I wondered when somebody would try that. I used to be on an email list for a company selling veneers, I forget thier mane. Cherry, walnut, laceleaf maple, lots of pretty stuff. He said he had sold to several people for kayak decks.

What do you use for a vacuum pump, and how did you make the mold? It seems an expensive proposition...

: Well, I have finally let technology come to the north woods. Got tired of
: looking at cambered Okoume with its blah grain, so decided to try
: something different. I am vacuum bagging decks laminated from hardwood
: veneers and fiberglass cloth. Did the first one yesterday, and have the
: second "in the bag" at this very moment. Will shut off the pump
: around midnight (or a bit later).

: These are three plys of veneer (the top of fancy bookmatched veneers and the
: core of mahogany). The ends beyond the hatches have only two plys. There
: is a total of 18 oz of cloth (three 6oz.) and I will lay on a layer of
: 3.25 oz. on the top after installation. Will be putting one on tomorrow.
: These really kind of knock your eyes out. The first one is of
: "emberwood" (dark brown and golden orange grain)and will have a
: similarly constructed cockpit recess of quilted maple. The one in the bag
: now is of "chen chen" (like a golden blond striped mahogany) and
: will have a redwood burl cockpit recess. Hope to bring both of these to
: the Great Lakes symposium in Grand Marais next weekend. (they may be short
: a few coats of varnish!).

: I will give some more details in a couple of weeks in case anyone is crazy
: enough to want to try this. Right now, got to go build boats....Sleep,
: what's that?

: Grant