Apparatus and method for manufacturing veneer

A veneer slicing apparatus, comprising:

• a table assembly including a heat source that heats at least a portion of a surface of the table assembly;
• a blade support mounted on the table assembly;
• a blade supported in the blade support;
• a gripper assembly adapted to engage and hold a log generally parallel to the table assembly, the gripper assembly including a platen and at least one pair of clamps adapted to engage sides of the log;
• and
• a drive assembly configured to reciprocate the gripper assembly between a cutting stroke and a return stroke, wherein during the cutting stroke, the log dwells on the portion of the surface of the table assembly that is heated by the heat source and then is passed over the blade to longitudinally cut a slice of veneer from the log and during the return stroke, the log is lifted off of the table assembly.

A method for manufacturing veneer, comprising the steps of:

• a) receiving at least one log on a surface of a table assembly;
• b) engaging the log with a carriage assembly by positioning the carriage assembly over the log, lowering a gripper assembly over the log and engaging the log with at least one pair of clamps;
• c) dwelling the log in a ready position on a heated portion of the surface;
• and
• d) moving the carriage assembly to pass the log longitudinally over a blade supported on the table assembly in order to cut a slice of veneer.