Laminate Trimmer Bit

[Bob_Hammond]

I put some laminate on my outfeed table, and I need to trim it. I bought a 7deg bit (and promptly broke it, but that's another story). Looking at the pictures in catalogues it looks like you should set the height of the bit to trim the laminate so that it's beveled, but leave the wood vertical. Is that correct? Anything else I should know about using it?

Bob

[Todd Burch]

Yes Bob, that is correct. Only other thing I can think of is to keep it moving, and if it gums up with contact cement, lacquer thinner will clean it up nice and quick.

A mill file and a block plane can also be used effectively for beveling, and I sometimes hit the sharp beveled corner with 220 grit sandpaper on white laminate.

Todd.

[Jamie Buxton]

One small caution --- when you trim laminate with a router, you get a knife-sharp edge on the laminate. Stroke your hand along it, and you can slice yourself pretty well. A few strokes of a flat file or a sandpaper block will make it much safer. All you have to do is knock the sharp edge off.

[David Rose]

Todd, I've always kept my good planes (I have a couple of "not so good" too) away from plastic. I've never heard either way, but was just cautious. If that is OK, what about using the plane to clean up epoxy residue? That is pertinent to a current project, and I've avoided planing it until now.

David


Yes Bob, that is correct. Only other thing I can think of is to keep it moving, and if it gums up with contact cement, lacquer thinner will clean it up nice and quick.

A mill file and a block plane can also be used effectively for beveling, and I sometimes hit the sharp beveled corner with 220 grit sandpaper on white laminate.

Todd.

[Dale Thompson]

Bob,
What you did sounds right to me. On the other hand, most of the time laminates are applied to both the edges and the top of a table. In this case the edge strips go on first and are trimmed with a "flush cutting" bit. The top is then applied and trimmed with a "beveled" bit. The edge strips give you a nice smooth surface for the bearing of the bevel bit to follow. Also, you don't need much of a "bite" with the beveled cutter. Most router bit sets contain both the flush cutting bit and the bevel bit.

Sorry if I misunderstood your post.

Dale T.

[Phil Phelps]

Bob,
What you did sounds right to me. On the other hand, most of the time laminates are applied to both the edges and the top of a table. In this case the edge strips go on first and are trimmed with a "flush cutting" bit. The top is then applied and trimmed with a "beveled" bit. The edge strips give you a nice smooth surface for the bearing of the bevel bit to follow. Also, you don't need much of a "bite" with the beveled cutter. Most router bit sets contain both the flush cutting bit and the bevel bit.


Dale T.
I like to flush trim. Then I file for the bevel. About three degrees. It takes a little practice. Your "nail" should not be able to snag the laminate you trimmed. Remember, when you are done, it later "grows". I like to do my finish filing a day later on the job. I don't care for the chamfered bits. And, if I'm laminating cabinet doors, I use vertical grade laminate. You can barely see the edge.

[Ken Frantz]

Good evening PHIL!!!!

In your neck of the woods, do you all do a lots of mica laminate work? Here in Central Florida I would say that about 80-90% of the cabinet work is using mica. I have worked with mica for over 30 years. Most of the wood cabinets are build in large factorys like Quaker Made, Wood Hue etc and sold already built.

About 20 years ago I built a set of mica cabinets for my folks-in-law in Arkansas and had to use standard mica because it was not available in the Ft Smith area. Even tried to order it from OK City. That sure was a hard set to build with standard mica.

YUPPER on those sharp edges on the mica. A cut on the fingers does put a hurten on them, but then cleaning the mica with lacquer after does a real number on them fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KEN

[Todd Burch]

David, yes, you can use your plane for anything! Just sharpen it if/when it gets dull.

I like to use a sharp scraper for glue, which includes epoxy.

Todd.

[David Rose]

I've been using my cabinet scraper. The temptation is just great to grab a plane. But I really hate to chip and roll those purdy edges. :D Dulling I don't really mind.

I seem to make a bigger mess with epoxy. It is probably just learning technique, but it seems like there is a lot to clean up where there isn't with wood glues. Part of it is just learning to deal with the "runiness" of it.

David


David, yes, you can use your plane for anything! Just sharpen it if/when it gets dull.

I like to use a sharp scraper for glue, which includes epoxy.

Todd.

[Phil Phelps]

Good evening PHIL!!!!

In your neck of the woods, do you all do a lots of mica laminate work? Here in Central Florida I would say that about 80-90% of the cabinet work is using mica. I have worked with mica for over 30 years. Most of the wood cabinets are build in large factorys like Quaker Made, Wood Hue etc and sold already built.

About 20 years ago I built a set of mica cabinets for my folks-in-law in Arkansas and had to use standard mica because it was not available in the Ft Smith area. Even tried to order it from OK City. That sure was a hard set to build with standard mica.

YUPPER on those sharp edges on the mica. A cut on the fingers does put a hurten on them, but then cleaning the mica with lacquer after does a real number on them fingers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

KEN
I build mostly display cabinets and sign backgrounds from mica. I have an original Formica scrap from the early 50's. Much thicker procuct back then. Certain colors in laminate make it close to impossible to clean the lacquer thinner residue. I sometimes use acetone. I have found the self contained, pressureized contact cements, such as Sta-Put, to be outstanding for laminating. They are commercial products that have a a pressureized tank and use a special spray gun. Mr. Todd Burch should check into this procuct. It flashes off in ten seconds, minimum odor, much longer working time, and is much easier to clean than standard contacts. Laminates comes in standard grade, post forming, and vertical grade thicknesses. Folks need to use a file made for laminates when trimming. And, there is an art to it. Mostly developing a technique and patience. When edge banding, I flush trim and then belt sand to make it really flush. A flush trimmer is "almost" flush. And, yes Ken. It does get sharp. Have spilled a few drops of "red" on many projects.

[Todd Burch]

Phil wrote:

"Mr. Todd Burch should check into this pro[d]uct. It flashes off in ten seconds, minimum odor, much longer working time, and is much easier to clean than standard contacts."

If Mr. Burch did any amount of laminate work, he probably would!

I put laminate on the bottom of my trash pullouts. I did a job for company that does custom airplane work, and had to buy a 4X8 sheet of pecan laminate 'cuz I needed 4 pieces 1" x 18". I'm working on a bathroom vanity now that will have the cabinet area below the sink wrapped in laminate & will have two trash pullouts - the most laminate I'll have used all year. For those birch plywood pieces, I'll cut the ply larger than needed, then apply laminate, then cut to size on the tablesaw - no routing needed.

On difficult to apply surfaces (ie curves), I've been known to use yellow glue and epoxy too.