ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WOOD

. CONCEALING PLYWOOD EDGES

SELF-ADHESIVE BANDING

Applying self-adhesive edge banding

Set a household iron on High (without steam) and allow it to heat up. Meanwhile, secure the panel on edge in a vise or with clamps, as shown, and cut a strip of band­ing slightly longer than the edge to be covered. Set the banding adhesive-side down on the panel edge. Holding the banding in place with one hand, run the iron slowly along the panel edge, pressing the trim flat. The heat of the iron will melt the glue and bond the banding to the pan­el. Keep the iron moving; resting it on one spot for more than a few seconds will leave scorch marks. Flatten out the banding by running a small hand roller back and forth along the length of the panel edge. Shave off any excess banding with a lami­nate trimmer (page 68).

TONGUE-AND-GROOVE EDGE MOLDING

Push stick

SHOP TIP

Shop-made edge banding

Cut thin strips of edge banding from a board on the table saw. Make the stri slightly longer than the panel and at least as wide as the panel’s thickness. Secure the panel upright in a vise, then apply a thin glue bead along its edge.

Place the banding in place and tape.. firmly at 2-inch intervals. When the glue is dry shave off any excess banding with a laminate trimmer (page ЄЗ).

Cut the waste from one side of the tongue, then turn the board over and repeat the procedure to complete the tongue; finish each pass with a push stick (above, left). Cut the piece of mold­ing from the board. Finish the job by securing the panel upright in a vise and spreading some glue in the groove and on the tongue. Fit the two pieces togeth­er (inset) and clamp them in place with three-way clamps.