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 Once it's bark is stripped away, a
log can be cut into veneer in one of three ways: Saw cutting, which
goes back to the early 19th century and employs a thin kerf 36" cicle saw to
rip strips of veneer from logs. Although not as efficient as other
techniques, saw cutting is still used to produce crotch veneers and
irregularly grained or dense woods such as ebony. Rotary cutting and flat slicing can produce veneers as
thin as 1/8 to 1/120 inch, and as long as 18 feet. In rotary cutting,
a log is mounted between two spindles that rotate against a pressure
bar while a razor sharp knife peels off a continuous sheet of veneer
the length of the log. Fir plywood as well as some decorative
veneers like walnut burl and bird's-eye maple are usually
rotary cut. Half-round, rift, and back cutting are variations that
produce veneer from half-logs rather than whole logs. In flat slicing a half-log is held onto a frame that
swings up and down against a stationary horizontal knife. A slice of
veneer is removed with every down-stroke. Flat slicing produces
crown-cut veneers. A type of flat slicing known as quarter-cut
slicing is used on woods that display a striking figure when
quarter-sawn, as in sapele; white oak; mahogany and lacewood.
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