Learn how to make Federal style wood veneering for your woodworking furniture projects

Intro to Wood Veneering for Furniture Makers

Above you can watch a three part series of videos where Dave Heller shows the basics of veneering through the process of making a traditional high Federal style repeating veneer pattern with an oval fan. In these videos Dave simplifies the furniture veneering process so that almost anyone can do it!

Federal Table Top Wood Veneering Oval Fan

These videos are based on Dave’s two day woodworking class called, “Veneering for Furniture Makers with Dave Heller“, which will be held at the Wood and Shop Traditional Woodworking School (check out our woodworking classes!).

Dave Heller Placing Wood Veneer Pieces On A Furniture Panel With An Oval Fan

Summary of Veneering Steps for Furniture Making

Dave and students start out by laying out a MDF or plywood base so that it looks like this:

Mdf Board For Veneering

Pieces of thin, sequentially sliced wood veneer are symmetrically added to the base as panels, in a configuration called a “Four way match”. They are arranged at the same angle to give either a diamond shape, or an exploding star pattern, as used in this example:

Wood Veneering Panel For Woodworking

Above you can see a contrasting veneer “fillet” (light colored in this case) surrounding the veneer panels. And “crossbanding” is added outside of the fillets, in a contrasting hue to the light fillets.

Dave Heller Making A Veneer Fan For A Table

Then the elements of the oval fan are made, slightly toasted in hot sand, and taped, then glued together. The shape of the oval is transferred onto the panel, and Dave uses a router to inlay the fan:

Wood Veneering Panel For Woodworking With Blue Tape For Routing The Oval

And at the end (after gluing and vacuum pressing), the veneering panel should look like this:

Federal Table Top Wood Veneering Oval Fan

After watching this video (and especially after taking the class) students will be able to start embellishing their furniture with lovely matching wood veneering and an oval veneer shell, like this piece:

Federal Table With A Wood Veneer Oval Fan

Here are some other wood veneering projects that can be accomplished using the skills learned in this video:

Wood Veneering Table Top With Shell

Wood Veneering Table Top Made By Dave Heller

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Ctengineer
CTEngineer
March 25, 2023 1:39 pm

Joshua,
Every time I think you have surely given us something on every topic we could ask to know about woodworking, you open a new door or window into an entirely new room filled with accessible knowledge. I never thought I could possibly take on the task of veneering, but you and Dave are making it seem at least not quite out of reach. If I am developing a woodworking addiction then you are a chief enabler!

Wood And Shop Traditional Woodworking School
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking
Veneering,Furniture,Woodworking,Veneer,Hand Tool Woodworking,Traditional Woodworking