Edge banding question

[Jim Dunn]

This is an open question to all who have edge banded using red oak, cherry or some other type of "hard wood" edge banding. Doe's it goe on as easily as the melamine edge banding? Having used 100ft+ of the melamine type I have found it to be pretty much fool proof:eek: well with in reason. I recently edge banded a radius of about 3" and was concerned that it would be trouble. It was a snap:rolleyes:. But doe's the hard wood edge treatment work as well or as easily? Any special tips to applying it?
Any help is always appreciated and I like to ask questions before I ruin a project or a bunch of material;).
Jim

[Steven Wilson]

I've used a fair amount of cherry and birch edge banding and it applies easily but you have to be careful when you trim it. You trim cuts will tend to follow the grain so take it easy. I tend to use a very sharp, japaneese, crank neck, paring chisel to trim mine or drag out the Lamello Cantex :)

[Byron Trantham]

I have applied hundreds of feet of cherry, oak and melamine. I use a standard clothes iron and a double edged trimmer. I removed the blades that create a bevel. I simply sand the edge with 150 grit sand paper. Once-in-a-while I do have to replace a strip because cutting with the grain caused it to run into the finished edge. Not a big deal to re-heat and replace. :)

[Stephen Dixon]

I've not run as much as many respondents here, maybe a couple of dozen feet of red oak and birch together, but I've found it to be easy to do. You do have to watch the grain when trimming or you'll spoil some,DAMHIKT, but it is easy to reheat and apply another strip, so don't worry about ruining a project.

Steve

[Mark Singer]

I have the Freud edgebander and have done a lot of it. When you trim with the slitter you must go easy. When you apply it, it must be at the right temp. so speed is important.

[Jim Dunn]

Thanks to all who replied:). The information on grain was something I never gave a thought to:confused:. All so I imagine that splinters are or could be a problem. Can't use a magnet to remove them like you can with a steel chip/splinter:o they hurt.

Jim

[joseph j shields]

Jim,

I haven't used oak too often, but lots of cherry & maple.

I apply excactly the way that Byron does..... a clothes iron (make sure you don't use your wife's good iron ;))

The double blade trimmer works great! (after a little set-up & practice on scrap wood)

And the great thing is if you screw-up just reheat it, remove it and start over! (I only wish staining & finishing were that easy!)

-jj

[Jim Dunn]

Actually Joseph I also use my wifes iron:eek: But the agreement is, is that I can use it so long as I do the ironing around the house:eek::(. I haven't found that it has so far damaged the bottom, so far But I'm praying that it doe's:rolleyes: Then I can buy her another and not have to do the ironing any more:cool:
Jim

[joseph j shields]

LOL ...good one;)

[Sam Blasco]

I think I have worked with every common species of pre-glued edgebanding with a hand iron and I have never had any problems with adherance. Toyed with every type of trimming device and do your best to trim downhill. Oak is especially prone to tearing against the grain. If perfection is important, a fine file is the best way to trim your edges. There is a learning curve to the technique and it is more time consuming, but once you get the hang of it you will never tear an edge again. After the edge is trimmed, it is also a very useful tool for blending. Keep a file brush handy to clear the glue from the file.

[Lee Schierer]

I use a flat bastard mill file to trim laminate. I don't do it often enough to really justify purchasing a laminate trimmer. Once the edge banding is applied, I lay the file on the surface so it is angled slightly up away from the face surface and file in long strokes working along the edge. Glue build up in the file is easily cleaned with a file card or wire brush. With a little practice this method is fast and has never caused tearout for me.