Help, how the heck do you use a laminate trimmer???
Michael
tops I've been making. The problem I've been getting is that I trim the side
edges first then attach the laminate on the top, but when I go to trim that
down the bit seems to shaving some of the edging off. I'm using a trimming
bit with a bearing and I may have the bit set too low. Is the bit supposed
to be just showing below the base plate? Any help would be appreciated.
Mike
Kevin Singleton
that the router is tipping slightly, and causing the bit to gouge the work.
The more bit you expose, the more you exacerbate the problem.
Kevin
"Michael" <mbay...@gte.net> wrote in message
news:I%gN7.380$eb1....@paloalto-snr1.gtei.net...
,Ken Frantz, KF4QID
This more than you ask for, but it may help othere out there!!!!!!
I have been (before retiring) in the mica cabinet, store fixture, counter
top business for about 30 years. during those years I have not use a bearing
trim bit because they tend to clogged and gummed up with contact glue and
when the bearing stops turning you will burn the mica. The type of bits we
used in the shop were 1/4 Solid carbide flush trim bits and 1/4 solid
carbide 7 degree bevel trim bits as shown on this web site of "Rockers"
catalog.
http://www.rockler.com/ecom7/showoff.cfm?&DID=6&CATID=78&ObjectGroup_ID=394
(hope this address works!!)
In the shop we had at least 3 routers set up (production shop) one with the
straight bit, one with the bevel bit set up for mica vertical surface (1/32
thickness) which is used on the face, bottoms, sides,door edging and face of
the doors and "standard" (1/16 thickness) used mostly for counter tops edges
and top surfaces.
But since you have one router you will have to change the bit from straight
to bevel. for the different operations.
If you are building counter tops, glue up all edges of the top and the mica
edging at the same time. stick the front edge mica on first and let the ends
go past the end of the counter top about 1/2 inch (cut all mica about 3/4
inch wider than the top edge), then cut a square end on the pieces used for
the end cap and butt them into the front cap. In the shop we used paste
floor wax or canning wax to lub where the bits will run on the mica to keep
it from burning the mica. Route all of the mica with a straight bit. Before
the top mica goes on, the top surface is belt sanded along with the bottom
of the edge to get the mica edges flush with the surfaces.(CAREFUL: THE MICA
EDGE IS JUST AS SHARP AS A RAZOR BLADE) The top mica is cut about 1 inch
bigger both ways than the wood and both the wood and mica is glued up. Place
dowel rods or sticks on the glued wood surface about 6-8 inches apart just
before placing the glued mica on the top so you can move the mica around
before sticking. Once in place, start removing the dowels from the center
and work out to the ends. (DON'T LET THE MICA SLIP!!!!!) Then with a "J"
roller or a block of wood press the mica down starting at the center.
Next wax the edging where it meets the top mica and route with the straight
bit. DON'T SKIMP ON THE WAX!!! Now change the bit to the bevel bit and set
it up just so it will clean up the top mica and produce a bevel on the mica
edge and do the final touch up all edges with a 10-12 inch mill bastard
file.( for beginners make up some blocks with edging and face mica as you
are doing the top so you will have something to practice setting up the
bevel bit) Some times with a new straight bit you can skip the bevel bit and
just file the edges.Then it is clean up with what the manufacture
recommends.
In all different kinds of work, there are "tricks of the trade" and in the
30 years in the cabinet business, I have learned most of them and I know
there are more out there.
RUSTYNAIL E-MAIL: kf4...@prodigy.net
"Michael" <mbay...@gte.net> wrote in message
news:I%gN7.380$eb1....@paloalto-snr1.gtei.net...
Kim Whitmyre
Kim Whitmyre
to be just showing below the base plate? Any help would be appreciated.
Mike
Right, only expose as much cutter as is necessary. What I have done as well
is to make a wider base for the trimmer to sit on that maintains a 90 degree
angle better.
Kim
Robert A. Gramza
will keep you from burning the face of the formica the bit is running
against. Cleaning the formica and you are all set.
"Kim Whitmyre" <don...@mminternet.com> wrote in message
news:u0bj77l...@corp.supernews.com...
John Paquay
I'm assuming from your post that you're using a flush trimming bit
with a ball bearing guide rather than a plain straight bit with the
trimmer's guide. When I first bought a laminate trimmer many years
ago, the first thing I did was to take off the trimmer's guide. I
think I used it once for a special circumstance, but other than that
it's never been back on the trimmer.
As Ken said, you want to expose just enough of the bit to keep the
carbide below the laminate you're trimming off. I usually give it an
extra 1/8" just to keep the contact cement away from the bearing a
little bit - but no more than that.
One thing that I didn't see Ken mention in his excellent post is that
flush trim bits vary a great deal. Some are truly flush trimmers,
others come up short of flush by as much as several thousandths. The
bits I've always liked best are three-wing bits by Bosch. They're 1/2"
diameter with a 1-1/2" cutting length, which still seems really silly
considering that for trimming laminates I only use about 1/4" of the
bit... but they are high quality bits that really trim flush, and the
only bits I've used that are all exactly the same.
Ken's advice about belt sanding the edge down to the surface of the
wood is really important. You can picture that, if the edge laminate
is even slightly above the flat surface, the top laminate will not lay
flat - it will angle upwards as it reaches the edge... then your
laminate trimmer will want to cut into the upper face of the edge
laminate as you trim the top. I've never done this step with a belt
sander. I've always done it by hand with files. There are special
files made for filing laminates - Plasticut is the brand I use, and
they come in both course and fine, each in two sizes (big and HUGE).
You can simply lay the file flat on the top and file the edge of the
edge laminate down until it's truly flush. What I like about this
method is that as soon as the edge is flush with the top face, it
stops cutting (because it's no longer riding just on the laminate
edge, but also fully on the face of the substrate. These files cut
laminate like butter when they're new. If you don't have a whole lot
of laminating to do, you can get by with a mill bastard file.
Personally, I never felt comfortable doing this with a belt sander,
and my hat's off to Ken for his belt sander prowess. I always flush
trim first, then bevel trim. After bevel trimming, I use the files to
round over the edge.
Incidentally, I've never felt the need for the wax. I spray the
trimmer bearing with silicone, which helps it slough off dried contact
cement as you trim. If you keep the trimmer moving and don't let the
bearing spin against the already laid-up laminate, you won't damage,
scuff or burn it. This does take a little bit of experience, though,
so the wax could be of some help.
John Paquay
jpa...@home.com
"Building Your Own Kitchen Cabinets" -- ordering info located at:
http://www.members.home.net/jpaquay/shop.html
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