You can cut shapes like that but you do have to be a little careful marking with the knife and controlling the bend as you snap the laminate but I have done it many times.
with a fresh blade in the utility knife you can usually cut right through for a small distance but just most way is usually easily enough. I usually end up standing on the straight edge with a rubber sole shoe and bending over to do the scoring. ----- Original Message ----- From: Scott Howell To: [email protected] Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 12:45 PM Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] using table saw cut laminate, sharp cutting tool Yes, it does work. I found that lucky me the straight edge I was using was only a little wider than the piece I am attaching the stuff too. So, I just taped it on, scored as best I could, and started snapping. So far it's a bit better than it was and now to set about filing the bugger and see how that goes. If this works, I'll do the next piece. I probably am making this more difficult for myself, but I was trying to cut one continuous piece which looks like a letter L with a very very short bottom piece. Well that actually makes up the backsplash. On Aug 19, 2008, at 7:24 AM, Dale Leavens wrote: > But why!! > > Scratch & snap is so quick and easy! > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Lenny McHugh > To: [email protected] > Sent: Tuesday, August 19, 2008 6:49 AM > Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] using table saw cut laminate, sharp > cutting tool > > Dale, Like you I have had the problem where thin plastic laminate went > under the rip fence. To solve this I used a piece of vinyl J- > channel. I just > then had to add about 1/16" to the cut width. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dale Leavens" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <[email protected]> > Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 11:59 PM > Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] sharp cutting tool > > Trouble with using something like a table saw even with a find tooth > blade > is that it will chip pretty badly and the edge wants to crawl under > the rip > fence ultimately binding or running off straight. If you can hold it > down > tightly to the table surface and run the blade backward that helps > but a > nice scratch and snap is really so much easier! Depending on the > grade a > sharp knife will go most way through anyway. > > Trimming with a file is the recommended method by the manufacture or > it was > before routers became so available, back in the day when we weren't so > affluent. I bought my first router at an auction for fifty bucks > because I > figured I wanted to try one but was afraid to pay full price and > wind up > with an expensive tool I couldn't safely use. At that it was half a > days pay > for me back in 1980. I have had five more since and there is at > least one > more I would like to have. > > To trim with a file you apply your file at a slight angle off of the > adjoining surface running the teeth toward the adjoining surface. For > example, trimming the vertical edge piece to the top surface of a > table you > point the direction of the file in the direction of the flat surface > grinding the top edge of the vertical edge but run the file at about > 15 > degrees off of horizontal. > > As I get close I then run the file sideways the length of the edge but > sustain the angle so the file won't spoil the finish on the flat > surface. > Even after finishing with a router I usually like to make a few > passes with > a file to put a touch of a bevel and make the edge near perfect. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Tom Vos > To: [email protected] > Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 11:11 PM > Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] sharp cutting tool > > I have run plastic laminate through my table saw. I put a fine tooth > plywood blade in it, then go slowly through. > I agree, that it should be cut a little over size and trimmed with the > router bit. I've never tried the file, but that might work well too. > Blessings, > Tom > > -----Original Message----- > From: [email protected] > [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Behalf Of Scott Howell > Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 7:57 AM > To: [email protected] > Subject: Re: [BlindHandyMan] sharp cutting tool > > THankws, I figured that a saw would likely make more a mess and that > is also why I avoided using it. I wasn't so sure about snapping it as > I wasn't totally sure it would snap the way I intended. The stuff > wasn't horribly expensive, but I don't want to wast a lot of material > either. Maybe I'll glue this piece I have on and file it down to the > right size and yeah, I thought of the router, but of course I don't > have a bit for that so the slow road it is for the minute. > Thanks again. > > On Aug 18, 2008, at 7:30 AM, Dale Leavens wrote: > > > You score the Formica along a straight line usually then just bend > > it up to snap it off. The edge is very sharp usually. You should cut > > it a little large then when stuck down you trim it down to precise > > size. These days people usually use an edge trimming bit on a router > > but a file sliding along the edge on a slight angle works equally > > well if slower and I find I often finish with a file anyway. > > > > There is a special hooked knife with a carbide tip which drags along > > very nicely and scores the material however the tip of a sharp > > utility knife works well enough too. > > > > Sawing tends to chip and even crack the Formica or Arborite unless > > it is well stuck down already and generally works better cutting > > from the opposite side. > > > > Hope this helps. > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Scott Howell > > To: [email protected] > > Sent: Monday, August 18, 2008 5:34 AM > > Subject: [BlindHandyMan] sharp cutting tool > > > > Folks, I know this will sound a little crazy, but I'm trying to > cut a > > piece of material with a utility knife and it just doesn't seem to > be > > doing the job. Now this is a new blade, but let me explain what I'm > > cutting and how I'm cutting it and maybe the how and what are the > > problem. > > > > I purchased a sheet of material I believe it's formica, the same > stuff > > most counter tops are made from. I need to cut this to fit the end > of > > the counter top I am using as a desk. The guy at the store said a > > utility knife should do the trick. I've made a few passes and then > > tried digging in to cut through, but seems the knife first of all > > wants to skid around on the surface and just scratch the material. I > > then tried a really sharp pair of scissors which did help, but > weren't > > really sharp enough. Now I realize I could get my Dremmel or even > > possibly my jig saw out, but I really was looking for a manual non- > > powered tool for such a simple task. So, the question is, do they > make > > scissors that could be used for cutting material like this or is a > > utility knife my best option? > > > > tnx > > > > Scott Howell > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > > Checked by AVG. > > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.4/1616 - Release Date: > > 8/16/2008 5:12 PM > > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > > > > > > Scott Howell > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.4/1616 - Release Date: > 8/16/2008 > 5:12 PM > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > ------------------------------------ > > Send any questions regarding list management to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To listen to the show archives go to link > http://www.acbradio.org/pweb/index.php?module=pagemaster&PAGE_user_op=view_page&PAGE_id=33&MMN_position=47:29 > Or > ftp://ftp.acbradio.org/acbradio-archives/handyman/ > > The Pod Cast address for the Blind Handy Man Show is. > http://www.acbradio.org/news/xml/podcast.php?pgm=saturday > > Visit The Blind Handy Man Files Page To Review Contributions From > Various > List Members At The Following address: > http://www.jaws-users.com/JAWS/handyman/ > > Visit the archives page at the following address > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/ > > If you would like to join the JAWS Users List, then visit the > following > address for more information: > http://www.jaws-users.com/ > For a complete list of email commands pertaining to the Blind Handy > Man list > just send a blank message to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] Groups Links > > __________ NOD32 3367 (20080819) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > ---------------------------------------------------------- > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.4/1616 - Release Date: > 8/16/2008 5:12 PM > > [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] > > > Scott Howell [EMAIL PROTECTED] [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.524 / Virus Database: 270.6.5/1620 - Release Date: 8/19/2008 6:04 AM [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
