Consolidated FAQ for the CONTURO Edge Bander

[rustystoes]

Does it make sense/is it cost efficient to use the Conturo for production runs? I currently use the Virtuex hot air gun and larger jobs I send to my sawyer to band. I've been looking at the large auto banders, but don't have the space or $$$ for one. I looked at the conturo a while ago, but was turned off because it looked like it wouldn't accept a spool of edgebanding - you have to pre cut each piece to length and back roll. Is it possible to set up to do continuous straight runs? I get that it's great for curves - it's in the name and all the videos really hype that part of it.

Russell
Red Bear Woodworks

 

[broseiden]

When you say production runs, how much are you talking about?

I'm a carpenter, never worked in a cabinet shop. I like casework but have to frame and finish and do other things to stay busy in my market (small town).  So I try to be efficient but will probably never own a stationary edgebander. I don't do anywhere remotely close to the volume to consider one, let alone have the space or money. That's just some background, as obviously everyone's needs are different. If you're even considering a stationary machine them  I imagine you do a lot more edge banding than me.

Anyway, I'm not an authority on the Conturo by any means (was an end of year purchase and I've been doing other stuff at work since then). But I don't think there's a way to avoid cutting the edge banding to length first. That said, that part of the job goes pretty fast. How long does it take to pack pieces up for delivery to another shop?

If speed is the bottom line, it probably isn't a good fit. Maybe better with the MFT Conturo and the vacuum table, but that's another chunk of change. I think the Conturo's value over over a hot air machine is that it opens you up to more edge banding options. If that's not a limitation currently, it's probably unnecessary.

 

[Stone Message]

It is a long time ago that I used the Conturo but...

It has a cassette for a spool of edge banding although I am not sure what its capacity might be. There is no automatic cutting function at the end of a run and no in-built cutter either. However, in my experience a good pair of scissors or snips would provide a quick way to cut and move on to the next piece.

I imagine the production run would require like operations to be performed one after another. I assume that the Conturo would be set in the MFT for this. At the end of each edge the machine stops and I would assume that there would be scope then to cut the banding prior to taking up the next piece.

I wonder whether the Festool cutter could be set up between the Conturo and a cassette of material. This could not be the Festool cassette as that gets fixed to the machine.

Peter

 

[HowieBT]

Anyone know if you can run laminate like Formica thru the Conturo? We have a job to bid with laminate doors and using the Conturo sure would be faster.

 

[Laminator]

Conturo runs laminate just fine.  it will perform better with the glue temp on the higher setting.

 

[Twoodman66]

+Is there a chart available for recommended heat settings for all the glue colors festool offers> I've managed to find Setting 2 for white and 1 for clear via supplemental manual . And is there anything offered to adjust heat settings when changing from.8mm to say 3mm

 

[tjbnwi]

I change the volume of glue and temp for the substrate more than the band thickness. I find a participle board core needs more glue and a little more heat than a plywood core, MDF-a little less glue and heat than the plywood.

I recall the recommended temp is listed on the glue packaging.

Tom

 

[Twoodman66]

So tried my hand at prefinished ply today,with .5mm prefinished edging. Went pretty good overall.Tried a bearing flush trim bit with the mfk 700 but it was used and could have been sharper. I feel I achieved my best results trimming by hand. But i have nothing as a gauge as this is my only experience.

 

[Master Carpenter]

What is the purpose of the extraction port on the conturo? I've run a bunch of edgebamding through it and never once thought to hook up the DC. Does anyone?

 

[Twoodman66]

Its my understanding its solely for the fumes emitted from the glue for those with a sensitive sinus

 

[Stone Message]

I suspect that it is aimed at users with the special MFT in a static setup which may be running all day and yes, to get rid of odours etc.

Peter

 

[GoingMyWay]

Just curious: does the HEPA filter reduce/remove any fumes or odors?

 

[Stone Message]

Just curious: does the HEPA filter reduce/remove any fumes or odors?

The HEPA standard/criteria is for particulates of a particular size. Odours and fumes are extremely fine and are unlikely to be removed by a HEPA device. Chemical filters, often using charcoal or chemicals/catalysts designed for the particular hazard, would be needed to remove or reduce odours and fumes.

