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Thread: formica.....a hidden treasure trove

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    3,922

    formica.....a hidden treasure trove

    I notice almost no discussion of formica (countertop stuff)
    This stuff is dirt cheap , comes in a zillion finishes , is rugged , can be laser cut (cept metallics) , can be laser engraved , can be paint filled , can be applied to curved objects.
    Can be used as cladding , can be used as plaque facings , double sided as key tags, outdoor signage......uses are endless.
    I think we pay less then $15 a sq m for it
    We use a lot of metal finishes (cnc cut) and a lot of marbelized as well as granite and woodgrain finish.
    http://samples.wilsonartcontract.com...standards.aspx
    Will give an idea of whats out there.
    Rodney Gold, Toker Bros trophies, Cape Town , South Africa :
    Roland 2300 rotary . 3 x ISEL's ..1m x 500mm CnC .
    Tekcel 1200x2400 router , 900 x 600 60w Shenui laser , 1200 x 800 80w Reci tube Shenhui Laser
    6 x longtai lasers 400x600 60w , 1 x longtai 20w fiber
    2x Gravo manual engravers , Roland 540 large format printer/cutter. CLTT setup
    1600mm hot and cold laminator , 3x Dopag resin dispensers , sandblasting setup, acid etcher

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
    Posts
    7,630
    I have used it, as well as the MDF covered with melamine. Most recently a lot of ADA signs have been done with Formica, Wilsonart etc. for decor, complimenting carpet and wall colors. I have done a few jobs with it applied to 1/4" acrylic for laser cut lettering. Contact cement is nasty, flammable stuff, so I use the latex/water based.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  3. #3
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Pelonio View Post
    I use the latex/water based.
    I laminated some furniture and a bar at my house about 10 years ago with latex/water based adhesive (Wilsonart brand). It worked good for about 8 years but now, on hot days, the adhesive releases and the Formica lifts off at the edges. I can press it back down again and it holds. I'm not sure if the adhesive has gotten better but this would be bad for business.

    Cheers
    I design, engineer and program all sorts of things.

    Oh, and I use Adobe Illustrator with an Epilog Mini.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Dec 2006
    Location
    Corvallis, Oregon
    Posts
    443
    The glossy white makes for really durable name tags and labels.

    Mark
    ULS X-2 660, Corel X3, Haas VF4, Graphtec vinyl cutter, Xenetech rotaries (3), Dahlgren Tables, Gorton P2-3, New Hermes pantographs (2), and recently, 24" x 36" chinese router. Also do sublimation, sand blasting, & metal photo. Engraver since 1975.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    251
    Have you tried the metallic surfaces? Are they laserable?
    Marc Myer
    Epilog 35 mini

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
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    Yes and no.

    There are some that are all plastic, much like Rowmark on the surface. They also do have it in real metal which is much more expensive and not laserable.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Alabama
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    2,395
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Pelonio View Post
    I have used it, as well as the MDF covered with melamine. Most recently a lot of ADA signs have been done with Formica, Wilsonart etc. for decor, complimenting carpet and wall colors. I have done a few jobs with it applied to 1/4" acrylic for laser cut lettering. Contact cement is nasty, flammable stuff, so I use the latex/water based.
    Joe:
    Isn't Formica a plastic? How about a cement like Weldon #16 for gluing to acrylic? I use #16 all the time for PVC and acrylic. It sticks PVC to Extira with a good bond also. I like it because with what I do, it's easier for me than Weldon #3 for acrylic to acrylic too. I like the idea of using it for ADA. I think it is like .04 thick and ADA requires 1/32 or .03125. Lowes sells a white 48x96 sheet for $43.00 which is like $1.35 a sq ft..cheap for sure.
    Epilog Legend EXT36-40watt, Corel X4, Canon iPF8000 44" printer,Photoshop CS6, Ioline plotter, Hotronix Swinger Heat Press, Ricoh GX e3300 Sublimation

