I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

(Malcolm Webb) writes:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Just saw a set of router bits on the Lee Valley side that are made for
such a job.

--
Dr. Juergen Hannappel http://lisa2.physik.uni-bonn.de/~hannappe
Phone: +49 228 73 2447 FAX ... 7869
Physikalisches Institut der Uni Bonn Nussallee 12, D-53115 Bonn, Germany
CERN: Phone: +412276 76461 Fax: ..77930 Bat. 892-R-A13 CH-1211 Geneve 23

"Malcolm Webb" wrote in message
o.uk...
I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

You can either edge it by glueing on 1/4" thick solid wood or you can buy
some edge banding material that comes with a heat sensitive glue on the
back. You hold it in place and run a normal clothes iron over it. You then
trim the edges flush. The solid wood option is a better option, but more
work.

Frank

"Juergen Hannappel" wrote in message
...
(Malcolm Webb) writes:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Just saw a set of router bits on the Lee Valley side that are made for
such a job.

What do the router bits do? Do they convert plywood to solid wood?

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 13:44:29 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" wrote:


"Juergen Hannappel" wrote in message
...
(Malcolm Webb) writes:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Just saw a set of router bits on the Lee Valley side that are made for
such a job.


What do the router bits do? Do they convert plywood to solid wood?


Yes. It is very clever. Matt Drudge says at his website that LV got it
from the Bush Campaign. Had Kerry pulled ahead in the polls the Bushies
were going to use it to convert Kerry from veneer ply to solid wood and
then stage a coup. But then Teresa would have had a nice looking solid
piece to put someplace in her Beacon Hill home, and that way she'd always
have solid wood when she needed it.

On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 12:38 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Malcolm Webb) wrote:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

How do you intend to finish the shelving?

I would finish the edges with a 3/4 to one inch thick band of wood.
the choice of wood depends on your plans to finish. If you are
painting then you could use clear pine, otherwise I would use birch so
that the edge matches the grain and color of the veneer on the
plywood.

TWS
http://tomstudwell.com/allprojects.htm

Use wood to edge band, as the others have said.
I have used a 3/4 strip to cover the edges of ply or particle board
shelving in a similar project. It is a lot faster to install than iron on
edge banding.
It can be finished where the plastic banding cannot be. If the edges are in
a high use area such as a desk top or dvd/tape shelf in an entertainment
unit, it is more durable.

Matt



"Malcolm Webb" wrote in message
o.uk...
I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

You can use apple or fin ply which can be a decorative modern looking edge
just sanded and finished.
Solid wood is an option, using either birch or maple to match or walnut to
contrast.
The most common option is iron on edge tape. It comes in every flavor and is
real wood. The only hassle is you have plain square edges. The edges are
also fragile in case you have kids, have a big dog or get drunk and throw
stuff.
max

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

If you want the thin line of veneer banding,
then I would recommend cope & profile Y-mould. Looks like edge banding but a
whole lot more durable.

-Rick

On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 12:38 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Malcolm Webb) wrote:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

I'd stay away from the glue or iron on stuff...
On things that are protected, it can be very good, but a bookshelf is
going to have books sliding over that edge...

I've used that glue on stuff a let... sanded the corners and edges
flat, left them flush, bent them around the edge, etc... they always
get snagged on something eventually...

if you really want to hide 'em, I saw one web page where the guy had
cut a wide "V" down the edges and matched the V on 3/4" wide plywood
edging, so that the edging showed face only.... looked like solid wood
with a line down each side, but no end grain showed...
I thought that it was kind of a neat concept..

(Malcolm Webb) wrote in
o.uk:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?



At 24" wide, the baltic birch should be sufficiently rigid to keep from
sagging, however...

A piece of appropriate hardwood, placed on edge, to form a lip, does two
things. The assembly is stiffer, with a beam-like addition on the front.
And the hanging cleats or hardware are somewhat visually obscured.

Attach with your favorite joinery methods. Justify buying a new tool, if
you so desire.

Patriarch

"Howard" wrote in message
...
mac davis wrote:

if you really want to hide 'em, I saw one web page where the guy had
cut a wide "V" down the edges and matched the V on 3/4" wide plywood
edging, so that the edging showed face only.... looked like solid wood
with a line down each side, but no end grain showed...
I thought that it was kind of a neat concept..

I'm trying to picture how to do this... Can you remember where you
saw this? I assume this strip is cut with a router or shaper(?).


I have cut a double miter into the edge of plywood many times, and they fit
a piece of 3/4 stock into it. I just did it on my table saw. Stood the
plywood on edge and set the blade to 45 degrees. Set my rip fence and made
two pushes through the saw. You can make your life easier if you throw a
simple auxiliary fence on your fence - one that stands several inches
higher, in order to give your plywood more support.
--

-Mike-

To play the devil's advocate, I've had great success with the iron-on
veneer edging. As was stated earlier, it is real wood, so it will take
a finish and look almost exactly like the plywood it is attached to. I
was skeptical of it at first too, but I've built a couple of
high-traffic bookcases and tabletops usint the stuff, and I've never
had a single problem with it.

