Building a new router table, and need some advice about laminates

Hello all,

I'm about 60% done with my new router table, and realized that while I bought myself some formica-style laminate for the top, I negected to get any adhesive for it. I'm sure some of you guys have made these before, and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for attaching the laminate to the top. I'm guessing that regular old wood glue is not going to cut it, and I want to get it right the first time so I'm not fiddling around with it too much.

Thanks for any advice!

Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Reply to
Prometheus
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Reply to
Phisherman

Or brush on contact cement. Either way, be sure to apply two coats of the contact cement to the substrate and one coat to the laminate. Let the glue dry to the touch. Put some sticks fairly close together on the substrate and then place the laminate sheet on top of the sticks. Align the laminate where you need and remove the sticks as you press the laminate in place. Oh yea, make sure the two glued surfaces do not touch until it's where you want it. The bond is instant, and may prove to be impossible to adjust once bonded. Finally, roll the hell outa it with a j roller, starting in the middle and working out. --dave

Reply to
Dave Jackson
10-15 minutes in this weather is unlikely to be long enough. Furthermore, a second coat is invariably necessary for proper adhesion to a porous surface such as MDF (not that I know what the OP's substrate is).

Dave

Phisherman wrote:

Reply to
David

What weather? It is currently 76 degrees. ;~)

Reply to
Leon

|Hello all, | |I'm about 60% done with my new router table, and realized that while I |bought myself some formica-style laminate for the top, I negected to |get any adhesive for it. I'm sure some of you guys have made these |before, and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions for |attaching the laminate to the top. I'm guessing that regular old wood |glue is not going to cut it, and I want to get it right the first time |so I'm not fiddling around with it too much. | |Thanks for any advice!

I covered the outfeed table on my table saw with laminate glued down with yellow glue ("adhesive" to my materials science friends).

The table is Baltic birch ply with a no name laminate scrounged from my cabinet maker neighbor.

I rolled on a coat of glue on each piece, let it dry and then ironed it on. Worked great.

I have not had as good luck with this technique when the substrate was MDF. Apparently the moisture in the glue and/or the heat causes the MDF to delaminate around the edges. Leaving the piece oversize and trimming off the edges works fine.

Reply to
Wes Stewart

Contact cement works just as well when you put the parts together when still wet as it does when they're dry only difference is, when it's still wet, you don't have the instant grab and you have to wait longer for a full cure.

Reply to
CW

I'll be applying it in my basement, it's about 65 degrees, so weather is not a signifigant factor. The substrate is going to be a sandwich of 3/4" ply with two layers of hardboard overtop. Looking at the descriptions of the stuff, it seems like it is similar to the adhesive used when applying vinyl tiles, so I'll use my notched trowel to get the adhesive on. Sounds like other things I've done, so hopefully it'll come out nice.

Thanks for the responses- all of them were useful for letting me know what to look for. Aut inveniam viam aut faciam

Reply to
Prometheus

For small laminate projects around the shop I use 3M 77 Spray adhesive to bond laminate to substrate. For me the spray adhesive has the following advantages: No mess. It is easy and quick to apply. You get an even coat on both the laminate and substrate. You do not have to wait for the adhesive to dry, you put the surfaces together while the adhesive is still aggressively tacky. As you put the surfaces together you can actually slip them a tad if necessary. The unused adhesive keeps for a very long time, unlike contact cement which don't keep well after the can is opened. I have no test data to compare the strength of the bond to contact cement, however, I have not had any come loose. I am not a 3M stock holder, just like their spray adhesive. YMMV. Earl Creel

Reply to
Earl Creel

Prometheus wrote in news: snipped-for-privacy@4ax.com:

The substrate is going to be a sandwich

at the

the adhesive

trowel to get

I haven't built a router table, but I did build new countertops (and detached cabinet tops) for our kitchen two years ago. We used the adhesive recommended by the manufacturer of our laminate and it was nothing like the stuff you use for vinyl. This was a 3M product, I can't recall the name offhand, but it's a thin green liquid that you brush heavily onto both surfaces, then wait 20-30 min for it to dry. Once you place the two surfaces in contact and apply pressure with a j-roller it sticks quite well. I think if you used a "thick" adhesive like the flooring stuff you might end up with bumps under your laminate.

Take a look a the wilsonart, nevamar, or formica web pages to see what they advise.

-Kiwanda

Reply to
Kiwanda

I did find the contact cement that was right next to the laminate on a second trip to the hardware store (duh....) and I've got the final peice ready to set right now. Man does this stuff stink!!! It's turning out really nicely, though. Top is 1.25" thick, with laminate on both sides (to prevent warping, according to the plan I'm using, anyhow) and fiddleback maple edges. Fence is going to be 1.75" thick Mesquite- mainly because I've got it, and it is the most stable piece of wood I've ever had in my shop! (It's been drying for 10 or 15 years, and is still straight as an arrow, despite being stored rather haphazardly in my father's basement for almost all that time) I'm almost regretting making the base out of 2x4s, but with the new house, I just can't afford enough maple to build the whole base when I've got loads of other furniture to build! Ah well, maybe later- the top and fence are the important bits anyhow.

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Reply to
Prometheus

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