Edge banding: Rout, rip, glue, or rip, glue, rout

[Jay Jeffery]

I am making essentially a book shelf and plan to use oak plywood. I intend to edge band the shelves with a bead profile in the edge banding.

The stock I have to make the edge banding with is actually from some oak for another project I bought wider than I need. I can put the bead on the edge band either before ripping it, or after gluing it on the shelves.

Is there any clear advantage either to either order?

The edge will be done on a router table if that makes any difference.

I haven't done many projects liek this, so any additional advice is welcome.

Anyone have an inexpensive source for edge banding clamps? I currently only own 4.

[Rod Sheridan]

Hi Jay, I would glue the over size banding to the shelf, trim it to size and then machine the bead on it.

If you pre-machine the bead, how would you align the edge banding on the shelf without resorting to a tongue and groove type of joint?

Regards, Rod.

P.S. I normally use a clamping caul and a couple of clamps for this, I don't normally use edge banding clamps.

[mreza Salav]

What Rod said. First rip, glue, trim, then route the profile.

[Dave Cav]

If I have a lot of pieces to put solid edging on I will usually rip the solid banding stock to double the desired thickness of the banding plus another 3/16" or so, and then glue the banding between two edges of the pieces of plywood, then rip them apart and trim as necessary. Saves time and clamping and eliminates the need to use cauls.

[Chris Padilla]

Rod has you steered correctly...or at least in how I would do it.

I've also done Dave's method.

You can just use good old yellow glue and some cauls to glue things up. Since you have a router table, I would use that to trim the edging flush with the top and then you can route your profile. But, a handplane works well to flush up the edging to the top, too.

[glenn bradley]

I also like to rip glue and then size/route to finish. This seems like a personal preference so try a few each way. You'll find a rhythm that works for you.

[Peter Quinn]

Rip, glue, route for me. I'd glue two shelves face to face, letting each act as the others caul, and use any old clamps you have that will span the pair. Don't bother with those edge band clamps. They are foolishly expensive and of limited use.

I'll usually set up with two standoffs on the bench. On the standoffs I'll place some strips maybe 1/32 thick, like veneer, with a gap between them about 1", basically where the two shelves edges will meet. The veneer sets the edging proud of the bottom edge, so when you glue up the veneer is under the plywood but NOT the edging. I'll apply glue, add the edging, hold it in place with blue tape, glue the other one. Set them in place, add the clamps one under, one over in sequence, using VERY GENTLE PRESSURE for several minutes until the glue starts to grab, then tighten a bit more. Leave the plywood a bit wide, so you can rip off any indentations made by the clamps later. Works great, less filling.