how do you laminate your cab..........

[thehammer12]

Hey does anyone know how to laminate cabinets, I was wondering what it costs, if its worth it.

[ViperWk]

Laminates vary abit in price depending on the thickness and style, but doing it ya self is definately the cheaper option to go with..  (thats if ya dont stuff it up)  hehehe

The only real problem with laminates is that they are very tricky to work with, as they fracture and crack easily, and there are special techinques required to work to cut it up, and also to finish the final edges and corners where they meet up with other edges. ...

Basically cutting up laminate sheets is very similar to how you would cut glass .. 

You require a special tool that has a sharp bit on the end of it,  (fairly cheap to buy) and you have to run it along the edge of a ruler and score the laminate, making a groove along where you want to cut and seperate the laminate into two individual peices.

Once the laminate has been scored you then have to put the laminate on the edge of a desk or table and press down and apply pressure to it and snap it in two.... 

The score (groove)  basically creates a weak stress point, and if done right the laminate breaks and snaps cleanly into two peices.. 

Cutting is the tickest part of laminating as if you dont score the laminate properly, or deep enough, or you put too much pressure in the wrong spot when you go to snap it, the laminate will crack and fracture through the sheet, essentially ruining it ...

If anyone is going to try laminating id really recommend you go to a supplier first and see if you can get a cheap or damaged offcut from them and take it home and practice on it first, as there is abit of an art to it all and is alot harder than what many people would think.

Cheers Russ....

[thehammer12]

hmm does 200 bucks sound bad for someone to laminate a cab. thats what this one guy might charge. what you think. I saw another cab he laminated. It looked perfect to me.

[97thruhiker]

If you have moderate construction skills theres no reason why you could not laminate your cabinet yourself.  I had zero laminating experince prior to building my cabinet and it worked out fine.  As long as you have access to a laminate knife (to score with), a router and laminate cutting bit you can do it.  I put a post in a thread about a year ago showing how you an use an old pair of mini blinds to lay the laminate.  I'll see if I can find a link.

[SteveJ34]

hmm does 200 bucks sound bad for someone to laminate a cab. thats what this one guy might charge. what you think. I saw another cab he laminated. It looked perfect to me.

I'm definitely an advocate of do-it-yourself but does the $200 include materials or is that a labor only cost?

If it includes materials its worth consideration based on what I have seen for laminate costs from box stores of late.

[97thruhiker]

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=36641.msg323448#msg323448

Basically all you need to do is cut your laminate to a size larger then what you are covering.  You do not have to worry about cutting angles at this point, just make it a square/rectangle as long as theres overlap.  This is where you use a laminate knife and a straight edge.  Follow directions of the adheasive you are using.  Once its tack dry place old mini blinds on one surface then lay your laminate on top then pull out each individual blind piece working it down as you go.  Take your router and trim off the excess after sufficent time, it practically melts off.  Practice with a scrap piece if your not comfortable.

[Timoe]

Cant you just put your cab in a laminator like you would your school ID?

[miles2912]

I thought the setps were to first lay your cab on its side and put a sheet of laminate on top.  Use a pair of aircraft metal cutting sheers to cut out a rough shape (maybe 2" overhang).  The sheers are usually real close to the laminate and contact cement at your local store.  Apply the contact cement on the cab according to the directions and space dowels on the cab.  Maybe one dowel ever 12" or so.  Position the laminate on the dowels and then remove the dowels one by one pressing the laminate onto the cab.   Using a rolling pin, roll the laminate using a good deal of force.  After it dries go around the edge with a laminate trimming bit on your router to cut it all flush.  Flip the cab over and repeat.

Scott uses this on his cab http://home.austin.rr.com/shumate/unicade/cabinet.htm .  Click the link for some pics and directions.

Don

[MikeDeuce]

My dremel is equipped with a fiberglass reinfoced cutting wheel 95% of the time. If you set it around medium speed and score the laminate at a medium pace it will snap off super easily. Best part is you dont need to push hard (like a scoring blade), dont need to use a straight edge, and you can easily do it when the laminate is already on the piece.

And one tip with using a rolling pin, if you are near an edge, you can clamp a straight piece of wood to help in case you roll past the workpiece edge. In my sloppier days I've rolled the pin slightly past the piece and had the formica snap badly at that point :\ So basically if I'm laminating a smaller form like the base of a CP, I'll use some wood next to the base, under the formica, just so even if I snap it at that point it will snap an inch or so further away from the base.

[Timoe]

nice tip about the dremel.

[thehammer12]

yeah the guy said 200 including supplies.

[DrewKaree]

Spend the $200.

For the laminate, the adhesive, a router with flush trim bit, roller, etc, you'll spend pretty dang close to that much. 

Now, if you've GOT that stuff, you're a fool not to try it yourself, but if you happened to already have all that stuff, you wouldn't even be asking us these questions.

$200 well spent on your part.  Game over.