I recently had a cabinetry project that required me to add edge banding to more than 100 ft. of plywood. As always, the challenge was to trim the excess banding flush without cutting through the thin veneer on the plywood. The usual method is to rest a handheld router on the narrow edge of the panel, with a flush-trimming bit hanging down to trim the overhang. It’s a wobbly setup, and if you mess up, you have to remake the panel.

I found a way to do the same task faster—with no wobbles or worries—on the router table, using either a flush-trimming bit or a standard straight bit. By the way, I used thin, pre-glued banding on this project, applied with a hot iron, but my tip will work just as well with thicker, solid-wood banding.

The trick is to raise the fence so the plywood panel can ride flat against it while the excess edging slides freely below. To raise the fence evenly, all you need is some thin plywood or MDF. Then you simply set the face of the fence a hair beyond the cutting arc of the bit, and make a test cut to be sure you’re leaving just a thin sliver of excess banding.

Be sure to keep the plywood pieces pressed against the fence as you slide them past the bit. After that, a lick with a block plane and/or a pass with a sanding block and 220-grit paper will bring the edging perfectly flush, making the whole panel look like solid wood. The setup is so quick and easy that I use it on edging jobs large and small.

—CRAIG HEISER, Atlanta, Ga.

Illustrations by Dan Thornton
From Fine Woodworking issue #283

	Shopmade clamps make edge banding easy Mike Farrington demonstrates how these simple clamps will help you apply edge banding like a pro.
	Six Ways to Edge Plywood The choices vary in their complexity and durability and the time they take to execute
	Router Jig for Flush Shelf Edging Here is a router jig for trimming edge moldings flush with a flat surface. I have used this jig for trimming the edging on tables and countertops, but its most…

Fine Woodworking Recommended Products

Makita LS1219L Miter Saw

This is the saw I want in my shop. For one, it’s easy to use. All of the controls are easy to reach and manipulate, and the glide mechanism is both robust and smooth. The handle works well for righties and lefties. Then there are added bonuses that no other saw has. For instance, its hold-down is superb, as it can move to different locations, hinges for a greater range of coverage, and actually holds down the work. In addition, the saw has two points of dust collection, letting it firmly beat the rest of the field. The one downside was the saw’s laser, which was so faint we had to turn off the shop lights to see it. Still, all these pluses in a package that fits tight to the wall? That’s a winner for me.

Buy at Amazon

DeWalt 735X Planer

At high speed, the planer works fast and leaves a smooth surface. But the slower, finish speed produces an almost glass-smooth surface. Knife changes are easy.

Buy at Amazon

Rockler Dust Right 1250 CFM

You’ll need help to get this heavy unit onto its bracket, but if you’re looking for a central dust collector that won’t gobble floor space, this may be the unit for you.

Buy at Rockler