# Advice wanted for laminate trimmer bit



## sofalinux (May 28, 2009)

Never laminated before. No problem with glueing the laminate down but wonder what router bit to use. Heres a picture of some laminate bits...







My question is, what decides if I want a straight or a 7 degree bit? 
Why are there no guide bearings on the bits? Wouldn't a bit with no bearing possibly damage the laminate?
I am planing on using formica.


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

The bits you show are pilot bits and are solid carbide, and very brittle. The end rides on the edge like a bearing would normally do. It solves the problem of glue building up on the bearing, and doesn't mar the edge under most circumstances if the edge is lubricated.

They have the tendency to break. The straight bit is for a flush trim, and the bevel is to put the final trim bevel on the edge. IOW, the bevel bit finishes off the edge closer than the straight bit. For a nice edge, some dressing with a mill file is still necessary. The advantage to those is that there is no bearing to get gummed up and the running bit can be plunged into the mica when a whole opening has been covered. 

The problem with any bevel bit is that the cutting edge that is actually used is very small, which cuts the bevel (the bevel depth is determined from the adjustment depth from the base of the router, or table surface if used in a router table). So, the whole length of the bevel doesn't get used.

The smaller diameter allows faster routing as it's not as wide as a bearing bit. I really don't care for them too much. I prefer to use a bit with a bearing. Either 3/8" or 1/2" diameter. Those are available in straight or bevel.


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## Jim Tank (Apr 28, 2009)

When we did alot of laminate work, it was important to keep bearing bits cleaned as when the bearing freezes up, the results are less than professional. The guys who liked the bits you show would apply masking tape or a lubricant grease ( shortning is ok ) on the finished surface that the bit area rides against. Either way worked fine as long as the fabricator was payibg attention, neither way was fool proof, It could also be screwed up using either bit. Cabinetman is right on about finish filing the exposed joint edges, the test in our shop is to check with a fingernail, (no longer availiable at Home Depot) you should not be able to make your fingernail "click" on a finished edge. Top or on the bottom of the edgeband. When you are in Walmart or the Quik Sack store you will notice laminate chipped off. We feel it is because of less than perfectly smooth joints. You might check out laminate finishing bits that acually round over the top edge slightly. They cut filing time by 90%. If you are going to be doing alot of laminating, go buy three laminate trimmers (one for each bit), 50 dowels, and a laminate slitter. Oh yeah , and find out what Smart Clips are.


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

I have one of those I can't use because it leaves a permenant mark on the edge band that is quite noticable. I can only use it with my rotozip to cut out sink openings.


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## sofalinux (May 28, 2009)

Ok, I understand. Thanks. 
I think that the beveled bit is irrelevant because you are going to finish it with a file any way. Right?


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

daryl said:


> Ok, I understand. Thanks.
> I think that the beveled bit is irrelevant because you are going to finish it with a file any way. Right?



Finishing with a file produces a very clean bevel that removes any router chatter, and leaves a very smooth uniform edge.


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## sofalinux (May 28, 2009)

Thank you. Bye.


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## Tony B (Jul 30, 2008)

daryl said:


> ....My question is, what decides if I want a straight or a 7 degree bit?
> Why are there no guide bearings on the bits? Wouldn't a bit with no bearing possibly damage the laminate?.....


I do quite a bit of laminate work and use the solid carbide bits almost exclusively for this.

As stated earlier. the straight bit cuts close to the edge and the 7* bit cleans it up and reduces the amount of filing over the edge. 
There are no guide bearings because the bearings get filled with glue and trash almost instantly and you have to stop and clean them. If you dont, it will skip in some places and burn in other places because the bearing will spin at the same speed as the bit.
To eliminate burning with a solid carbide bit, I smear a very very thin amount of vegetable shortening on the surface that the bottom portion of the solid carbide bit will be running against. I smear this with my finger and you dont have to getr every single spot. You must be careful though because if you get the shortening inside the crack where the contact cement is, it will loosen that area. Not rocket science, just be careful.


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## mics_54 (Oct 28, 2008)

To each their own I guess...I don't have that much problem with roller guide bearings filling up with glue. I'd personally rather clean up a bearing than take a chance of getting oil in a seam.


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## joek30296 (Dec 16, 2009)

Daryl,
The tapered bit will save you a lot of filing. BTW, I certainly don't want to insult your intelligence, but since you said you have never done any laminating; if you're doing a table top, be sure to put the edge band on first, trim it with the STRAIGHT bit, sand the top flush with a belt sander or a hand block sander, then put the top on last and trim with the TAPERED bit. If you trim the edge band with the tapered bit, you'll have a gap between it and the top. 
Also, you can use Johnson's paste wax on the edge band AFTER the top has been rolled down good to keep the bit from leaving a mark on it. Clean the wax off with lacquer thinner. It'll also remove any glue that may have gotten on the edge band.
Hope this helps.
joe


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## sofalinux (May 28, 2009)

Yes, all your responses help a lot.


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## jraksdhs (Oct 19, 2008)

*Smart clips are amazing...*



Jim Tank said:


> Oh yeah , and find out what Smart Clips are.



Smarts clips are the best thing to hit the production laminate shop since spray grade glue. I used them for the first time about 7 years ago. After i opened my own shop, i installed a dedicated router in a long bench for just that purpose. The sad thing is i dont do alot of laminate tops anymore, but the odd time i do, its always set up. The key to the system, in my opinion, is the get the top as close to the wall as possible. That way you have enough room to mount the clips. Any thoughts?

jraks


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