Routing laminated flooring

[Sum Lin]

I had to trim the edge of my laminated flooring by about 1/4" to make
room for a granite threshold between that room and the adjacent tiled
hallway. The granite was cut a bit too wide so I was going to trim off
the laminated floor (Formica brand). I used my Dremel tool with a
router bit and it seems to work initially and then it started to smoke.
The router bit also turned black. I had the 5 speed Dremel and I had it
on 4 (5 being highest speed). I also had an attachment to adjust the
depth and I had it at 1/4" so it should not be the depth. May be this
is too heavy duty for a light weight Dremel? I just did not want to get
a router just for this. Also the router bit for Dremel seems very thin,
when cutting it seemed that it may snap and go through someone's eye.
Any idea for a solution? If I proceed with this "black" bit will it
continue to work?

The subfloor is concrete, with a foam layer, then the laminated floor.

Thanks,

Sum

[RonJon]

It sounds as if the bit dulled very fast in the laminate. Was it a carbide
bit? If not, you might try one if the distance to trim is fairly short.
Otherwise, it might be too big a task for the small bit.

RonJon

Sum Lin wrote:

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[Rob Weaver]

Sum - you're taxing that little motor to it's upper limits. Clean that
router bit off with a touch of Simple Green or Easy Off. Feel
thecutting edge, if it's still sharp, proceed, if it's dull, replace
it. You can do what you want with the Dremel, but not at 1/4" at a
time. Try taking 1/8" inch cuts, and shallow passes. It'll take
longer, but you won't smoke your tool.

I've used Dremels for 25 years, and hogged my way through a lot of hard
stuff with a router bit in the chuck; take your time, be careful, and
you'll do fine.

Cheers,
Rob Weaver

[Mark Penlington]

My guess is that you were trying to take off too much material in one pass.
I would gather that your floor is hardwood. Like RonJon said in his post,
try a carbide tipped bit and take off less material in a pass. As for the
black bit, you'll probably find the bit is fairly dull now. I also have a
dremel router bit that is black from taking off little bits of maple. I've
asked my local hardware shop if they sharpen dremel bits and their reply was
they weren't sure as nobody had ever come in with one but they were willing
to try. I'll let you know how I make out.

Mark Penlington

Sum Lin wrote in message <37C0A356...@earthlink.net>...

[TinMan1332]

>I had to trim the edge of my laminated flooring by about 1/4" to make
>room for a granite threshold between that room and the adjacent tiled
>hallway. The granite was cut a bit too wide so I was going to trim off
>the laminated floor (Formica brand). I used my Dremel tool with a
>router bit and it seems to work initially and then it started to smoke.
>The router bit also turned black. I had the 5 speed Dremel and I had it
>on 4 (5 being highest speed). I also had an attachment to adjust the
>depth and I had it at 1/4" so it should not be the depth. May be this
>is too heavy duty for a light weight Dremel? I just did not want to get
>a router just for this. Also the router bit for Dremel seems very thin,
>when cutting it seemed that it may snap and go through someone's eye.
>Any idea for a solution? If I proceed with this "black" bit will it
>continue to work?

I would say no-way is the tool or the bit strong enough to handle particle
board. Rent a real router and invest in one carbide router tip.

[victor]

Sum Lin wrote:

> Also the router bit for Dremel seems very thin,
> when cutting it seemed that it may snap and go through someone's eye.
> Any idea for a solution?

You are wearing safety glasses, aren't you?

[Andy Alshouse]

My experience with laminate flooring is that it is sure to dull your power
tools. I installed ~800 sqft of laminate flooring in our kitchen and was
using my DeWalt chop saw to cut the flooring to length. By the end the day,
my carbide-tipped 12" saw blade could barely cut through a 2x4. That
laminate probably dulled your router bit in short order.

Sum Lin wrote in message <37C0A356...@earthlink.net>...

>I had to trim the edge of my laminated flooring by about 1/4" to make
>room for a granite threshold between that room and the adjacent tiled
>hallway. The granite was cut a bit too wide so I was going to trim off
>the laminated floor (Formica brand). I used my Dremel tool with a
>router bit and it seems to work initially and then it started to smoke.
>The router bit also turned black. I had the 5 speed Dremel and I had it
>on 4 (5 being highest speed). I also had an attachment to adjust the
>depth and I had it at 1/4" so it should not be the depth. May be this
>is too heavy duty for a light weight Dremel? I just did not want to get

>a router just for this. Also the router bit for Dremel seems very thin,

>when cutting it seemed that it may snap and go through someone's eye.

>Any idea for a solution? If I proceed with this "black" bit will it
>continue to work?
>

[ke...@revealed.net]

1. You were using a high speed steel bit [HSS] where a carbide bit is
required.

2. You were using the wrong tool for the job [specifically with a router bit],
you should have been using a router or laminate trimmer.

3. If you must use a Dremel tool use a saw blade with it instead of a
router bit. But keep in mind that the Dremel tool is not designed to do
heavy work, it's a hobby tool.

[Sum Lin]

A saw blade, you mean a cut off wheel thingie?

Sum

[Sum Lin]

I am near sighted so I wear glasses anyway. But I will put on the plastic
googles. It only takes one accident to learn. Good advice.

Thanks,

Sum

victor wrote:

> Sum Lin wrote:
>
> > Also the router bit for Dremel seems very thin,
> > when cutting it seemed that it may snap and go through someone's eye.
> > Any idea for a solution?
>

[Stoney Creek Furniture & Joinery]

If you take mulitple shallow passes then you should by rights be able to do
the job irrespective of the the size of the router provided the bit you are
using is sharp.
Sum Lin <sum...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:37C0A356...@earthlink.net...

> I had to trim the edge of my laminated flooring by about 1/4" to make
> room for a granite threshold between that room and the adjacent tiled
> hallway. The granite was cut a bit too wide so I was going to trim off
> the laminated floor (Formica brand). I used my Dremel tool with a
> router bit and it seems to work initially and then it started to smoke.
> The router bit also turned black. I had the 5 speed Dremel and I had it
> on 4 (5 being highest speed). I also had an attachment to adjust the
> depth and I had it at 1/4" so it should not be the depth. May be this
> is too heavy duty for a light weight Dremel? I just did not want to get

> a router just for this. Also the router bit for Dremel seems very thin,

> when cutting it seemed that it may snap and go through someone's eye.

[hendrixx2]

On Thu, 26 Aug 1999 21:56:27 +1000, "Stoney Creek Furniture & Joinery"
<des...@majestic.net.au> wrote:

>If you take mulitple shallow passes then you should by rights be able to do
>the job irrespective of the the size of the router provided the bit you are
>using is sharp.
>Sum Lin <sum...@earthlink.net> wrote in message
>news:37C0A356...@earthlink.net...
>> I had to trim the edge of my laminated flooring by about 1/4" to make
>> room for a granite threshold between that room and the adjacent tiled
>> hallway. The granite was cut a bit too wide so I was going to trim off
>> the laminated floor (Formica brand). I used my Dremel tool with a
>> router bit and it seems to work initially and then it started to smoke.

>> The router bit also turned black. [snipped]<<

hi, appears the tool might be too light for the jog; a blackened bit
is a sure sign of a dull bit. may need to borrow a router, good luck

--
pax,
hendrixx2
http://home.att.net/~hendrixx2/cando.html
ICQ#41527915