Peter

 

[simonh]

I'm using the Conturo with 22mm x 1mm PVC edge banding on 18mm boards. 

I've noticed that one of the glue lines is right at the face surface. When I trim the edges using the MFK700 EQ/B with the Festool 1mm radius bit it doesn't clean up all the glue but al ot sticks to the surface of the router bit and then some gets deposited on the face of the edge banding. I then need to clean up a lot of glue off the face and edgeband using the carbide blade.

I've tried turning down the amount of glue. But this gets to the point where the edgebanding hasn't adhered enough.

I tried moving the router quicker, and also slowing down the speed.  I use vacuum extraction on the router.  But I don't seem to have found away around it.

Any tips?  Is there anything that can be sprayed on the router bit to stop the glue sticking and making a mess?

-Simon

 

[tiralie]

Any tips?  Is there anything that can be sprayed on the router bit to stop the glue sticking and making a mess?

I use the Amana no file bits (47154 or 47152) on the MFK700 set horizontally with the ) degree horizontal base, I remove the bearing. I use the carbide scraper that comes with the Conturo set to clean the edge after routing. Yes there is a bit of glue build up after 36 or so feet but not so much as I can't remove it with my finger nail or completely clean with some acetone or paint thinner. I have never had so much glue that it messed up the top etc.
Tim

 

[techashb]

Does anyone knows what is the error 9 on Conturo? I think is related to fan since I can hear the bottom fan speed alternating.

Dante

 

[harry_]

I'm having an error code on the display with a number 9 next to it, happened right after gluing a piece and placing the conturo on a bench.
I let it cool down as prescribed and turned it back on hours later, but the error code came back and the machine shuts off.
Obviously this happens while doing a piece that needs to be delivered tomorrow.

-edit: any error code automatically means you have to send it back to the service centre, machine puts itself in safe mode and won't start up without going through a service procedure.
Service offered me a replacement but for tomorrow it's too late, I can't go all the way to Brussels to pick it up. That's a bummer really, it was actually the first time ever I was going to use it for curves. With straight pieces I can always pin solid edges, but here I'm screwed.

 

[simonh]

Any tips?  Is there anything that can be sprayed on the router bit to stop the glue sticking and making a mess?

I use the Amana no file bits (47154 or 47152) on the MFK700 set horizontally with the ) degree horizontal base, I remove the bearing. I use the carbide scraper that comes with the Conturo set to clean the edge after routing. Yes there is a bit of glue build up after 36 or so feet but not so much as I can't remove it with my finger nail or completely clean with some acetone or paint thinner. I have never had so much glue that it messed up the top etc.
Tim

@TimRaleigh Do you climb cut with the MFK? I've just noticed on the Festool Conturo demos that Sedge seems to always climb cut the edge banding.

 

[jduke3]

I just started using my KA 65 CONTURO.  I couldn't find in the manual the best procedure for turning off the machine. When I hold down the power button, the machine just shuts off with no fan. This didn't seem right to me so I powered it back on and hit the power button for 1 second to put it into cool down mode. It eventually cooled down but it must have ran for 30 minutes and got down to 130 degrees fahrenheit. I figured that was cool enough to shut it off. Isn't the fan supposed to run after you shut it off? Thanks

 

[tjbnwi]

I just started using my KA 65 CONTURO.  I couldn't find in the manual the best procedure for turning off the machine. When I hold down the power button, the machine just shuts off with no fan. This didn't seem right to me so I powered it back on and hit the power button for 1 second to put it into cool down mode. It eventually cooled down but it must have ran for 30 minutes and got down to 130 degrees fahrenheit. I figured that was cool enough to shut it off. Isn't the fan supposed to run after you shut it off? Thanks

[member=18588]jduke3[/member]

The fan does not run once the unit is shut down.

There are time I get to doing something else. Then I realize I need to band another piece. If the Conturo has gone into shut down mode, just tap the power button and it will begin heat up again.

Mine takes about 30-40 minutes to shut down (below 55° C). It turns itself off at the end of the cool down cycle.

Tom