Edge banding - who uses what

[shed9]

Looking to do some edge banding in the near future and wondered what the preferred method is.

I'm not talking about dedicated machine room-style equipment, more occasional use. That said, I'm erring towards a hand held unit such as a Griggio or similar as they seem to be good value for money with everything needed such as the unit itself, vacuum stands, trimmers etc at the £1200 mark. Not sure my needs warrant this cost but I'm done buying tools that 'will do' these days.

I've had a look at the Conturo but with the set it's well over £2000. Also looked at the table-top varieties which heat the tape from a spool and provide limited surface area and seem to sell between £300-£500.

What do people use and is there a preferred small shop method?

 

[jonny round boy]

The cheaper table-top ones tend to use a heat gun to melt the adhesive. They're generally not very good, and can only handle pre-glued edging.

Personally, I use pre-glued edging in conjunction with a small travel iron & do it by hand. Unless you've got 100's of metres to do, it's the most cost effective way. If it's thin plastic edging for melamine, I trim it with a wide, sharp chisel. For veneer edging I trim it with my OFK500.

If you need to do a lot, or can't get the edging you want pre-glued, then something like the Conturo (or the cheaper Griggio you mention) would be suitable, but neither of these will do the trimming - which, for me at least, is the most annoying/time consuming part!

What type of edging are you using? And what sort of meterage?

 

[chrisrosenb]

I also use a handheld iron & pre-glued wood banding. Then trim with a MFK 700.

 

[tjbnwi]

I use this gun style;

https://www.grizzly.com/products/Hand-Held-Edge-Bander/G7910

Tom

 

[Marc2010]

I do a lot of edge-banding  in my small shop. Years ago I started with the good old house iron until my wife saw me using it and took it. Then I bought the little Iron on a stick tool. It was nice and easy to control but not enough flat surface to put pressure on it to help it stick. Then I purchased the Freud machine (for about $200).  I had a job with 95 sheets of plywood to build all cabinets/ shelving and other custom work -unfinished and pre-finished plywood. The Freud machine really helped out. I clamped it to a table at working height, and you are able to apply edging and press against the fence to make sure it sticks quickly.
There is a small learning curve for long pieces but I've used it lots.
For trimming I have the Festool routers/sanders but sometimes by hand is the way to go.
You want something thats easy to control without running off the edge and that works consistently I have it in my shop and it is small enough to take to the job sites if needed.

Good luck and let us know what your going with.

Marc

 

[sancho57]

Iron and a round dowl

 

[Kev]

My approach to edge banding is ...

1. Have no immediate need
2. Buy 150+ rolls of assorted commercial edge banding
3. Stick it in a shed

... I'm certain my experience will be of assistance! [embarassed]

 

[GarryMartin]

Although I can't comment on their veneer or melamine edging, the paintable MDF edging from these guys is fantastic. Pre-glued, so applied with an iron/heat and then trimmed with a trimmer and edges lightly "broke". Takes paint very, very well compared to all the normal messing around with MDF edges.

http://www.edgeband.co.uk/ or on Twitter as @EdgebandUK

Give them a buzz with your requirements - plenty of samples available very inexpensively.

 

[jmbfestool]

My approach to edge banding is ...

1. Have no immediate need
2. Buy 150+ rolls of assorted commercial edge banding
3. Stick it in a shed

... I'm certain my experience will be of assistance! [embarassed]

LoL

Shame u don't live closer might of been able to buy some of you.

Just bought 500meters of paper edging and 500 meters of 2mm abs white edging

 

[shed9]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

 

[jonny round boy]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

That bit makes a big difference - none of the cheap table-mounted ones will do curved edging. You'll need to do that by hand, or get a Conturo-type hand-held machine.

 

[jmbfestool]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

That bit makes a big difference - none of the cheap table-mounted ones will do curved edging. You'll need to do that by hand, or get a Conturo-type hand-held machine.

I'm sure they do just depends which curve inwards curve no...but outwards yes?

 

[jmbfestool]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

Main benefit is speed and quality of edging.

