I have a simple lampshade design, on the picture is made out of paper:
, it's a basic truncated cone from a single sheet of paper.
I want to make the same lampshade from veneer sheet. I do understand that veneer wouldn't probably allow to bend as much as my needed curvature radius of 2 cm. So I'll probably replace the figure with a truncated 3-sided pyramid, with sides interlocked like puzzles. I've got the idea from http://inhabitat.com/at-labos-wood-veneer-lamps-are-puzzles-you-put-together-yourself/. I plan to laser CNC cut the pieces.
My question is: veneer sheets on sale here in Ukraine look like this:
How do I make them nice straight and stable like this:
Second question: Typical thickness of veneer on sale is 0.6 mm. Can I expect much light to go through? What's the most transparent wood from commonly available oak/beech/maple/ash?