Jun 01 2013

Edging with 2 mm edge using a hair dryer

A two-millimeter PVC edge, in my opinion, best solution for edging laminated chipboard. It is also the most durable and looks more “rich” on the product than 0.4; there is nothing to say about melamine. If it were up to me, I would edge all the parts with a “kopeck piece”, but the price for it is steep, especially if you order the edge in a workshop.

Therefore, I try to glue it myself, especially since today you can buy in stores an edge with hot melt glue already applied to it. This manipulation makes it more expensive by just one ruble per linear meter- KOPEYKS.

So, to glue a 2 mm PVC edge with hot melt adhesive applied, we need: the edge itself. Heat gun (construction hair dryer), router with finger cutter (or edge router), hacksaw blade, metal ruler.

Traditionally, we fix the workpiece vertically, preferably on a workbench or at least a stool).

We measure the length of the edge, cut off the required piece, apply it to the workpiece and, heating the glue with a hairdryer, press it to the end of the part. We carefully iron it by hand (some craftsmen use a felt-covered block or rolling rollers for this). You need to wear gloves to work, otherwise it’s easy to burn your hands.

On radii, the edge must first be heated so that it softens - then it will lie much more evenly.

Having glued the entire surface, we saw off the overhangs from the ends with a simple hacksaw blade.

Let's move on to the overhangs from the sides. To remove them we need a router. Ideally, a special edge cutter, but without fish... I use a Ryobi universal router. It is quite massive and inconvenient for such work, but the result is quite satisfactory. Cylindrical cutter with bearing. It is advisable to use rip fence(in the article this moment is described too complicatedly - everything should be clear in the photo).

You have to be careful at radii, because... the base “falls through” and you have to work under the roof - there is a high risk of cutting the laminate.

I try to ensure that the cutter blades leave about 0.1-0.2 mm of the edge uncut - i.e. do not reach the edge of the workpiece by this distance. This measure prevents damage to the surface due to careless movement, but requires additional steps later.

Removal of this residue is done with a metal ruler in the same way as melamine.

After the final removal of the overhangs, the edges of the edges turn out to be sharp - our task is to smooth them out. This is done using the same ruler. Turning it at an angle, we scratch the sharp edge, rounding it, and removing unevenness in the milling. We work carefully at the junction of the edge with the laminate to avoid damaging it.

In this way, we smooth both sharp edges along the entire length, and at the same time remove the excess glue protruding from under the joint. As a result, we get the following:

Of course, it is better to use a specialized edge router for this, such as this one. It is much more convenient to work with them: they use a molding cutter, so there is no need to modify the edge later, they are much smaller in size, which means they can be operated with one hand.

BUT the cost of this device, as a rule, exceeds 5000 rubles, therefore, I am using my 800 Watt one. It turned out like this:

Edging is a basic step in the process of manufacturing cabinet furniture from slab materials. The article about the easiest way to edge was shown - manually, using ordinary household tools. There are highly specialized tools designed for cutting edges that can make the work of a furniture maker much easier and faster.

Tool for end (end) edge trimming WEGOMA KG94.

The tool allows you to quickly and accurately cut the end of melamine, PVC or ABS edges up to 1.2 mm thick and up to 54 mm wide with one click.

KG94 is made of durable plastic, equipped with two removable knives that work on the principle of scissors. If necessary, the lower parts can be replaced with new ones or sharpened. The fixed knife is adjustable in terms of reach and installation angle, this allows you to set a minimum, uniform gap between the cutting edges of the knives to obtain a high-quality cut.

Photo of the KG94 trimmer from different sides.

Operation of the lever and knives.

The KG94 trimmer is installed on the part.
To perform trimming, you need to press the lever.

Pruner KG94 in the process of trimming. The lever is partially pressed.

Edge trimmed with tool KG94
In the photo, the yellow one is melamine edge, “Wenge” is ABS.

If the adjacent end of the part had a glued edge, after trimming sometimes a small amount of glue remains, which is easily removed solvent or mechanically.

Tool for longitudinal edge trimming WEGOMA AU93.

The tool is designed for double-sided longitudinal cutting of edges up to 0.5 mm thick and up to 40 mm wide. For each edge overhang, two knives work: the main knife cuts off the overhang (excess) of the edge flush with the face of the part, the other one removes an angular chamfer from the edge edge and/or cleans up possible flaws in the work of the first knife.

Structurally, AU93 consists of two mirror-identical plastic elements - half-bodies, connected to each other through two guide bushings with springs inside. Each half-body has three removable, adjustable knives, which allows you to work with the tool on either side, or adjust the sides to work with edge materials of different thicknesses. The main double knife has an adjustment for contact with the face. Additional two chamfering knives are adjustable for reach.

Photo of the AU93 trimmer from different sides.

Disassembled longitudinal trimmer. The smaller the edge width, the more the springs have to be compressed. When working with Chipboard thickness up to 18 mm, it makes sense to install weaker springs, or remove them altogether.

Half body. The main knife adjustment screw is visible.

Adjustment screw of one of the additional knives.

Set of new knives for AU93. A similar kit can be purchased for the KG94 end trimmer.

The minimum possible thickness of the workpiece is 14 mm.

WEGOMA AU93 at work. The edge is melamine (yellow) and ABS (Wenge).

Melamine and ABS edges are cut to length.

Based on the results of using these WEGOMA tools in the production of cabinet furniture from laminated chipboards, the following conclusions can be drawn.