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Sammamish, WA
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    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Bratton View Post
    Joe:
    Isn't Formica a plastic? How about a cement like Weldon #16 for gluing to acrylic? I use #16 all the time for PVC and acrylic. It sticks PVC to Extira with a good bond also. I like it because with what I do, it's easier for me than Weldon #3 for acrylic to acrylic too. I like the idea of using it for ADA. I think it is like .04 thick and ADA requires 1/32 or .03125. Lowes sells a white 48x96 sheet for $43.00 which is like $1.35 a sq ft..cheap for sure.
    Formica and other high pressure laminates actually are made with paper, impregnated with resins and plastic on the face (good side). I don't think an acrylic cement would work with it. As for the ADA letters, yes, it would work, but the edges of the letters are going to be brownish, while the Rowmark ADA material is the same color all the way through.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    Alabama
    Posts
    2,395
    Yes, Joe, your right on the ADA, edges would be brownish.

    I'll do a little test sometime with the Weldon 16, just out of curiosity.
    Epilog Legend EXT36-40watt, Corel X4, Canon iPF8000 44" printer,Photoshop CS6, Ioline plotter, Hotronix Swinger Heat Press, Ricoh GX e3300 Sublimation

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Oct 2004
    Location
    Cape Town, South Africa
    Posts
    3,922
    We apply sheets of 3m double sided ultra high bond tape to the back of the formica and laser cut right thru , never had a formica application fail or come adrift.
    Rodney Gold, Toker Bros trophies, Cape Town , South Africa :
    Roland 2300 rotary . 3 x ISEL's ..1m x 500mm CnC .
    Tekcel 1200x2400 router , 900 x 600 60w Shenui laser , 1200 x 800 80w Reci tube Shenhui Laser
    6 x longtai lasers 400x600 60w , 1 x longtai 20w fiber
    2x Gravo manual engravers , Roland 540 large format printer/cutter. CLTT setup
    1600mm hot and cold laminator , 3x Dopag resin dispensers , sandblasting setup, acid etcher

  11. #11
    Rodne,
    I have tried a formica piece with my laser (35w) and I had a hard time vector cutting. It would raster with good contrast, but when cutting the edges would char and i really had to slow the laser down at full power to get through. After that I abandoned my formica experiment.
    After reading this i believe that maybe that it was that particular formica I tried that's the problem. I will try to get a hold of some pieces to test with.
    Thanks.
    Michael Bareņo

    Epilog Mini18 35watt
    Epilog Helix 75watt
    Oki C8600 Color Laser
    Ricoh GX e3300N Sublimation
    Graphtec FC8000-60
    CorelDraw X5

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Sammamish, WA
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    Go to home depot and lowes and grab a handful of samples to test on.



    Sammamish, WA

    Epilog Legend 24TT 45W, had a sign business for 17 years, now just doing laser work on the side.

    "One only needs two tools in life: WD-40 to make things go, and duct tape to make them stop." G. Weilacher

    "The handyman's secret weapon - Duct Tape" R. Green

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    North Shore, Oahu, Hawaii
    Posts
    251
    I contacted the good people at Wilsonart and asked about the metals. They said they are laserable, but require at least a 200 watt laser or a YAG laser to cut.
    I also noted that they stipulate that they are for horizontal use only, and not for outdoor use.

    Still looking for that magical chrome finish that easily laserable and durable. Rowmark is getting closer...
    Marc Myer
    Epilog 35 mini

  14. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Joe Pelonio View Post
    Go to home depot and lowes and grab a handful of samples to test on.
    Too bad we don't have either of those here in Aruba. I will check out my local hardware store and try to get some samples.
    Thanks
    Michael Bareņo

    Epilog Mini18 35watt
    Epilog Helix 75watt
    Oki C8600 Color Laser
    Ricoh GX e3300N Sublimation
    Graphtec FC8000-60
    CorelDraw X5

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Mar 2008
    Location
    Savusavu, Fiji
    Posts
    1,167
    If you have a local hardware store that stocks either, you are ahead of us! We can order it from the main island but selection is quite limited
    Longtai 460 with 100 watt EFR, mostly for fun. More power is good!! And a shop with enough wood working tools to make a lot of sawdust. Ex-owner of Shenhui 460-80 and engraving business with 45 watt Epilog Mini18.

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