Plywood Edging Bits
These router bits help you dress up exposed plywood edges.
- • Blades and Bits
- • Burgess Edge Set
- • Edge V-groove bits
- • PlyPrep
Blades and Bits
Hardwood-veneer plywood may be a woodworker's best friend: Dimensionally stable, it won't swell and shrink like solid wood when humidity levels change; it costs less than solid wood; and you can find it readily at home centers in several common species. Of course, this workshop standard has an ugly side -- or more accurately, an ugly edge.
The thin layers (or plys) of wood that make up plywood show themselves as an unattractive striping best hidden on your projects. Woodworkers sometimes glue and/or tack on a thin band of solid wood to mask the plys, but a mismatch in grain or color can belie the fix. Thin iron-on strips of veneer banding provide a less noticeable remedy; however, the heat-activated glue sometimes weakens over the long haul, and you can't add an edge treatment, such as a round-over.
Looking for a better way to treat plywood edges (and those of other hardwood-veneer sheet goods, such as MDF), we found three bits or bit sets designed specifically to improve -- though not necessarily make easier -- the task of edge-banding 3/4" plywood. (Similar bits also work with 1/2" plywood.) After testing them in our shop, we're ready to reveal the pros and cons of each.
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It sounds like this could be one of the harder router bit sets to use. I found one here ( http://www.precisionbits.com/router-bit-sets.html ) that looks somewhat easier to use. What do you guys think? I'm buying it as a gift for my husband. What set should I get? Thanks for your help.
11/10/2011 12:43:29 PM Report AbuseI bought this set and couldn't figure out how to get it to work proerly. It kept getting very wavy on me. I went through a lot of wood trying to master it but finally gave up!
4/16/2010 01:04:28 PM Report AbuseNo mention of a 60 degree tongue and groove? I've used that on a few projects (with the banding emphasized instead of hidden) and it works very nicely. It is very similar to the v-groove, but when used with a flush trim bit gives very nice results. Plus, it gives a stronger joint than any of those mentioned in this article.
4/8/2010 05:29:54 PM Report AbuseI used hardwood "V" strips to cover the edges of hardwood-veneer plywood on a large armoire. I used my tablesaw to cut all the bevels, both in the plywood edges and on the hardwood. I cut the bevels on the solid hardwood board edge before ripping the strip off. It was a lot of work but it came out really nice. I used a sacrificial fence and a good blade on my tablesaw for the "V" groove work. A good tablesaw and fence is a must, I'm sure for the tolerances to work.
4/8/2010 11:24:14 AM Report Abuse