re: Small box for veneering practice

On your table top, when you go to cut for exact fit I was taught to overlap pieces, and using a known good straightedge, clamped down hard, cutting across both pieces of veneer. It leaves you with an exact line, and some small scrap from the overlap. Pull those pieces away, and it leaves the nicely laid out line. Experiment with some scrap on small box tops. On my own I found a rotary cutter worked best for me. A single point like an exacto can follow the grain, I hate veneer saws, so I tried a self healing mat, and a rotary cutter, and I guess due to the wheel it just rolled over grain, and with minimal effort I could follow the straightedge. Plenty of ways to true an edge for side by side lay down of veneer, but with a triangle like a round top, it's hard to depend on being able to true both halves at once. Laying them over each other, and cutting through was how I found the best result.