tt

"toller"

08/06/2005 4:06 PM

Routing a T-Slot in Corian?

I am (very slowly and deliberately) building a new router table from corian.
It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than putting in an
aluminum track?
Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that, or maybe it is not strong
enough to work properly.
The router bits are $35, so it is not something I can experiment with.


This topic has 21 replies

PH

"Phillip Hallam-Baker"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

10/06/2005 6:06 PM

>Gluing on a slab of lead would be ideal. Depleted uranium?

Not unless you want to deal with a material that catches fire in air at
room temperature. Its OK in large blocks but if you get slivers of it
it catches fire.

Oh and you have all the usual heavy metal poisoning issues plus
residual radioactivity.

Now a nice lump of iron on the other hand...

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 2:08 PM

What's wrong with 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 MDF laminated together (cover
with plastic laminate if you wish). Plenty thick to drop in the deepest
track you can find. dimensionally stable. Not to pricey. Will Corian
have a more distinct "buzz" from the router running than several layers
of MDF? Just wondering.

Dave

David wrote:

> Right! "why SHOULD our tools be as nice..."
>
> Dave
>
> toller wrote:
>
>>> He doesn't want functional; he wants "elegant". :)
>>>
>>
>> Come on now; I want it elegant, but only if it is also functional.
>> That ought to make sense to a woodworker; why should our tools be as
>> nice as our products?
>>

tt

"toller"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 9:28 PM


"David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What's wrong with 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 MDF laminated together (cover with
> plastic laminate if you wish). Plenty thick to drop in the deepest track
> you can find. dimensionally stable. Not to pricey. Will Corian have a
> more distinct "buzz" from the router running than several layers of MDF?
> Just wondering.

I will let you know in a while.
>
> Dave
>
> David wrote:
>
>> Right! "why SHOULD our tools be as nice..."

You don't like nice tools?!?! Then you are the first.
>>
>> Dave
>>
>> toller wrote:
>>
>>>> He doesn't want functional; he wants "elegant". :)
>>>>
>>>
>>> Come on now; I want it elegant, but only if it is also functional. That
>>> ought to make sense to a woodworker; why should our tools be as nice as
>>> our products?
>>>

tt

"toller"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 4:11 PM


> If the bit is THAT pricy, why not just epoxy the T-track into the corian?
>
Two reasons; the corian really isn't thick enough to support an insert, and
routing it directly would be so darn elegant (if it is practical).

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 2:45 PM

Sure I do. But I don't go to great lengths to have a museum quality
piece of furniture in the shop. The tools in the shop are to assist me
in making furniture, etc. The shop is not just the means to an end.
Doesn't mean I don't like nice tools though! :)

Dave

toller wrote:

> "David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>
>>What's wrong with 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 MDF laminated together (cover with
>>plastic laminate if you wish). Plenty thick to drop in the deepest track
>>you can find. dimensionally stable. Not to pricey. Will Corian have a
>>more distinct "buzz" from the router running than several layers of MDF?
>>Just wondering.
>
>
> I will let you know in a while.
>
>>Dave
>>
>>David wrote:
>>
>>
>>>Right! "why SHOULD our tools be as nice..."
>
>
> You don't like nice tools?!?! Then you are the first.
>
>>>Dave
>>>
>>>toller wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>>>He doesn't want functional; he wants "elegant". :)
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Come on now; I want it elegant, but only if it is also functional. That
>>>>ought to make sense to a woodworker; why should our tools be as nice as
>>>>our products?
>>>>
>
>
>

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 4:00 PM

So you are telling me my instinct is correct; Corian router top = NOISY
router station.

