As a carpenter who specializes in custom cabinetry and built-ins, I find a new tool’s versatility to be one of my top priorities. I don’t often add a tool to my shop if it can’t perform more than 3 or 4 functions. My router, for example, has 4 different base attachments. This allows me to accomplish various tasks with one tool. I can cut dados, rabbet, turn decorative edges, and bore holes for shelf-ins and cabinet hinges.

With that prerequisite in mind, when I set out to upgrade my edge banding from the old, low-quality, iron-on products, to something more professional, I didn’t have a lot of options for versatility. I was looking for a machine that could both upgrade work that I’m currently doing as well as open up possibilities for future projects. As a Festool buff (15 tools and counting), obviously, the Conturo Edge Bander caught my eye. I’ve been working on a rather large cabinetry project and have now spent the past few weeks getting acquainted with the Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo.

I have to say right off the bat: it’s a beautiful machine that produces even more beautiful results.

First Impressions

The Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo comes neatly packed in Festool’s typical Systainer and molded styrofoam. The tool has some weight to it, but it’s also clearly a solid machine. One thing that I noticed: unlike other Festool products, the Conturo’s cord doesn’t detach like their typical “plug-it” cords. However, this minor detail won’t affect performance. Also, the base needs some assembly before you can actually use the edge bander. But, overall, the Conturo looks and feels like a professional piece of equipment.

Favorite Features

The hallmark feature of the Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo is the edge bander’s ability to apply edge banding on both the inside and outside radii. Most automated machines on the market can only band straight edges on plywood. Considering the Conturo is handheld, I can easily guide the machine around curves as it applies the edge banding. The Conturo Edge Banding Trimming Kit includes an auxiliary roller that attaches to the machine. This auxiliary roller allows me to apply edge banding to tight inside radii, and it works like a dream.

One of my favorite features revolves around the mechanics of the glue usage. Most portable edge banders use glue pellets, which all melt together inside of what we call a glue pot. The problem with this is that once the glue melts, it can’t be reused. Ultimately, you wind up wasting a lot of glue. Instead, the Conturo Edge Bander uses adhesive pucks that fit into the top of the machine. The KA65 melts the face of the pucks and only uses as much glue as needed per run. This design allows for a quick change in adhesive colors.

The Festool KA 65 Conturo can also band beveled edges when used with the MFT/3 Edge Bander Table. This isn’t a feature I’ve had the chance to try out, but I can definitely see the benefits of this option when designing custom cabinetry or furniture pieces. This feature really sets the Conturo apart from other edge banders on the market right now.

In Use

Setting Up For The Job Ahead

Setting up the Conturo takes little effort, and most of the settings flash from a digital display on the top of the machine. There are, however, a few settings that require some attention before use.

First, you’ll want to adjust the temperature. Though Festool is a German company, the engineers graciously gave us Americans the option of displaying the temperature setting in Fahrenheit instead of Celsius. Also helpful, Conturo adhesive has a suggested temperature setting printed on the box. Using the buttons below the display, the user will simply dial in the appropriate temperature setting.

The Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo also allows you to adjust the amount of glue being applied. This setting can be a little tricky to dial in, and it requires some trial and error. When I first started using the machine, I was using way too much glue. I ended up having a lot of excess glue to get rid of after banding. However, after some use, I found that the lowest glue setting works very well for the thin, pre-finished edge banding I’m using for a current cabinetry project. The Conturo has two speed settings: slow and slower. You’ll use the trigger on the ergonomic handle to adjust this.

Operations

It might take some time to get used to operating the Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo. The machine does a few things at once, and you will need to make sure to place it against the workpiece at the right time.

After cutting the edge banding to length and loading the material into the Conturo, you’ll just need to press the start button to get going. The machine begins applying glue to the edge banding and feeding it through the machine. At this point, you’ll need to press the automated roller against the workpiece. Then, move the machine down the workpiece at the same speed that the Conturo feeds the edge banding.

It sounds a little complicated, but it’s actually pretty close to being fully automated. The user really just places the machine where it needs to be and lets it do its thing. If the project requires longer banding, the trimming set comes with an edge banding reel that attaches to the machine. This reel allows the user to roll up the banding in use and keep the material from getting tangled.

Trimming With Accessories

After applying the edge banding, you can immediately start trimming. The trimming set that comes in the Festool Conturo Edge Bander KA65 Set helps out a lot here. Functioning similarly to a guillotine, this trimmer works great and leaves a nice flush cut at the end of the workpiece.

Next, we move to trimming the edges. This can be done using a handheld edge banding trimmer, but I highly recommend using the Festool MFK 700 Edge Banding router. This is a great tool because, not only does it trim the edge banding, but it also trims excess glue and bevels the edge in one pass.

