Method and apparatus for producing figured veneer
A method for making a piece of figured veneer comprises softening lignin in a sheet of veneer, and advancing the sheet of veneer between a first roller having a semi-flexible outer surface and a second roller. Apparatus for making a piece of figured veneer comprises a device for softening lignin in a sheet of veneer, and first and second rollers between which the sheet of veneer is pressed. The first roller has a semi-flexible outer surface.
1. A method for making a piece of figured wood veneer, the method comprising
softening lignin in a sheet of wood veneer,
advancing the sheet of wood veneer between (i) a first roller having a metallic body and a semi-flexible elastomeric outer surface and (ii) a second roller having a corrugated outer surface to form a sheet of corrugated wood veneer having a plurality of crests, and
surfacing the sheet of corrugated wood veneer to remove the plurality of crests to make the piece of figured wood veneer.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the semi-flexible elastomeric outer surface of the first roller is corrugated.
3. The method of claim 2 wherein advancing the sheet of wood veneer between the first roller having the semi-flexible outer surface and the second roller having the corrugated outer surface comprising engaging a first plurality of teeth of the first roller and a second plurality of teeth of the second roller with the sheet of wood veneer.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein the semi-flexible outer surface of the first roller is formed from a vulcanized elastomeric material.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein softening the lignin in the sheet of wood veneer comprises heating the sheet of wood veneer.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein heating the sheet of wood veneer comprises steaming the sheet of wood veneer in a steamer.
7. The method of claim 1 further comprising drying the sheet of corrugated wood veneer without relieving the corrugations.
8. The method of claim 7 wherein drying the sheet of corrugated wood veneer comprises passing the sheet of corrugated wood veneer through a veneer drying oven.
9. The method of claim 1 wherein surfacing the sheet of corrugated wood veneer comprises sanding the sheet of corrugated wood veneer.
10. A method for making a piece of figured wood veneer, the method comprising
softening lignin in a sheet of wood veneer,
advancing the sheet of wood veneer between a first roller having a semi-flexible outer surface and a second roller having a corrugated outer surface to form a sheet of corrugated wood veneer having a plurality of crests, the corrugated outer surface of the second roller being non-complementary with the semi-flexible outer surface of the first roller, and
surfacing the sheet of corrugated wood veneer to remove the plurality of crests to make the piece of figured wood veneer.
11. A method for making a piece of figured wood veneer, the method comprising
softening lignin in a sheet of wood veneer,
advancing the sheet of wood veneer between (i) a first roller having a metallic body and a corrugated semi-flexible elastomeric outer surface and (ii) a second roller having a corrugated outer surface to form a sheet of corrugated wood veneer having a plurality of crests, and
surfacing the sheet of corrugated wood veneer to remove the plurality of crests to make the piece of figured wood veneer.