Best way to trim edge band

[Craig D Peltier]

Ive come across a problem before where I use the heat activated edge banding on a shoe rack for instance where it has a bunch of boxes.
1) You cant get a edge band cutter along whole length due to hitting end of box. Sometimes its not even worth doing it since you might only cut 4 out 12 inches with it. I have used a sharp chisel to get it real close and then block of wood.
The problem I run into is sometimes the edge cutter or the chisel might slip/tip down into the ply and take off some veneer. More so with the cutter if you tip it one way or the other.
I know I could of applied it early and left it flappy then just trim a small bit but not sure if that is more or less work.
Is there a better way?

2) Also while on subject if I use a flush trim bit for thicker edge banding with a bosch colt trim router and an edge its very had to keep it from tipping into the veneer evens the slightest bit looks bad.
Is the right way to do it: clamping in vise like pic here?

84906

[Dick Bringhurst]

Use a file. Dick B.

[Craig D Peltier]

Use a file. Dick B.

Ive tried that if the edge banding sticks over two much it just rolls it.It doesnt work.

[Jeff Wright]

Do you have a router table? Some folks trim the banding using a trimming bit with a bearing and report good results. I've not tried it as I have never installed edge banding. I am currently deciding whether to switch from face frame construction to the Euro design where banding is a necessary art form. I will be interested in hearing people's responses who have done a lot of it. Thanks for posting this question.

[Craig D Peltier]

Do you have a router table? Some folks trim the banding using a trimming bit with a bearing and report good results. I've not tried it as I have never installed edge banding. I am currently deciding whether to switch from face frame construction to the Euro design where banding is a necessary art form. I will be interested in hearing people's responses who have done a lot of it. Thanks for posting this question.
Thats an idea for thick stuff. Thanks

Doesnt help the iron on situation on boxes with several peekaboos.

[Greg Sznajdruk]

I always try to edge band before assembly saves alot of aggravation.

Greg

[Doug Shepard]

I just take the iron out of my LN block plane and lay it on the shelf and slide it along.

[David DeCristoforo]

"...have used a sharp chisel...is sometimes the...cutter or the chisel might slip/tip and...take off some veneer..."

Doug S has the "trick". When you use a chisel, use a wide one so that it is easier to "register" the chisel on the flat surface. Or just do what Doug suggests and use a (sharp) plane iron. I trim EB with a 1 1/4" wide paring "slick" which is very easy to keep flat.

YM

[Jeff Wright]

Has anyone used the manual Veritex AG98F edge bander? It costs about $385. Doesn't help with trimming though.

[Joe Chritz]

Yoshikuni beat me to it.

I have used a 2" wide chisel very successfully. Make sure it is sharp and watch which direction you go if you can.

After the chisel a sanding stick with some 120 is all that is needed.

Joe

[Craig D Peltier]

The chisel Idea I will try.
Does anyone here let the edge banding cool completely off before doing this. Ive seen with a chisel or edge trimmer that as you push it along the (maple) edge banding splits sometimes along the grain and lifts into the finished product and will show raw glue , maybe if it were cool the glue wouldnt allow this to happen?

This is one of the places where I had issues.

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[Greg Hines, MD]

One area that I would wonder about is, are you banding the piece in its entirety after it is put together? It is usually easier to band the individual pieces before assembly, especially those short vertical members.

Doc

[Craig D Peltier]

I built it then banded it. If I banded it then built it it would of been a pain to figure out exactly how far the dadoes went into each piece and stopped the banding where there would be no gap where the intersecting crosspoints met.I doubt they would have all met perfectly.
I made the longest and most runs I could and then started the shorts.
I once built a built in and prebanded it and left flappy banding hanging off till it was in. It wasnt bad , 1 or two pieces got crushed a little while trying to put it together. It was a long built in.


One area that I would wonder about is, are you banding the piece in its entirety after it is put together? It is usually easier to band the individual pieces before assembly, especially those short vertical members.


Doc

[Lee Schierer]

Use a file. Dick B.More specifically use a flat mill bastard file and file toward the backer at about a 45 degree angle to the edge horizontally and vertically.

[David DeCristoforo]

"Ive seen with a chisel or edge trimmer that as you push it along the (maple) edge banding splits sometimes along the grain and lifts..."

The problem with edge tape is that is made up of tons of short lengths that are finger jointed and the grain direction changes constantly. Make sure the chisel is SHARP!!! And keep the blade skewed at an angle so that you are not pushing the blade directly into the EB but "shearing" through the material.

YM

[Jeff Wright]

More specifically use a flat mill bastard file and file toward the backer at about a 45 degree angle to the edge horizontally and vertically.

Lee, can you explain more clearly? What is a backer? And, what do you mean by horizontally and vertically? WHAT is horizontal and vertical to WHAT? Thanks.

[Jim Becker]

I built it then banded it. If I banded it then built it it would of been a pain to figure out exactly how far the dadoes went into each piece and stopped the banding where there would be no gap where the intersecting crosspoints met.I doubt they would have all met perfectly.
I made the longest and most runs I could and then started the shorts.
I once built a built in and prebanded it and left flappy banding hanging off till it was in. It wasnt bad , 1 or two pieces got crushed a little while trying to put it together. It was a long built in.

Interestingly, I have a friend that builds with MDF core sheet goods. He edge bands components pre-assembly so that shelves, etc., that go into dados and grooves look just like solid stock. The edging on a vertical component, for example, is cut out where the dado or groove appears just as it would "look" if it was made from a piece of cherry, etc.

[Lee Schierer]

Lee, can you explain more clearly? What is a backer? And, what do you mean by horizontally and vertically? WHAT is horizontal and vertical to WHAT? Thanks. The backer is the piece that the edge banding was applied to. You want to push the cutting action toward the solid wood not away from it. Pushing away will tend to peel the edging off. As you look down at the edge hold the file so that it is at a 30-45 degree angle to the edge and tipped so that the part of the file over the wood surface doesn't get scratched by the end of the file. File off a little on each pass abot 5-6" along the edge for each pass.