As I prepare to build my router table, I have to get some laminate for
the top (and underside of the top). While I was in the BORG today, I saw
these laminated floorboards.
The fit together incredibly snug. In fact, one of the rooms in my house
has these boards. They only cost about $3 a square foot.
I figure it would be a LOT easier to lay these out and get the nice flat
surface I'm looking for. The boards are usually "floated", but they can
be glued.
Is there any reason that this would be a bad idea?
Jack
Fred wrote:
> "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"> wrote
> in message news:[email protected]...
> > As I prepare to build my router table, I have to get some laminate for the
> > top (and underside of the top). While I was in the BORG today, I saw these
> > laminated floorboards.
> >
> > The fit together incredibly snug. In fact, one of the rooms in my house
> > has these boards. They only cost about $3 a square foot.
>
> About half the price at Costco,
>
> >
> > I figure it would be a LOT easier to lay these out and get the nice flat
> > surface I'm looking for. The boards are usually "floated", but they can be
> > glued.
> >
>
> I would use my brad nail gun and contact cement. The under side is also
> smooth and may not stick too well.
>
> > Is there any reason that this would be a bad idea?
> >
>
> Why not get a solid piece of 3/4" thick liminated 4x8 sheet and be done with
> it without the gluing part. Some places sell partial sheets like 4x2, 4x4
> rather getting a whole box of laminates.
>
>
>
> > Jack
> >
I have always used what I know as melamine board. The prelaminated
particle board, often seen as shelving.
You need an 1" of it to keep it from deflecting (unless you stress the
hell out of its support), it will change shape no matter what finish
you put on it, work running accross the grain will scuff it and spoil .
Put some fixturing on it and as it (your substrate) changes shape it
will distort the fixturing. Flatness is critical, you won't get it with
wood.
If no precision work is expected use it, give it a shot.
In my view, wood laminates, resin impregnated etc are not good choices.
There are no flatness specs on this stuff. They change shape.
We're talking about making a tool for routing, not exploiting left over
materials.
Some of the criteria for a simple router table:
http://www.patwarner.com/router_table.html
Simplicity will pay off.
On 2005/9/2 10:47 PM, "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
> Wood not great for a router table top; no need to bore you with the
> reasons.
> A bad choice.
Pat, when you saw "wood," I am assuming that you are referring to natural
wood lumber, either in single wide pieces (unlikely) or edge glued. I can
understand problems with warping, grain lift, etc. What are wood composites
or engineered lumber?
My own preference is two 3/4" layers of MDF glued together and then covered
with sheet laminate top and bottom.
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> As I prepare to build my router table, I have to get some laminate for the
> top (and underside of the top). While I was in the BORG today, I saw these
> laminated floorboards.
>
> The fit together incredibly snug. In fact, one of the rooms in my house
> has these boards. They only cost about $3 a square foot.
About half the price at Costco,
>
> I figure it would be a LOT easier to lay these out and get the nice flat
> surface I'm looking for. The boards are usually "floated", but they can be
> glued.
>
I would use my brad nail gun and contact cement. The under side is also
smooth and may not stick too well.
> Is there any reason that this would be a bad idea?
>
Why not get a solid piece of 3/4" thick liminated 4x8 sheet and be done with
it without the gluing part. Some places sell partial sheets like 4x2, 4x4
rather getting a whole box of laminates.
> Jack
>
mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net
wrote:
> As I prepare to build my router table, I have to get some laminate for
> the top (and underside of the top). While I was in the BORG today, I
> saw these laminated floorboards.
>
> The fit together incredibly snug. In fact, one of the rooms in my
> house has these boards. They only cost about $3 a square foot.
>
> I figure it would be a LOT easier to lay these out and get the nice
> flat surface I'm looking for. The boards are usually "floated", but
> they can be glued.
>
> Is there any reason that this would be a bad idea?
>
> Jack
A sheet of eigth of an inch aluminium is not that dear and can be taken to
the local engineers workshop to have four sides bent down and braised at
the corners.
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"> wrote:
>Oh ... I wasn't planning on "only" using the laminated boards. I have
>an old 1 1/4" thick solid wood door from years back. It's heavy as iron
>(not sure what wood it is, but it's nice and hard .. think it was an
>external door that my father-in-law kept in the garage).
