DIY Network

Versatile Bookshelves: Edge Banding and Joinery From "Freeform Furniture" episode DFFF-105

In this second segment host Amy Devers explains edge banding, demonstrates how to apply the material and then starts on the joinery.

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	Host Amy Devers shows how to apply edge banding to the shelves.

Materials:

3/4" plywood with walnut veneering
Cross-cut system
Pre-glued walnut edge banding
Pencil
Small roller
Edge band trimmer
Dowels
Masking tape
Dowel centers
Stainless steel tubes
Stainless steel washers
Threaded rod
Threaded insert
Screws
Nuts
Large forstner bit
Small forstner bit
1/2" drill bit
220-grit sandpaper
Cloths
Tent
Lacquer
Lacquer thinner
Sealer
400-grit sandpaper
Synthetic steel wool
Wood glue
Clamping blocks
Small paint brush
Metal chop saw
Safety glasses

Tools:

Table saw
Circular saw
Hot iron
Doweling jig (aluminum or wood)
Drill
Combination square
Tape measure
Clamps
Awl
Plastic mallet
Orbital sander
Professional spray gun
Disc sander

	Figure A
	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D
	Figure E
	Figure F
	Figure G
	Figure H

Edge Banding and Joinery

FYI: Edge band is just like tape but it's wood. It's pre-glued with a heat activated adhesive (figure A).

1. To adhere the edge banding, hold it against the work piece pressing firmly with an iron set on medium (figure B). As the glue melts, the edge banding adheres to the wood.

   Note: It is important to move the iron slowly.

2. With a small roller, apply pressure to the edge. This insures the melted adhesive gets a tight grip before it sets up.

3. The edge band comes a little oversized, so a tiny edge needs to be trimmed off. Use an edge band trimmer and run it along the edge (figure C) and it will trim it flush.

4. The next step is the joinery process. All of the joints in this piece are butt joints. A butt joint is just like it sounds--one piece of wood butted up to the other (figure D). They need to be reinforced, so you need to use dowels.

5. The first step in doweling is drilling the holes to receive them. Make sure that the holes on both sides of the joint line up properly. You can make a homemade doweling jig by welding some scraps of aluminum together (figure E) or make one out of wood--or you can just measure for each hole. Put it where you want the side panel to line up and drill the holes.

6. Make the measurements for the doweling jig a few inches off the end of the shelf using the combination square. Set the jig to each mark and then drill the dowel hole.

7. To make sure the holes are a uniform depth, use masking tape as a depth indicator on the drill bit. Repeat the process, drilling all of the dowel holes.

8. Secure the side panels to the work table. Again, using the jig, drill the corresponding holes to attach the butt joints (figure F).

9. Because the side panels are joined at the top and bottom to the shelves, drill the opposing ends on the side panels to receive the dowels.

10. Do a check fit. Put the pieces together with the dowels in the holes and make sure all the joints line up and everything is snug.

11. Insert the dowels in the top part of the side panel.

12. To finish this process off, fit the panel and the dowels together.

13. To construct the plinth (which is designed to give you clearance for feet, and or brooms or vacuums and it reinforces the shelves), drilling holes is the first step. Clamp the side of the plinth to the work table and using the doweling jig as a guide, drill equally spaced holes.

14. Insert the dowel centers into the holes. These will mark the spot for the dowels on the corresponding pieces of wood. To mark the placement for the dowels on the front section of the plinth, start by setting the 90-degree jig and clamp it down.

15. Line the side piece up with the jig and press down creating divots on the front of the plinth.

16. Use an awl and hammer and gently tap into the center of the mark. Set the drill in the indent and make the dowel holes using tape as a guide.

17. Insert dowels into the side (figure G), then the front of the plinth and the joints line up perfectly.

18. Dry fit all of the parts.

19. Drill the holes for the center supports.

    Note: To give you an idea of how this all goes together--the stainless steel tubes and washer act as a standoff between the two shelves. They also conceal the threaded rod. The threaded rod cinches everything together, and to anchor in there, it anchors into a threaded insert (figure H).

20. Create the hole for the threaded insert. It is a two step hole and is easy to make with two different sized forstner bits.

21. Make evenly spaced marks on the underside of the top panel.

22. Drill a shallow hole to house the top lip of the threaded insert.

    Note: A forstner bit is a specialty wood cutting bit that rides on semi-circular spurs and is used to make a clean flat bottom hole.

23. Next, with a narrower forstner bit, drill deep enough for the shaft. Test to make sure the threaded insert fits flush into the holes.

24. Drill holes in the three shelves for the bookcase with 1/2" drill bit. These holes are for the threaded rod to pass through.

In the next segment Amy applies the lacquer finish and installs the three boxes that make up the bookshelves.

RESOURCES :

Delta Woodworking Power Tools
Website: www.deltawoodworking.com

Festool
Website: www.festoolusa.com

Gladiator Garageworks by Whirlpool
Website: www.gladiatorgw.com

Stanley Tools Product Group
Website: www.stanleytools.com

Lie-Nielsen Toolworks, Inc.
Website: www.lie-nielsen.com

WMH Tool Group
Website: www.wmhtoolgroup.com

Power Tools (Porter Cable)
Porter Cable Power Tools
Website: www.portercable.com

Hand Tools
Garrett Wade Co., Inc.
Website: www.garrettwade.com

The Peck Tool Company
Website: www.pecktool.com

Biesemeyer
Website: www.biesemeyer.com

Jogensen Adjustable Clamp Company
Website: www.adjustableclamp.com

Adhesives, Abrasives and Safety Equipment
The 3M Company
Website: www.3m.com

Klein Tools
Website: www.kleintools.com

Ulmia GmbH
Website: www.ulmia.de

Woodcraft
Website: www.woodcraft.com

Shop Equipment
Eagle Manufacturing Company
Website: www.eagle-mfg.com

Lumber
Timber Products
Website: www.timberproducts.com

Spray Equipment
Apollo Sprayers Int'l. Inc.
Website: www.hvlp.com