The edgebanding machine has become an indispensable part of most workshops. In some cases, however, one still has to get along without a machine – for example, on-site, or when working with shaped parts or round workpieces. Ostermann has in its range not only many useful tools, but also relevant tips – from carpenters, for carpenters.

For manual bonding of furniture edgings, the Ostermann experts recommend the edging glue Redocol Kantol greenline. The solvent-free product was specially made for the manual bonding of ABS and PVC edgings. It is a medium-viscosity glue, characterised by a high initial tack and a very short setting time. 

Further processing is possible after only 30 minutes. To press the edging onto the substrate, use a piece of wood for protection. Apply clamps and press the edgings for approximately 30 minutes (a one-handed edge clamp is suited for this application).

One-handed edge clamps are a useful tool. Use them to press freshly bonded edgings onto the workpiece for approximately 30 minutes

Removal of lateral protrusions

After taking off clamps and pressing aids, protrusions of the edging can be removed with an edge trimmer. Depending on the thickness of an edging, there are different tools available. For up to 1mm-thick edgings, Ostermann offers the edge trimmers Covermatic and AU93. While Covermatic works like a plane and can only be used on one side of the edging at a time, the trimmer AU93 removes protrusions on both sides of the edging at the same time. 

A useful alternative for edgings of up to 1.5 mm in thickness is the edge trimmer RP28. It only cuts one side of the edging at a time, but it has an integrated scraper that can be used to post-process the radius in an additional step. For edgings from 2mm in thickness, the use of a router is recommended. 

Cutting the edging protrusion at the end of the board

To trim edgings exactly at the corners of right-angled workpieces, there are different guillotines available. They are all suitable for cutting ABS, melamine and veneer edgings, and trim the edging with one clean cut. When applying edgings to moulded elements, a mobile edgebanding machine can be used.

Close open-cut edges on round workpieces quickly and easily with T-bar edgings, even when on-site 

Here, Ostermann says to prepare an edging with a protrusion of approximately 2-5cm. Then the mobile machine can be used, bonding the edging with hotmelt adhesive. To ensure a flush joint, the Ostermann experts recommends its guillotine KG20R for butt joint gluing. It allows the edging to be cut to just 0.5-1mm before the butt. 

The hotmelt adhesive will have cooled down by this point, so can be reactivated with a hot-air gun, before putting pressure on the end of the edging using a small cork block. The heat will cause the edging to expand and it will fit precisely to the butt. Hold it for a while, until the glue has set, and the edging fits perfectly, says Ostermann. 

The Redocol scraper for radius provides cut-guiding recesses for edgings of 0.4, 1 or 2mm in thickness

Reworking the radius

To rework the radius, the Ostermann experts provide users with the Redocol hand scraper or the Redocol scraper for radius. The latter makes radius processing particularly easy, since it has cut-guiding recesses for edgings of 0.4, 1 or 2mm in thickness.

Finish – removal of stress whitening

Milling down plastic edgings can frequently result in minor tool marks and stress whitening. The Redocol sisal brush, with its special sisal-cloth combination, is an ideal tool for smoothing edgings and removing processing traces, as well as material remnants and stress whitening. 

This way users can achieve a radius shining with the same colour brilliance as the edging. In tight radii, stress whitening can sometimes also occur on the upper surface of the edging. 

A conventional hot-air gun can help. Heating the material will make the white areas disappear from the edging. Quickly re-polish the milled radius with the sisal brush, and the job is finished.

The edge trimmer RP28 is suited for edgings of up to 1.5mm in thickness, and has an integral scraper

Safe bet – T-Bar edgings

For manual edging on sites or for round workpieces, Ostermann delivers all 2mm ABS edgings with a T-bar as well. If the boards are thicker than that, users can even obtain edgings with two T-bars. 

To process these, mill a 3.5mm-thick groove into the board with a standard slot cutter, put glue onto the cut edge and hammer the edging with the T-bar into the groove. The special slot cutter with a second additional cutter makes it even easier. 

For the pinpoint preparation of edgings with two T-bars, there is a specially developed double-slot cutter for ABS edgings with two T-bars. When the T-bar edging is inserted, the only thing left to do is to rework the radius.

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