>
>I was going to use that as the substrate (sp?) and glue down the
>laminate ooards over it.
>
>Jack
Why hide what's sure to be a wonderful piece of wood.
I'll trade a flat milled aluminum plate for your old door any
day of the week. No matter how old or hard it is wood will
expand and contract with humidity changes, the only
exception I know of is petrified wood...
I've seen seams open up in non-flat floors. Probably not a problem on a router table. Flatter than
the floors.
Me, I'd go with the regular laminated. I bought a damaged Wilsonart 4x8 sheet for $7 about a year
ago. Worked fine for my table saw extension/router table. Lot of usable material.
The laminate DOES make a good zero clearance insert.
On Fri, 02 Sep 2005 16:56:03 -0600, "mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at)
PLUGcomcast.net"> wrote:
>As I prepare to build my router table, I have to get some laminate for
>the top (and underside of the top). While I was in the BORG today, I saw
>these laminated floorboards.
>
>The fit together incredibly snug. In fact, one of the rooms in my house
>has these boards. They only cost about $3 a square foot.
>
>I figure it would be a LOT easier to lay these out and get the nice flat
>surface I'm looking for. The boards are usually "floated", but they can
>be glued.
>
>Is there any reason that this would be a bad idea?
>
>Jack
In article <[email protected]>,
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net">
wrote:
> As I prepare to build my router table, I have to get some laminate for
> the top (and underside of the top). While I was in the BORG today, I saw
> these laminated floorboards.
>
> The fit together incredibly snug. In fact, one of the rooms in my house
> has these boards. They only cost about $3 a square foot.
>
> I figure it would be a LOT easier to lay these out and get the nice flat
> surface I'm looking for. The boards are usually "floated", but they can
> be glued.
>
> Is there any reason that this would be a bad idea?
>
> Jack
Find out who does engineered stone, such as SileStone, granite in your
area. Sink/cooktop cut-outs are often free... or cheap. Solid surface
makes for a nice flat surface. You'll need to do a little running around
for somebody to drill (core bore) a hole for you. Well worth the effort
and classy too.
Most of that stuff has no solid wood in it. Its a plastic laminate over a
particle board substrate.
"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" <"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"> wrote
in message news:[email protected]...
> No no no ... please bore me (uh, no pun intended).
>
> The Pergo laminate flooring in my "library room" takes a beating and
> looks great. It's laminated wood, right?
>
> So what I'm trying to figure out is .. why is layering laminated wood on
> a router table better or worse or the same as laminatING wood?
>
> Jack
>
> [email protected] wrote:
> > Wood not great for a router table top; no need to bore you with the
> > reasons.
> > A bad choice.
> >
> > More on routers? See the http://www.patwarner.com link.
> >
>
Cutting a hole for the insert would be a bit difficult.
"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Find out who does engineered stone, such as SileStone, granite in your
> area. Sink/cooktop cut-outs are often free... or cheap. Solid surface
> makes for a nice flat surface. You'll need to do a little running around
> for somebody to drill (core bore) a hole for you. Well worth the effort
> and classy too.
Oh ... I wasn't planning on "only" using the laminated boards. I have
an old 1 1/4" thick solid wood door from years back. It's heavy as iron
(not sure what wood it is, but it's nice and hard .. think it was an
external door that my father-in-law kept in the garage).
I was going to use that as the substrate (sp?) and glue down the
laminate ooards over it.
Jack
[email protected] wrote:
> You need an 1" of it to keep it from deflecting (unless you stress the
> hell out of its support), it will change shape no matter what finish
> you put on it, work running accross the grain will scuff it and spoil .
> Put some fixturing on it and as it (your substrate) changes shape it
> will distort the fixturing. Flatness is critical, you won't get it with
> wood.
> If no precision work is expected use it, give it a shot.
>
No no no ... please bore me (uh, no pun intended).
The Pergo laminate flooring in my "library room" takes a beating and
looks great. It's laminated wood, right?
So what I'm trying to figure out is .. why is layering laminated wood on
a router table better or worse or the same as laminatING wood?
Jack
[email protected] wrote:
> Wood not great for a router table top; no need to bore you with the
> reasons.
> A bad choice.
>
> More on routers? See the http://www.patwarner.com link.
>