Edgebander Adjustments for an Even Glue Line
Maintenance tips that can help keep the edgebander from creating excessive glue build-up at the bottom of panel edges. August 14, 2007
Question
I've had an issue for quite some time with my edgebander (Brandt KD-55) that I need to resolve. On the edge of panels, the glue line is heavier at the bottom than the top. The result is that when I back the glue gate down to put just enough glue on the top edge, I'm getting too much at the bottom and the excess is ending up on the bottom face of the panels. I've tried several things to correct it with no success, and I'm losing too much time wiping glue off panels.
Forum Responses
(Cabinetmaking Forum)
From contributor H:
Check your panel for square edges. If you have a slight angle, the glue will fill up there. Or your roller may be out of square to the panel. Clean the roller well and the dam gate.
From the original questioner:
Originally I thought that might be part of the cause. I bought a Holz-Her 1265S vertical for several reasons; one of the main ones was so that I could get cleaner cuts, which I do, and they're square. The hope was that I'd able to lower the glue dosing enough to eliminate need to wipe down panels. It's helped in many other ways, but not this one.
From contributor L:
If your panel edges are square, the alternative is that your glue application roller needs adjustment so it is perpendicular to the feed chain. It should be easy to adjust; just look at the glue pot support system. Use clear test banding so you can see the glue line after each test run. There could be a second issue. Are the pressure rollers at 90 degrees while the air cylinders are pushing them against the panel? Retract the glue pot so it is back from the panel, feed a 1 1/2" thick MDF panel known to have a perfectly square edge in and stop it while the pressure rollers are against the panel edge. With a thin feeler gage, check clearances at the top and bottom edge of the panel on each roller. They should all be tight. The bearings on the pressure roller pivot points may be sloppy, allowing the rollers to tip.
From contributor O:
I had this problem too, until I cleaned the glue pot out - completely. If for any reason the return port hole gets clogged on my bander, the exact same thing happens. The auger keeps feeding, but the glue doesn't have anywhere to go except the bottom of the panels. We have trained every person to check the bander and look for the telltale signs before running panel and clean the crap.
