Flush trimming and chipping

[Michael Burnside]

Grabbing a Diablo bit at your local HD and using it on 40 or 50 linear feet should work fine, but that bit won't last. There's nothing magical except you need a very sharp bit and don't be afraid to throw the bit away or demote it to less critical tasks when you're done.

[Jim Becker]

Very timely thread. Any additional tips or advice if using a solid surface (Corian type) material?

Solid surface can be milled in exactly the same way you would if it was wood. You don't have the "cut through" pitfalls that laminate brings to the table.

[James Pallas]

Straight carbide, Crisco as lubricant if running against laminate. Sharp single cut file with one safe edge, for corners. Cut miles of it, in shop and field. Regular router base or laminate trimmer.
Jim

[Patty Hann]

@Patty - I left solid guide pins behind back in high school. The friction of a 30k RPM bit is just too much for anything but a bearing IMHO. I agree that a teardrop base can be helpful in avoiding operator induced boo-boos. I made this one for my Bosch Colt in about an hour total.

Attachment 497364

Of course I already happened to have the plastic on hand.

Those folks that have done thousands of lineal feet of one-handed trim router work forget that we are all not as experienced. The chipping I can only attribute to poor control of the router, poor bit choice, or poor materials. If the material is good quality, the bit is sharp, and you have control of your tool . . . all should be well. Good luck and keep on truckin'.

Thank you Glenn ... you understand about some us lacking experience doing something that others can do in their sleep.
Pretty sure I can make the teardrop base.
(And thank you for the vote of confidence too )

[andy bessette]

Tips:

It is generally far easier to present the substrate to the laminate, as otherwise the laminate tends to sag and grab before you have sufficient alignment.

Don't overcomplicate the flush trim bits. Use sharp ball bearing 2 straight flute carbide cutters. Mine are made by Ocemco; cutters and bearings are replaceable.

Bearings gum up, especially if you insist on trimming the edge immediately after laminating, without giving the contact cement sufficient time to dry. I regularly scrape off the built up adhesive using a single-edge razor blade. Then a bit of acetone if needed.

When you have to allow a large laminate overhang, use a track saw to first remove most of the waste prior to routing.

When rolling out the laminate, be careful to not bend the edge of the laminate as that can fracture the laminate, resulting in chipped edges.

I generally give the wood 2 coats and the laminate 1 coat of cement, beginning with the laminate upside down on the substrate.

When trimming the edge it reduces risk of scratching the laminate if you use a top-bearing follower and run the router base on the substrate.

[Tom M King]

I keep two Makita 701 routers with bits for plastic laminate. When I started building houses in the 1970's, all the kitchens had Formica countertops. I still use a lot of it, like in our dogroom. I've done so much of it that I can't even tell you how to trim it, but high speed to the bit, and fairly good moving to the cutting. Don't push hard against the substrate with the bearing. I've never used lubricant, but did clean the bearings with carb cleaner occasionally, and relube them. I don't remember ever having a chipping problem. When we did curved ends, a propane torch was used to warm up the strip going around the corner before applying glue.

I switched to fabricating countertops to Corian in 1982, and did them until late '90's when Granite took over. My specialized solid surface bits have bearing covers made out of solid surface. Regular woodworking bits with bearings will work fine, but will leave some strike-off that has to be dealt with, but are what I use for making shop stuff out of solid surface material.

Whiteside has always been my first choice. They are Whiteside bits in the Makita 701's, and these are the specialized solid surface bits.
https://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/.../solid-surface

[Mel Fulks]

I like “climb cutting”, it works. Insurance companies don’t like climb cutting. Do us all a favor and be careful . I climb cut straight
bit then ‘regular cut’ with angle finish bit.

[Tom M King]

Here is a picture, from our dog room, with a propane torch formed edge banding rounded corner. You will overcook some before you get the feel for the right amount of heat.

I have the angled finishing bit set to leave the slightest little roll of contact cement hanging out, and finish with a Smooth file that smooths out the showing edge and gets rid of the glue.

[Warren Lake]

you put laminate on the top did you put it on the edges before the top? did you put it on the bottom? or at least backer board.

