Edge Banding

[txrpls]

Rather than make the post about Guido's cabinets get unwieldy, I decide better to start a new thread on edge banding. I would like to get members experiences doing the same. Woodworking is a past time so I am not going to send thousands (except on the green stuff), but I am willing to spend a little on a bander.

 

[RDMuller]

Buy an MFK700 from Festool and use it in horizontal mode for trimming edge banding.

For glueing on the banding, I use everything form iron-on, Fastcap double stick tape and plain old yellow glue that is nailed on minimally with a pin nailer and then drawn up with clamps.

If you want to spend $30,000 for a professional machine, they are out there too.  My impression is that they take a very skilled observant operator who will "tweek" the things when needed.

 

[sancho57]

I use the wifes old clothes iron to heat the glue on the banding , a stick to ensure the banding is glued to the edge, a banding tool to cut off the excess on the end then I got a 1010 to trim the edge banding. I got the 1010 ILO the 700 because  I planned on getting the LR32 system (which I did). 

 

[Steve R]

I use the wifes old clothes iron to heat the glue on the banding , a stick to ensure the banding is glued to the edge, a banding tool to cut off the excess on the end then I got a 1010 to trim the edge banding. I got the 1010 ILO the 700 because  I planned on getting the LR32 system (which I did). 

Yea did that once in pinch... took three weeks for the ribs to heal....  [big grin]

Cheers,
Steve

 

[ccarrolladams]

Buy an MFK700 from Festool and use it in horizontal mode for trimming edge banding.

For glueing on the banding, I use everything form iron-on, Fastcap double stick tape and plain old yellow glue that is nailed on minimally with a pin nailer and then drawn up with clamps.

If you want to spend $30,000 for a professional machine, they are out there too.   My impression is that they take a very skilled observant operator who will "tweek" the things when needed.

Good luck finding a well used "automatic" edge banding machine for USA$30,000 Such machines that are actually useful cost over USA$90,000 installed. I own one that was on back-order when we were in class together in Henderson, NV. At that time I was using an earlier-generation loaner provided by the manufacturer. So at least all of us got a lot of on the job experience adjusting banding machines. I believe they are designed for large factories with a sophisticated maintenance staff. Probably they are also more efficient when a given machine does essentially the same task all the time. Once adjusted my new bander is effective and very efficient.

Still, I own several MFK700, as well as a lot of OF1010, some of which are used to trim solid wood edge banding too thick for the MFK700.

In Festool cabinet construction class we used inexpensive clothes irons with heat-set wood banding. The trick is to have pieces of wood dowel @1.5" dia cut in half to use to burnish the banding in place before the glue cools. One of the many modes available on the automatic edge bander is the application of hot glue so the coils of wood banding does not need its own glue. The burnishing pressure rollers do the same thing as the wood dowels.

The auto bander has another mode in which it uses strips of solid hardwood 3mm thick hot glued to the work. This is the mode we use the most. The banders trimmers work very well, but I still have an MFK700 ready to provide touch-ups as necessary.

 

[richard.selwyn]

Adamik, Griggio, Felder and Virutex all offer pretty much an identical hot glue portable bander that you can  also mount in a table. I couldn't afford one so have a Virutex hot air portable machine (a heat gun with rollers etc) and use pre-glued banding. Generally works fine, although I still have an iron handy for the odd spot that doesn't stick. I trim with the older OFK700 with very good results.
Holding the work in place is key if you want fast results. I would like a table mounted hot air machine for small pieces other wise I use the Vac Sys.
Richard

 

[erock]

For myself, I use all the Fastcap edge banding tools.  If you go to Fastcaps web site you can watch all the videos of the tools they sell.

If you are looking to build a couple cabinets, I would recommend the Fastcap system for edge banding.

I built a couple cabinets using the Fastcap edge banding and other iron on brands.  All applied using the Fastcap tools.  Good price, they don't

take up a lot of room in the shop.  And I just find they work great. 

I have the Fastcap  Speed Roller.  Pneumatic  Quad Trimmer.  Flush Cut cutter and FastBreak.

I clamp the working piece to a MFT.  Apply the edge banding.  Use the Speed Roller to spread the glue.  Cut of the excess from the ends.  Run the Quad

Trimmer(which trimmers both sides at one time) down the work piece and finish it up with the FastBreak to soften the edges. 

Everything I bought from Fastcap has been good so far.  Give them a look.  Hope this helps

 

[morts10n]

ccarrolladams,

Not sure what you are talking about re: $90,000 edgebander vs. $30,000. The guy in the shop next to mine bought a new Brandt automatic edgebander for around $25,000 "set-up" and it is an awesome well built machine- one of the best. He is in a one man shop.

