworks. Lee Valley offers a 15% discount, and a discount form PDF will be available for download in your Wood and Shop dashboard after your purchase. For a 10% discount from Taylor Toolworks fill out this form and upload a photo or screenshot of your class order email (under the “Student ID” section). The discounts may not be available after the end of the class, so try to place your orders before then.

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