After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to
me that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in
my books about this.

Jack

mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net wrote:

After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to
me that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in
my books about this.

Jack


A "J" roller:

http://www.constantines.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=705

or if you're cheap like me use a rolling pin (just don't tell her).

--
Jack Novak
Buffalo, NY - USA

(Remove -SPAM- to send email)

..010 variation in the glue layer would be HUGE. Use contact cement and roll
the laminate on with a J roller.
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" wrote
in message ...
After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to
me that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in
my books about this.

Jack

In article ,
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"
wrote:

After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to
me that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in
my books about this.

Jack

BTW, you're smart to put a backer on the substrate (called a balance
sheet) without it, it WILL warp.
For openers, use GP laminate. The post-formable stuff is too thin and
will telegraph irregular surfaces.
One trick is to use multiple coats of severely (up to 30+%) thinned
contact cement, that gives it time to flow out without building up and
'threading'. Use a short haired roller. (A cheapie that you toss after
you're done. CAREFUL, that the solvent doesn't take the roller apart.
Look for rollers that can handle nasty solvent-based stuff in marine
supply stores.

Don't waste your time with water-based contact cement. The stuff sticks
to wood okay, but not very well to the bottom of the laminate (phenolic).

Wilsonart 3000 PVA adhesive works very well, but you need a pro to glue
it up for you (see coffee and donuts)

The best way, but costly, is to use 3M contact cement spray from a can.
Hold the can way back so there is a feathered fan of adhesive, then do
the same thing to the laminate but rotate the pattern 90 degrees from
the pattern on the substrate. Less is more..do not use too much.. if the
propellant starts to bubble the adhesive, you are using too much.

Make sure, if possible, that there is very little airflow across the
fresh cement surface, and that the surface is cool.
The J Rollers (Bennett sells one through Home Depot) are essential as
they apply all your weight on a very small area creating a very high
pressure zone. No other roller will work as well. (Rolling pins are too
wide and distribute too much pressure over too wide an area.)

Another thing to try is to buy the guys at a local laminate shop a round
of coffee and donuts. They, like I do, use Imperial(or Formica Brand)
propane powered airless feathersprays. (looks like a BBQ tank)
The nice thing about that system is that you don't have to wait for it
to dry.

Where does one find GP laminate? I see what you mean about it being
thicker (web says it's about twice as thick).

Jack

Robatoy wrote:

In article ,
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"
wrote:


After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to
me that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in
my books about this.

Jack


BTW, you're smart to put a backer on the substrate (called a balance
sheet) without it, it WILL warp.
For openers, use GP laminate. The post-formable stuff is too thin and
will telegraph irregular surfaces.
One trick is to use multiple coats of severely (up to 30+%) thinned
contact cement, that gives it time to flow out without building up and
'threading'. Use a short haired roller. (A cheapie that you toss after
you're done. CAREFUL, that the solvent doesn't take the roller apart.
Look for rollers that can handle nasty solvent-based stuff in marine
supply stores.

Don't waste your time with water-based contact cement. The stuff sticks
to wood okay, but not very well to the bottom of the laminate (phenolic).

Wilsonart 3000 PVA adhesive works very well, but you need a pro to glue
it up for you (see coffee and donuts)

The best way, but costly, is to use 3M contact cement spray from a can.
Hold the can way back so there is a feathered fan of adhesive, then do
the same thing to the laminate but rotate the pattern 90 degrees from
the pattern on the substrate. Less is more..do not use too much.. if the
propellant starts to bubble the adhesive, you are using too much.

Make sure, if possible, that there is very little airflow across the
fresh cement surface, and that the surface is cool.
The J Rollers (Bennett sells one through Home Depot) are essential as
they apply all your weight on a very small area creating a very high
pressure zone. No other roller will work as well. (Rolling pins are too
wide and distribute too much pressure over too wide an area.)

Another thing to try is to buy the guys at a local laminate shop a round
of coffee and donuts. They, like I do, use Imperial(or Formica Brand)
propane powered airless feathersprays. (looks like a BBQ tank)
The nice thing about that system is that you don't have to wait for it
to dry.

In article ,
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"
wrote:

Where does one find GP laminate? I see what you mean about it being
thicker (web says it's about twice as thick).

Most Borgs carry GP laminates in sheets of 48 x 96.
The post-form versions are like paper thin and very hard to handle.
I have never seen PF grade in a Borg.
To a pro, the PF version is desirable because it minimizes the 'black'
line. It also bends to a much tighter radius that GP.
But for a router table, GP's the one. Go look at a Borg's countertop
department and pick a colour/ finish you like.
Formica's Natural Maple in satin is nice, it also hold onto wax really
well. Lab Black in gloss is pretty cool with some aluminum t-track mitre
slots.

LOL ... okay, I give up. I clearly have to read a lot more to understand
all the lingo in woodworking.

What is a BORG?

The only one I know about are the cybercreeps that stalk the Enterprise
in Star Trek!

Jack

Robatoy wrote:

In article ,
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"
wrote:


Where does one find GP laminate? I see what you mean about it being
thicker (web says it's about twice as thick).


Most Borgs carry GP laminates in sheets of 48 x 96.
The post-form versions are like paper thin and very hard to handle.
I have never seen PF grade in a Borg.
To a pro, the PF version is desirable because it minimizes the 'black'
line. It also bends to a much tighter radius that GP.
But for a router table, GP's the one. Go look at a Borg's countertop
department and pick a colour/ finish you like.
Formica's Natural Maple in satin is nice, it also hold onto wax really
well. Lab Black in gloss is pretty cool with some aluminum t-track mitre
slots.