It is very easy to apply- you just roll it out along the edge of the
plywood and follow along with an iron- the glue melts and adheres in
just a couple of seconds. Another big plus is that there is no
clamping. I can't imagine trying to clamp 1/4" strips all along the
front of a bookcase.

One other point, when you glue 1/4" or 3/4" hardwood strips around the
edges, you can usually see the line where the strip meets the plywood-
no matter how much you try to sand it smooth. With the iron-on veneer,
it is essentially invisible.

I'm not in any way related to any veneer firms- I promise! I'm just
surprised when people recommend against using it since I've found it
to be so easy and effective.


mac davis wrote in message . ..
On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 12:38 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Malcolm Webb) wrote:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

I'd stay away from the glue or iron on stuff...
On things that are protected, it can be very good, but a bookshelf is
going to have books sliding over that edge...

I've used that glue on stuff a let... sanded the corners and edges
flat, left them flush, bent them around the edge, etc... they always
get snagged on something eventually...

if you really want to hide 'em, I saw one web page where the guy had
cut a wide "V" down the edges and matched the V on 3/4" wide plywood
edging, so that the edging showed face only.... looked like solid wood
with a line down each side, but no end grain showed...
I thought that it was kind of a neat concept..

I'd stay away from the glue or iron on stuff...
On things that are protected, it can be very good, but a bookshelf is
going to have books sliding over that edge...

I've used that glue on stuff a let... sanded the corners and edges
flat, left them flush, bent them around the edge, etc... they always
get snagged on something eventually...

I still prefer wood, but when using edge banding it's a good idea to round
the edges as much as you can with a bit of sandpaper. This way there's
nothing to snag or catch.

As everyone else suggests, use a hard wood edge. I usually slice 3/8"
wide strips from 4/4 stock. Do this on the outside of the tablesaw
blade. There are some tricks to this, if anyone asks, I'll explain.

Or you can use a strip of moulding for a fancier edge. I like using a
bell curve profile but half rounds can work too.

In our shop we apply these using tape instead of clamps (no nail holes
or clamp dents). You can get some kind of stretchy tape just for this
or use masking. Just be careful that the tape doesn't pull up grain of
veener. This should be OK on Birch, Oak or mahogany can be a problem.

Make the strip a little wider than the ply. Glue it up so the bottom
is flush and the top rides high. Then use a scraper to pull the top
down flush, just until you take a shave of the veneer. I am a power
tool guy all the way but this is pretty much the best use of a scraper
I've seen and the best way to pull down the hard wood edge that I've
found.

If you are going to use edge banding (the glued/ironed on veneer
strip) make sure to fill any voids if you are using veneer core ply.
MDF core is better for this, no voids. Voids will telegraph and/or be
points of bad adhesion. I wouldn't edge band this application, but if
you do, really pull the edge down away from the top to minimize and
nicking of the edge band when removing iotems.


(Malcolm Webb) wrote in message . co.uk...
I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

"Bill Wallace" wrote in message
om...
As everyone else suggests, use a hard wood edge. I usually slice 3/8"
wide strips from 4/4 stock. Do this on the outside of the tablesaw
blade. There are some tricks to this, if anyone asks, I'll explain.


Bill, can you explain? Thx...



Or you can use a strip of moulding for a fancier edge. I like using a
bell curve profile but half rounds can work too.

In our shop we apply these using tape instead of clamps (no nail holes
or clamp dents). You can get some kind of stretchy tape just for this
or use masking. Just be careful that the tape doesn't pull up grain of
veener. This should be OK on Birch, Oak or mahogany can be a problem.

Make the strip a little wider than the ply. Glue it up so the bottom
is flush and the top rides high. Then use a scraper to pull the top
down flush, just until you take a shave of the veneer. I am a power
tool guy all the way but this is pretty much the best use of a scraper
I've seen and the best way to pull down the hard wood edge that I've
found.

If you are going to use edge banding (the glued/ironed on veneer
strip) make sure to fill any voids if you are using veneer core ply.
MDF core is better for this, no voids. Voids will telegraph and/or be
points of bad adhesion. I wouldn't edge band this application, but if
you do, really pull the edge down away from the top to minimize and
nicking of the edge band when removing iotems.


(Malcolm Webb) wrote in message
. co.uk...
I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

On Mon, 8 Nov 2004 12:38 +0000 (GMT Standard Time),
(Malcolm Webb) wrote:

I shall shortly be lining out a redundant window alcove to form a set of
bookshelves. The dimensions are 80 inches tall; 24 inches wide and 10
inches deep. I am minded to use 3/4 inch birch ply. What does the team
suggest is the best way to hide the end grain on the front edges of the
carcase and shelves?