It wouldn’t hurt to get a hold of Festool’s Carbide Scraper. You’ll use this to scrape off any excess glue, and it also has the ability to bevel the edges. One word of caution though: don’t drop the scraper. I know from experience that it will break into a few pieces. Once the excess glue is removed and the edge is beveled, you can move to the sanding block and polishing compound and pads to finish the edge to a pristine, professional level.

Final Thoughts

Most edge banders on the market have a singular purpose, which will be to apply edge banding to a straight piece of plywood. Some automated machines will even apply the edge banding, cut off the ends, and trim the edges in one pass. However, they still only have the ability to apply edge banding to straight, 90° workpieces. Not to mention, the price range for an automated machine starts at around $10,000.

The Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo Edge Bander meets the needs of a small, custom casework shop perfectly. For such a specialized machine, it’s capable of quite a few things that other, more expensive edge banders can’t handle. That alone passes my versatility test. I would recommend this machine to any professional carpenter, but especially those with a small shop that produces highly customized cabinetry. The Conturo won’t match the production rate of a more expensive stationary edge bander, but then again, it’s not supposed to. It exists in its own category.

Click to find a local dealer or an online retailer.

Editor’s Note: We normally give ratings on professional level tools. The Festool Conturo is the only tool like it that we’re aware of, so there’s just not a good comparison out there. In this case, take Matt’s word for it – the Conturo produces outstanding results and is very well designed. Is there room for improvement? Sure. However, since Festool is alone in this category, it’s really up to their design team working with Carpenters like Matt to envision what’s possible moving forward.

Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo Features

• Inexpensive compared to alternatives like stationary edge banding machines
• Capable of edge banding curves, circles, convex and concave radii and inside corners
• Electronically controlled precision glue distribution system for maximum adhesion
• Compact, portable, ergonomic design for easy use and flexibility
• Optional table mounting for working with small workpieces

Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo Specs

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The post Festool Edge Bander KA 65 Conturo Review appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

Lately, we’ve been working on quite a few custom woodworking projects including pieces such as desks, credenzas, dining tables, even a couple of custom mahogany gates. Each of these pieces requires the use of various hardwoods. In the past, we’ve had our lumber milled and planed at the lumber yard, mostly because our small benchtop planer in the shop wasn’t quite up to handling a large amount of hardwood. However, as we’ve picked up more custom work, it became clear that having a decent planer would help save time and money, so it was time to upgrade. We decided that the DeWalt DW735 13-inch, 2-speed planer would fill the gap between our smaller underpowered planer and a large industrial planer.

First Impressions

Upon first receiving the DeWalt DW735 Planer we noticed that not only was the box pretty large, it was also heavy. But that was to be expected. Most benchtop planers have some heft to them, however, the DW735 weighs in at 92 pounds. That realization prompted us to quickly build a rolling base for the planer to stand on.

The overwhelming feeling when opening the box was that the DeWalt DW735 is already a large step up from our previous planer based on build quality alone. The machine sits on a cast aluminum base, and although the casing is molded plastic, it’s solid. Overall, the DeWalt DW735 seems to jump across the line into the professional realm from a small-scale standpoint

Dual Speed DeWalt Planer

One of the unique features the DeWalt DW735 Planer has is two feed speeds – one meant for quick thickness planing and the other for detailed finishing. Speed 1 slows the automatic feed, allowing the blades to cut the workpiece 179 times per inch which leaves a nice smooth finish. Speed 2 increases the automatic feed speed, lowering the number of cuts per inch to only 96, but makes dimensioning lumber quicker.

Upon first setting up the planer, we questioned whether we would need to use the finishing speed very often. However, we found ourselves using it quite a bit more than we initially anticipated. If nothing else, we use it on the last pass of each board we run through the planer because the smooth finish allows for a lot less sanding time.

It’s worth nothing that you have to have the unit on when you’re changing speed in order for it to effectively change gears.

DeWalt DW735 Dust collection

One thing that DeWalt has done with the DW735 is add a built in blower for clearing wood shavings from the blades. It has a surprising amount air flow, and if used without some type of dust collector, it will shoot wood shavings everywhere. It does a wonderful job at keeping dust and shavings from building up on the blades, thus lengthening their life. We were able to hook our shop dust collection up to the planer (a 4-inch connection is recommended) and it’s been working great.

Seeting the Planing Depth

Occasionally we’ll have the need to plane several boards to the same thickness. In most cases, the rough cut lumber we receive from the lumber yard varies in size. This is where the depth setting dial comes in really handy. The depth setting dial has several incremental depth stops at standard measurements from 1/8th of an inch to 1-1/4 inches. This feature was a major help when we needed to plane several reclaimed oak boards for a desktop down to 1-1/4 thick.

