Question about Cutting Phenolic

[Glen Blanchard]

I will soon be routing a miter slot in a new phenolic router table top. I have never cut phenolic before so I am not sure what to expect. Does it quickly dull a saw blade? a router bit? Does the phenolic heat up like plastic and gum up the carbide cutting tips? I was planning on cutting the slot with a router bit. Is that a mistake?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

[Stan Mijal]

Glen,
My experience with phenolic (making a rail and stile jig for router table is that Phenolic cut well with carbide tipped cutters, does dull those cutters faster than wood, does not melt and turn "gooey" like plastics, and produces very fine (harmfull if gotten into lungs) dust. Be sure to wear a respirator and or use dust collection at each tool.


I will soon be routing a miter slot in a new phenolic router table top. I have never cut phenolic before so I am not sure what to expect. Does it quickly dull a saw blade? a router bit? Does the phenolic heat up like plastic and gum up the carbide cutting tips? I was planning on cutting the slot with a router bit. Is that a mistake?

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

[Mike Goetzke]

I router some thin grooves in a phenolic top. I was worried too, but, it machined very nicely. It doesn't gum up and you should not try to take too much out on one pass.....piece of cake.

(Just be careful handeling after cutting - the cut edges are as sharp as a razor.)


Mike

[Michael Gibbons]

I don't want to hijack the thread but where would someone get phenolic material to make a routertable top anyways? sources? anyone?

[Doug Mason]

I recently made a subbase out of thick Phenolic; I used a 1/4 blade on my bandsaw w/no problems at all. Just cut it and don't worry about it. On my subbase, the edges were allright--but per some info I got the edges can be chambfered or buffed on the grinder to make it real perrty!

[Mike Goetzke]

I'd like to know where to get some too.

I did see, on another forum, someone that lived close to a bathroom partition distributer purchased a large slightly damaged panel(boy did the jokes fly). They are around 1" thick and come in various sizes.

[Mark Visconti]

Jointech (www.jointech.com (http://www.jointech.com)) offers a phenolic router top in a couple of sizes. It's a bit expensive (see router vs shaper arguments)

I wasn't able to find a local source and it turns out phenolic can be damaged in shipping (waiting on RMA as we type).

Mark

[Cliff Rohrabacher]

routing a slot in phenolic - - not sure what to expect. dust smelly dust, it stinks.


Does it quickly dull a saw blade? a router bit?
I think so but that really depends on the filler material. The best phenolic is made with linen, some with flour, some fiberglass. the black phenolic has carbon in it and that tends to get everywhere you don't want it.


Does the phenolic heat up like plastic and gum up the carbide cutting tips?
It'll heat up but won't gum up.

[quote] I was planning on cutting the slot with a router bit. Is that a mistake?[quote]
Not so long as you put the slot where you want it.

[Glen Blanchard]

Yep - Jointech is where I am getting the phenolic top.

[Richard Keller]

Jointech (www.jointech.com (http://www.jointech.com)) offers a phenolic router top in a couple of sizes. It's a bit expensive (see router vs shaper arguments)

I wasn't able to find a local source and it turns out phenolic can be damaged in shipping (waiting on RMA as we type).

Mark

Mmmmm.....

Shaper. Backed up with many routers and a router table.

Richard.

Routers are like clamps. You just can't have enough.

[Russ Filtz]

For phenolic, I've bought from US Plastic online. (no affiliation!)

http://www.usplastic.com/catalog/category.asp?catalog_name=USPlastic&Category_Name=62&Page=1&clickid=topnav

Forgot to mention, there's umpteen different grades of phenolic. I forget which I used as it's been awhile. You may want to do a little research before buying!

[Daniel Shnitka]

Phenolic plastic- there are around 32 common variations in the material.
Some with a laminate using paper, some with cotton still others with linen (electrical boards) and Nylon laminate for marine use.
There is also cotton canvas and cotton canvas with woven wire for structural strength.
I recently received a part sheet of the structural cotton canvas 5/8" thick by 23.5" by 48". It was sitting in a warehouse as left over cut off from some other job.
I got a price on it and paid nearly as much for shipping as the cost from the wholesaler.
I 'll give the guy who sold me the piece full marks because he called all around the country in his search to help out a wood workrer. Finally he went scrounging in hisr own warehouse and came up with a piece.

I'll cut the phenolic on the new table saw (yet to be delivered) and set it up at the right hand end of the rails where it will serve as the table (30" by 7.5" by 5/8" thick)for a horizontal router set up. It will need to have a dado cut followed by a T slot router cut. The phenolic will be supported underneath by 3/4 by 3/4 angle iron all around the perimeter. The angle iron will also serve as a means to bolt the extension table to the rails and the cast iron extension wings. The remainder will be likely used for some jigs as it is so stable and machines well with high inherent structural strenth in all dimenional directions.