Trouble edging plywood

[Cooler]

I use the MLCS V band style set. https://www.amazon.com/MLCS-7732-Degree-...B000FNP54I   I find it's much easier to line everything up than the tongue and groove style.

I don't see that there is much difference either way.  Both offer good surface for the glue (though the tongue and groove has a bit more).  

I see the same downside:  The setup has to be perfect, and that took me too much time for small projects.  For large projects I think it is ideal.  It offers a very substantial amount of banding thickness.  Clamping is going to be very easy.  And unless the joint is completely glue-starved it will never come apart.

[WaterlooMarc]

To address a few questions. Festool track saw, Freud (not diablo) combination blade. All my clamps save two jets are bessey k bodies. I'll try to take some pictures tonight. The gaps aren't huge but they're definitely visible. Large enough to catch a fingernail on though if you drag it across.

I did some more last night and tried to be more careful and got better results. The only thing I did differently, other than being more careful, was I planed the wood closer to 3/4" before applying the edging. Normally I'll just joint the edge and rip the rough 4/4" stock to leave more overhang to trim later. I wonder if the excess off the faces of the plywood isn't my problem - causing uneven pressure or something.

Edit- I've considered the router bit sets but would like to avoid that as it seems like it would be so time consuming.

[Steve N]

I have one of these:  https://jet.com/product/detail/f93e50f49...7f595b5adc

The setup took horrifically long to do and it is done on a router table.  But once done, it is almost fool proof, and much stronger than almost any other system I've seen.



You could do a T-molding on the table saw.  If you do the above and slide the edge of very near the edge of the veneer it will look seamless.

You can take most of the work out of this type of router set up by just making one accurate cut the one into the plywood. Center it as well as you can, but you just need to eyeball it, no need to measure. On your cap piece just make it over sized, doesn't need to be much, just over sized. Again center the opposing cutter as well as you can by eyeballing it. Match and glue together your opposing pieces, clamp, and allow the glue to dry. I let them go overnight. When they are fully dry use a flush trim router bit with the pilot lying flat on the plywood, the cutters will neatly trim off the slight overage you had on your cap pieces. Hardly any stress doing it that way, and to look at them you got it down to a minuscule measurement.

[ez-duzit]

On the track saw make certain the base plate is adjusted for minimum clearance on the track guide.

[handi]

I use the V bit sets for edging quite often, but even these won't work properly without straight edges. The V sets will hide more of the joint, but the deeper issue here is why are the edges not straight?

[Steve N]

Without picchurs I'm not holding my breath they are that poorly cut, edged, jointed. There are gaps, and then there are holes you can walk through, might be it's not such a big issue?

I looked back, Coolers pic threw me and I started thinking in terms of heavy edging. The word used were "gaps where I apply the edge banding" If this is the tape banding commonly used to dress up a plywood edge, some of that stuff is just junk, has really uneven adhesive, and i imagine it would gap away from the edge, simply because it didn't stick. Marc, what are you actually using?

For the tape Fastcap always gets my vote

[JGrout]

I use the vee configuration (no tee cut though) but in the reverse of what is generally seen (edging female plywood male) As stated the solid is just slightly oversize and attached then finished to final thickness in whatever manner of choice you desire.

I never have issues 

JME

[rwe2156]

Most likely its you being too picky or slight tear out in the plywood.

What kind of blade are you using?

Try jointing the plywood on a jointer.

I always use iron on edge banding so this is never a problem for me

[WaterlooMarc]

I've taken a picture but it won't let me upload it since it's too large. I'll resize it when i remember to fire up a laptop. But the gaps I'm talking about are about the thickness of a (starrett) ruler mark. Maybe a little less.