Festool’s new Conturo KA 65 edgebander can be used for edging from 18-65mm and uses a melt-on-demand system, so the adhesive is always at the correct temperature.
The temperature is controlled by the user-friendly screen which has easy to read symbols for adjusting the temperature setting, feed speed of either 2m or 4m a minute, quantity of adhesive applied, how many metres of adhesive are left in either metric or imperial values. All of the controls are operated by four buttons.
The big advantage of the melt on-demand system is that the adhesive is applied evenly and the Conturo applies this through a nozzle system in a series of lines so the adhesive is spread when the edging is applied and an even bond is achieved. Even when the height is adjusted for different edging sizes the display will recalculate the amount of adhesive that is left.
The innovation continues with how the Conturo uses the adhesive. The adhesive is supplied in 63mm cartridges, so to top up the adhesive a button is pressed and the plunger retracts, lift the flap and the new cartridge is inserted and the plunger automatically returns when the lid is closed. The cartridge face is pressed against the heating element and the adhesive is ready to use.
When the switch for feeding the edging is pressed, the edging is fed into the Conturo but will stop and allows the user time to position the machine. When pressed for the second time, the edging is fed through at either 2m or 4m per minute and automatically switches off when the laser detects the edging has gone through.
For the ergonomics, the low weight of the Conturo is used to help balance the machine on the front plate so all the weight is held by the workpiece and the feed rollers push the machine so all the user has to do is keep the front plate flat and walk with the Conturo.
But the innovation does not stop here. The Conturo can also be supplied with an insert for fitting to either the Festool MFT3 table or an owner’s design. This enables the Conturo to be used for straight line production runs or shaped work for internal and external radii. The insert plate can also be tilted through to 47° for applying edging to angled faces.
A full accessory kit is available for the Conturo, including trimmer, scraper, polishing pads and a magazine for holding the edging when applying to long edges.
The Festool range of routers is also increasing with the introduction of the 700 basic. The 700 is purely designed for trimming edging and has two new cutters available, one of which is for trimming edging at 45 degrees.
All of the Festool territory sales managers have been trained on the Conturo and four members of the team spent a week at the Festool HQ in Stuttgart for a full induction on the edgebanding industry and are available for full demonstrations and information on the Conturo.