A Borg, as I understand it, is any national big-box retailer, commonly
Home Depot (the orange borg) or Lowes (blue borg). Same idea as the
cybercreeps - they're apparently trying to take over the world.

"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" wrote
in message ...
After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to me
that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in my
books about this.


If people are getting their router table to within .01 they may be AR. Are
you AR? LOL

No, I'm not AR, but I have been called an A.

Leon wrote:
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" wrote
in message ...

After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate topping, how
do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of course, I'll also
laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the moisture out of the MDF.

People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it seems to me
that the glue could easily vary by more than that.

Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found anything in my
books about this.



If people are getting their router table to within .01 they may be AR. Are
you AR? LOL

Leon (in ) said:

| "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" "mywebaccts (at)
| PLUGcomcast.net" wrote in message
| ...
|| After I have my sub-boards glued and ready for the laminate
|| topping, how do I get the laminate "as smooth as possible"? Of
|| course, I'll also laminate the bottom, but that's just to keep the
|| moisture out of the MDF.
||
|| People talk about getting their table 0.01" smooth ... but it
|| seems to me that the glue could easily vary by more than that.
||
|| Is there some technique to smooth it out? I haven't found
|| anything in my books about this.
|
| If people are getting their router table to within .01 they may be
| AR. Are you AR? LOL

I hope not. I machined my router table to within 0.0015 - but didn't
install any laminate. If I were AR I'd probably have tried for within
0.0005

I did think about surfacing the table with 0.75" UHMWPE and routing it
flat - but decided that /would/ be AR :-)

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

"Morris Dovey" wrote in message
...

I hope not. I machined my router table to within 0.0015 - but didn't
install any laminate. If I were AR I'd probably have tried for within
0.0005

I did think about surfacing the table with 0.75" UHMWPE and routing it
flat - but decided that /would/ be AR :-)


LOL........ ROTHLMAO....... I think that HPL has more than .01
deviation... You are a different case though.. You can probably justify the
need.

Leon (in ) said:

| "Morris Dovey" wrote in message
| ...
||
|| I hope not. I machined my router table to within 0.0015 - but
|| didn't install any laminate. If I were AR I'd probably have tried
|| for within 0.0005
||
|| I did think about surfacing the table with 0.75" UHMWPE and
|| routing it flat - but decided that /would/ be AR :-)
|
| LOL........ ROTHLMAO....... I think that HPL has more than .01
| deviation... You are a different case though.. You can probably
| justify the need.

Probably - since I do a weird flavor of woodworking. Lately I've been
hankering for a 52"x100"x1" slab of aluminum to mill mini T-tracks
into for my router table. So far the price tag has held me back - but
it sure would make life easier.

thread divergence

Current project requires scarfing two 4x8x3/4" sheets of Extira
(waterproof MDF, 90+ lb/sheet) end-to-end for a sign, so I'm building
a monster clamp (using six LV veneer press screws and a pair of /long/
pipe clamps) to hold the joint together while the glue dries. Once the
glue-up is done, I'll slide the panels onto the router table (which is
only 8' long!) and carve the lettering. If I can get enough of the
clamp together tomorrow, I'll shoot some pix and post to ABPW. Not
sure if I'll ever use the clamp after this project, but someone may be
able to use the design.

/thread divergence

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

In article ,
"Morris Dovey" wrote:

Current project requires scarfing two 4x8x3/4" sheets of Extira
(waterproof MDF, 90+ lb/sheet) end-to-end for a sign, so I'm building
a monster clamp

Got just what you need:
http://www.monumenttoolworks.com/pages/gorillagrip.htm

I use the smaller ones:
http://www.monumenttoolworks.com/pages/parallign.htm

Do a trumatch edge and use the clamps. On MDF it makes for very strong
joint (I toss in a few cookies just be anal.)

Rob

www.topworks.ca

"Morris Dovey" wrote in message
...
Current project requires scarfing two 4x8x3/4" sheets of Extira
(waterproof MDF, 90+ lb/sheet) end-to-end for a sign, so I'm building
a monster clamp (using six LV veneer press screws and a pair of /long/
pipe clamps) to hold the joint together while the glue dries. Once the
glue-up is done, I'll slide the panels onto the router table (which is
only 8' long!) and carve the lettering. If I can get enough of the
clamp together tomorrow, I'll shoot some pix and post to ABPW. Not
sure if I'll ever use the clamp after this project, but someone may be
able to use the design.


Yeah post pics. That sounds like a bigger than life size project.

In article ,
"Morris Dovey" wrote:

I did think about surfacing the table with 0.75" UHMWPE and routing it
flat - but decided that /would/ be AR :-)

I have some engineered stone and granite slabs (sink and cook-top
cut-outs) They're flat.
They're difficult to machine/core-bore to adapt inserts and so forth.

Can one be AR AND Type-A?

Robatoy (in )
said:

| Can one be AR AND Type-A?

Not recommended for anyone except extreme introverts.

--
Morris Dovey
DeSoto Solar
DeSoto, Iowa USA
http://www.iedu.com/DeSoto/solar.html

Leon wrote:


If people are getting their router table to within .01 they may be AR. Are
you AR? LOL


LOL!

Dave