Many thanks.

Malcolm Webb

Usually I will use solid wood. If you use a solid wood lip on the
shelves it will give it additional strength.

On 8 Nov 2004 12:16:59 -0800, (Chuck)
scribbled:

To play the devil's advocate, I've had great success with the iron-on
veneer edging. As was stated earlier, it is real wood, so it will take
a finish and look almost exactly like the plywood it is attached to. I
was skeptical of it at first too, but I've built a couple of
high-traffic bookcases and tabletops usint the stuff, and I've never
had a single problem with it.

I have. In my experience, it tends to come off after a few years. I
had some bookshelves in my office where the veneer tape had curled
off. There could be any number of reasons of that (e.g. dry climate,
my technique in applying it, edge cuts that are not completely
straight, etc.), but it hasn't worked for me.

It is very easy to apply- you just roll it out along the edge of the
plywood and follow along with an iron- the glue melts and adheres in
just a couple of seconds. Another big plus is that there is no
clamping. I can't imagine trying to clamp 1/4" strips all along the
front of a bookcase.

Easy enough with masking tape.

One other point, when you glue 1/4" or 3/4" hardwood strips around the
edges, you can usually see the line where the strip meets the plywood-
no matter how much you try to sand it smooth. With the iron-on veneer,
it is essentially invisible.

True enough. However, for aesthetics, I use a contrasting wood so I
don't get the fugly line and weird change in grain direction. BTW. I
tend to use 3/4" by 3/4" edging. The thinner stuff does not look good,
IMNSHO.

Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 16:56:38 GMT, Howard wrote:

mac davis wrote:

if you really want to hide 'em, I saw one web page where the guy had
cut a wide "V" down the edges and matched the V on 3/4" wide plywood
edging, so that the edging showed face only.... looked like solid wood
with a line down each side, but no end grain showed...
I thought that it was kind of a neat concept..

I'm trying to picture how to do this... Can you remember where you
saw this? I assume this strip is cut with a router or shaper(?).

---
Howard Lee Harkness
Healthcare for the uninsurable: http://AffHC.HLHins.com
Best Dental plan on the market: http://Dental.HLHins.com
Insurance for ex-pats or H1-Bs: http://H1b.HLHins.com
General insurance information: http://www.HLHins.com

not sure where I saw it, but my guess would be the edge is 2 passes
with a bevel bit and router table.. and the edging strip could be made
with 2 passes through a table saw set at about 45 degrees?

Another way to picture what they did was to see it fitting kind of
like a v-belt fits in a pulley... you see the back of the belt, but
not the sides/edges...

Damn, I have the bug now.. I'd run out and try it, but my neighbors
would kill me, since it's 11 pm..lol

On Mon, 08 Nov 2004 20:25:07 -0800, Luigi Zanasi
wrote:

On 8 Nov 2004 12:16:59 -0800, (Chuck)
scribbled:

To play the devil's advocate, I've had great success with the iron-on
veneer edging. As was stated earlier, it is real wood, so it will take
a finish and look almost exactly like the plywood it is attached to. I
was skeptical of it at first too, but I've built a couple of
high-traffic bookcases and tabletops usint the stuff, and I've never
had a single problem with it.

I have. In my experience, it tends to come off after a few years. I
had some bookshelves in my office where the veneer tape had curled
off. There could be any number of reasons of that (e.g. dry climate,
my technique in applying it, edge cuts that are not completely
straight, etc.), but it hasn't worked for me.

It is very easy to apply- you just roll it out along the edge of the
plywood and follow along with an iron- the glue melts and adheres in
just a couple of seconds. Another big plus is that there is no
clamping. I can't imagine trying to clamp 1/4" strips all along the
front of a bookcase.

Easy enough with masking tape.

One other point, when you glue 1/4" or 3/4" hardwood strips around the
edges, you can usually see the line where the strip meets the plywood-
no matter how much you try to sand it smooth. With the iron-on veneer,
it is essentially invisible.

True enough. However, for aesthetics, I use a contrasting wood so I
don't get the fugly line and weird change in grain direction. BTW. I
tend to use 3/4" by 3/4" edging. The thinner stuff does not look good,
IMNSHO.

Luigi
Replace "nonet" with "yukonomics" for real email address
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/antifaq.html
www.yukonomics.ca/wooddorking/humour.html

Same here... it's cool for an edge that doesn't get dragged against...
you can actually miter it and sand smooth...
My problem with it is that once you catch an edge on something, it
drives me nuts..

Here you go: http://www.woodworkingtips.com/etips/etip111700wb.html

Mike Pio wrote:


As everyone else suggests, use a hard wood edge. I usually slice 3/8"
wide strips from 4/4 stock. Do this on the outside of the tablesaw
blade. There are some tricks to this, if anyone asks, I'll explain.

Bill, can you explain? Thx...