You can get better quality edging more heavy dusty when using a machine.

Downside to machine well with me not being able to edge an internal corner panel in one run.

 

[promhandicam]

Freud table top machine and/or iron for pre glued tapes and trim with a sharp plane blade (not in a plane) and/or my MFK700. If I need ABS edgebanding then I use a company like Cutwrights to cut and edge the panels as I don't do enough to justify the investment in a hot melt hand held like the Griggio, Wegoma or Festools offering and I don't have the space for a floor standing machine which are notoriously temperamental.

 

[shed9]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

Main benefit is speed and quality of edging.

You can get better quality edging more heavy dusty when using a machine.

Downside to machine well with me not being able to edge an internal corner panel in one run.

If I did go the machine route I would probably get a Griggio / Conturo style hand held device - although more Griggio than Conturo given the price difference. I assumed the desk top models will not work with concave bends but to be honest the limited surface area concerns my anyhow.

 

[jmbfestool]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

Main benefit is speed and quality of edging.

You can get better quality edging more heavy dusty when using a machine.

Downside to machine well with me not being able to edge an internal corner panel in one run.

If I did go the machine route I would probably get a Griggio / Conturo style hand held device - although more Griggio than Conturo given the price difference. I assumed the desk top models will not work with concave bends but to be honest the limited surface area concerns my anyhow.

I have the conturo.  I like it.   

But I never used another edge bander so I can't compare and say whats better about the conturo over the others.

All I can say it does what is should do and it is fast I run it slow cus its to fast at top speed. 

It tells you how many meters you have left to edge with the glue you have in. 

Yeah I like it glad I bought it.

Saved me hours and hours of work.

I hate edging anyway but this makes it more fun.

 

[teocaf]

i prefer the look, feel, durability of solid wood edge banding (3/8" or thicker).  the thin stuff you iron on looks and feels cheap to me.

 

[WastedP]

When I have a lot of parts to edgeband, or need 3mm edge, I sub it out to one of the local shops.  I have had one shop do solid wood edging on their machine, but I prefer the quality I get by doing it myself.

For field work and small jobs (< 10 cabinets), I have used FastEdge and it worked well for me.  I use a little two-bladed trimmer to shave the PVC and a laminate router for the prefinished wood (both 0.5 mm thickness).  The adhesive is serious, and it takes less time and setup than iron-on.  The downside is the mess when routing, the trimmed adhesive flings off the router bit and sticks to everything.  I made some drawer organizers last weekend out of pre-finished maple ply and just trimmed the edge with a razor blade on a stick, then cleaned up with a file.  It's not the cheapest way, but less expensive than buying a machine.  I don't do enough edgeband to justify that purchase right now.

 

[Kev]

Thanks for all the replies  [smile], really appreciated.

I'm not expecting to be a big user so I guess the iron hand applied method is probably the best route for me at this stage. I will have a go with it and see what results I get with various edges and curves.

I assume there is nothing a portable machine can do that you can't do by hand, other than the types of tapes?

Main benefit is speed and quality of edging.

You can get better quality edging more heavy dusty when using a machine.

Downside to machine well with me not being able to edge an internal corner panel in one run.

If I did go the machine route I would probably get a Griggio / Conturo style hand held device - although more Griggio than Conturo given the price difference. I assumed the desk top models will not work with concave bends but to be honest the limited surface area concerns my anyhow.

I have the conturo.  I like it.   

But I never used another edge bander so I can't compare and say what better about the conturo of the others.

All I can say it does what is should do and it is fast I run it slow cus its to fast at top speed. 

It tells you how many meters you have left to edge with the glue you have in. 

Yeah I like it glad I bought it.

Saved me hours and hours of work.

I hate edging anyway but this makes it more fun.

[attachimg=1]

I don't need a Conturo, I don't need a Conturo, I don't need a Conturo, I don't need a Conturo.

 

[Wooden Skye]

Kev

With all that edge banding you bought, you need the extra super heavy duty conturo. That are a big glue gun and iron to use it to redo the siding on your house.