Dear All, I’m builing a cabinet for a client and the specs are it’s to be made with brushed aluminium laminate..in the past the “metal” laminates haven’t been a problem because they were not real metal but plastic like any other laminate I’ve known. This is about 22 guage actual metal complete with the dulling effects you can imagine on my saw blades etc. My questions are these . After gluing down, what’s the best way to trim this stuff? (I would normally use my router with a guide bushing) And is latex contact cement going to be good enough to adhere it to the Melamine carcass or should I beltsand off the melamine coating(probably) and go with the stinky stuff(non-latex)I used to use? Any help would be appreciated as the product is quite pricy and because it’s a moist(bathroom) environment I don’t want any issues later.Thanks to all. Larry (Still picking the shredded aluminium from my shirt and hair)
Edited 2/28/2003 5:30:10 PM ET by LSIVELL1
Replies
If it were me I would scuff the melamine with a course belt, not remove it completely ,being very careful around the panel edges .Then vacuum it off and use solvent base contact adhesive.I usually double coat .Make sure that it is dry before joining as you don't want trapped solvent. Doe a test set up but I think you will find that a router works well.You are probably aware of using wax lube on the cutting tools and a face mask you say you have silver in your hair :-) I have even run a block of para wax onto a saw blade to reduce galling.
I saw a David Marks show several months ago where he built an outdoor bench with copper covered legs. I think he trimmed the copper with a common router, with no problem. Alum may be harder or softer; this I wouldn't know. I bet on the DIY website you will find the article on the show. The main point of the presentation was the patination of the copper. My recollection is that he used epoxy for the glue; not contact cement. Just a thought.
I've used the brushed aluminum "laminate" a few years ago with solvent contact cement so I can't say about the H2O based. If I remember right, the aluminum was easily scuffed, scratched, or burnished by the router bearing. I had the best luck trimming the aluminum very close to size before sticking it, and then taking very light passes with the router. You can also let the bearing rub on masking tape instead of wax or grease, then file what's left.
I agree to scuff the melamine, but you shouldn't have to remove it totally from the surface. I think only one coat of c c is necessary since neither surface is porous enough to absorb the glue, unless you do sand through to the particle board.
Also the thin metal can wrinkle and crease prior to sticking, unlike plastic laminate. BTW, be careful as the freshly routed/cut edges usually have a burr and can be razor sharp! If your aluminum suddenly turns red, it's time to stop working and go get some bandaids!
Thanks Brian, I'm thinking if the aluminium turns red it shouldn't be too long before the room turns blue ...send the kids out of the shop for a minute while dad problem solves.I have done my trimming on the saw to less than the thickness of my router bit so there won't be a lot of excess material to wade through and i will slow the cut down to avoid heat but the soap or (cutting fluid)sounds like a good idea too.this stuff is so popular now it's driving me nuts and takes just that much longer ..hope the trend goes soon..and it should for $6.00 a square foot raw cost..thanks Larry
A note on trimming. The recommended rpm's and feed rate (for a light cut with a carbide cutter) work out to about 10,000 rpm, and a feed rate of about 1 foot per second. The feed rate may seem a bit fast, but if you go much slower, you risk burning. This info is in machinist's reference books.
Aluminum can be cut with a negative rake carbide saw blade with no problems. Almost every machine shop uses at least some carbide tooling, and they machine aluminum at speeds equal to or even greater than you see with woodworking. I've seen aluminum laminated panels at my plywood supplier, so you might want to check into that before putting yourself through a major hassel. Also, if it delaminates your not the one responsible. It was over $100 a sheet but I'm sure it would be worth it when you consider all the time you'll save.
Tthanks for the heads up on the prelaminated stock I'll look into that next time. It's working out very well but now I'm doing a lot of filing to get it just right. I'm going to up my price next time as it's really labour intensive and the shop needs to be really spotless or it can scratch the workpiece..it all adds up to a longer than expected but interesting project that I'm now(after bidding wrong) building for about 4 bucks an hr. but it's still fun . Thanks again for the good advice to all .. If it looks good I'll post the results but I think it's pretty boring myself. thanks, Larry
Larry, remember to use a sharp new file to get nice clean edges, and use chalk to keep the swarf from sticking in the gullets.
This forum post is now archived. Commenting has been disabled