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I’ve installed a new kitchen counter and I need some advice on finishing it up. It’s a basic Formica counter and I bought end caps to cover the exposed ends. These caps are over-sized and probably meant to be trimmed with a laminate trimmer. I don’t own one, can’t lay my hands on one, and can’t really justify buying one just for this. Can I just use my trusty 1-1/2 horse Porter-Cable with a flush trim bit (with guide bearing, of course.) to trim the excess? I am a little concerned that I will chip the cap after I have in glued in place.
Thanks in advance!
Jon
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Your router will work fine. In the shops I've worked at, we used solid carbide bits instead of pilot bearing bits. You apply a coat of paste wax to prevent the bit from burning the laminate. If the counter is against a wall, you will have to remove it in order to have enough room to move the router ...... an island counter shouldn't be a problem.
*Jon , like jcallahan I usually use a self piloting solid carbide trim bit . They just trim closer , less fileing . One more tip no matter what bit you use set the cutting depth to just a fuzz over the thickness of the laminate to avoid cutting into the surface of the counter if you make a bobble [ easy to do on the narrow end ] Chuck
*i think they make a router bit especially for plastic laminate....
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I've installed a new kitchen counter and I need some advice on finishing it up. It's a basic Formica counter and I bought end caps to cover the exposed ends. These caps are over-sized and probably meant to be trimmed with a laminate trimmer. I don't own one, can't lay my hands on one, and can't really justify buying one just for this. Can I just use my trusty 1-1/2 horse Porter-Cable with a flush trim bit (with guide bearing, of course.) to trim the excess? I am a little concerned that I will chip the cap after I have in glued in place.
Thanks in advance!
Jon