Woodworking Video from YouTube. Watcha nd enjoy!
Another way to conceal the edge is to create a raised lip. With this approach, a straight wooden strip conceals the edge and then triangular strips or molding blends the plain lip with the slab of plywood. One trick here is that if you make two rabbet cuts in the strip you intend to use to cover the edge, such that the strip resembles the letter "T", and a groove in the plywood edge, you can then have that one strip piece do the work of two. Just router the lip to the angle you would like it to have.
Yet another way that the plywood edges can be concealed is during the actual construction by using solid wood stock inserts at the corners where the pieces meet and hide glue blocks behind the corners to give them support. However this requires some pre-planning since the inserts take up space and may change a project's dimensions, and solid wood is often more expensive than plywood, especially for the more exotic species.
And then there is the relatively easy way to conceal edges by using wood tape products, which are suitable for use on all natural finishes, not just plywood. These wood tapes, also called "edge banding", come in rolls that are actually flexible bands of thin veneer, either real wood, or simulated wood grain. More and more colors have come on the market so you should be able to find a match for just about any species of wood that has been used as a surface veneer on plywood. These wood tapes are thin enough that you can cut them with a knife, yet strong enough that you don't have to worry about breaking them.
Along with the array of different colors and grain patterns are different types of application methods. Some are self-adhesive; others are applied with yellow or white carpenter's glue or with contact cement. If you work with yellow or white glue, it is best to apply thin coatings of the adhesive to both surfaces and wait for the glue to become tacky before putting the tape in place.
If you work with contact cement, follow the instructions on the container. This adhesive is a bit trickier because you must make sure the initial placement of the edge banding tape is correct since contact cement bonds immediately on contact with itself on the other surface.
There are also edge banding tapes that use a factory applied thermal setting adhesive. One of them is a veneer that is 1/48th of an inch thick and very easy to apply. The heat needed for the application of the edge banding is available by pressing the tape with an ordinary household iron that you use for getting wrinkles out of clothes. The tape comes with a paper backing that you peel off before use, but dont strip off long pieces of the paper backing in advance. Instead, remove it little by little as you go long. This tape is sticky enough so the tape holds on its own, but the bond will not be effective or permanent until you run over it with an iron set at 400 degrees Fahrenheit, or the usual setting used for cotton.
Be sure the panel edges are square, smooth and free of sawdust no matter what tape you decide to apply. It is not necessary to fill the plywood edges, but you should plug any large cavity that might cause a hollow to form when the tape is applied.
Thermal set edge banding can be worked on as soon as it has cooled. Those that have been applied using contact cement are ready to work on right away, and those that use yellow or white jobs require the correct amount of set time after clamping before you can work on those edges.
Carefully and lightly plane off any tape overhang on the edge or use a razor knife to carefully, and smoothly cut the overhang off if your plywood edge was narrower than the tape used. You can sand edge banding wood tape as you would any veneer, but you need to be aware of their thinness. All are quite smooth, so minimum sandpaper work is needed.
However, be aware that even though the veneer tapes are the easiest to apply, sooner or later the tape may chip or fray.
Make Your Own Edge Banding Tape Aligning Roller
There are special little roller devices that can help you align the edge banding tapes perfectly on any width of plywood as well as apply pressure during gluing, or you can make your own.
Using 1/4 plywood, cut 2 rectangular pieces, 7.5" x 2" ; one piece that is 3/4" x 7.5"; and a 3/4" roller cut from a 1 inch hardwood dowel. This roller will ride on a nail or bolt axle. In fact, you can make a little tape roller for any thickness of plywood you need.
Align the two 7.5" pieces and cut a 45 degree angle into one of the 2" sides. With them still aligned, drill a small hole for your nail or bolt that is 1-inch in from the longest side and 1-inch down. This will expose half of the radius of the roller. Drill a slightly larger hole in the center of the roller so that it will roll smoothly on the axle. Insert the nail through the 2 sides and through the roller.
On the short side, place the 3/4" piece of wood between the 2 larger pieces and glue or nail it in place. This will keep the 2 sides separated and give you a place to ride your thumb on as you roll it along the edge of the plywood.
On the longer side, use a scroll saw or bandsaw to shape it into a long, gracefully curved handle that is comfortable for your hand to grasp, and voila! You now have your own tape roller.
Incidentally, an added bonus of these veneer tapes is that they may be used as inlay strips or for marquetry because they cut so easily with a knife or shears. This is especially true of the multi-colored, multi-species veneer edge banding that you can purchase in a myriad of intricate patterns already "inlaid" for you.
Mark Dunne is a successful freelance writer providing advice on your a number of topics like
Concrete Articles and Drywall Plaster if you have time drop by his site for some tips and information. http://www.diystuff.com
how to refinish hardwood floors: how to sand hardwood floors
how to refinish hardwood floors: how to sand hardwood floors
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