A Solid Choice
Basics of solid surface materials and their fabrication, and why shops are adding them to their product lines. July 20, 2002

Shopping for a Hot Veneer Press
Experts provide some technical insight for the benefit of a shop owner who is trying to select a laminate and veneer press with a heated platen. August 12, 2014

Shopping for a High-Volume Laminating Machine
If you're looking for manufacturing equipment to laminate a lot of vinyl to a variety of substrates, look carefully at the options. You'll have to sift through a lot of confusing claims. April 11, 2008

Diamond tooling on laminate
Tool life and feed rates when using diamond tooling to cut laminate. November 7, 2001

Laminating Equipment
Basic descriptions of laminating equipment. November 11, 2008

Radius Corners on HPL Counters
Applying laminate strip without pull-away problems. May 19, 2004

Countertop Equipment
A brief description of post-forming and countertop sawing equipment. September 20, 2008

Running Phenolic in the Planer
Can planer knives survive being used on 1/4-inch phenolic panel material? April 30, 2009


Quick Shop-Built Fabricating Stands
A laminate shop owner describes his quick-to-make workstands made with scraps of panel material, cut to size and slotted to interlock. December 30, 2007

Tooling choices for solid surface
Tooling and feed speed info for machining solid surface materials. November 7, 2000

Locating a Long Straight-Edge
How to make (or where to buy) a durable and accurate 12-foot-plus straight edge. March 14, 2006

Miter-Folding Laminate
A fabricator seeks advice on making joints fit right and hold tight. April 14, 2005

Laying up laminates using PVA glues
A quick guide to applying high-pressure laminate with PVA glue. September 26, 2000

Sharpening Laminate Files
There are laminate file sharpening services, but you might try a simple acid bath. July 28, 2008

Laminate Trimming Bits
Considering the pros and cons of different laminate trimming bits. March 14, 2006

Presses
Basic info on manual and automated veneer and laminate presses. November 12, 2008

Panel Saw Chips Melamine Inside The Book
Voids between stacked pieces could be the culprit. April 10, 2005

Production laminating -- is hot or cold press faster?
A laminator looks for time-saving pressing techniques. June 14, 2000

Panel Cleaner Options
The big difference is brush orientation. Here's a look. June 12, 2014

Tools for Solid Surfacing
To work with solid surfacing, you want professional quality routers and sanders, and the right type of sandpaper and bits. April 11, 2008

Laminate Trimmer Bits: Sharpen or Toss?
Here are a couple of alternatives to buying new trimmer bits every few jobs. June 10, 2006

Is a Laminate Slitter Worth It?
Praise for laminate slitters. October 26, 2011

Production Machinery for Solid Surfacing Fabrication
Thoughts and advice for a solid-surfacing shop owner on investing in equipment such as panel saws or CNC routers. October 2, 2005

Copeaux de scie à panneaux en mélamine À l'intérieur du livre
Les vides entre les pièces empilées pourraient en être la cause. 10 avril 2005

Applying wood edges to lam tops
Best methods for applying wood edges to laminate countertops. June 24, 2001

Bit Life in High Pressure Laminate
How many sheets should you be able to cut before a bit wears out? Comparing carbide with diamond, and a discussion of feed rates and settings. July 3, 2005

Durée de vie des embouts dans les stratifiés haute pression
Combien de feuilles faut-il pouvoir couper avant qu'une mèche ne s'use ? Comparaison du carbure et du diamant, et discussion sur les vitesses d'avance et les réglages. 3 juillet 2005

Cutting 3/4 Melamine on CNC
Advice on bit type, feed rate, and RPM. July 3, 2005

Découpe de mélamine 3/4 sur CNC
Conseils sur le type de foret, la vitesse d'avance et le régime. 3 juillet 2005

Does it Pay to Own an Edgebander?
A good edgebander can really boost your productivity, but how much machine you need depends on how much volume you're doing. October 9, 2006

Certifcation for solid surface
What does it take to become certified to install by the manufacturer? July 9, 2003

Installing seamed countertops
Fitting p-lam countertops in the field, due to size and shape. September 23, 2003

Do Edgebanders Provide Perfect Output?
Few, if any edgebanders will consistently produce panels that can pass your thumb's feel test — and none will without continual tending by a good operator. December 27, 2006

Edgebander Glue-Pot Maintenance
Advice on how to prevent an edgebander glue pot from wearing out prematurely. October 9, 2006

Contact Cement Spray-Tank Systems
Cabinetmakers and countertop pros see big advantages to spray-applied contact cement. April 20, 2007

Edgebander Glue-Pot Cleanup
A well-used edgebander can be a sticky mess. Here are tips for the occasional thorough cleanup. April 18, 2006

Down-Stroke Jigsaw Blades for Laminate
Thoughts and experiences on cutting laminate on site without chipping it out. November 19, 2008

Applying Laminate with an Edgebander
Yes, you can apply high-pressure laminate to panel edges using an edgebander. Here are tips on trimming and adhesives. February 16, 2012

Melamine Chipping
Is it the bits, the feed rate, the material? Pros troubleshoot a case of melamine chipping on a new CNC unit. June 30, 2005

Edgeband failure
Searching for causes of edgeband failure. September 26, 2000

Grinding and Polishing Granite
A variable speed grinder and a full assortment of grits, and you're in business. April 20, 2011

Diamond Bits for Cutting Laminate on CNC
Far more durable than other alternatives, diamond bits are cost-effective despite their high price. August 21, 2006

Solid Surface CounterTop
Watch as a CNC router cuts out and profiles solid surface countertops. July 12, 2007

Production Gluing of High Density Plastic Laminates
This article describes the gluing of high density plastic laminates (i.e. Formica, Debar, Nevamar, Micarta, Pionite and the like) to plywood, lumber core, and particleboard core panels - 1998

Pre-Mill Capability on an Edgebander
Advice on how to take best advantage of the pre-mill function on a new edgebander. May 23, 2007

Biscuit joining vs. tie-bolts
Is it possible to join post-form tops and shop-built substrate with biscuits? June 24, 2001

Buying a Used Edgebander
There's more to running a glue-pot edgebander than plugging it in and turning it on — so be cautious when buying used equipment. December 30, 2005

Purchasing a Used Edgebander
Things to consider when evaluating used edgebanding equipment. August 8, 2006

Poor Adhesion After Edging MDF
Why has the edge come off this MDF? Maybe it's the glue, maybe it's the method... May 10, 2005

A Flush Edge On Plastic Laminate dupe breaker
Pros share tricks for getting a wood edge absolutely flush with the laminate. May 10, 2005

Cutting Sink Holes in Laminate Tops
Installers trade opinions and experiences on sink cut-out tools and methods. September 25, 2009

More on Spray-Applying Contact Cement
An extended discussion of pressurized tanks, spray equipment, application techniques, and adhesive performance. June 10, 2006

Applying Kuhn edging
Methods, glues and clamps to use. April 2, 2002

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