Fig 5. To avoid the annoyance of a sloping grain pattern you must mark up the correct-sized piece of veneer with a straight grain pattern

Fig 6. When cutting across the grain, start the cut with the blade at a high angle, then finish off with it almost flat. Cut with the grain, flat.

Fig 7. To trim the edges of veneer it is best to clamp the pieces between two waste wood templates with straightedges, then plane the sandwich.

The safest way to do this is first to damp both sides of the veneer lightly with a very soft cloth and then size it, watered down PVA adhesive works well. Afterwards, wrap the veneer in double sheets of clean news­paper and cramp it overnight between two flat boards. In the morning the veneer will be flat, but you must use it as soon as possible.

The best knife for cutting veneer is one with a thin, stiff blade which is hollow ground on both sides. But unless you are adept at sharpening, it is best to use a scalpel type knife with disposable blades. These are available from most hardware and art shops and have the advantage of taking a wide variety of blade shapes, several of which will come in useful when doing more complex work.

Use a steel straightedge to hold the veneer against a flat board at the desired point, then draw the knife straight across it. Always make the first cut across the grain then, if the veneer splits or tears, you can make another cut to remove the damaged portion. When cutting with the grain, hold the knife in a nearly horizontal position in order to stop it following the grain.

Sometimes it will be necessary to trim veneers with a plane after they have been cut. To do this, lay them, several at a time if possible between two flat boards held together with thumb screws; then plane them either on a shooting board or vertically in a vice, taking off a shaving of board.

When trimming the end grain you must work from both ends, using a long plane with the mouth and blade set very fine. In all likelihood you will have to adjust the frog to achieve this. Do not stop planing at the battens but carry on until a shaving is taken off them.

If you are trimming or quartering mirror veneers, stack them with the grain pattern lined up exactly and hold them together with masking tape, before planing them between the battens. Having trimmed the pieces join them together with brown gummed paper in order ready for fixing.

Saw cut veneer must be cut with a fine toothed dovetail or veneer saw. Hold the saw against a wooden straightedge, keeping it in place either with your hand or with clamps.

Unless you intend to put a veneered border on the work, you must always cut the veneers to overlap the work by 6mm all round.