Formica & Birch Plywood for fences and table tops?

[John Anderson]

ok, i want to make a router table top, router fence, and sacraficial fence for rabbeting all for my Unisaw. i want these surfaces to be good and slippery so my work can just glide against them. I gave in and bought a 1/4 sheet of 3/4" melamine, but even i know (as a new guy) that particle board wont last long and isn't the greatest at holding screws. so i thought about Phenolic Plywood after reading about it in FWW's Jigs issue from 2009. The only place ive found it is from Woodcraft, and they want $60 for a 1/4 Sheet of 3/4"! that seems a little rich for my taste. So i have a 5-1/2 X 4 foot sheet of 3/4" birch ply that is left over from my last project and i saw a guy on Craigslist selling 2 full sheets of Formica for $20. just wondering if anyone else on here has done this, and if so how did it work out and how did it hold up? Ive seen how to join the two on Fine Homebuilding's website and it doesnt look too tough, but any pointers on this process is also welcome.

thanks,

John

[Vic]

Yes Ando, Formica on a good substrate is excellent. Apply a coat of wax and you're set. Do you know how to apply Formica already? It's very easy and straight forward. Contact cement (Big VOCS, use lots of ventilation or a good respirator) is used on both surfaces, allowed to dry until it is no longer tacky. Use sticks, dowels or whatever to position the formica and pull out one at a time until it's laid down. Use a J roller to roll complete the contact and roll out any air bubbles.

[Sac]

Hey John, first off, welcome to the forum. This is a great resource for information. Lots of good people. Now for your projects. For the router table top, you might consider using MDF. I know that it is messy but it is stable and flat. You wont have to worry about it moving and warping. You can probably get a half sheet at HD and you wil be good with that. You can then cover it with the formica. This is typically what people do. Even if you go to buy a premade top, they are generally constructed in a similar way. You might also think about putting a hardwod edge around the whole thing to toughen up the corners and dress it up a little. SOme scrap is good for that. If you are interested, try and find the issue of Wood Magazine that has the a router table build in it. It will give you a step by step plan for making a top. That is the plan that I used and it turned out great.

Now for the sacraficial fence. I think that the 3/4" birch that you have will work fine. I made one for me using the same thing. If you want to make it really slick, I might recommend that you put a few coats of schellac over it and then a little wax. I think that it will be slippery enough for you. Mine is made out of birch ply and I have never done anything to it. I just sanded it. Works fine. Good luck with your projects and make sure that you let us know how it turns out.

[John Anderson]

Yes Ando, Formica on a good substrate is excellent. Apply a coat of wax and you're set. Do you know how to apply Formica already? It's very easy and straight forward. Contact cement (Big VOCS, use lots of ventilation or a good respirator) is used on both surfaces, allowed to dry until it is no longer tacky. Use sticks, dowels or whatever to position the formica and pull out one at a time until it's laid down. Use a J roller to roll complete the contact and roll out any air bubbles.

Thanks Vic! Ive never actually applied Formica before, but ive seen it done in online video. ive got the dowls and J-roller already so all i need is the contact cement. My question is, Big VOCS? is that a brand? if not is there a brand that you do recommend?

[John Anderson]

Hey John, first off, welcome to the forum. This is a great resource for information. Lots of good people. Now for your projects. For the router table top, you might consider using MDF. I know that it is messy but it is stable and flat. You wont have to worry about it moving and warping. You can probably get a half sheet at HD and you wil be good with that. You can then cover it with the formica. This is typically what people do. Even if you go to buy a premade top, they are generally constructed in a similar way. You might also think about putting a hardwod edge around the whole thing to toughen up the corners and dress it up a little. SOme scrap is good for that. If you are interested, try and find the issue of Wood Magazine that has the a router table build in it. It will give you a step by step plan for making a top. That is the plan that I used and it turned out great.

Now for the sacraficial fence. I think that the 3/4" birch that you have will work fine. I made one for me using the same thing. If you want to make it really slick, I might recommend that you put a few coats of schellac over it and then a little wax. I think that it will be slippery enough for you. Mine is made out of birch ply and I have never done anything to it. I just sanded it. Works fine. Good luck with your projects and make sure that you let us know how it turns out.

