Need help using the Burgess Edge System
Hi all, I am new to the forum and am need of some insight from you all. Recently I purchased the Burgess Edge router bit system for edge banding plywood. I used it for the first time with poor results. Was hoping someone has used the system and can tell me what I am missing. The bad result I am getting is that the profile left in the plywood is not consistant down the length of the plywood. If you have used this system you know the plywood bit cuts a rounded channel in the plywood, this channel once set up with shims in the bit should cut the channel wide enough to extend 1/2 way through the top and bottom of the plywood veneers. All of my test pieces look as though the plywood I am using is warped and thus the channel is perfectly centered on the ply at the start of the run, but drifts up and down as the board was run through. The finished product makes the veneer paper thin in some spots and the desired 1/2 way through in other areas. I am using this on a very flat router table checked with a straight edge, the plywood is a good grade maple, setting a piece of the ply on my jointer shows it lays flat, the router is new and has no axial (up and down) movement, I have tried feather boards keeping the piece flat to the table and flat to the fence, I have even tried hand routing with the same results. While typing this I thought, is the plywood consistant in width? I will check. I must be missing something. Please share your thoughts!
Replies
I'm just bumping this to the top.
I was interested in buying a set of these and am curious of others opinions.
Doug
Have you cleaned the collet on your router? I roll up a piece of sandpaper and run it through a couple of times.
Aside from that you might check the bits themselves to make sure that they are tight. The bit utilizes shims to in/decrease the cut to accomodate for different sizes of plywood, you could take some shims out and see what happens.
I have this system and while I don't use it as much as I could, when I do I get good results.
PS- You might want to give Mike Burgess a call and see what he says. He may have switched mfg'ers again...
Edited 1/16/2005 8:53 pm ET by Jeff
Here's a few things to check. I don't have the system, but the issues you are having are similar to some others that I have run into.
Are you using feather boards to keep the material pressed to the table over, before and after the bit? This should take the bowed factor out of the equation.
What type of router setup are you using? Is it a plunge/lift setup? If so, check to make sure it is locked, as vibration could cause it to be changing in height. I have a PC 8529 and found out there is a locking set screw after a few days of tracking down a similar problem.
Edited 1/17/2005 2:05 am ET by craig
Thanks for the reply, I have tried feather boards before and after, the collet is very clean, I am using the PC 8529 which is a plunge type. I will look for the lock screw on the router that might eliminate a bit height change. I did try adding and removing shims to see if that would make a difference but it did not. So some of you have used this system with good results? Thanks
Mine's sitting in the FedEX facility in Syracuse NY. As soon as they dig out and I get my hands on it I'll let you know how it goes.
I got the bits dialed in for my plywood and ran some test cuts today. I think I'm going to really like this approach. I just couldn't get excited about the tape edging but the Burgess edging has a quality feel that will add to my enjoyment of these cabinets over the next 20+ years.
The cust were dead on for the entire length, so it's probably not the bits. Did locking down the plunger do the trick for you?
The lock screw is a 5/32? located in the center of the plunge lever in the recessed hole.
Thanks for the location of the set screw, I have noticed that the locking lever on the plunge mechanism seems to engage at the end of it's travel coicident with the lever bottoming against the router body. I haven't messed with it as all other routing proceedures seem to work out ok, but I will now. So, did this set screw not being tight cause the same results I described using the Burgess Edge system? Thanks
It caused similar issues with doing edge profiles using other router bits. I would start out fine, but by the time I was finished with my runs, sometimes the height would shift by 3/32".
Now I lock the depth whenever doing and edge profile and everything works out OK. THe set screw is a 3/32.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled