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Cutting High Pressure Laminates (HPL) Safely
This is one woodworking cutting procedure that makes me nervous. Thin plastic laminates can jam under table saw fences and bind in the saw causing a serious kickback.
HPL material is strong, and has very sharp edges, so when it binds it can be dangerous. Here's a jig, and a few comments, about cutting HPL safely.
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You can safely cut high pressure laminates on a table saw with this simple fence guide. It's a piece of particleboard or plywood with a thin strip of hardboard screwed to the bottom. I also installed an upper hardwood block with rounded ends to "trap" the laminate. The space between the hardboard strip and upper guide block is only slightly thicker than general purpose (GP) laminates. The GP (thickest) laminates can slide between the two guide but just barely. The laminate is trapped so it won't vibrate and cannot slip under the fence, which could cause a serious bind. |
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If you have an overhead blade guard, it can also be used to help cut laminates safely. Lower the guard so the laminate is held tight to the table so laminate "rattle", as you're cutting, is minimized.
The overhead guard is used with the fence guide above. |
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A number of people have asked how to achieve a perfect seam when butting two pieces of laminate together. I use a straight edge and overlap the laminates. Then, I use a straight cutting bit in my router with a guide bearing. The laminates, which are securely clamped to a straight edge, are cut in one pass. The pieces cut should be a mirror image of one another and you should be able to make an acceptable butt joint with the two pieces of laminate. |