Thanks for both the welcome and advice Sac,

I will try to find that Wood Issue. Ive been checking out the table/fence project on the most recent issue of FWW's tools and shops issue. i like that design, but i would like to combine the little outrigger (or whatever you want to call the part that clamps to the tablesaw fence) with Norm's fence from his router table design.

the Fence outrigger i like:

http://www.finewoodworking.com/PlansAndProjects/PlansAndProjectsPDF.aspx?id=33749

the Fence i like:

http://www.newyankee.com/getproduct.php?0301

let me know what you think

[DALSAW]

Thanks Vic! Ive never actually applied Formica before, but ive seen it done in online video. ive got the dowls and J-roller already so all i need is the contact cement. My question is, Big VOCS? is that a brand? if not is there a brand that you do recommend?

VOC's stands for Volatile organic compounds. It means that there is some bad fumes that come with the use product. As long as you have good ventilation in you shop and you wear a good respirator you will be ok. As for a brand name thats good The one I use is DAP Weldwood original contact cement, all of the home centers should have it.

[Vic]

Thanks Vic! Ive never actually applied Formica before, but ive seen it done in online video. ive got the dowls and J-roller already so all i need is the contact cement. My question is, Big VOCS? is that a brand? if not is there a brand that you do recommend?

Ando, you will see the term VOC a lot. It means Volatile Organic Compound. Big off gassing with varying flash points. Not good stuff, but sometimes the best solution.

[petersb]

Birch ply will work great for the the top and the jigs.

I used MDF for my extension table/router table and my only suggestion would be to seal the surfaces especially the edges. My MDF top has swollen a bit in the last 10 years or so. I think finishing/sealing it would have helped. If fact, sealing the exposed surfaces might not be a bad idea on the ply too. Well, it couldn't hurt. I will seal mine the next time I make a table top.

Just my pennies worth.

[petersb]

VOCs. Ventilate well and turn off/eliminate ALL sources of ignition/spark. There are a lot of ignitions that happen with contact cements. More than most realize. Don't need to be afraid of the stuff, just take the precautions on the label.

[John Anderson]

ok well thanks to all for explaining VOC's. looks like ill be whipping out the ole' Govt Issue Gas Mask for this job! it is a garage so it is a well ventilated area though. but thanks for the heads up. Being winter weather and all i probably would have kept the door closed. Check it out this site may have already saved my life! (and my dogs too)

thanks to all for the warning

John

[PaulMarcel]

I don't know how cold it is where you are, but you might want to read the directions on the contact cement. I've used it often in plenty warm conditions (I'm in Arizona) but someone recently alerted me that it doesn't work well below a relatively high cold temperature.

There are water-based contact cements that actually don't smell that bad (yes, still some bad VOCs but waaaaay less than the acetone version) but don't be tempted to use it as the water component will warp your MDF or ply.

[Mister Pants]

Formica's cabinet top laminate right? It works like gangbusters. Personally I'd laminate it over MDF and not birch ply though. MDF is more consistent throughout, and it takes screws fine so long as you follow two caveats: pre-drill your holes and use fine threaded screws. My router station (gotta admit I just built good old Nahm's) uses an MDF top with laminate attached. Its dead flat, solid, and good and slick.

[dryhter]

ok, i want to make a router table top, router fence, and sacraficial fence for rabbeting all for my Unisaw. i want these surfaces to be good and slippery so my work can just glide against them. I gave in and bought a 1/4 sheet of 3/4" melamine, but even i know (as a new guy) that particle board wont last long and isn't the greatest at holding screws. so i thought about Phenolic Plywood after reading about it in FWW's Jigs issue from 2009. The only place ive found it is from Woodcraft, and they want $60 for a 1/4 Sheet of 3/4"! that seems a little rich for my taste. So i have a 5-1/2 X 4 foot sheet of 3/4" birch ply that is left over from my last project and i saw a guy on Craigslist selling 2 full sheets of Formica for $20. just wondering if anyone else on here has done this, and if so how did it work out and how did it hold up? Ive seen how to join the two on Fine Homebuilding's website and it doesnt look too tough, but any pointers on this process is also welcome.

thanks,

John

You might want to consider putting the laminate on both sides of the ply to keep it from warping.