Changing the Blade

The DeWalt DW735 comes with a handy Allen wrench that you use for loosening the screws for the plastic cover of the cutter head and the blades themselves. The reason we highlight blade changing on this model as a favorite feature is that it’s quite easy, especially considering the ample room inside the cutter head once the cover is removed. Also, we thought it was kind of cool that the Allen wrench includes a couple of magnets on the handle for easy removal of the blades.

Performance Testing the DeWalt DW735

The DeWalt DW735 13-inch thickness planer is fairly easy to use and is pretty well self-explanatory for anyone that uses a planer. The real tests for this machine are the power and accuracy. Power is one of our main concerns with a new planer considering the number of times we trip the breaker on our old model either from overloading the motor or thermal shutdown.

We ran several different species of hardwoods through including ash, reclaimed oak, and mahogany. The planer worked remarkably well and at 15 amps, it had plenty of power to pull through and plane each hardwood without any hesitation. We planed nearly 70ft of 2-inch mahogany to 1-1/2 inch without overloading the system at all.

Accuracy is probably the most important aspect of thickness planing. After all, if the board doesn’t end up flat, what’s the point of using a planer at all?

The DW735 comes honed-in out of the box. It’s very easy to make small depth changes because of the oversize hand wheel. Each full revolution of the wheel changes the depth of the cut by 1/16th of an inch, which enables the user to easily make depth changes to even a 1/64th of an inch with a quarter turn.

Because the cutter head sits on four threaded posts – which reduces movement of the cutter head – there is very little snipe with this model. With the three-blade cutter head spinning at 10,000 RPM, the cut comes out very smooth even at the faster dimensioning speed. At the lower finishing speed, the material has a finish that is almost smooth enough to skip sanding.

Pricing and Conclusion

The DeWalt DW735 13-inch thickness planer is a real workhorse. With any planer, one hopes for a powerful, accurate machine. This machine delivers on both accounts. At 92lbs, we’re not sure we would lug it around to a project site, but it’s a welcome addition in the shop.

After running 3 projects worth of lumber through this planer, we’re impressed. The DeWalt DW735 is a perfect upgrade from the lower powered benchtop planer, and very effectively bridges the gap to professional shop machinery. We’re not quite ready to open a mill workshop, but this planer does everything that we’ve asked of it and has performed admirably.

As with many upgrades, this one doesn’t come cheap. You’ll be shelling out $629 to make this one happen. Once you do, be warned – you won’t go back to a lesser model again.

DeWalt DW735 13-inch Thickness Planer Key Features

• Powerful 15 Amp, 20,000 RPM motor handles larger cuts in wider materials with ease
• Three-knife cutter head with 10,000 rpm cutter-head speed delivers 30% longer knife life and makes knife change faster and easier
• Two-speed gear box allows users to change feed speed to optimizing cuts per inch at 96 or 179 CPI
• Fan-assisted chip ejection vacuums chip off of the cutter head and exhausts them out of the machine
• 19-3/4″ cast aluminum base is 2X more rigid than a standard 10″ base and folding tables
• Automatic carriage lock reduces the movement that causes snipe without the need for manual engagement by the user
• Material removal gauge and extra large, thickness scale delivers accurate cuts with every pass
• Extra large, turret depth stop allows user to return to most frequently used thicknesses with ease

DeWalt DW735 Planer Specifications

• Mode: DeWalt DW735
• Amps: 15.0 Amp
• No Load Speed: 20,000 RPM (Motor)/ 10,000 (Cutterhead) RPM
• Cuts Per Minute: 30,000
• Drive Motor System: Belt drive
• Max Depth of Cut: 1/8″
• Depth Capacity: 6″
• Width Capacity: 13″
• Blade Count: 3
• Blade Type: Planer Knife
• Weight: 92 lbs
• Planer Type: Bench stationary
• Cutter Head Type: Straight Knives
• CSA Certified: Yes
• Cord Length: 13.0′
• Includes: Dust hose adapter
• Warranty: 3 years limited
• Price: $629

The post DeWalt DW735 Planer Hands-on Review appeared first on Pro Tool Reviews.

As a finish carpenter by trade, a brad nailer is a very important tool in my box. I pull that nail gun out at least 5 times a week. But along with that lightweight pneumatic nailer, I have to lug my air compressor around and contend with the inevitably tangled mess of an air hose. So of course, the idea of only needing a self contained nailer without the hassles of typical pneumatic setups was definitely interesting. I was intrigued by the new Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer. Ridgid boasts that it has all the power of pneumatic nailer in a cordless tool. That’s saying a lot, so I thought I’d take the time to put those claims to the test.

Over the past week I’ve had the pleasure of using the new Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer. I had reservations considering my less-than-excited experience with other cordless nailers that required gas. However, as soon as I read that the 18 gauge could shoot 2000 nails in one charge I began to see a new perspective on cordless nail guns. Could this cordless brad nailer earn a spot in my toolbox? Was it possible it could replace my current pneumatic set-up? Visions of my hoses, compressor, and pneumatic nailers collecting dust flooded my mind. Oh the convenience!

Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer Specs

• Power Source: Ridgid HyperLithium 18V Battery (sold separately)
• Nails per Charge: Up to 2000
• Weight: 5.8 pounds
• 18 Gauge Nail Range: 5/8″ – 2-1/8″
• Price: $229
• Warranty: Lifetime Service Agreement

Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer First Impressions

Upon picking up the box, the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer felt a bit heavy. With the nailer weighing in at 5.8 lbs, it was already nearly 3 pounds heavier than my pneumatic brad-nailer and I still had to put a battery on the thing. My concerns were quickly thwarted once I picked it up and held it in my hand. The gun is incredibly well balanced for its weight. In addition to looking really cool with Ridgid’s trademark orange finish and charcoal accents and grip, it’s also very comfortable. However, I still felt the weight could be a problem in certain overhead applications, such as installing a large amount of crown molding in one day. Coincidentally, I did just that.

Set up of the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer was very easy and straightforward. There aren’t a whole lot of attachable items that come with the nailer. In fact, there’s only one attachment apart from securing the battery and that’s the metal belt clip that can be installed on either side of the gun for convenience. That only required a Philips tip screwdriver to secure. I did have to pry the belt clip slightly more open so it could more easily clip onto my nail apron but that was more preference than problem.

The process for loading the gun with nails is pretty self-explanatory. I won’t go into any details other than to say that it’s a quick and easy process that is pretty much the same as loading pneumatic nailers.

I was pleased with the construction of the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer. It has a magnesium body, which makes the guns durable while also keeping the weight to a minimum. The handle is wrapped in Ridgid’s typical rubberized Hex-Grip material and makes the grip comfortable. Overall, the gun feels… well, rigid (pun intended).

Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer Favorite Features

• Brushless motor for durability
• Ability to select between single actuation and contact “bump”actuation
• Tool-free depth control and power adjustment
• Dry-fire lockout that prevents nailer from firing when no nails are loaded
• Tool-free jam release
• Included belt clip

Putting the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer to Work

I got quite a bit of use out of the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer this past week. I mentioned before that I thought the weight of this nailer could become a problem if one were to do an extended amount of overhead work, so I thought I’d test that theory. My dad and I worked together installing about 400 ft of crown molding and it was the perfect opportunity to put the 18 gauge nailer to the test.

I’m pleased to say that the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer performed very well and exceeded expectations. It was incredibly consistent and I didn’t encounter a single jam or misfire. The dry-fire lockout came in handy on a few occasions when I wasn’t aware that I was running low on nails and saved me from marring up the trim. I was able to precisely set the depth at which the nails were driven using the power adjustment and depth of drive adjustment, both of which are tool free adjustments.

I didn’t have a use for the LED light that is mounted on the front of the nailer considering I was working in a well-lit area. I did appreciate, however, that there is a separate button on the grip to engage the light. This kept me from wasting battery life.

Speaking of battery life, that was one of my main concerns with this gun. During installation I didn’t need to throw the battery on the charger at all, and it still had plenty of life left at the end of the day. That honestly has to be the most impressive part for me. All the batteries need is a morning charge, and I can work all day.

I have to note that there is a slight delay pulling the trigger. It’s a short delay, and is definitely shorter than a gas powered nailer I had used in the past, but it was noticeable. It would be nice if the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer fired instantly like a pneumatic nailer, but the slight delay is far from a deal breaker and frankly had no affect on my rate of firing. To combat the delay, using the contact actuation setting on the gun helps reduce time between firing.

The weight, which was another major concern of mine, didn’t really become a problem until later in the day. This could just be an effect of working overhead for 8 hours but I did have some fatigue in my right forearm. I found myself wishing the gun weighed a bit less. However, when I consider the hassle of lugging around an air compressor and dealing with unruly air hoses, the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer still comes out on top.

Conclusion

I have to confess – I wasn’t really expecting much from the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer. I had already made up my mind that it would be too slow, too inconsistent, the batteries would run out quickly, and it would be too heavy. I absolutely didn’t expect it to earn a spot in my tool bag let alone supersede my trusty pneumatic brad and finish nailers. However, after spending a week with them my expectations were exceeded to the point that I was downright giddy with excitement. I can’t wait to get it out of its bag and back to work.

I’m impressed. Very impressed. I’m not going to say that the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer will completely supplant my pneumatic nailers at the moment, mainly because backups are always needed. But I fully expect my compressor, hoses, and pneumatic nail guns to be spending some time in the garage. The real test is time. If it holds up over extended use, which I have no doubts it will, the Ridgid Hyperdrive 18 Gauge Brad Nailer will be swept into my “game-changer” category.

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