End trimmer WEGOMA KG94 is a universal, useful and necessary tool. It can be safely recommended to any furniture maker who still uses a knife. The trimmer works equally well with melamine, PVC and ABS edges, as well as with HPL plastic used for edging kitchen countertops. With sharp and adjusted knives, the cut is perfect or close to perfect, requiring only light sanding with an emery block.

Longitudinal edge trimmer WEGOMA AU93 does not always demonstrate in practice excellent results. When working with melamine edges, the tool often leaves an unnoticeable but tactile step that must be sanded down. Adjusting the main cutter knives did not lead to the desired result. On an ABS edge, there is virtually no step problem. Additional knives do not justify themselves at all; they work with varying success, depending on the force of pressing the half-shells to the material and the point of application of this force. An important advantage of the AU93 longitudinal trimmer is that it allows you to comfortably work with long, large parts in any spatial position.

Edge processing is an integral process in the manufacture of almost any wooden product. Just two or three decades ago, an edge cutter was in short supply for most home craftsmen. Now on the market these products are considered affordable consumables both for professional machines and for hand tools (milling cutters). On sale you can easily find the most various models cutters, even to create edges with intricate curved geometric shapes.

Edge cutter design

Structurally, all cutters for an edge router consist of three parts:

Shank, which is clamped into the chuck of the device used. The standard shape of this part of the cutter is for hand tools- cylindrical, with a groove for better fixation. For professional use V special machines They produce nozzles with a cone-shaped clamping part. This component is made of structural alloy steel.
cutting part, the shape of which determines the configuration of the processed edge. It can be made as a single unit with a shank or with replaceable cutting elements. The design of the shank of some models allows you to install several of these parts at the same time. The blades of these cutter elements are made from tool high speed steel or special hard alloys.
Bearing(if provided for by the design), which is installed in the upper or lower part of the shank. A set of such devices different diameters allows you to adjust the depth of cut.

Edge cutters

Let's take a closer look existing species devices. The most popular and sought after variety cutting tool for processing the ends - an edge cutter with a bearing (upper or lower, less often with both at the same time). With the help of such devices, you can process both straight edges and according to a pre-made template, which is especially important when making several identical wooden parts. In terms of the geometric shape of the cutting element, such cutters are very diverse and allow you to create a smooth end at a right angle to the surface wooden blank, and the most complex, curved edges.

Straight cutter

After processing the end with a straight edge cutter with a bearing, the angle between horizontal surface and the furnished edge is 90˚. The choice of the size of the working part of such nozzles directly depends on the thickness of the edge that needs to be processed. Very often, such devices are used not only to level the entire surface of the end, but also to remove protruding elements wooden structure, for example, veneer glued to a tabletop.

Taper cutters can also be included in this category. An edge processed using such an attachment has smooth surface, located at an angle to the surface of the canvas. The dimensions and configuration of the cutting element depend on the thickness and required slope of the edge.

Moulder edge mill

The concave surface of the cutting part of such a cutter allows you to make rounded edges of various wood products. Most Applications These attachments are found in the manufacture of tabletops, processing the ends of shelves or armrests of chairs. The edge surface made using this type of device is ¼ circle. The size of the cutting part of such a cutter is selected depending on the thickness of the material and the required radius of curvature of the edge.

Fillet cutter

This geometry cutter cutting edge is a mirror image of the moulding. The cutting element is made in the form of an outwardly curved arc of a circle. It is intended for arranging an edge with a concave recess. Such products are widely used in the manufacture of simple-shaped skirting boards or furniture legs.

Cutters for joining individual elements

Quite often wooden product consists of several parts, which are subsequently connected with glue. In order to firmly and reliably join the individual elements, the edges of the parts are processed with special cutters. The cutting elements of such products allow you to create connections:

“in a quarter” (a recess is made on one side of the end of each part square section, the width and depth of which are equal to ½ of the thickness of the canvas);
with sampling rectangular shape, the depth of which depends on the diameter of the installed bearing or the adjusting devices of the device used;
“tenon and groove” (a protrusion is made on one part, and the same recess is made on the second);

multi-tented (several rectangular grooves are cut at the ends of the first part, and the same number of protrusions are cut on the second part).

Attachments for making curly ends

Such products are designed to create complex geometric edge shapes. With their help, blanks are made for baguette frames paintings or photographs, process the ends of exclusive furniture, doors and window openings. Nozzles are produced in ready-made form monolithic design, and with the ability to install two or more different cutters on the shank, which allows you to create an edge according to your own design preferences.

One of the varieties of such devices is intended for decorative processing edges of door panels and production of skirting boards of various shapes.

Manufacturers and prices

The range of edge cutters for wood is quite wide and varied. These products can be purchased separately. The price of these attachments depends on the manufacturer, the configuration of the cutting element and its size. For example, a straight FIT cutter with a diameter of 10 mm and a working length of 20 mm costs about 150 rubles, and a Bosh edge moulder with a radius of 14 mm and a lower bearing will cost you 900 rubles.

Many manufacturers offer sets of cutters (from six pieces or more in one set):

with products of the same shape, but different standard sizes of the working part;
with cutters, the size and shape of the cutting element of which differs, is most often used in self-processing of wooden structures.

For example, a FIT set of 6 most commonly used devices costs 790 rubles, and a HAMMER set (of 12 or 15 pieces) costs 2000 or 2400 rubles, respectively.