Cutting Laminate

[bill_l]

Anyone with sheet goods experience know what type of bit and feed/speeds for cutting laminate? It will be vac held and it is .045" thick.

[beacon14]

I do that with a 1/8" or 3/16" down spiral bit, at 3 or 4 ips - another one of those applications that would never have occurred to me until I had the machine up and running. Only drawback is being limited to 4x8 sheets. But MUCH better than cutting laminate on the tablesaw.

[bill_l]

Dave,

Thanks. Tried it with 1/8" down at 3 ips and it likes it! Much better than the table saw. By the way, did you ever run across a sheet that just wants to curl up? First two sheets cut perfect. On the third one each part would curl and break vacuum.

Bill

[beacon14]

Was the sheet left rolled up for any period of time? I've learned to unroll laminate as soon as it's delivered and always store flat or it will take a set and be impossible to make flat (until it's glued down of course)

[bill_l]

Yes it was but with two other sheets that flattened out quickly and cut perfectly. I was cutting 9" squares and as each square was cut it would lift around the profile. I might add that four sheets did my carbide bit in.

[myxpykalix]

Bill,
Call Fred at www.centuriontools.com (http://www.centuriontools.com) and i'm sure his bits will last much longer.

[chiloquinruss]

Bill, just a thought if you have a scrap of the curly stuff left try cutting it from the backside and see if it still lifts. Also what was the temperature in your shop just prior to and during the cutting session? Russ

[bleeth]

Bill: FYI I have run into sheets that even though were never rolled up, once cut into smaller pieces they want to curl. I assume it has something to do with a moisture or temp change affecting the face and the phenolic backing slightly differently. You said this happened on the third sheet. If this was the bottom of the pile or the outside of the roll than it had different atmospheric forces at work on it than the other two.

[chiloquinruss]

I went by the local cabinet shop where the guy does tons of laminate covered kitchen counter tops and peeked into the back to watch him do a few. I noticed over in the corner he had a couple of hanging heat lamps (like those used in a restaurant to keep your order warm). These were hanging over a storage table where he had the next couple of laminate pieces he was going to work with next. Hmmmmm! Russ

[coach]

Moisture is the culprit of distortion. The backing is porous but the top is not.

The heat lamp may be for pieces going around a radius, but may help the laminate lay down on the table.
I use a 1/4" down spiral. I probably have cut 400 tops on my current bit. I am going through 3/4" particle board laid up with standard laminate. (1/16")

[elcruisr]

We use up our old 1/4" downspirals for the job. The plastic laminate is going to eat up carbide pretty fast no matter whose magic tool you use. Longest life is with max inch per second and lowest workable rpm.

[bill_l]

Thanks guys. I had the material in the shop for about 36 hours and had it laid out flat during the 36 hour period. In actuality, the sheet that curled, was the middle of three sheets that arrived in a roll. From your posts, I suspect that this particular sheet may have been subject to more moisture before being bundled for shipment.

I think that I will give the heat lamps a try on the next batch.

Thanks again for the help. I've been doing mostly 3d and v-carving work but slowly moving into sheet goods so I'm sure as I try different materials I'll be back for more advise.

ShopBot forum ... what a great place!

Bill

[teddy27]

I was wondering what would be the rpm you should be running your router at? and do I use a special feedrate?

[32mmcabinet]

What type of cutting of laminate/counters is it that you guys doing on the bot?