I am laminating a bar top. the top has an L shape. How does one put edge trimming on both parts of the L and then get all the way back into the corner when trimming the edges? The trim router base prevents getting clear into the corner.

 

It’s been awhile since making laminate cabinets. I would cut my edging strips close to size on a table saw leaving a minimal amount to trim. When I couldn’t get a trim router in to finish a strip, I used hand files. A medium course file first to remove most of the excess edging, and followed w/ a fine course for last few strokes. Make sure your strokes are pushing toward your bar top to prevent cracking of laminate or causing the strip to come unglued. Since you’ll only be dealing with several inches that can’t be trimmed w/ your trim router, it should only take a short amount of time to finish off those edges needing to be done by hand.

While probably impractical for your bar top, I find it’s easier to do finish trim work on smaller pieces in a shop or outdoors so that a trim router is not blocked in corners, and then mounting the finished pieces to my project indoors.

I didn’t have a Fein MultiMaster (oscillating) tool years ago. If you by chance had one, you might experiment on a test area to see if that tool could trim any excess laminate in corners . . . may need to use a wood block to prevent vibration from ungluing your strip. Be careful as I don’t know if it would work. FEIN Power Tools Inc. - FEIN MULTIMASTER - The universal system for interior work and renovation 47350.

 

I believe the Fein would work if you are careful. It also comes with a sanding head that may make a small amount removable without having to use one of the cutter heads. Hand file will give a flat smooth finish....always has.

 

Cut the end that goes into the corner nice and straight. Clean it up with a block and sandpaper if you need to. Do one side at a time. To apply pressure to the laminate in the corner, use a wood block and a hammer. An alternative to using a file, you can use a belt sander to sand that last inch or so down. Then come in with the other piece and do the same.

 

I made a tool to do this. Basically, it's a 6 inch by 2 inch wide piece of 1/8 inch steel strapping with a piece 1 3/4 inch square removed from one corner.

You trim up to about 1 1/4 inches from the inside corner with the laminate trimmer; do that on both top and bottom on both sides. (When I do the edging, I typically cut my edging a good 1/4 inch wider than the edge I'm laminating. Otherwise it's too easy to have the laminate go on crooked and have some area on either size exposed.)

Anyhow, once you're done with the laminate trimmer, use my tool or a carpenter's square:

Just put the carpenter's square down on the counter with either side IN FRONT OF THE LAMINATE at the corner. Hold the carpenter's square down snugly and scratch where to cut the laminate in that inside corner with a laminate knife:


Then, keep scratching until the laminate is well scored and use a pair of wire cutters with one jaw in the score line to clip off the excess laminate.

Then use a file to finish the corner.

 

Thanks to all for the inputs. I basically ended up using a file and it came out pretty good - at least for a 1st timer.

 

..Excellent.. If it was a fine file, its probably pretty good..but may have file marks. To smooth it out, use some fine sandpaper and a block to smooth out the the file marks..