Don Stephan
Posts: 825
Joined: 2003-07-18
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
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I've not used Unibond to edge glue wood strips, and have to ask if you've considered other glues for this. I'd certainly suggest some experimenting first.
I think if you use that much Unibond, even on just one surface of each joint, there will be considerable squeezeout. Likely there will also be quite a bit of slippage as the pieces are clamped. You'll need to have the top surfaces almost perfectly aligned if you want a flat surface at the end, as you won't be able to sand/plane out any unevenness.
A rub joint using hot hide glue, or second liquid hide glue, would seem to me the best approach, as clamps aren't needed. The first day I'd only glue one pair of strips together, then each additional day add one additional strip to one side or the other. Glueup will be spread out over a number of days, but you'll have strong joints that if well prepared are very tight, and you'll be able to align the top surface almost perfectly. (Clamping cauls can be used with any glue, but if there is squeezeout the cauls will spread the glue over the surface and push it down into the wood.) But this assumes the strips are perfectly flat over their lengths, with no twist.
An alternative approach would be to glue up the strips first using any type of glue and cauls, and after curing flatten the surface. Separately assemble the lacewood surface. Glue the veneer assembly onto the strip assembly, and when cured remove the veneer from the voids using any of several methods - pattern routing, knifing close and careful rasping and sanding, . . . This latter approach is not easy, but there are a number of challenges to getting the desired result with the first approach. With the latter approach, again significant testing is suggested to see which method would minimize tearing and chipping when removing the veneer from the voids.
Given all the challenges, this might be a situation better addressed with solid wood than with veneer.
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