Router Direction

[wcndave]

I have about 150m of edge banding to apply over the coming weeks, and it's slow and boring work. Been watching a few videos to try and get tips, and so I can drool over things like the Festool edge bander...

I noticed when trimming edges that a lot of them went the "wrong" way. Is this because it's such thin material, and a climb cut leaves a better finish?

 

[MatthewRedStars]

On very thin material like edge tape it makes very little difference. On real wood edge tape, I go which ever way the grain rises (so the tape doesn't split down the grain).

 

[Adam9453]

If you are using thin edge banding (1mm to 2mm) then just trim the excess of with a stanley blade scraper.

Its nice, quick and more importantly quiet.

 

[wcndave]

I've tried knives, chisels, blades, scrapers all, and never managed to get it very satisfactory, often wrecking the surface of the workpiece if it was real wood veneer. Happy to use a good edge trimming router to get fast and consistent results. My question was really whether it was "standard" to go the wrong way.

BTW: I am using 3mm ABS, so a blade would be hard work!

 

[Adam9453]

yeah if its 3mm then a router is the way I would do it.
I think as long as you've got a firm hold on the router it shouldn't really matter if you go the wrong way to avoid splitting.
Although I would try and stick to going the right way to avoid any mishaps.
Edge banding machines look great but unless you're doing edge banding a fair bit every day, they're just not worth the investment.
Its often more important to just get your parts and tools laid out efficiently, so you don't waste time walking backwards and forwards or keep changing tools etc.

 

[wcndave]

yeah if its 3mm then a router is the way I would do it.
I think as long as you've got a firm hold on the router it shouldn't really matter if you go the wrong way to avoid splitting.
Although I would try and stick to going the right way to avoid any mishaps.
Edge banding machines look great but unless you're doing edge banding a fair bit every day, they're just not worth the investment.
Its often more important to just get your parts and tools laid out efficiently, so you don't waste time walking backwards and forwards or keep changing tools etc.

I thought going the wrong way might actually be preferable, as I saw so many doing it online.

being efficient is right, however it's hard when I can only glue one edge at a time (need about 12 clamps of the appropriate length for each edge), then I have to wait 30 minutes to move on.

Gives me time to sharpen something

 

[RobinBHM]

There's nothing with climb cutting with a hand router, on very light cuts only, but not something that can really be recommended on a forum as it could be interpreted by somebody as the correct, safest, method.

Small rounding over cuts, small chamfers and edge flushing edge banding are often done by climb cutting. The reason is that the cut direction is towards the part that has already been machined away, so it means there is less chance of chipping out or that 'stringy' bit developing. Grain on timber varies though, sometimes normal way is better!

I believe CNC machines often climb cut for the same reason.

 

[wcndave]

Thanks. On my woodrat which is controlled so one can go in both directions you can see an amazing difference when you go the other way. the cuts are super clean.