Should I stain these veneer first?

[andy2]

I won these on Ebay.
Should I stain these veneer first before applying lacquer? If yes, what color would look good on these?

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...MEWN%3AIT&rd=1

[Emprov]

Let the rest of the items in the room determine whether or not you're going to stain the wood. When it comes to maple though, I like a nice warm honey finish.

[Nordic]

Ok, I'm rather fond of light woods, but that veneer is quite something. As for staining veneer like that, may be a hornet's nest...

[69stingray]

Do you have any extra veneer? Try a small piece without stain just to see what the topcoat will do. The topcoats tends to darken with age, it but be just enough. If you do stain, I would go with something very light. I think honey was mentioned.

[chipco3434]

I think it would be fair to hit a test piece with a basic lacquer and see what happens. See if you like it. The advantage is that you can most likely get the lacquer off the wood pretty easily.

There isn't much going for staining the veneer before hand... could lead to warps & buckles in which case it becomes fire starter.

[RAW]

I would use a mild water bases stain
http://www.joewoodworker.com/catalog...roducts_id=549

Try this on a sample piece first.
Joe Woodworker also has some new glue that is sweet to use.
Heat activated water bases with a high solids it seals the MDF end grain in two coats.
This stuff is $39.00 a gallon but we only use 1/4 of a gallon to do a pair of HT3 complete.
Best of all no smell
Water clean up.

And last heat activated.
This is the best as far as we can tell away from a vacuum press.
The least amount of chance for error.
Let all the parts dry with glue on them.100% even let sit for a day or longer if you do not have time to do all of this in one day.
Come back iron on your top and bottom pieces (we use a $49.00 iron from Wal-Mart now have 4 in the shop)
Trim and sand your edges on the top and bottom pieces
If you are doing a full wrap of veneer (paper backed veneer I know you have raw veneer but I will extplain this part anyway), line up the front of grain to match the top if you can.Even out the over lap on the top and bottom.
And start to iron the veneer working from the center out.
Iron around the edges and the best part if the phone rings or you have to leave the veneer just walk away and come back later and finish.
With this glue that can a day or weeks to return to working the veneer not abig deal.

Now you sheet veneer the best with tis glue is it comes in 2 base a lighter and darker if blead threw is a issue>This depends on the veneer cut.


All the best.

Do not forget that the Maple with Laquer will age a yellow tint over time as well.
We tend to leave wood veneer as natural as possible and let it age.


Anyway good luck.
http://www.joewoodworker.com/catalog...roducts_id=738