David Gerard
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| 28 Feb 2008 03:36 PM |
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I'm very curious about the spray type now, should I expect lots of over spray all over the floor? I like the trowel method too, we use an adhesive roller for epoxy that works well, get about 5 jobs per roller out of them. I will soak them in laquer thinner (outside) just prior to gluing to rejuvinate the old glue. It was laminate jobs that caused me to have to be clean shaven now, better fit with the reperator ya know. Too much gray comin threw any way |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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Steve Lefebvre
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| 28 Feb 2008 03:36 PM |
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Posted By Thomas Mather on 02/28/2008 8:59 AM
Steam iron? Use a torch. Just be surre to hit both sides evenly.
Torch? Just the thing I need in the spray area. Old steam irons from yard sales work best. New ones are very light weight. With a iron you can heat and apply pressure at the same time.
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| Changing the industry, one tool at a time. |
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Steve Lefebvre
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| 28 Feb 2008 03:46 PM |
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Posted By David Gerard on 02/28/2008 10:36 AM
I'm very curious about the spray type now, should I expect lots of over spray all over the floor? I like the trowel method too, we use an adhesive roller for epoxy that works well, get about 5 jobs per roller out of them. I will soak them in laquer thinner (outside) just prior to gluing to rejuvinate the old glue. It was laminate jobs that caused me to have to be clean shaven now, better fit with the reperator ya know. Too much gray comin threw any way
Contact cement does not mist like paint does. It goes exactly where you shoot it. It sorta comes out in a web and if you go the pressure pot rout then be sure to get pot liners. Pressure pot and a good gun will allow you to change the spray pattern. Before I had a dedicated spray area I would use a few large sheets of cardboard under the saw horses. Spray contact also has less smell and goes a lot farther than roll on. One coat with 60-75% coverage does the trick.
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| Changing the industry, one tool at a time. |
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Tom M
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| 28 Feb 2008 05:40 PM |
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Agreed on the liners. Good point. I have to disagree on the mess and overspray. Easy enough to handle if you're in a booth, but on a job site the edge overspray will need to be masked.
A good gun will have both air and fluid adjustments which will need to be checked every so often.
David, If you're softening the contact cement to reuse the roller, you shouldn't really use lacquer thinner. It can contaminate the adhesive you're applying. Use the solvent the glue uses. |
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...those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C.S. Lewis |
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Andy Graves
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| 28 Feb 2008 08:42 PM |
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I didn't realize there was so much to know about laminate. Good to know though. If we decide to start offering it, I will surely give you guys a call.
When trimming the laminate, how do you keep the router base from scratching? |
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FabNet Administrator
andy@thefabricatornetwork.com
Countertop Company - www.OliveMill.com |
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Gene McDonald
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| 28 Feb 2008 11:02 PM |
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Tighten the screws all the way into the base...if its old put some masking tape on the base...metal laminates amke sure you put tape on the edge your riding on...even with a good bearing...sometimes the glue get wrapped around it and tightens down the bearing...than you gotta sell a pinstriped edge to your customer
Laminate is great Andy.......its cheaper material..because its harder to fabricate..if you get a scratch...cant sand it out...you get a chip...no filler looks good...you actually got to clean the glue off the thin black line of the seam rather than put more like SS.........its fun and its gonna be around along time.......BTW you can offer Green banana fiber laminates by Laminart...their Abaca series...
