A veneer hammer is a woodworking tool used in applying

veneer Veneer may refer to: Materials * Veneer (dentistry), a cosmetic treatment for teeth * Masonry veneer, a thin facing layer of brick * Stone veneer, a thin facing layer of stone * Wood veneer, a thin facing layer of wood Arts and entertainment * ' ...

Description

A veneer hammer is used in conjunction with hot hide glue in applying

to a

substrate Substrate may refer to: Physical layers *Substrate (biology), the natural environment in which an organism lives, or the surface or medium on which an organism grows or is attached ** Substrate (locomotion), the surface over which an organism lo ...

. The term "veneer hammer" is somewhat misleading, as the "hammer" is used more like a squeegee than a

hammer A hammer is a tool, most often a hand tool, consisting of a weighted "head" fixed to a long handle that is swung to deliver an impact to a small area of an object. This can be, for example, to drive nails into wood, to shape metal (as w ...

. The hot hide glue is applied to the substrate, then the veneer is laid onto the glued surface. The hammer itself has a dull blade, approximately three inches wide, on one side of the head, and a square shaped face on the other side. This head is connected to a standard handle, much like a regular hammer. The small square face is designed to push down on, exerting force to the blade side of the head. Workers often make their own veneer hammer, often having a wider "blade" than the commercially available ones. The blade can be made from metal or wood. The important factor is that the shape of the blade be somewhat tapered, permitting the required force to be applied directly under the blade.

Method

The veneer is pushed into the glue with the wide blade, and the hammer is pushed or pulled, forcing out the excess hide glue. The sheer bulk of the metal head helps to cool the glue, causing it to grab and hold the veneer in place. The glue cures as it cools. The procedure is to work from the center, out towards the edges, forcing the hot excess glue out from under the veneer. Often workers will apply the glue to the face of the veneer as well, using it as a

lubricant A lubricant (sometimes shortened to lube) is a substance that helps to reduce friction between surfaces in mutual contact, which ultimately reduces the heat generated when the surfaces move. It may also have the function of transmitting forces, t ...

for the hammer. By applying glue, therefore moisture, on both side of the veneer, the worker also avoid the curling of the veneer. This surface glue can be easily removed, using a

cabinet scraper A card scraper or cabinet scraper is a woodworking shaping and finishing tool. It is used to manually remove small amounts of material and excels in tricky grain areas where hand planes would cause tear out. Card scrapers are most suitable fo ...

or cold water. In areas where a good bond is not achieved, the glue can be reheated with a common household iron, and reactivated. The veneer can be forced into the reactivated glue using the veneer hammer, and the area where the bond was poor, will become properly adhered to the substrate.

History

The process is centuries old, possibly dating back to Egyptian times, as examples of veneered work have survived from that era. The veneer hammer and the method of applying the veneering has been described in early European books on veneering, such as '' L'Art du Menuisier (1769–1775)'' by

André Jacob Roubo André Jacob Roubo (1739–1791) was a French carpenter, cabinetmaker and author. Roubo was born and died in Paris, and was the son and grandson of master cabinetmakers. Roubo wrote several highly influential books on woodworking, an achievemen ...

External links

Pro Woodworking Tips.comVideo on hide glue, by Keith CruickshankWhy Not Period Glue? - Article by W. Patrick Edwards on hide glue

References

{{reflist * Lee Jesberger (2007). '' Pro Woodworking Tips.com''. Woodworking hand tools