Banding the Lid

We start the days work by trimming off the screw hole plugs that we installed in our last episode. This is done with a flush cut saw -- the flexible blade makes it possible to get right down flat on the surface of the wood and the fact that the blades' teeth have no set to them (they don't bend over to one side or the other) it does not scratch up the surface of the wood. Because there is no set, it also does not carve out any extra space for the blade to run in and the blade tends to bind when cutting anything but small stock, like these plugs.

Then I rip the banding stock I prepared during the parts making phase to 2" wide and sand it to 1/4" thick. The banding is purely decorative and is generally done in a contrasting wood. On the oak trunk, I'm using walnut. The walnut trunk is all walnut, so the same stock can be used there, and I made enough for both.

Before I start cutting up the strips of banding, I figure out roughly where the cross cuts will be and label each block with a number and an orientation. The idea is to keep the grain pattern flowing along each strip as it is installed on the trunk. This is one of those details that many people (probably) never notice, but I tend to take pride in.

Because the rails of the lid follow along the arch of the lid, these banding pieces need to be slightly beveled on the ends to get a good snug fit. I carefully mark the length, cut it off with the chop saw then bevel the ends on the belt sander with the table tilted down about 5°.

The objective is to get a snug fit between banding pieces and the rails, snug enough that they won't just drop right in, I want to have to tap them in place. When they're all cut I sand the edges (sides) smooth and round over the upper edges (just of the sides) a little, apply glue underneath and to the rails where the banding fits in and tap the banding pieces home.

Had any been cut just a bit too loose, the banding on the lid can be tacked down with finish nails driven into the ribs below. When I get to the banding on the trunk body that is not an option because all that is under the banding is the 1/4" panel, it just has to fit right. But, that was not a problem here; they all fit very well.