For all of you guys still using an iron for edgebanding, throw it away cuz' you'll be getting call backs in a yr. or two when the glue starts failing. (personal experience)
See if you can hire some one with an automatic edgebander to do your work for you.
Cheers

 

[CanadianCraftsman]

Good Day:

I was wondering if anyone can recommend any video/tutorials on how to setup the MKF router to trim edge banding tape.

Thanks,
Michael

 

[Ken Nagrod]

Go on YouTube and type in MFK700 or MFK 700.

The way I do it using the Festool 491666 flush trim bit is to set the bit in the chuck almost all the way and using the horizontal base with the ball bearing attachment, adjust the ball bearing attachment until the end of the bit is all that touches just slightly past the thickness of the edge banding.  Adjust the cutting depth so that the end of the bit is just a hair below the horizontal base surface.  Slide the metal dust port open on the horizontal base, if not already.  Attach the black rectangular shaped vacuum pickup part and make a test cut.  Lower the depth of cut just until the edge banding is pretty close to flush with the face of the ply.  Then a quick sanding and you're done.  Also I've found that climb cutting with the MFK 700 (right to left) picks up much more dust than the usual left to right direction.  I haven't found a noticeable difference with the 36mm hose compared to the 27mm hose.

BTW, this is with the 1.5 degree horizontal base.

 

[jacko9]

Rather than make the post about Guido's cabinets get unwieldy, I decide better to start a new thread on edge banding. I would like to get members experiences doing the same. Woodworking is a past time so I am not going to send thousands (except on the green stuff), but I am willing to spend a little on a bander.

Since this a hobby for you, I would forget about the mega buck edge banding machines and just use Tidebond to glue on a solid edge and then trim it with a block plane.

Jack

 

[ccarrolladams]

ccarrolladams,

Not sure what you are talking about re: $90,000 edgebander vs. $30,000. The guy in the shop next to mine bought a new Brandt automatic edgebander for around $25,000 "set-up" and it is an awesome well built machine- one of the best. He is in a one man shop.

For all of you guys still using an iron for edgebanding, throw it away cuz' you'll be getting call backs in a yr. or two when the glue starts failing. (personal experience)
See if you can hire some one with an automatic edgebander to do your work for you.
Cheers

Morts10n,
As far as I know the two of us have never met.

People who know me realize I buy everything carefully. So if your buddy managed to find a machine that satisfies his needs, good for him. I felt I needed a more expensive machine, yet the manufacturer involved still feels I drove a hard bargain.

Mine is not a one-man shop. We more than cover expenses and make a decent living. So perhaps there are jobs which can de accomplished with a machine costing less than some other machines.

 

[TomGadwa1]

I like to rip half inch strips out of hardwood. Then I use the 4 mm dominos for attachment. This provides a reliable and long lasting way to mount the banding. Lest I forget I start with thicker hardwood than what I am edge banding to. Once the pieces are dominoed in place then they are ready to be trimmed. I use the MFK700 with the 1.5 degree base a Ken mentioned above. Follow his directions and between his methods and mine you will have edge banding that will last forever. And yes the hot glue on stuff will fail and since it is very thin when it gets dinged, and you know it probably will then the underlying plywood edge that is trying to be concealed will rear its ugly head. Using half inch thick banding will take much more abuse before that could happen! Happy edge banding!!!

 

[fshanno]

For all of you guys still using an iron for edgebanding, throw it away cuz' you'll be getting call backs in a yr. or two when the glue starts failing. (personal experience)
See if you can hire some one with an automatic edgebander to do your work for you.
Cheers

I used Fastcap peel and stick on a job that went in about 2 years ago.  I'm waiting to see what happens. 

Iron on can be problematic.  It can last 20 years or one year. 

 

[Kev]

I've often puzzled over the fundamental differences between the $1K+ bench top units, the $5K+ floor standing units and the astronomically stupidly priced units ($20K through $100K+). Yes I know, the big ones are for the big boys.

I've never got into edge banding, but I can see myself wanting to as time goes by.

I've seen local (Oz) sub $5K units that seen to do everything ...

"The A4V4 is a fully automatic Edgebanding machine is equipped with Digital Temperature Control, Belt Feeder for automatic piece feeding, Top and Bottom Trimming by twin motorized 160 mm dia 18 tooth carbide cutters, Second Guillotine that flush trim both ends of the board, Top and Bottom Buffers, End Rounding and Buffing and Automatic Timed Shutdown of the Heater Fan. It utilizes pre glued melamine, PVC, (ABS) or veneered Tape to a maximum of 2 mm thick by 38 mm wide, or 3 mm thick by 28 mm wide."

