Using Pre-glued Edging

[Richard in Smithville]

You know, the stuff you edge plywood with. I have never used this stuff before. I usually edge with real wood. Is there anything I should be aware of when gluing this to the ply? Shouls I buy an old iron to keep my wife from killing me? If anyone would like to share their experience, I would be greatful.
Thx

[softop41]

Richard,
Yep, I'd use any iron but your wife's; it will avoid a civil war. Keep if on low heat and keep it moving!
You will also want to get an edge trimmer. They're cheap and much easier than ANY other method I know of to clean up the edge after the glue cools.
Also be aware that there is a slight glueline that shows a lot of the time; perhaps it is a function of the tape you have, I don't know.
I have used quite a bit of it and don't hate it, but hardwood is a nicer edge.
Hope this helps,
Jerry

[eddy merckx]

I've been using it a bunch lately. The best tecnique for me is to follow the iron with a laminate roller so it really sticks down. I iron with my right hand and roll with my left. Make especially sure to stick the ends down.

I agree that you really need one of those trimmers for cutting the tape flush lengthwise. I had to sharpen the blades on mine, then it worked great. Any lip left over will get taken care of when you sand the flat faces. I use a really sharp chisel to cut the ends flush. Just lay the board edge down on a sacrificial board, with the edge tape facing down. Line up your chisel with a perpendicular edge and give the chisel a tap. Nice clean cut. BTW, make sure to leave 1/2" or so of tape hanging off each end before you iron it down. It migrates.

Then ease the corners a little with sandpaper and you're good to go.

I agree that hardwood edging would be better, but edge tape is pretty fast and inexpensive. I did some cabinets for work which get pretty heavy traffic. The tape seems to be holding up just fine.

Eddy

[cabinetman]

The wood tape works good as long as the edges are dressed. I use a 12" Jorgensen hand screw clamp:

and lay the clamp flat on the bench, and then open it enough to stand the door or shelf in it, and tighten slightly. It's easy to put in and take out with just moving the rear handle. Holds it enough to put on edging. For large doors, I clamp the clamp down.

When ironing down, I follow the iron with a narrow block of wood pressing the tape down as I go. As for trimming, a trim router will sometimes tear out with the grain. I got into the habit of filing the edge off. It goes pretty quick. I lay the door flat, and the file is almost flat to the door, but the end is tipped up. I use the edge of the file and keep an angle where the handle is forward of the tip, using short deliberate strokes to the face grain. Then a slight dressing to smooth out the edge.
.

[big tim]

The glue line will show and the darker the finish the more readily it will show. I built a cabinet for my daughter which I stained with an ebony black dye. I touched up the edges with a black marker to eliminate the problem. FWIW

Tim

[Richard in Smithville]

Thanks for the help guys. Before I start, I'll need to make a trip to the second hand shop for an iron. At least I can justify this shop purchase.

[jgscott987]

Thanks for the help guys. Before I start, I'll need to make a trip to the second hand shop for an iron. At least I can justify this shop purchase.

Alternatively you could buy your wife a fancy new iron and take her old one. I think they are only ~$10 or $15.

[uglystick]

WOOD video

Here's a pretty good video from WOOD on the whole process of applying the edge banding:

http://www.howcast.com/videos/1927-H...n-Edge-Banding

One other thing to mention is to watch for the splices in the spool of banding material. You don't want an ugly zigzag pattern front and center of your workpiece. It really pops when you get stain/finish on it. DAMHIK!