[Patty Hann]

... high speed to the bit, and fairly good moving to the cutting. Don't push hard against the substrate with the bearing. I've never used lubricant, but did clean the bearings with carb cleaner occasionally, and relube them. ...

THank you Tom... good advice.

[Patty Hann]

I like “climb cutting”, it works. Insurance companies don’t like climb cutting. Do us all a favor and be careful . I climb cut straight
bit then ‘regular cut’ with angle finish bit.

Thank you Mel... I did read about climb cutting to trim laminate and watched a video on it.
I might practice it first on scrap setup. I tried a climb cut with a compact Makita once (on wood edge) The way the router behaves kind of takes you by surprise, and not just the first time.

[Lloyd McKinlay]

I switched to fabricating countertops to Corian in 1982, and did them until late '90's when Granite took over. My specialized solid surface bits have bearing covers made out of solid surface. Regular woodworking bits with bearings will work fine, but will leave some strike-off that has to be dealt with, but are what I use for making shop stuff out of solid surface material.

Whiteside has always been my first choice. They are Whiteside bits in the Makita 701's, and these are the specialized solid surface bits.
https://www.whitesiderouterbits.com/.../solid-surface

Thank you. Whiteside is my first choice also so the link is greatly appreciated.

[Patty Hann]

you put laminate on the top did you put it on the edges before the top? did you put it on the bottom? or at least backer board.

Followed you until you mentioned the backer board. Not sure what you meant (I know what a backer board is in general, just not why I would have one and then why put laminate on it.)

OK, about the edge (and someone else mentioned the edge)
The edge around the table is going to be hardwood.
Yes, it will block the ends of the all the tracks... and everyone will no doubt say" You won't be able to slide T-bolts in".
Correct.. I won't be able to insert the T-bolts from the edges.

But there are other ways to get the T-bolts into the tracks, and I've never liked the idea of having to slide them in from the edge.
I want to insert them pretty close to where I will be using them, so I'm going to make it so I can drop them in at an intersection, any intersection.
And there will be more, many more, than 4 intersections.

[Patty Hann]

Tips:

It is generally far easier to present the substrate to the laminate, as otherwise the laminate tends to sag and grab before you have sufficient alignment.

Don't overcomplicate the flush trim bits. Use sharp ball bearing 2 straight flute carbide cutters. Mine are made by Ocemco; cutters and bearings are replaceable.

Bearings gum up, especially if you insist on trimming the edge immediately after laminating, without giving the contact cement sufficient time to dry. I regularly scrape off the built up adhesive using a single-edge razor blade. Then a bit of acetone if needed.

When you have to allow a large laminate overhang, use a track saw to first remove most of the waste prior to routing.

When rolling out the laminate, be careful to not bend the edge of the laminate as that can fracture the laminate, resulting in chipped edges.

I generally give the wood 2 coats and the laminate 1 coat of cement, beginning with the laminate upside down on the substrate.

When trimming the edge it reduces risk of scratching the laminate if you use a top-bearing follower and run the router base on the substrate.

Are you using the terms "wood" and "substrate" interchangeably? if so my substrate is 1" MDF.

So, I would flip the laminate over setting it on the MDF, and apply the cement to it, then lift it off the MDF and set it down ... where? On another very flat surface?
Then I would apply the 2 coats of cement to the MDF, wait for it to "dry" (to the touch) pick up the MDF, flip it over, and drop it onto the laminate? Am I getting this right, or totally wrong?

I wish there were pictures or a video of how to do it this way.
I was planning to set about 4 -5 dowels on the cement coated MDF, set the laminate (w/ the cement already applied) on the dowels, then slide the dowels out one at a time and let the laminate drop onto the MDF.

(Right now I've cemented a smaller piece of laminate--15" x15"---to some 1" MDF, to practice trimming. The 30 x 36 inch piece has yet to be cemented)

[andy bessette]

Are you using the terms "wood" and "substrate" interchangeably? if so my substrate is 1" MDF.

So, I would flip the laminate over setting it on the MDF, and apply the cement to it, then lift it off the MDF and set it down ... where? On another very flat surface?
Then I would apply the 2 coats of cement to the MDF, wait for it to "dry" (to the touch) pick up the MDF, flip it over, and drop it onto the laminate? Am I getting this right, or totally wrong?...

That is correct.