... so what do the big machines do apart from bigger, faster and maybe better?

 

[Ken Nagrod]

I've often puzzled over the fundamental differences between the $1K+ bench top units, the $5K+ floor standing units and the astronomically stupidly priced units ($20K through $100K+). Yes I know, the big ones are for the big boys.

I've never got into edge banding, but I can see myself wanting to as time goes by.

I've seen local (Oz) sub $5K units that seen to do everything ...

"The A4V4 is a fully automatic Edgebanding machine is equipped with Digital Temperature Control, Belt Feeder for automatic piece feeding, Top and Bottom Trimming by twin motorized 160 mm dia 18 tooth carbide cutters, Second Guillotine that flush trim both ends of the board, Top and Bottom Buffers, End Rounding and Buffing and Automatic Timed Shutdown of the Heater Fan. It utilizes pre glued melamine, PVC, (ABS) or veneered Tape to a maximum of 2 mm thick by 38 mm wide, or 3 mm thick by 28 mm wide."

... so what do the big machines do apart from bigger, faster and maybe better?

AUTOMATED and handle multiple parts at once.  They also cost more when they break down or need service.

 

[Wooden Skye]

There are also router bits that you can use for solid edge banding.  MLCS has 2 different styles for this application. 

 

[craig feuerzeig]

The big machines  also apply the glue,  so you don't have to use pre-glued stock    (but it's still hot melt glue, which leaves a fairly visible glue-line, and isn't that great a bond.  [wink])

 

[fshanno]

I like to rip half inch strips out of hardwood. Then I use the 4 mm dominos for attachment. This provides a reliable and long lasting way to mount the banding. Lest I forget I start with thicker hardwood than what I am edge banding to. Once the pieces are dominoed in place then they are ready to be trimmed. I use the MFK700 with the 1.5 degree base a Ken mentioned above. Follow his directions and between his methods and mine you will have edge banding that will last forever. And yes the hot glue on stuff will fail and since it is very thin when it gets dinged, and you know it probably will then the underlying plywood edge that is trying to be concealed will rear its ugly head. Using half inch thick banding will take much more abuse before that could happen! Happy edge banding!!!

I've got the 4mm cutter and a box of dominos just itching to be used for something like this and I've got some questions.

I assume that you punch the mortises in the hardwood before you rip the edgebanding down to 1/2"

How far apart do you put the dominos?

If I did this for case parts, tops, decks, sides,  I'd need the zero degree base correct?  So the edges would touch at the butt joints.  I'm about to do some frameless cases that will have a wider than normal revel.  The edgebanding will be visible so I'm looking to use the same material I'm using for the doors and drawer fronts.

Do you think the domino method is faster than an edgebanding router bit?

How

Do you cut the banding to length before attaching?

How do you clamp it?

 

[jacko9]

I like to rip half inch strips out of hardwood. Then I use the 4 mm dominos for attachment. This provides a reliable and long lasting way to mount the banding. Lest I forget I start with thicker hardwood than what I am edge banding to. Once the pieces are dominoed in place then they are ready to be trimmed. I use the MFK700 with the 1.5 degree base a Ken mentioned above. Follow his directions and between his methods and mine you will have edge banding that will last forever. And yes the hot glue on stuff will fail and since it is very thin when it gets dinged, and you know it probably will then the underlying plywood edge that is trying to be concealed will rear its ugly head. Using half inch thick banding will take much more abuse before that could happen! Happy edge banding!!!

I've got the 4mm cutter and a box of dominos just itching to be used for something like this and I've got some questions.

I assume that you punch the mortises in the hardwood before you rip the edgebanding down to 1/2"

How far apart do you put the dominos?

If I did this for case parts, tops, decks, sides,  I'd need the zero degree base correct?  So the edges would touch at the butt joints.  I'm about to do some frameless cases that will have a wider than normal revel.  The edgebanding will be visible so I'm looking to use the same material I'm using for the doors and drawer fronts.

Do you think the domino method is faster than an edgebanding router bit?

How

Do you cut the banding to length before attaching?

How do you clamp it?

I would rip a long edge of the material that your going to make your doors and drawers from on the table saw 1/16 to 1/8" then edge glue that to your ply.  I would apply a thin coat of tidebond extend glue to the faces and use a 1" or more board as support against the thin material to spread the clamping load.  I would use a clamp every 6" or less and let it dry overnight.  You can then use a block plane to true up the edges after gluing.

Jack

Jack