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Even the best of some veneer species can contain holes and other "issues"
that may need attention before or after vacuum pressing. Here's a brief
list of methods to tackle these problems.
Pinholes
 Veneer
glue will typically fill in this type of defect. This can be a small
problem on lighter colored woods like maple but the good news is that
most of these lighter colored woods don't develop these type of holes
in the first place. On darker wood species, the veneer glue fills the
holes and no further work is needed. Also, you can find light colored and extra dark veneer glue at VeneerSupplies.com which is perfect for small holes in veneer. If the veneer has holes larger
than a pinhole but less than 1/16" in diameter, you can apply patches
of
no-hole veneer tape to the face to prevent the veneer glue from
saturating the hole and spreading on the face side.
Pinholes... Part Deux
For a glass smooth surface, you'll need a grain filler. This is especially useful on coarse-grained veneers like oak and mahogany and for many species with burl figure such as walnut and elm. There are several grain fillers commercially available. Most of the water-based versions that have been recently introduced to the woodworking market are superb and take a stain very nicely.
If you need a custom wood filler, you can mix fine sawdust (such as what you find in the bag on your belt sander) with liquid hide glue. Another option for on-the-spot wood filling is Elmer's Stainable wood glue. This adhesive can be tinted with Transtint liquid dyes to just about any color you can think of.
To apply a filler, brush on one or two light coats over any areas that require filling. This could warrant an hour-long process to cover the whole project so make the choice wisely. When the filler is dry, sand or scrape the surface smooth. Obviously, you need to be extremely careful doing this to prevent cutting through the veneer face and into the glue line. Go slowly and watch for changes in the color of the veneer. If you see a change, stop and examine the panel closely. If the veneer is too thin, you may need to do a creative inlay or color that area with a toner in your finish.
Voids (Large Holes)
 The
easiest way to repair large holes is with a veneer punch also known as a veneer
patcher. The tool is first used to punch out the void in the veneer.
Then it's aligned with the grain of a replacement veneer (preferably
an off-cut from the same sheet) and a patch is punched out. Set the
patch into the punched hole in the good veneer sheet and apply a small
piece of veneer tape to hold it in place while being pressed. These
are excellent for use with all wood species and make virtually invisible
patches on burl veneers.
The other option is to make your own veneer punch. Mike Burton's book, Veneering: A Foundation Course has an excellent article about making a one-of-a-kind custom punch.
 Cracks
& Splits
Most splits can be pulled back together with veneer
tape and the joint will appear seamless. This is possible because
the veneer glue causes the veneer to expand while its curing.
Bark Patches
Sometimes patches of bark in burl veneers can add a nice character to
the piece. You could use a veneer patcher to remove it but if you would
like to keep the bark patch, just veneer the piece as usual. After the
veneer glue has cured, you can dab in some thin cyanoacrylic glue (super
glue) to the bark which will give it some rigidity prior to sanding.
Keep in mind that this can affect the veneer's ability to take a stain.
For A Glass Smooth Finish
 After
pressing the veneer, any remaining blemishes can be filled in with a
stainable wood putty. But my favorite method is to use epoxy which works
exceptionally well if you don't plan to stain the finished project.
The key is to use 5 minute "quick set" epoxy and add just
a bit more of the hardener. Allow several hours for it to fully harden
and then scrape or sand it off. Be careful that you don't sand through
the veneer face. If the sand gums up with epoxy, wait longer for it
to completely cure.
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