How is wood varnish made?

Answer 1

'Peeler' Logs are debarked, then if they're hardwood logs, they're soaked in hot water until they get soft. Then, for the most common type of veneer - 'rotary veneer' - the log is mounted onto a large veneer lathe. The lathe is equipped with a knive carriage that includes a 'nose bar', which limits the depth of cut. The entire log is peeled in a large sheet - like unrolling toilet paper. For other types of veneer the concept is similar, except the log is mounted on a large machine that moves up and down, taking 'slices' of the log. This is called flitch cut, and results in a more natural looking veneer. Also, sequential cuts can make up a 'book' of veneers which, when matched in different ways, make symetrical patterns.

Answer 2

Varnish is a mixture of Drying Oil, Resin and Thinner. There are a number of Drying Oils including Tung Oil, Linseed Oil or Walnut Oil. Resins include Dammar, Copal, Balsam, Elemi, Mastic and others. The Oil is made liquid by Heating. The Resin is made liquid and the two and Cooked together and thinned with Turpentine into a liquid that can be applied with a brush. After application the solvents evaporate, the remaining film forming substances harden. Original varnish is normally translucent, colours are added to achieve the desired effect