Anyone have a laminate trimmer? - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

sage · 02-08-2006, 08:23 AM

I am interested in buying a laminate trimmer, you know, one of those little routers.

I was hoping that some of you guys might own one (or more than one for you tool whores) and be able to share your insight.

I know that all the major brands are good ,Rigid, PorterC,DeWalt,Bosch,etc...
but like most of you I want the best regardless of cost.

Any help would be appreciated. Oh BTW I don't need it for any specific dedicated use, just thought it would be a nice addition to the trucks that would take up little space in the boxes and perform some of the functions of the full size routers which we don't keep on the trucks. I was wishing more than once that I had my router on my truck when I didn't.

Ken@K&R · 02-08-2006, 08:47 AM

I auctualy use my rotozip with the router base attchment and the rotozip laminate bit. It takes 1/4" shank router bits. I also have the grinder attachment, circle attachment. As long as I keep it cleaned up I can use it for alot of differnt tasks from cutting in electrical boxes, can lights, laminate trimming, cutting holes in cermic tile, and anything else I can come up with. Not bad for a total of $250 attachments and all.

**Teetorbilt** · 02-08-2006, 09:35 AM

Like Ken, most of my trucks carry the full RotoZip kit, it's just too indispensable. IMHO the router base isn't as ridgid as it could be and certainly not as good as a decent trim router.

I favor the Bosch and the PC's work well too. I've never used anything else.

skylands · 02-08-2006, 12:30 PM

I recently bought a Rigid. (I got to the jobsite and realized that I forgot the Rotozip back at the shop.) I like the feature that it starts out slow and goes up to speed slowly. Since it's new it works real good and everything is tight. So it looks like the Rotozip is going back in the drywall section.

MinConst · 02-08-2006, 01:50 PM

Yea I was reading the Consumers Reports and they did a thing on lam trimmers. The Bosh and Rigid were tops. Ive been thinking of adding the Rigid to my trailer. My router is ancient. An old B&D. I don't use it much but might if it was handy. I don't feel comfortable doing counter tops with the Rotozip. As Teetor said the base is a bit shakey.

Robie · 02-08-2006, 02:35 PM

I bought the Bosch Colt a while back and like it so far. It is 1 HP, variable speed, has fine tuning depth capabilities, a long power cord, edge guide and case. Fits in one hand but is powerful enough to handle 1 5/8" bits. I bought it mostly for laminate work but I'm sure it will get a workout in other areas.
All of the other woodworkers at another site I frequent like it also. It's getting great write-ups in the trade mags.

DecksEtc · 02-08-2006, 02:41 PM

I have a PC one. The power is good. The only problem I have is that the opening in the base wasn't big enough for some of the router bits I needed to use in it. I had to "modify" it so to speak by grinding it out to be larger.

firemike · 02-08-2006, 04:27 PM

I have 3 PC's and 1 Bosch. The Bosch is a little smaller than the PC's, and the PC's seem a little sturdier than the Bosch, but both work well. In one of the PC's I always keep a round-over bit in so it is always ready to take a sharp edge off a board when needed.

Mike Finley · 02-08-2006, 04:54 PM

I broke down and bought a Dremel a month ago, the 400 or something like that with about 100 things to go with it.

-- it's the biggest piece of sh#t I have ever seen!

One of the main reasons I bought it was for the long extension thing that came with it so you could bend the thing all around and get it into tight corners. 1st thing I read in the instructions is you must keep the dremel itself over the heigth of the end of the extension! WTF? Do you know how f-ed up that is to do, you look like you are hanging an IV bag while using it! I can't tell you the amount of times it spins out of sync and you have to stop and take it all apart and then raise it up higher again and start over.

2nd thing I really couldn't understand is the thing doesn't even come with enough collars to make it function with a typical drywall cutting bit. You have to dismantle half the dremel in order to use the extension and plug in 2-4 different collars and adapters to get it to work and they don't even supply you with a big enough collar to adapt to a typical cutting bit??????!!

Those things are way over hyped or you have to enter into a dremel state of mind and forget everything you typically do in order to work with that one tool.

The next day I went out and bought the Dewalt 18volt cordless drywall trimmer for $89. The thing kicks ass.

magnum · 02-08-2006, 06:16 PM

Like others I have had a PC for about 5 yrs now and it works fine for small router bits. I recently had the unfortunate chance use a Dewalt and hated it which was a surprise to me because I usually like DW tools. I know this doesn't come as a big surprise to Tom R

Tom R · 02-08-2006, 06:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magnum

Like others I have had a PC for about 5 yrs now and it works fine for small router bits. I recently had the unfortunate chance use a Dewalt and hated it which was a surprise to me because I usually like DW tools. I know this doesn't come as a big surprise to Tom R

You're right about that, magnum!!, - - yeah, I've owned the PC trim router for about 5 years myself, it's a good little router. I also have a makita, which is pretty good too.

I use the PC for real small work and the Makita for the in-between stuff. I kept the original (small and square) base on the PC, and I use it for both laminate work and door-hinge mortising.

Eric K · 02-08-2006, 06:47 PM

I prefer the porter cable router. I think its just the feel of it. I've used them for about seven yrs now.

N.E.Bldg&Rest.LLC · 02-08-2006, 06:54 PM

Here is a good review

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/artic...ticle&partID=1

MinConst · 02-08-2006, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.E. Builder

Here is a good review

http://www.toolsofthetrade.net/artic...ticle&partID=1

Yea thats the article I read. Not in CR sorry for the brain fart. Seems that happens more and more as time goes on

TimNJ · 02-08-2006, 10:34 PM

I bought the Bosch kit about 10 years ago and it was well worth it.

theworx · 02-19-2006, 08:27 PM

I've had two porter cable laminate trimmers in use for about 6 years (one set up for flush cuts and the other for bevel cuts). Have never had a problem. I wouldn't alter the base (as previously mentioned) to accomodate large router bits though. They are set up for what they are capable of doing (removing a small amount of material). For the larger jobs I use my pc router (wouldn't want to burn out one of my trimmers)... I have used them to cut slots for t-mould for desk tops, etc, but anything more than maybe a 1/4" bevel cut I use my full size router.
I also have the full Rotozip kit and tried to use the router base and it made a real mess of my laminate work (the base just wobbles too much)...

rob3429 · 02-19-2006, 08:57 PM

Most of my Power tools are Dewalt but i also have a roto zip that does a fine job for laminate trimming . I do a lot of custom cabinetry so I normally only use the roto zip for tight spots and use my dewalt router with a lamminate trimming bit and it works great for me ... if you want your moneys worth buy DEWALT .

Bella D · 02-20-2006, 12:10 AM

I'm not a big fan of Craftsman power tools but I bought one for around $90 about 7 years ago. Works great for small things, heavier duty stuff you need to move slow with it.