Thread: Cutting Laminex to size

It's best to cut it oversize, glue it to the workpiece and then route it to size on the workpiece (so I understand).

You can cut it to size on a table saw, being careful not to get it trapped under the fence, and using a fine T crosscut blade.

I'm sure it could be cut on a circular saw fitted with a zero clearance plate fitted to the bottom.

...wot Mr Beaner sed, and to cut it down to usable size, I use fibro cutters.

Andy,
I use laminex on an irregular basis and I have tried score and snap, a hooked laminex knife, clamping it between sheets of MDF and breaking it, as the last one but scoring and trying to break it, a jig using a jig saw .... all unscuccessfully!
I now run it through the table saw with a thin kerf blade and without a zero clearance insert and it almost seems that I am most successful when I show the greatest contempt for the stuff!
So, my current method is to cut it oversize on the table saw with a thin kerf blade, glue it to the substrate and use a router trimming bit to bring it back to size.
fletty

Originally Posted by fletty

Andy,
I use laminex on an irregular basis and I have tried score and snap, a hooked laminex knife, clamping it between sheets of MDF and breaking it, as the last one but scoring and trying to break it, a jig using a jig saw .... all unscuccessfully!
I now run it through the table saw with a thin kerf blade and without a zero clearance insert and it almost seems that I am most successful when I show the greatest contempt for the stuff!
So, my current method is to cut it oversize on the table saw with a thin kerf blade, glue it to the substrate and use a router trimming bit to bring it back to size.
fletty

yep thats my method, the gentler you are with it the worse things will be, rough as G.....s gets it done for me, the finer (more teeth) the blade on the saw the better as well, the scoring knife that I found to work best is the ones used to score and snap Hardiplank's

Yup - I do this on the tablesaw with a 50 tooth combo blade.

To prevent it sliding under the small gap below your fence, first clamp a straight edge of MDF to the fence so that it sits down flush on the tablesaw top. Of course, don't forget to subtract the thickness of the MDF from the scale reading on your fence to get the actual cut size.....

I have a new respect for my dad, who used Laminex often scored it snapped it and trimmed it all by hand tools. Thanks Dad.

How scored both side with a point of a chisel, scribing knife both sides forming a V and snap. Thicker Laminex a run along with a small saw on the rear side.

Angle grinder with one of those thin (~1mm) metal cutting disks. Do it outside, cough cough cough cough...what is that disgusting smell?

Andy, using a score and snap method should be very simple, you need to score deep enough, app. 1/2 way through the sheet, when you come to a cut whare two lines intersect score the sheet almost right through. What type of knife do you have I recomend you use a heavy duty style with carbide tips not the "olfa" disposable type. I have been cutting laminate this way for over 40 years and not had any problems.

Ive used these recently when out finishing a bakery cabinet/bench. Worked great if you dont have any powertools handy.

Best bet is to rough cut it with the table saw.

Using a scoring knife will get you close enough to size, but to get a neat finish you really need to use a trimmer with a flush cut router bit. Tidy it up with some hand filing. Even the long routed areas will need a tidy up.

Planer blade works great for removing excess glue off surfaces/pre edged areas.

What are you using it on? Just over Melamine? If it is tape up any 0.4mm edging or 2mm PVC edging with masking tape first so not to get glue on it and to protect it from filing.

PS: went a bit overboard with talking, this is our procedure for doing white Laminex underneath overhead kitchen cupboards. Just remember, If it all goes wrong, you can peel it back off like tape with a bit of thinners

I use the tablesaw with a zero clearance insert. I also attach a piece of plywood to the fence. The plywood has a kerf cut in it for the laminate to slide in so that it can't get under the fence.

Score and snap every time. Ensure you score heavily enough, halfway or better and you will have no problem. If a long score then clamp a piece of timber, aluminium straight edge along the cut to support it when snapping.

If necessary, when cutting into a sheet which does not go the whole way across the laminex, use masking tape [not the el-cheapo $2 store stuff but good stuff] over where you want to cut, do the marking on the tape and cut with a fine blade jigsaw [no pendulum] letting the saw work its own way through - in other words don't shove it. If it is very thin laminate it helps to also put the masking tape under where you are going to cut. The masking tape prevents chipping [to a large degree] and makes pencil/fine Nikko pen lines easily visible especially on dark laminates.

If you want to check your skills then get some of the sample plates and have a go before you cut into your full sheet.

Hope it helps, regards,
Bob

Tungsten carbide scoring Knife..
Lay the sheet nice and flat & apply enough pressure to score the laminate nice and deep and always score on the excess side of your straight edge so that if you slip your not cutting into your usable piece.Then pull up on the laminate against your straight edge it will snap clean every time..
(If the score is not deep enough pass a second time)

Obviously you want to cut the laminate bigger than your finished product and use the laminate trimmer to trim it up after it is glued down.

This is the method all the Cabinet makers use (Me included) for as far back as I can remember..

Yes the table saw is easier but not always the most practical if you are alone and trying to cut a full sheet of laminate !!!

Thanks for all your replies. I have now had success using a combination of the score and snap method and the table saw

Andyd