veneering a plywood panel?

[Ian_Edwards]

I've done quite a lot of veneering before, but it has always been re-veneering existing panels or locker doors.
This job is veneering a new , or should I say replacement panel, so I'm starting with a sheet of plywood.

Is it better to cut the plywood to size and then veneer it, or veneer an oversized bit of ply and then cut to size, or doesn't it make any difference?

In previous work, I've always over sized the veneer, then trimmed with a very sharp craft knife, by laying the panel veneer face down on a flat surface and using the edge of the panel as a guide.
However, the unsupported edge of veneer is vulnerable , and I have been known to knock it and chip the veneer.
From that point of view it seem better to veneer the ply, then cut it to size, but then there is the risk of chipping the edge of the veneer when cutting to size.

Which way around would a time served cabinet maker apply veneer?

 

[john_morris_uk]

I’ve done a fair amount of exactly this job in the last year or so. I use one of these:
makita-drt50z-router-trimmer-18v

With one of these:

 

[john_morris_uk]

Router from veneer side with the downward spiral cutter producing a perfect edge. I was using a follow cutter on a bigger router to cut the basic shape out of the ply exactly to the size of the old panel. Then applying the veneer and then trimming the veneer back to the exact edge.

 

[peter gibbs]

I've done quite a lot of veneering before, but it has always been re-veneering existing panels or locker doors.
This job is veneering a new , or should I say replacement panel, so I'm starting with a sheet of plywood.

Is it better to cut the plywood to size and then veneer it, or veneer an oversized bit of ply and then cut to size, or doesn't it make any difference?

In previous work, I've always over sized the veneer, then trimmed with a very sharp craft knife, by laying the panel veneer face down on a flat surface and using the edge of the panel as a guide.
However, the unsupported edge of veneer is vulnerable , and I have been known to knock it and chip the veneer.
From that point of view it seem better to veneer the ply, then cut it to size, but then there is the risk of chipping the edge of the veneer when cutting to size.

Which way around would a time served cabinet maker apply veneer?

I've always worked it by veneering as a final stage. With veneer applied to oversize the timber platform, you lay the item flat, veneer down, then cut along the end with a new blade, using the timber as a former. This should give you a fine edge.