veneer panel

[abwaldal@gmail.com]

OK! Well now, I have experience with this type of thing and wished I didn't.
Holy Batman does it turn into a problem or WHAT????
I regret the whole process. As others have said get some plastic or anything BUT veneered wood
My thoughts and cost to get rid of it.
Art

[Steve Crewdog]

WTF? What happened?

[abwaldal@gmail.com]

Problem is wood and moisture. You put wood in an airplane and leave it outside for a while and It absorbs into wood veneer and warps, swells, cracks, and goes to #^&*#&
Art

[Steve Crewdog]

hmmmm..... wonder if the same problem would happen if it was kept in a hangar?

How long did it take to go bad?

[abwaldal@gmail.com]

Bought it this way and planned on panel replacement as a consideration of purchase.
I got a good deal on the aircraft. I guess nobody else liked the panel either cause it was on the market for long time.
As you can see it was pretty hacked up. As a preparation of getting it ready for the new panel I removed all unnecessary stuff and put in the SDS fuel and ignition system..
Only left the transponder, one radio, and a couple round gauges and the switching for the old system..
New panel is Dynon HDX plus plus plus oh ya $$$$$$$$$$$
BUT, I am a 43 year retired home builder and and would never have wood in an airplane.
If kept in a hangar I see no problem with delaminating of the veneer.
But, again why would a person put something in that is so permanent and costly to replace when you can go with glue on carbon fiber or even fake wood or or or.
My three cents worth of experience Art

[abwaldal@gmail.com]

Bought it this way and planned on panel replacement as a consideration of purchase.
It was an 18 year old plane when I got it.
I got a good deal on the aircraft. I guess nobody else liked the panel either cause it was on the market for long time.
As you can see it was pretty hacked up. As a preparation of getting it ready for the new panel I removed all unnecessary stuff and put in the SDS fuel and ignition system..
Only left the transponder, one radio, and a couple round gauges and the switching for the old system..
New panel is Dynon HDX plus plus plus oh ya $$$$$$$$$$$
BUT, I am a 43 year retired home builder and and would never have wood in an airplane.
If kept in a hangar I see no problem with delaminating of the veneer.
But, again why would a person put something in that is so permanent and costly to replace when you can go with glue on carbon fiber or even fake wood or or or.
My three cents worth of experience Art

[wawrzynskivp]

No doubt that using something natural comes with decomposition problems! But that's the reason some people do it anyway. This is close to 'off-topic' but I offer this experience to show how wood can hold up in the elements:

Our other Duck's reference to Chesapeake Light Crafts (
https://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/...kayak-kit.html ) is a good one for all of us builders. If you enjoyed your EAB, have 'empty garage syndrome,' and want to keep building try your hand at a small boat kit.

In 2006 I put together one of their kits and did a lot of extra artful veneer. That boat has spent nearly everyday in the tropical sun and passaged with me on a circumnavigation in the best and worst of conditions. (Passaged aboard a larger vessel, not saying I went around the big blue on a dinghy) Salt, sun, freezing, submerging, impacts...it got it all. After fifteen years I swallowed the anchor (sold), but that little boat looked just as good as when it was built.

No criticism of Fixit's problem, he didn't build it. That looks like a failure to provide and maintain a sufficient UV barrier. UV will shrink just about everything we put on wood to protect it. That results in micro-cracks of the protective barrier particularly in epoxy, cracks so small you won't see them. Then the water gets access even if it is just varying humidity, it will 'lift and separate.' One of the reasons to try a thin layer of glass to help with that inevitable tension. But damage like Fixit shows doesn't have to happen.

Build the wood right and it WILL hold up for you. Never took a lot of pics but here are a couple to show what the exposed wood looked like.

[agirard7a]

I used a peel and stick Mahogany veneer. Very easy and has held up well.

[Steve Crewdog]

Originally Posted by wawrzynskivp

Substrate-Epoxy-Laminate(veneer)-Epoxy-Glass-Epoxy-UV stable topcoat (varnish/poly of some kind) Absolutely must cover up the epoxy.

Can be done iteratively with a gravity press if the veneer is really flat, otherwise a vacuum bag is kind of a must. I wouldn't try doing it all at once, get the laminate bonded then go on to the glassing later.

Only thing I'd worry about is amine blush after glassing. Hate to get all that way and have it go bad. https://epoxycraft.com/epoxy-basics/...-need-to-know/


This was passed on via PM from another builder, trust me, he's a good source.

Originally Posted by Anon

I used high quality veneer like what is used in cabinet refinishing. Take care to sand the cutout, and then finish with Luge oil or a high quality epoxy varnish

He confirms what we did previously/what I was planning on doing. I'll update as I go, if people are interested. We used a nice piece of hickory veneer before, think I'll stick with that.

[wawrzynskivp]

Amine Blush is certainly not something to leave there before the next coat. But then again, any hardened layer has to be sanded for mechanical tooth anyway.

Blushes vary by epoxy manufacturer, are water soluble, and not terribly persistent. Normal sanding will gather most of it up in the dust, but a scotch brite and water will absolutely dissolve it so that it can be wiped off and not clog up the sand paper quite as much.