Vennering with a vacuum press

If you get to the point where veneering is something you want to attempt, there are timeless methods such as "hammer veneering" using hide glue that have been successful for many years. However, to do large or curved projects I found the vacuum process to be excellent.

You can buy vacuum pumping systems or build one from a kit and save yourself hundreds of dollars.


I heartily recommend the system kit provided at joewoodworker.com. This is what I purchased:

1 x Project: EVS KitAuto-CyclingPump System (kit-evs) = $147.50
EVS Option 120 VAC
1 x Vacuum Pump - Industrial Duty 5.5 CFM110-120 VAC (pump-55) = $315.90
Vacuum Dampener Option Yes, include the dampener
Hardware Option Do not include mounting screws
Discount Option My order includes a builders kit

I wanted the high volume, 5.5 cfm, to allow for doing large items like doors and wall panels. I also bought enough 30mil polyurethane to make a bag 4.5 feet x 9 feet.

The bag will seal itself against the wood and not allow all the air to escape unless you add a platen with air channels or lay a plastic mesh on top. For small, flat panels I use a piece of 3/4 in plywood with a saw kerf 1/8 in deep every 2 inches in both directions. Bigger panels get the mesh.

The pump takes about 2 minutes to empty the bag and taking the pressure down to 21 inches Hg is another minute. I find it cycles on about every 15 minutes for a few seconds.

The valve attachment to bag leaks if it isn't in the right position sometimes. So the next time I have minutes to burn, I'll pull the valve off the center postion and patch the hole, then install it on the edge of one end.