The difficulty I encountered is that wood veneers don’t lay perfectly flat. At least the old veneers I’ve been experimenting with all have a slight wave/bend in them. So I tried adding some painters tape on top for additional support.
This worked well enough to get some results, but not every part survived. And I learned to pay attention to the wood grain, these veneers can fracture very easily.
For my next attempt I added blue tape to the (entire) back side of the veneer. This provided a little more support and a better surface for the tack-it glue to hold. Not sure I have found the best way to accomplish cutting wood veneers, but I feel like I am on the right path.
In Carbide Create I’m following @45rpm recommendations, my depth per pass is 1/3 the veneer thickness (0.024 / 3 = 0.008). At zero RPM and with no dust collection the running process is so quiet I can actually hear that tiny blade cutting the wood, it’s kind of a “crunch” sound but that is only audible during the 2nd pass. So the top and bottom cut are very thin/easy, and at 80ipm it’s happening almost too fast.
I had a thought… I wonder if heat transfer tape on top would help pieces stay intact. You would have to add the thickness to the cut depth. Then just iron it to release the adhesive. I might have to experiment with that.
If I was going to be (wood) gluing the veneers to wood, I would probably stick with the (removable) painters tape on the bottom. However since this project will be gluing the veneers to metal and plastic I think it would be okay using something permanent under the veneers (heavier, sticky tape).
Only downside is I have to consider the tiny stingray blade not getting gummed up with adhesive, so it will be a delicate balance. This is when the itch for a laser cutter hits me.
I just ordered a stingray. I have owned a brother scan and cut for years, and I am planning on using that mat on top of my DIY vacuum table as a hold down, and of course a regular cutting mat for larger projects. There is a glue called Zig Two Way made in Japan that I highly recommend to renew the tack on the mats. I have used it for years, and it is just right for removing finished pieces from the mat. Google Zig Glue Pens. If I run into trouble, I will just make another PVC vacuum table jig with tiny holes and eliminate the mat altogether.
