Replies

1. 
   MarkRD | Jun 14, 2005 06:24pm | #1

   I saw a post here a few weeks back - someone said they were a waste of money. You'll have to do an "advanced search" to find the thread...

   I understand why they might be difficult - getting the height adjustment just right strikes me as a royal pain. If you are off by just a bit, you have a lip to flush trim off on one side and a lip you can't do anything about on the other side.

   What prompted you to try the bits. Have you been having difficulty with bullnoses falling off?

   Mark

   Measure it with a micrometer, mark it with chalk, cut it with an ax.

1. 
   MatthewSchenker | Jun 14, 2005 07:03pm | #2

   Mark,
   They are a pain to line up.Why did I try it?I have never had an edge banding fall off a shelf. But I am always wondering how strong that bond is between the face grain of the edge band and the end grain of the plywood.We all give in to market pressures sometimes. I like to think of myself as someone who analyzes a product before plunking down cash for it. But once in a while, I start thinking, "Is there something that is better?" In those cases, I can be known to try something I regret. Of course, that kind of thinking sometimes gets me a great new way to work... I'd say it's 50/50.

   Edited 6/14/2005 12:04 pm ET by Matthew Schenker

1. 
   WillGeorge | Jun 14, 2005 08:07pm | #4

   They are a pain to line up...

   I never used those bits.. BUT when I do a setup to cut common thickness sticks I always make a sample cut in the same stock.. I put it in a box with the bit.. Marked so I know what I did.. May be several sets of stuff for different thicknesses..

   Just takes a few minutes to set up and GO!

2. 
   ring | Jun 14, 2005 07:13pm | #3

   Matthew,

   I have never used them because they look to me like a waste of time and energy.  I can tell how we do it in our shop, and it seems to be efficient:

   1.  Cut the plywood sheets to width but leave them full 8' length.  Make up the required number of edge strips, also 8' long, and just a drop over thickness.

   2.  We put 3-4 biscuits on each strip, just to keep them in place when gluing.  Regular yellow glue, pipe clamps.  If you're running short of clamps you can gang them two at a time by putting the edge bandings together at the middle.

   3.  After glue dries run them thru the drum sander to get the edges absolutely flush.

   4.  Cut to length on TS.

   5.  Finish, or assemble first as required.

   I have never ever seen one that came unglued, so why worry about additional strength?

   DR

3. 
   hammer1 | Jun 14, 2005 08:24pm | #5

   I worked for Architectural cabinet shops for a number of years. You could tell which Architect designed the job by the choice of edgebanding. Some were adamant about the attachment method. We did one heck of a lot of edgebanding and it was one of the most labor intensive/costly parts of a project. We would run thousands of feet of T and TV band in a variety of species on a foursider and fill bins full of it.

   When we used the V band, it was usually taken to a fine edge so that the panel looked like solid wood. This is the hardest of all bands to do, too tight and it will expand the edge, too loose and it shows the veneer edge. With most of the shaped edgebands, consistency is important. Power feeders on shapers are often used for the female cuts. In doing volume, the bands were oversized a bit and later, flush cut with a shaper and feeder. Another way to flush up oversize bands is with a router and a flush jig (pic below). This requires a final touch up with a few strokes of sandpaper or a card scraper.

   Regardless of the method, the strength will depend on the glue. I think just butt gluing is very strong if you get full glue coverage. I've never had a butt edge get loose, whether it was 1/8" or 1 1/2". In my shop, I typically use 1/4", butt glued, over size about 1/32". I generally hit it with a belt sander (I've been doing it a long time) followed by a shot with a card scraper.

   Unless you have a power feeder and accurately dimensioned stock, the router bits are going to give you some grief. I don't think they add anything significant except expense. The Architectural shops now run Holzher banders. You stick a piece of plywood in one end, as it travels, hot melt is applied to the edge, a solid edge band is pressed to the glue, there are little top and bottom, jointer like cutters, that trim the band flush with the faces and two little saws that trim both ends to length. A fully banded piece comes out the other end ready to go. Even the most stalwart of Architects is willing to accept this method and the cost reduction. It is usually just a shelf, for crying out loud.

   Beat it to fit / Paint it to match

   
4. 
   ButchersWood | Jun 15, 2005 12:09am | #6

   I have a similar set of bits. I did not find them easy to use, and they actually consume more wood than what I ended up doing. I use about 3 bisquits per shelf to align. I use edge material a teeny bit thicker than the plywood and shoot for best alignment on the top side and glue up. When the glue has cured I then use a laminate trimmer to get the wide side close to thickness of the ply and sand to make the top flush.

   No doubt about it, any way you approach this it is work, but in the end I decided that using bisquits was less than any other method.

   Roger

   I'd rather be making cabinets and friends....

1. 
   CnotG | Feb 01, 2008 01:05am | #7

   My first visit to "knots" just saved me about $120.00. I was curious what others thought of these bits. (I was skeptical)

   Whenever the"gimmick guys" come out with someting new we're all tempted.

   I've been building custom furniture for over forty years and have always said tried and true methods don't need fixin'.