Options for horizontal flush trimming?

[Len Rosenberg]

Other than the Festool MFK700, what options are there for horizontal flush trimming of edge banding around a table top? The banding is 3/4" hard maple, did it once with hand planes and scrapers, don't want to do that again. Thanks.

[Edwin Santos]

Hi,
I made a jig for this purpose from a book called Router Magic by Bill Hylton. My jig is for use with a small Bosch Colt router, but you can make one for any router. Here is a link to an article that illustrates the same concept: http://www.popularwoodworking.com/projects/a_jig_for_precision_trimming. With a jig like this you would use a typical straight bit.

However, if you are specifically looking for something that would be used in a horizontal application (relative to the workpiece) with say a flush trim bit, here is a download pdf that might work for you: http://www.routerforums.com/attachments/tools-woodworking/233498d1473779258-problem-trimming-edge-banding-flush-trim-jig.pdf

[Len Rosenberg]

Thanks Edwin. Did you have any issues with chip out with the Hylton jig?

[Mike Jungers]

Lamello makes a fantastic flush trimmer for solid edge banding, but of course it's a chunk of change. The next job with more than a day of edge trimming I'm ordering one.

Mike

[Kevin Jenness]

https://hoffmann-usa.com/machinery/hebor-edge-lipping-planer/bh-556-lipping-planer-hebor

http://virutex.com/edgelippingplanermodelap98-1.aspx

I have seen the Hoffman in use and it is a nice piece of goods.

[David Davies]

thoughts on the Festool OF 1010 with attachments used for this purpose?

Dave

[Edwin Santos]

Thanks Edwin. Did you have any issues with chip out with the Hylton jig?
Len, no I haven't had a problem with chip out but when I have used it I have always been trimming very small amounts of material. Perhaps chip out and tearing could be an issue if it were an aggressive cut. I've used it to flush trim plugs and inlays besides edge banding.

[Bill Dufour]

I do not think the flush trim sawblades used in a skilsaw would be a good enough cut. Similar blades are used to trim under doors in vertical shaft handheld saw. How about a Japanese pullsaw?
Bil lD.

[Warren Lake]

the dedictated tools make sense if yo have any amount to do, if the parts are smaller you can run on a table saw jigged up a bit or a shaper or or, The first router way looks a bit mickey mouse the second router way shown more so little tiny cutter that will blow out and is clunky to use. We used to have modified power planers with side attachment handle and block it rode on, that worked more the way as the pro dedicated ones shown there, I dont know either probably seen them before and sure they do a good job. In some big shops doing edging to laminate they will trim up and leave a tiny bit few thous then clean it off with a chisel.

[Martin Wasner]

Is the maple wrapping something other than wood the center?

If it's just a veneer'd, or otherwise wood in the middle, why not just belt sand it?

[mreza Salav]

It's not too hard to make a base+fence for a trim router to do what the Festool does (yes I have used MFK700 and it's nice).
I made something like that for making a rebate on the back of a curved raised panel. It worked pretty well:

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[Len Rosenberg]

Thanks all for the great ideas. Each could work in certain circumstances but I have a big shelving job to do that will require trimming of about 150 ft of edge banding on plywood. The Lamello option seems perfect, I'll look into that. Thanks!

[Edwin Santos]

Thanks all for the great ideas. Each could work in certain circumstances but I have a big shelving job to do that will require trimming of about 150 ft of edge banding on plywood. The Lamello option seems perfect, I'll look into that. Thanks!

As an additional support to the way you're leaning on this - it's good to keep in mind that Lamello machines, while expensive, seem to hold value very well, a little like Festool. So if your purchase gets you through this job and at some point you decide the machine is gathering dust, you can likely get most of your money back out of it. The buyer won't be a hobbyist, it will be a pro shop that should see the price as insignificant compared to the productivity they will gain, if they do much flush trimming.
Plus anything Lamello makes is a pleasure to use and that's worth something too. Best of luck,

[Steve Jenkins]

I have the Lamello Cantex and it does work very well. It is a little awkward due to the angle of the handle but I have gotten used to it.

[James Zhu]

thoughts on the Festool OF 1010 with attachments used for this purpose?

Dave

I have Festool OF 1010 with attachment, 1/4" shank spiral bit, does not work well when trimming 20 mm wide solid wood edging, the router bit gouged the wood because of the buildup of the wood shaving even with dust extractor. I think OF1400 with 1/2" shank bit will work better, but OF 1400 is too heavy holding it horizontally.

I think this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z88bctiSUq0 is a better solution.

Of course, the ultimate solution is Lamello Cantex if you can justify the cost.

[Charles Lent]

I made an L shaped jig for my laminate trimmer and used a flush cutting bit with an end bearing on it. The longer part of the jig slides along the top surface of the work. The laminate trimmer is mounted horizontally in the short part of the L with the bit extending out in a notch in the long part of the L It's easy to keep the bearing and flush trim cutting part of the bit parallel with the top surface while moving it along and trimming the excess flush.

I also have a sacrificial fence that I put on the fence of my table saw. It has a 1/4" gap under it. I raise the table saw blade up in this gap and flush with the fence surface. Then standing the shelf on edge with the excess edge piece under this sacrificial fence and the shelf board against the fence. A quick pass removes the excess flush with the shelf top. This is very fast and easy if you can get the blade positioned just right. Use a feather board to keep the shelf tight against the sacrificial fence while you make the cut.

Charley

[Mark Wooden]

After making and using at least a dozen flush trimming set ups with routers, router tables ,power planers and shapers, I bought the Virutex Lipping planer after using one in a shop. It works just great at a price that won't break the bank. The only thing I wish was a little better is the chip collection tube, it's a bit of a weird size for my vac so I had to make a fitting out of PVC conduit. Other than that, no complaints and I smile every time I use it.

[Jeff Duncan]

I have a Virutex lipping planer as well. Bought it several years ago and while it doesn't get used every day, it's worth every penny when you need it! I would hazard a guess the Lamello version is a bit nicer, but Virutex was the right price point for me;)

good luck,
JeffD

[Mike Nguyen]

This is what I did for edge trimming because I want dust collection when I got the Ridgid trim router for $30 from Craigslist.
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[John Seybold]

Or you could use a block plane or low angle jack plane. For a one time job, probably faster than any of the other options by the time you get everything set up, especially if your edging is only a little proud. And you can plane in either direction, depending how the grain is running out.