Main Restorations Software Audio/Jukebox/MP3 Everything Else Buy/Sell/Trade
Project Announcements Monitor/Video GroovyMAME Merit/JVL Touchscreen Meet Up Retail Vendors
Driving & Racing Woodworking Software Support Forums Consoles Project Arcade Reviews
Automated Projects Artwork Frontend Support Forums Pinball Forum Discussion Old Boards
Raspberry Pi & Dev Board controls.dat Linux Miscellaneous Arcade Wiki Discussion Old Archives
Lightguns Arcade1Up Try the site in https mode Site News

Unread posts | New Replies | Recent posts | Rules | Chatroom | Wiki | File Repository | RSS | Submit news

  

Author Topic: Pro and Cons of using laminate  (Read 2491 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

vader

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 733
  • Last login:January 19, 2025, 08:25:22 pm
  • I can't breathe in this thing !!
Pro and Cons of using laminate
« on: December 02, 2004, 10:34:14 pm »
The next panel I build is going to find it's way onto my cabinate so I want ti to look as professional as possible and now gauwdy ( is that a word ? )  I've decided to use laminate and was wondering what are the pros and cons and what I should look out for...the biggest thing I saw was fingerprints on dark colors from what others have said and I wanted black or a very dark blue :( .  I ordered the flush trim bit earlier.  Any words of wisdom ?

Thanks

Tim

PS. The rest of the cabinet will be laminate also

neuromancer

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 446
  • Last login:May 10, 2006, 04:26:57 pm
  • Can I Play?
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #1 on: December 06, 2004, 03:28:44 pm »
Work with the contact cement in a well ventilated area.

Use wooden dowel rods to keep the laminate from sticking before you want it to. That is, lay the rods on the plywood with the contact cement. Place the laminated (also with contact cement) on top of the rods. Position the laminate, and then remove the rods.

You need a J-roller to make the two parts stick together.

Bob

DrewKaree

  • - AHOTW - Pompous revolving door windbag *YOINKER*
  • Wiki Master
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9740
  • Last login:May 15, 2021, 05:31:18 pm
  • HAH! Nice one!
    • A lifelong project
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #2 on: December 06, 2004, 05:47:41 pm »
The next panel I build is going to find it's way onto my cabinate so I want ti to look as professional as possible and now gauwdy ( is that a word ? )  I've decided to use laminate and was wondering what are the pros and cons and what I should look out for...the biggest thing I saw was fingerprints on dark colors from what others have said and I wanted black or a very dark blue :( .  I ordered the flush trim bit earlier.  Any words of wisdom ?

Thanks

Tim

PS. The rest of the cabinet will be laminate also
Drill the holes after attaching the laminate. 

If you're worried about fingerprints showing on your cabinet, then seriously think about why you're building a cabinet in the first place.  If you can't stand fingerprints, perhaps laminate isn't the problem  ;)

If you're gonna use T-molding great, but if you don't like the look, a 45o router bit will work just as well, and you may end up liking that look even better!

You’re always in control of your behavior. Sometimes you just control yourself
in ways that you later wish you hadn’t

stevejt

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 350
  • Last login:January 01, 2022, 01:21:32 pm
  • stevejt.com
    • My site
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #3 on: December 07, 2004, 09:12:41 am »
If you have never used laminate here are some things that might help:

Definately yes on the well ventilated area.  The fumes are HIGHLY flamible and can cause a flash fire.  They can also make you very sick, from headaches to vomiting.  If you are lucky, it would only make you high, but every one is different.

Do a small practice piece.  Make sure the bit height is set right, (very important).  Personally I like a 22 degree bit better than a 45, but thats just personal preference.  The 90 degree bit leaves a sharp edge that needs to be finished with a file,(unless you like a sharp edge,lol).

Go SLOW with the router.    It is important to keep it FLAT. If you angle it accidentally you can "burn" the corner.  It will dig into the corner down to the wood, ruining both peices of laminate if it goes deep enough.

It might be better for you to set it a TINY bit too high.  Obviously too low can ruin the edge.  If you set it a tiny bit too high, you can finish with a file gently.

Any corners where the router bit leaves a "round", can be finished off with a file, GENTLY.  The file can remove too much laminate just like the bit.

Good Luck

Steve


vader

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 733
  • Last login:January 19, 2025, 08:25:22 pm
  • I can't breathe in this thing !!
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #4 on: December 07, 2004, 09:20:32 am »
Thanks for the tips guys.  The bit I purchased is just a flush trim and I don't see anyway to set a angle on it so it looks like I will have to file down the edges.  I'll head over to MLCS to  see if they have what I need or if you could provide a link that would be useful.

