Banding Issue

Use a flush trimming bit in a router table with a fence tall enought to keep the shelf vertical. With the right setup you don’t really even need the bearing. The fence would be about 4” tall with a rabbett at the bottom to allow for the overhang of your applied edge a little taller than the thickness of the edge. The edge’s face goes down on the table with the shelf running against the fence. The fence is set so it leaves a thousandth or so of the edging proud of the veneer surface. You are kind of using the router as a small jointer. Then sand it lightly.

Scrapers work too.

I haven’t had to contend with today’s plywood much, yet. I bet the veneers are quite a bit thinner than when I stopped building cabinets. (12 years ago) The imported plywood these days (and even then) has very thin veneer and does not take much to sand through. I tried to buy the domestic stuff with 1/28 ” veneer. We used to use a belt sander with a worn belt without much trouble. Still had to be careful.

-- Michael Murphy, Woodland, CA.

I use a ROS moving it quickly along the edge at 20 degrees give or take with hardly any pressure

-- W James Brokenbourgh Custom furniture maker http://artisticwoodstudio.com/

I generally use a flush trim bit as well. I have also used a ros but, as Jim says, you have to be careful not to sand through the veneer.

-- Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful- Joshua Marine

The veneer on the plywood is surprisingly thin considered what I paid for the stuff. I never even thought to use my router table, I will next time for sure! I managed to finish the job with a ROS, being extremely careful. The place I sanded through is a great place to put the brass gift tag I was planning on attaching:)

Thanks.

I agree with Jim on the ROS. For years I did that with a belt sander, although I would not recommend doing it that way. Takes a very light touch with the sander.

And yes, thin veneer has become quite a problem for all of us.

A flush trim bit is also a good method.

-- She thought I hung the moon--now she just thinks I did it wrong