Birdseye can be very hard to do with somewhat simple machines.
The method used on the veneers was the overlapped method, 1 veneer, 1 side at a time, then I used a flush cut router to trim off the excess. After that each side went thru my jointer, so I lost 4 thousandths per side, so the .035 veneers became approx. .031. The reason for the jointer is because veneers are soft wood and the rate of glue absorption can and will vary, so the jointer can keep things flat. On the overlapped method the key is flat, especially from row to row. In the very first picture on one side, you can see a line along the purple to the second purple, that's because I glued the two purples together at the same time instead of doing one at a time, without the use of the jointer being used between the two layers it shows a darker line. For the past couple of years my personal Beast in the basement has been, why is mitered so much better than overlapped, especially when one or two veneered cues are done with the overlapped method. So the answer for me is, It's not better, just different which is why I have always argued the importance of both methods. On 99 percent of every cue out there with the mitered veneer, the inner points have always been a catch 22 on the sharpness of that inner point but they are acceptable because mitered veneers have been done. When seeing lines up the veneers, it has always been acceptable because they are mitered. But glue itself can give you a darker line especially on certain colors. Anyone else going nuts yet besides me.
The method used on the veneers was the overlapped method, 1 veneer, 1 side at a time, then I used a flush cut router to trim off the excess. After that each side went thru my jointer, so I lost 4 thousandths per side, so the .035 veneers became approx. .031. The reason for the jointer is because veneers are soft wood and the rate of glue absorption can and will vary, so the jointer can keep things flat. On the overlapped method the key is flat, especially from row to row. In the very first picture on one side, you can see a line along the purple to the second purple, that's because I glued the two purples together at the same time instead of doing one at a time, without the use of the jointer being used between the two layers it shows a darker line. For the past couple of years my personal Beast in the basement has been, why is mitered so much better than overlapped, especially when one or two veneered cues are done with the overlapped method. So the answer for me is, It's not better, just different which is why I have always argued the importance of both methods. On 99 percent of every cue out there with the mitered veneer, the inner points have always been a catch 22 on the sharpness of that inner point but they are acceptable because mitered veneers have been done. When seeing lines up the veneers, it has always been acceptable because they are mitered. But glue itself can give you a darker line especially on certain colors. Anyone else going nuts yet besides me.
I also like both methods.I square my block on my lathe in between centers with a 3/4 bit last cut at .003 to make it nice and smooth.On the overlap I do opposite sides at the same time.Then go though my rotor table and sand flat.I also think the main point comes out nice and sharp.
