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I do not have a rubber Laminate roller

Dan Thibert

Dan Thibert

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183
Location
Leominster Mass
I am going to make myself a router table and the plans I have call for a laminate top. I have the 3/4 Ply and the laminate along with the Contact cement, but how do I best get the laminate pushed onto the top.
The plans call for a rubber roller wich I do not have and I am not supposed to buy any more tools, been spending to much. Is there something I can use thsat would be just as good? I have a 1" dowel, a paint roller?
Any ideas woudl be great
 
Dan,
A wood block and a hammer or mallet will do. The idea is to make sure the bond is made between the surfaces. Nothing magic about the roller.:)

Wes
 
Thanks Wes you saved my bacon. The roller may be a small thing but just yesturday I said I would not buy anything for two weeks :eek: and here I am thinking I needed a tool :rofl:
Thnaks for your help.

Dan
 
You might be able to rent one at your local home store...I think the roller is more for helping work out the air bubbles than anything else...I was wrong once back in 1987 so that might not be true.

EDIT: Doh! I was typing while Chuck replied, it is for the air! Woot, still a good run since 1987 for being wrong!
 
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Forgive me for mentioning this if you already know it, but since this is new to you...

Be sure to let the contact cement dry on both surfaces as recommended on the can before putting the two parts together. With the cements I've used, I waited until I could press a thumb hard onto the glue and have it not stick. When you put the two coated pieces, have them lined up where you want them, since there will be no adjusting the pieces once they touch. ;)

BTW, I've always used the block of wood and mallet trick. :thumb:
 
Does "herself, the master of your wallet" have a rolling pin? You can use it. (between her swings at boinkin' your knoggin) As was said the idea is to apply pressure to make sure the laminate is deeply inbedded in the adhesive and that there is no pockets of air trapped under the surface. Work from the center outward pressing the laminate down as you remove the "stickers" you put down to hold the sheet off the glue untill it was aligned.

I did a similar task putting down those Peel & Sick tiles in the basement (some 20+ years ago) On my hands and knees (the way I greet my mistress) rolling her weapon of choice across the floor, and to date, it has remained adhered.

I have laminated several pieces over time and have yet to own a "J roller" like the DIY guys have on the tube.
 
I built the counter tops in my first home's kitchen.

I bought the laminate and adhesive from HD. I went back looking for a J-Roller and the helpful HD employee suggested rolling my car over it . . . I'm hoping he was joking.

I borrowed a J-Roller from a friend but the rolling pin idea is a good one.

Enjoy

Jim
 
Obviously, you'll need to get a lathe and turn yourself a proper laminate adhesion variable pressure air relief tool before you can proceed with this project. :rofl:

Hope that you're able to be successful with all of the other advice folks here have given. Looking forward to seeing a pic of the completed project.

By the way - in the way my screen is setup, the title of this thread appeared to be, "I don't have a rubber ..." and I had to look. :rofl:
 
Mark Kosmowski said:
Obviously, you'll need to get a lathe and turn yourself a proper laminate adhesion variable pressure air relief tool before you can proceed with this project. :rofl:

Hope that you're able to be successful with all of the other advice folks here have given. Looking forward to seeing a pic of the completed project.

By the way - in the way my screen is setup, the title of this thread appeared to be, "I don't have a rubber ..." and I had to look. :rofl:
Click to expand...


that last bit kind of makes me worry about you mark :huh::rofl:
 
Well - if you plan to do any more Formica tops

Get the roller - heres how to do it.

Ask your wife this - do you mind if I use your rolling pin to do the laminate top. I cannot spend the $25.00 for the laminate roller I need. On your rolling pin I will need to wrap it with 20 layers of electrical tape. Some the sticky migh not come off when I an finished. Oh and by the way - when I do some of the projects you want dome that require Formica I will need it again.

I sometimes put that wood grain laminete edging on plywood. I used to use my wifes iron. I called it the laminate applicator tool. She knew what I meant - eventually she told me to go get my own iron.

Same goes with just about every other thing in the house. Now I have all my own stuff - and Diane is happy.

-----------------------------------------------------------

OHHH - and BTW -- if it were me - I would give that plywood a real good sanding with a ROS. The contact cement needs a decently smooth surface. CLEAN both surfaces REALLY REALLY good to. Don't want any little bumps under that laminate.

It's not really all that hard to work with.

Be sure to cut the laminate 1" or oversized - on each side.

After the contact cement is dry - DON'T try to just put in on by hand - use a bunch of "stickers" in between the two surfaces - place the laminate on top - center it - then pull out the middle sticker. Then move from the center outwards removing stickers and rolling - with your new laminate roller.
 
