Precautions for common edge banding issues in woodworking during winter

Winter temperatures are low, which can cause problems with the edge banding process in furniture making. Below are some precautions for edge banding furniture in winter, which we hope will be helpful to our woodworking friends.

Problem 1: Long melting time or excessively thick glue

1. Check the glue tank for carbon deposits that may be hindering or prolonging heat transfer time. If present, they must be removed.

2. Check if the heating elements are all working properly.

3. Increase the temperature by 10℃-20℃.

4. Replace with a product with a slightly lower viscosity and softening point.

Question 2: The adhesive open time is too short.

1. Increase operating temperature (10℃-20℃)

2. Increase the machine's operating speed.

3. Increase the amount of adhesive applied.

4. Mixing in or replacing products with long open periods.

5. Heating the edge banding strip or board (usually using heat lamps or hot air blowers) artificially raises the ambient temperature, generally above 15℃.

Question 3: The edge banding is easy to tear after completion, and the edges are not glued.

1. Check whether the edge sealing and primer coating are up to standard.

2. Check if the adhesive layer is flattened after tearing. If it is flattened, increase the temperature appropriately, or mix in a product with strong penetration and cold resistance; if clear marks from the applicator are visible, increase the amount of adhesive applied and the pressure.

3. Replace with products that have stronger cold resistance.

Question 4: Not enough adhesive to seal thicker boards (over 28mm)

1. Increase the operating temperature.

2. Reduce the working speed of the edge banding machine.

3. Mix in or replace products with lower viscosity and softening point.

Question 5: Edge banding and grooving are prone to chipping and delamination.

1. Edge chipping is mostly caused by the edge seal being too brittle. Replace it with an edge seal that still has strong toughness under low temperature conditions.

2. Use hot melt adhesive with strong penetration, strong adhesion, and good toughness.

3. Seal the edges and immediately cut the groove.

4. Heat the surface appropriately, and cut the groove after the surface temperature of the edge banding strip reaches 20℃-40℃.

5. Use products with good cold resistance.

Question 6: The edge sealing of thin boards (below 9mm) is not firm.

1. Increase operating temperature

2. Increase the working speed of the edge banding machine.

3. Increase the amount of adhesive applied.

4. Replace with hot melt adhesive with one that has a longer open time (Reason: Boards thinner than 9mm require less adhesive, resulting in faster heat dissipation and a shorter open time. This is similar to how a half-cup of boiling water cools faster than a full cup).

Question 7: When manually sealing the edges, the board doesn't stick to the adhesive and the seal isn't secure.

1. The board is too loose, so it can only seal the wood chips on the surface of the board, which are easy to tear.

2. The board material is too hard, and the glue cannot penetrate into the board material.

3. The operating temperature is not high enough.

4. The pressure is not high enough.

5. The adhesive's penetration power is not strong enough.

6. It is recommended to use transparent tape.

In summary, if you encounter edge banding detachment or unsatisfactory bonding results in winter, please follow these steps. We hope this will be of some help to you.

1. Measure the temperature of the coating wheel (above 180℃).

2. Check if there is any sediment at the bottom of the glue tank (normal heating).

3. Check if the heating element is working properly (generating heat normally).

4. Increase the temperature by 10℃-20℃.

5. Increase the amount of adhesive applied.

6. Increase pressure.

7. Increase the working speed of the edge banding machine.

8. Check whether the edge sealing coating is qualified, and test with edge sealing strips of different product colors or batches.

9. Mix in or replace with products that have a lower softening point and viscosity.

10. Incorporate or replace with products that have better cold resistance. Faster production speeds, coupled with reduced adhesive application, can lead to insufficient hot melt adhesive strength.