you can make banana cabinets with a Avonite recycled Top..and get someone LEED points...and you count da green |
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| www.gotgreencountertops.com |
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David Gerard
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| 28 Feb 2008 11:10 PM |
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Oops, been using laquer thinner for 25 yrs. |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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Gene McDonald
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| 28 Feb 2008 11:16 PM |
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David...I been drinking Laquer thinner for 20 years...did ya ever keep it in the gatorade bottles..than accidentally take a sip???..i did...and thats a lie...they say you'll die and go see a doctor...look at me I turned out fine |
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| www.gotgreencountertops.com |
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David Gerard
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| 29 Feb 2008 12:02 AM |
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Well it sure didn't do your enter button finger any good!  I drank turpentine when I was a kid, my father put it in oneof those shrimp cocktail glasses we used for drinking out of, he should have put a "Mr Yuk! " face on the glass. Rushed to the hospital ,stumach pumped and ended up with some sort of chemical pnumonia from the fumes. I sure didn't enjoy the week in St Marys hospital getting woke up every couple hrs to have a thermometer incerted....... There went this thread Just don't drink turpentine ok? |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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Fred Atwood
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| 04 Mar 2008 03:22 AM |
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Andy,
We do quite a bit of laminate work as well. Tops and casework. I prefer spray glue and use a "pogo" pump that goes right down into a 55gal drum and pumps right to the spray gun. The Bink's pump we have allows 2 guns to be used at the same time off a single pump. Not that we are that busy right now, but a year and a half ago, those two guns came in handy. The pump is stainless and we use the Bink's 2001 guns too. The down side to spraying is the over spray getting on the floor. We just got some real cheap 1/8" plywood and taped it down for our glue area floor. Over the years, it has built up a pretty thick layer of glue and now it is like standing on a rubber mat. My laminators love it.
As for routers/trimmer, Dave is going to hate reading this, but IMO the Rigid trimmer from HD are the best buy out there. We have tried about 20 different brands and models and found things we did not like about all of them except the Rigid. It is pretty thin, so even those with small hands can control it well. The base stays pretty square unlike many other and the best part is now they offer a lifetime warranty on them - even the brushes. We have one that has been used just about every day for the last 2 years and have only had to change the brushes...still works like a champ and is square.
We have not had any problems with scratching the laminate with the router base no matter what make or model we were using.
One more tip - I like to use the solid carbide cutters and use vegetable shortening as a lube to keep them from burning the edges. We just brush on a very small amount before routing and no problems...ever. And best of all it's cheap and easy to clean off.
I think the toughest part to teach someone new is edge filing. It is part mechanics, part art. I find it usually takes someone about 3 months of doing it daily to get really good at it. Most are OK at filing before that, but I would not let them files odd angles or expensive laminate before that.
Also, make sure you gt a full kit of SeamFil and the large assortment of Sharpie color markers. You will be amazed at the things that CAN be fixed and never found. |
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Fred - RWI Corp.
............................................................................................................................. To Have Tomorrow What Other DON'T, You Must Do Today What Others WON'T |
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Mark Mihalik
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| 09 Mar 2008 08:59 PM |
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Andy, when I first started doing countertops I didn't offer laminate. We were fabbing stone and solid surface. Later, I added laminate and wood and have found a nitch in our area. We are now a one stop shop for countertops. We get more builders by having a huge offering. I've done homes with granite kitchen, butcherblock island, ss bathrooms, and laminate laundry room. The builder said I was more expensive but he could get everything handeled with one person.
With the slow down of building, I'm glad we did. We are doing more laminate now and less SS, ES, and granite. |
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| Mark Mihalik<br>Counterparts LLC |
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Travis Harper
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| 24 Mar 2008 05:33 PM |
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Freddy, We use the air lam trimmers from Betterly. They work fantastic and are fast. As far as the lube we use Lami-lube. It is a spray on stuff and works very well. Super fast. Light coat, air rout and then yup the art of fileing. I agree, it takes about 3 months for someone to get real good.
Hardest thing is backsplash on post form top into bar top. It takes me along time to get someone good at that.
I tend to save older files for the new guys. Kinda like a handme down system. |
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| Travis <br>CounterWise, Inc. |
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Tom M
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| 24 Mar 2008 06:41 PM |
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For filing a cove end cap on a postform, use a fine chainsaw file. Works great. |
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...those who torment us for our own good will torment us without end for they do so with the approval of their own conscience.
-C.S. Lewis |
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David Gerard
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| 25 Mar 2008 02:44 AM |
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good advice Tom, I use files for many things ,even on SS . On wood I like to use cabinet scrapers and also block planes. I have done countless laminate seams with a block plane. I must like to pet the material I I work with or something ? Hand tools give delicate but positive control on detailing. |
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| insomnia crossed with dyslexia and atheist beliefs may lead one to lay awake all night wondering if there really is a "Dog" |
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