For years, Lantz Custom Woodworking worked without an edgebander which was often a source of pride. Cabinets at LCW typically have face frames that don’t require significant amounts of edgebanding. Edgebanding is more often found in commercially produced plastic laminate cabinets. However, when LCW was contracted to provide millwork for two venues in James Madison University’s new Performing Arts Theatre, an edgebander became a necessity. There were numerous panels that required many linear feet of edgebanding and time limitations demanded a more automated solution.
To meet its diverse edgebanding needs, LCW purchased two separate pieces of equipment. The manual hot press edgebander (Hess) allows for application of wood edging up to 2” thick, 4” wide and 8’ long. Since this is not a feed through style edgebander, it also allows for banding to be mitered around the panel. The banding can also be wider than the panel that is being banded which is particularly useful when banding a drop front edge for a shelf.
The second machine is a feed through, automatic hot melt glue edgebander (Brandt) which is capable of applying up to 1/8” thick by 2” wide edgebanding. It has a pre-mill station ahead of the glue roller that ensures a square, clean surface for maximum glue adhesion. After applying the edgebanding, the banding is trimmed flush with the top and bottom surface and leading and trailing ends. Finally the edges are scraped and buffed clean. The speed and accuracy of this machine is astounding and now that it is available, LCW is able to take on jobs that it could not even consider in prior years.
Regardless of the size and configuration of panel and edgebanding to be applied, LCW can do the job.
Key Equipment:
Brandt edgebander
Hess edgebander
Lipping Planer