How do you rout for a miter slot?

[mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.ne]

In building a router table, the instructions specify laying out the laminate on top and bottom of the bonded surface and then having you rout out the hole for the router plate.

For the miter slot, which is better - (1) routing for the miter slot first (taking into consideration the depth required for 'butting up' the laminate against an installed miter slot, or (2) installing the laminate first and routing out the groove for the miter slot?

Option (2) seems to the be usual approach, but doesn't that increase the risk of minute chipping (where the laminate will be meeting the miter slot?

I was thinking that if I installed the miter slot first, then I could install the laminate on both sides of the slot, having it butt up nice and clean to the installed slot.

Any opinions? Thanks!

Jack

[pat]

See if the pix link doesn't offer reasonable alternative, namely no cutting, lots of benefits, including constant parallelism with fence. ______________________

[Jerry]

No, I wouldn't cut the slot after laying the laminate. I would do the slot, glue up the laminate, and then trim the laminate away from the slot using a flush trim bit. You can get a low profile router bit that is made for trimming away laminate from slots. This is what I did with my router table.

[Upscale]

"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net"

I'd probably rout the mitre slot first taking into account the thickness the laminate I was installing to ensure a level fit. At the very least, if you screw it up, you won't have wasted all the effort gluing the laminate and then having to start over. :)

[bridger]

sounds right.

why do you want to go cutting slots in your router table anyway?

if you have to... :)

this seems to me to be the right approach. use a sharp carbide cutter, either a straight router bit or dado blade in the table saw. if your stuff is set up right, chipping shouldn't be a problem. this way, the slot is clean (no lam glue overspray or drips to worry about) and the depth is totally controllable (contact cement glueline can vary a few thousandths, not to mention all of that measuring and adding... :> )

generally standard practice with laminates is to trim after assembly. but whatever floats your boat....

listen to pat warner.

[mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.ne]

Yeah ... I've been debating whether or not to cut miter slots into the table. Using a sled provides better options and better control (so it seems to me anyway - I'm no expert).

Jack

bridger wrote:

[George]

"mywebaccts (at) PLUGcomcast.net" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

Sled hell - any square block with a knob will do fine. Acts as an anti-tearout backer, too.

You should see the Router Workshop boys work with this and fences adjusted with hammer taps. Great work, easily done, no fuss.

[My M-14]

Time is money.... buy one!

[David]

Number one; you aren't building a piano.

Number two; make a couple of passes with a router or run the top through your TS IF you have a top notch dado blade. My SD508 leaves absolutely NO VISIBLE chipping at all on any sheet goods. That's a $190 dado...

Applying the laminate after the miter slot is cut is just more work in my opinion, but hey, it's your project. :)

Dave