When I did my first laminate on the multifunction table tops, I couldn't find a J roller at eh Borgs, so I took a piece of 2 X 4 and used some spray contact cement I had to attach a piece of felt to it. I use it as the roller, even though I should call it a slider. :D I even use it with a rubber mallet to make sure I have good contact. Works great. (Make sure you don't accidentally get any wood chips in the glue!!! Makes for a nasty bump in the finished product.) What are you using to apply the glue? Some use foam brushes, I used a 1" roller. But I have to be careful that I pick out the fuzz it tends to drop in spots while the glue is still fresh. And MDF would make a better surface to laminate to than ply, if it's not too late. Jim.
 
I use both a "J" roller AND a 5" long 2 x 4 Pounding block after using the J Roller. I Pour on the adhesive and use a 6" paint roller to spread it evenly (rolling in both directions to assure complete coverage AND even thickness) I work quickly and stop rolling just as the adhesive starts to get tacky to the roller.

Not doing these laminate projects very often any more, I didn't want to spend a lot of money for a J roller, but found one at HF that is slightly smaller than what you see on the DIY shows but IIRC, cost around $6 or $7, and it works great.

PS: I guess I should mention that I POUND the Pounding Block with a 2# Deadblow hammer after using the J roller and cover the whole surface with the pounding block, (sometimes twice).:D
 
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I read from a lamination "guru" somewhere, (maybe Joe Woodworker) that they never use a J-roller. They recommend a board maybe a foot long and 4 or 5 inches wide with the corners slightly relieved. Press and drag the end of the board at an angle across the laminate from the center to the edges. The reasoning is that you exert a lot more psi to the point of contact this way. I have applied laminate several times this way, and no problems so far. I believe this is the same principal for "hammer veneering" with hide glue. The hammer has a wedge shaped end that is rubbed across the veneer to adhere it.
 
Here's one that I'm surprised hasn't been mentioned....

A good old fasioned rubber mallet. I've done a TON of laminate work over the years. Years ago I broke down and bought a good roller. But up until that point, I used to use a rubber mallet. A good heavy one though. I place the spacers (usually use 1/4" dowels) on top of the substrate and then the laminate on top. Then starting in the center start pressing down and working out toward the edge. When I get a couple spacers out I lightly hit it with the mallet. Again starting in the center and working out toward the edge. BUT BE CAREFUL YOU DON'T HIT IT TOO CLOSE TO THE EDGE! If you smack it at or beyond the edge you'll break it. Just press down firmly untill it's stuck out to the edge. When you get the whole thing stuck down trim it off with your trimmer. Then ease the edge with a fine file because this stuff if RAZOR sharp once it's been trimmed.

Once you have it trimmed you can go over it again with the mallet hitting it harder this time and get complete coverage. I've done many work table tops this way that are still in service today with no signs of air bubbles or laminate separation. Some of these were made over twenty years ago and are used daily in my sister's flower shop.

To tell you the truth, I still use the mallet even though I use the roller first. It makes sure you have a VERY firm adhesion of the contact cement. Once it's rolled, trimmed, and the sharp edge taken off I smack away with a mallet a little bit and it really works well.

John
 
I have always had a lot of trouble getting the substrate and the formica to stick. I have never had it bond so well it couldnt be removed.

The process I use now is better, but still not great. I put a coat of contact cement on both surfaces and let it dry for 1 hour just to seal both surfaces. Then I put another coat on both surfaces and let it sit for about 15 to 20 minutes. I put slats on the substrate and put the formica on the slats, position it and start pulling slats out and pushing it down. Once the slats are removed, I take two cauls and clamps, starting at end and clamp down. Then I walk the cauls and clamps down the full length. Then I put clamps on the corners and let it set for about an hour.

The biggest problem I have is lifting along the edges, especially at corners.

One other thing that has helped is being able to keep the temperature up. I do this outside in the summer in the sun which works out real well. Some of my problem was I had heat that required a pilot light and things would cool down too much, not allowing the solvent to evaporate as quickly or evenly as it should.
 
Rich,
It sounds to me like you're not letting the contact cement dry long enough. I'd say that an hour for the first thin coat may be enough but I don't think that 15-20 minutes is enough for the second coat.

About the only place I've ever had to use two coats is on the edges where the first coat tends to get soaked up a bit. But on the flat surface one coat has always been sufficient for me. The contact cement should be dry to the touch before you attempt to attach the laminate. If it's tacky you need to wait a while longer. In my experience, if the contact cement is dry to the the touch on BOTH surfaces it will stick and NOT let go.

John
 
John Pollman said:
Rich,
It sounds to me like you're not letting the contact cement dry long enough. I'd say that an hour for the first thin coat may be enough but I don't think that 15-20 minutes is enough for the second coat.

John
Click to expand...

I agree the second coat often revitalizes the undercoat creating a need for longer drying time.

I too only use a second coat if the substrait absorbs too much.
 
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