Tried a new edge banding technique and it bubbled up bad

I got a job last week for a set of shelves in a laundry room in Portland and decided to try using a heat gun instead of my usual iron for applying edge banding on the melamine. Figured it would be faster and give a cleaner bond since I could control the heat better. Big mistake. The banding bubbled up in about six spots and I couldn't get them to lay flat no matter how much I pressed or re-heated it. I think I got the glue too hot too fast and it lost its tack before it could set right. Ended up peeling the whole thing off and redoing it with my old iron, which took twice as long. Has anyone else messed around with heat guns for edge banding or is the old iron method just the way to go?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_sage19d ago

Flip it around on you guys - heat guns work fine if you actually know what you're doing with them. I've been using one for years on melamine and particle board cabinets and never had a bubble problem. You gotta keep the gun moving and hit it from a lower angle, like maybe 45 degrees, so you don't cook the glue in one spot. @beng51 the old way works but that doesn't mean new tools can't work too if you give them a real shot.

the_cameron19d agoMost Upvoted

@the_sage you ever seen a buddy scorch a whole laminate countertop with a heat gun? I have, and it wasn't pretty.

beng5119d agoMost Upvoted

Feels like half the battle in this trade is learning that the old boring way works for a reason, the fancy shortcuts just cost you time. I've noticed that pattern in woodworking and in a lot of other stuff too, the new tool or trick always sounds better but the classic method usually wins.