VQ 14: Can I leave the veneered panels in the press overnight?
I generally do not recommend leaving the panels in the vacuum press over-night. For most veneer adhesives, this can cause the glue to get “globby” which won’t let the panel cure evenly. Remember, most liquid glues cure outside of the press. Inside the press, the glue is only “setting”. It needs air flow to evaporate the water from the glue and this happens for 4 to 6 hours after the panel is removed from the press. The flip side is Unibond and Ultra-CAT glues which are non-evaporative curing adhesives. I still do not recommend leaving them in the press for much longer than required. Leaving panels in for too long can also allow mold to grow. I’ve seen cherry develop patches of mold in less than 6 hours.
