Thread: Laminate Trimmer

hmmm i think i might have to buy the stewmac base

ill keep an eye out for those bits,

thanks greg

got another question...

Is the tilt base on the Makita machine very useful... would it help clean up a scarf jointt say???

Originally Posted by fanlee

got another question...

Is the tilt base on the Makita machine very useful... would it help clean up a scarf jointt say???

Tilt base? Not something I've ever seen. Certainly a straight guide fence and a template follower on the lam/trimmer , but I've never seen or used a tilt base.

I have a tilt on my hitachi lam trimmer...pretty crap. I dont think id ever use it for anything.

...well..I lashed out some time ago & bought a 3709 Makita..and I see why they're so popular..astonishingly easy to use..but you all know that )

What I've found though is that the 'bit protrusion' - height adjustment, is next to useless..some plastic sprocket to be wound up & down..I can't get it to work..

any tips in this area please?

Originally Posted by fanlee

...well..I lashed out some time ago & bought a 3709 Makita..and I see why they're so popular..astonishingly easy to use..but you all know that )

What I've found though is that the 'bit protrusion' - height adjustment, is next to useless..some plastic sprocket to be wound up & down..I can't get it to work..

any tips in this area please?

Just the one tip...dont bother with it hahaha. Just slide the thing up manially by hand. Thats what i do. We have three of them at work and none of them have ever worked.
Apart from that, theyre a top trimmer

.....and when you're holding the thing, just be very careful to keep your pinky finger out of the way

The humble laminate trimmer is the ONLY powertool that has ever bitten me. When edge routing with a bearing bit it's all too easy to let your pinky finger creep around underneath the base. In my case the cutter just clipped the end of my finger, taking a small bite out.

Healed up fine, but still lost some feeling in the end of the finger.

I have the Stewmac base for the Dremel, and its fantastic. Bought a selection of bits from them at the same time, but there are other sources (e.g. Drill Technologies in the US)

One great feature; the base has a brass fitting to accept a small section flexible hose. I bought a length long enough to reach one outlet of my compressor, then set the air tap on that outlet to just bleed some air through the tube continuously. This does a fantastic job of keeping the cutting area clear of sawdust so that you can see exactly where you are cutting.

As others have said, the Dremel brand router base is a useless piece of.......