Thanks

tim

NIVO

  • Global Moderator
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1256
  • Last login:March 20, 2025, 03:33:34 pm
  • danny_galaga is my mail man.
    • N.A.M.E. - arcade cabinet project
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #5 on: December 07, 2004, 04:26:38 pm »
Bosch makes a 7 degree bit perfect for that edge of laminate, blends the edge well into the t-mold. I bought one from lowe's, cant recall how much it was by i seem to recall it was under $10

thrash242

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 60
  • Last login:February 13, 2005, 04:31:44 am
  • I'm in the process of building a MAME cabinet
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #6 on: December 07, 2004, 04:56:38 pm »
It's spelled gaudy, and yes, it's a word.  But not gauwdy.

DrewKaree

  • - AHOTW - Pompous revolving door windbag *YOINKER*
  • Wiki Master
  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9740
  • Last login:May 15, 2021, 05:31:18 pm
  • HAH! Nice one!
    • A lifelong project
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #7 on: December 07, 2004, 05:06:49 pm »
Another thing I thought of while reading steve's post - I'll see if I have a speed chart I can post as well

Going slow may work, but if you experience burning on the edge (you'll understand what I mean if it happens) you'll need to move the router faster than that.

Remove any pitch/tar/gunk from your bit after use.  Not doing so will greatly aid you in the possible screwing up of your next project

DO NOT try to hog out all the material in one pass if the amount of material needed to be removed is more than 1/16".  Make a few SHALLOW cuts to get to your finished depth.  Not doing so will ALSO add to the possibility that you'll burn your routed edges.

If at all possible, try to use a router table.

If at all possible, try to use a carbide bit.  If you MUST use HSS bits on MDF, buy two.  The ragged edge soon to appear will tell you when it's time to change to the newer bit  :-\

Oh, and on the degree bits, you should be able to easily find those at Home Depot.  They usually have 45o, 30o, and 20isho bits. 

You’re always in control of your behavior. Sometimes you just control yourself
in ways that you later wish you hadn’t

stevejt

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 350
  • Last login:January 01, 2022, 01:21:32 pm
  • stevejt.com
    • My site
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #8 on: December 08, 2004, 08:51:00 am »
One more thing about the file.  In any corners, you will have to go the "long way" moving the file to remove any rounds.  That is obvious.  BUT if you are using a file on a long edge, like to remove a sharp edge, or some bumps,(due to  glue on the bit), you can burn the edge if you do it incorrectly.  Hold the file at a 45 degree angle, (or close, just as long as its closer to 45, than to 90).  Files have the grooves at angles, these angles should be touching the wood at an angle, NOT matching the direction.  Slide the file with the length of the board, NOT across it.  You might want to try this on the practice piece first. 

It is all REALLY simple, (especially if you have a little common sense, or any carpentry experience,)  it just sounds complicated when trying to be described with out any pictures.

Let us know how it works out.

Steve

Wade

  • Trade Count: (0)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1639
  • Last login:June 02, 2025, 11:48:57 pm
  • 80's Child
    • Wade's Gameroom
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #9 on: December 08, 2004, 09:42:04 am »
Depending on how you build your panels, you can just use your flat/90 degree flush trim bit, and then add t-molding to cover the edge.  This is how I have always used laminate, it has never occurred to me to use an angle bit on an arcade game.  A kitchen counter, maybe. ;)

I'd also not recommend using the water-based contact cement.  I've had better luck with the oil based stuff.  I'd also recommend following the instructions on the can, which suggests more than one coat of the glue, and letting it dry fully before attaching the pieces.

I have had a couple of problems with laminate sticking properly.  Usually this is because I didn't let the glue dry enough, or the surface I was gluing to wasn't scuffed up enough.  If you are gluing to plywood or MDF, you probably won't have that problem as the glue will soak into the wood a bit.

Hope this helps,
Wade

vader

  • Trade Count: (+1)
  • Full Member
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 733
  • Last login:January 19, 2025, 08:25:22 pm
  • I can't breathe in this thing !!
Re: Pro and Cons of using laminate
« Reply #10 on: December 08, 2004, 11:00:34 am »
Thanks for all the input guys, this is going to be really helpfull....I am using MDF and tmolding but if I'm correct...I will be using 3/4" MDF and I'm guessing laminate is about 1/16", so the molding laminate will show a slight bet, so I will use the angle bit like you guys suggested.  I'll post some pics as soon as I get the joysticks in......can't really lay any laminate down til I get those...

Tim