Dave

Robatoy wrote:

> In article <[email protected]>,
> David <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>
>>What's wrong with 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 MDF laminated together (cover
>>with plastic laminate if you wish). Plenty thick to drop in the deepest
>>track you can find. dimensionally stable. Not to pricey. Will Corian
>>have a more distinct "buzz" from the router running than several layers
>>of MDF? Just wondering.
>
>
> hey ! Hey! *jumping up and down*.."I can answer that!!"
>
> Acrylic solid surfacing has a much higher 'Q' than MDF.
> It will make a much better sound-board than MDF...
> MDF will 'deaden' the sound more, due to its mass as well as its
> 'lossy-ness'.
> IOW..Corian can actually make the sound appear louder at certain
> frequencies than MDF.
>
> A church bell hanging from a rope has a high 'Q'
> A rubber bag full of turds hanging from a rope has a low 'Q'.
>
> One goes 'DING'... the other goes 'Thud'
>
> That was today's lesson in psycho-acoustics.
>
> Contents of this post may have settled after posting.

dd

"dadiOH"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 8:04 PM

toller wrote:
> I am (very slowly and deliberately) building a new router table from
> corian. It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than
> putting in an aluminum track?
> Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that,

Corian? Tough? hehehe
______________

> or maybe it is not
> strong enough to work properly.

Right

--
dadiOH
____________________________

dadiOH's dandies v3.06...
...a help file of info about MP3s, recording from
LP/cassette and tips & tricks on this and that.
Get it at http://mysite.verizon.net/xico

tt

"toller"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 8:55 PM


> He doesn't want functional; he wants "elegant". :)
>
Come on now; I want it elegant, but only if it is also functional. That
ought to make sense to a woodworker; why should our tools be as nice as our
products?

Uu

"Upscale"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

09/06/2005 12:55 AM

"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:design-
> >
> I have solid surface router table top. VERY noisy. Your instincts are
> correct. The motor and the table-top literally turn into a transducer.
> Stiffening the table top with bracing just jacks up the frequency to a
> higher resonance.

Anyone have any comments on this a Lee Valley Tools metal router table top?
I've had it in my wishlist for awhile, but may rethink it if it's going to
jack up the noise level. Of course I could wear hearing protection, but
there's always the urge to forgo it when there's a quick job to do.

Uu

"Upscale"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 4:15 PM

"dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:QaIpe.24807
> > corian. It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than
> > putting in an aluminum track?
> > Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that,
>
> Corian? Tough? hehehe

Well, I suppose he could rout it and if (or when) it breaks, dado over the
broken part and then add his t-track.


ss

skeezics

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 4:48 PM

On Wed, 08 Jun 2005 16:06:39 GMT, "toller" <[email protected]> wrote:

>I am (very slowly and deliberately) building a new router table from corian.
>It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than putting in an
>aluminum track?
>Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that, or maybe it is not strong
>enough to work properly.
>The router bits are $35, so it is not something I can experiment with.
>

unless you are doubling up the corian i would think the remaining
material would be too thin and probly crack. what i did with mine was
make the top from 3 peices and spaces em out to form 2 slots. I rarely
use them opting to use a sled for operatons requiring a miter guage. i
wasnt concerned about making a t-slot because at the time my miter
guage did not require it. YMMV. i used 3/4 " stock mounted to the sub
structure for the spacing and used plastic laminate to build it up to
the depth i needed for my miter guage. the PL made it slide quite
nicely. i can post some pics if ya like. [ if i can find em ] lol...

skeez

Rd

Robatoy

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 6:06 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
David <[email protected]> wrote:

> What's wrong with 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 MDF laminated together (cover
> with plastic laminate if you wish). Plenty thick to drop in the deepest
> track you can find. dimensionally stable. Not to pricey. Will Corian
> have a more distinct "buzz" from the router running than several layers
> of MDF? Just wondering.

hey ! Hey! *jumping up and down*.."I can answer that!!"

Acrylic solid surfacing has a much higher 'Q' than MDF.
It will make a much better sound-board than MDF...
MDF will 'deaden' the sound more, due to its mass as well as its
'lossy-ness'.
IOW..Corian can actually make the sound appear louder at certain
frequencies than MDF.

A church bell hanging from a rope has a high 'Q'
A rubber bag full of turds hanging from a rope has a low 'Q'.

One goes 'DING'... the other goes 'Thud'

That was today's lesson in psycho-acoustics.

Contents of this post may have settled after posting.

Rd

Robatoy

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 9:49 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
David <[email protected]> wrote:

> So you are telling me my instinct is correct; Corian router top = NOISY
> router station.
>
I have solid surface router table top. VERY noisy. Your instincts are
correct. The motor and the table-top literally turn into a transducer.
Stiffening the table top with bracing just jacks up the frequency to a
higher resonance. Gluing on a slab of lead would be ideal. Depleted
uranium? *G*
I siliconed a pad of bitumuous mastic onto the bottom of my table-top.
That helped a lot. A dry-wall sandwich will help too.
At the auto-wreckers they will let you rip chunks of the sound deadening
material off old cars. Anything heavy and spongy will dampen noise. The
emphasis is on mass. Acoustic energy will kill itself on mass. Fluffy
stuff like fibreglass helps reduce reflected sound with minimal result,
but we're after transmitted sound.

Rd

Robatoy

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 1:26 PM

In article <[email protected]>,
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote:

> I am (very slowly and deliberately) building a new router table from corian.
> It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than putting in an
> aluminum track?
> Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that, or maybe it is not strong
> enough to work properly.
> The router bits are $35, so it is not something I can experiment with.

Even if you double the thickness to 1" to compensate for the material
you are routing away, the top lip of the t-slot would be too
thin/fragile to be serviceable. Sink in an aluminum track with some
epoxy.

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 1:27 PM

He doesn't want functional; he wants "elegant". :)

Dave

Upscale wrote:

> "dadiOH" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:QaIpe.24807
>
>>>corian. It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than
>>>putting in an aluminum track?
>>>Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that,
>>
>>Corian? Tough? hehehe
>
>
> Well, I suppose he could rout it and if (or when) it breaks, dado over the
> broken part and then add his t-track.
>
>
>

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 9:18 AM

Hmmm...not thick enough for an insert, but thick enough for routing a
T-track right into the Corian? What's the difference in total depth?

Dave

toller wrote:

>>If the bit is THAT pricy, why not just epoxy the T-track into the corian?
>>
>
> Two reasons; the corian really isn't thick enough to support an insert, and
> routing it directly would be so darn elegant (if it is practical).
>
>

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 9:52 AM

glue another piece of corian underneath about 4" wide

toller wrote:

>>If the bit is THAT pricy, why not just epoxy the T-track into the corian?
>>
>
> Two reasons; the corian really isn't thick enough to support an insert, and
> routing it directly would be so darn elegant (if it is practical).
>
>

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

10/06/2005 5:12 AM

He's putting his router table in the kitchen.

"David" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> What's wrong with 2 or 3 pieces of 3/4 MDF laminated together (cover
> with plastic laminate if you wish). Plenty thick to drop in the deepest
> track you can find. dimensionally stable. Not to pricey. Will Corian
> have a more distinct "buzz" from the router running than several layers

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 9:08 AM

If the bit is THAT pricy, why not just epoxy the T-track into the corian?

Dave

toller wrote:

> I am (very slowly and deliberately) building a new router table from corian.
> It is reasonable to rout a Tslot into the corian, rather than putting in an
> aluminum track?
> Perhaps the corian is too tough to rout like that, or maybe it is not strong
> enough to work properly.
> The router bits are $35, so it is not something I can experiment with.
>
>

Cc

"CW"

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

10/06/2005 5:26 AM

We have one at work. Not the Lee Valley but simular. It is LOUD. In any
case, why would someone intentionaly buy a router table with a warp? There
explanation is BS.
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:design-
> > >
> > I have solid surface router table top. VERY noisy. Your instincts are
> > correct. The motor and the table-top literally turn into a transducer.
> > Stiffening the table top with bracing just jacks up the frequency to a
> > higher resonance.
>
> Anyone have any comments on this a Lee Valley Tools metal router table
top?
> I've had it in my wishlist for awhile, but may rethink it if it's going to
> jack up the noise level. Of course I could wear hearing protection, but
> there's always the urge to forgo it when there's a quick job to do.
>
>

DD

David

in reply to "toller" on 08/06/2005 4:06 PM

08/06/2005 2:03 PM

Right! "why SHOULD our tools be as nice..."

Dave

toller wrote:

>>He doesn't want functional; he wants "elegant". :)
>>
>
> Come on now; I want it elegant, but only if it is also functional. That
> ought to make sense to a woodworker; why should our tools be as nice as our
> products?
>
>


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