The drill in reverse was a new one for me, gonna remember that one for the future!

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

Every tip is almost the same, trying to get the tool to push the plastic into the wood rather than lifting the skin is key to stopping chipout. Spiral Downcut theory ;)

@CrudeButEfficient

Жыл бұрын

@@FixitFingers If possible, I tend to use round head screwes to hide the chipout... 😅

@Everythings_Adjustable

Жыл бұрын

@@CrudeButEfficient And great big washers 👍😁

Good tips, thank you. FYI, it is pronounced “MEL-a-meen”, not “-mine” It’s a portmanteau name, and the final two syllables are derived from a chemical that sounds like “AM-meen”.

@FixitFingers

3 ай бұрын

You know, as someone with an Honours degree in advanced analytical chemistry I should recognise an Amine when I see one ;) 😅

Brilliant tips. Especially the reverse on the drill. Thank you.

@FixitFingers

2 ай бұрын

Cheers John. Yes that little reverse spin does wonders... Just watch the bit doesn't come out! 😅

Kept blowing the melamine on my screen. Quality vid 👍.

@FixitFingers

Ай бұрын

It can be tricky stuff to work, glad this helped!

Now that's a proper instruction video, James. Very useful. For cutting sheets using a tracksaw, i have seen some people take a shallow pass backwards. That eliminates a lot of chipping. The concept is exactly similar to the reverse drilling example that you showed 👍

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

Cheers Suj, can't keep making popular pallet rubbish all the time, need some real woodworking :P Yes, I've seen that done. The Festool track saw has a dedicated function for this that sets the depth perfectly. I wouldn't try it with the accu-cut as a little too deep and kickback is very possible (setting the blade depth is tricky with this setup). Probably safer with a proper plunge saw.

Hi from South Africa. Awesome video and helpfully tips and tricks. Many thanks.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

G'day mate, cheers! It always amazes me the reach YT gives us to find folks half a world away 🌍

I’ve just finished a three week project to build a 4m long reception desk for my wife’s new clinic. I used melamine. Some of the tips in here I learned the hard way! Funny that it came out the night I finished the project! I’m new to your channel but have learnt a lot already. Thank you!

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

Cheers Dan. I picked up a lot the same way, though must also pay credit to many other Aussie makers whom I have gleaned various bits off over the years. There is no such thing as new content ;)

A whole lot of good tips there Mate! 🔨👍😊

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

Cheers mate! A necessary evil in modern DIY and repair work.

brilliant video, or should I say it was heaps good, and a fellow Aussie as well. Thank a lot mate this was very handy.

@FixitFingers

7 ай бұрын

Cheers Hoges, glad it was handy. I actually hate using the stuff, but it's a necessary evil in DIY land.

Melamine is great. It's cheap and the surface is smooth and easy to clean and the boards are always flat.

@FixitFingers

10 ай бұрын

Especially with the spiralling price of ply, I've been using it more. Also, you can often find it free dumped in the gutter 😝

I use melamine quite a bit. And you're correct, the right tools or jigs make the job so much easier. I actually have all the Kreg Jigs as well, and now, I would be lost without them. Great video by the way. 👍🍺

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

I think your early videos on the topic were some of the first I ever saw when you were making those big carcasses. Haven't had to do that yet...looked like heavy work. Festool has an automatic edge banding tool dont they? 😅

Thank you,nice,good,practical tips!

@FixitFingers

5 ай бұрын

No worries! Glad they helped 😊

Great video. Thank you!

@FixitFingers

7 ай бұрын

Thanks Sonia, glad it was helpful 👍

Hello James, You are very practical and objective, congratulations on the excellent work and the richness of all the details.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

If I could craft videos like you craft comments I'd be a happy man Mehmet 😊

With your advice - i all went perfect today :)

@FixitFingers

6 ай бұрын

Awesome to hear! No matter how many times you've done something there is always anxiety it won't work for other people 😅

Cool tutorial. I actually have a big melamine panel given to me and am thinking of making it into a table saw cross cut sled. I never knew melamine edge banding was so easy, I will have to try it. I found a good way to avoid chip out is to use my drill press on the fastest speed but i will try that reverse drill trick next time for sure.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

A Drill Press definitely helps, but not everyone has one so I avoided it in the video. (It can also be tricky to use with big sheets). Melamine is very stable and slippery and therefore a good choice for jigs and sleds! As long as you start it straight, edge banding is quite forgiving (and can be cut off and redone if you really stuff it up :P)

Excellent video! Cred!

@FixitFingers

6 ай бұрын

Cheers mate! My least favourite material, but it certainly has it's uses and it's nice and cheap...like me 😉

Thanks for this video. I'm about to build a walk in robe, so I will be watching it again, probably several more times :) FYI the link to carbatec is giving a Page not found error.

@FixitFingers

3 ай бұрын

Thanks Cath, apologies on the delayed replay YT somehow found a blocked word in your comment above... I wish it told which it found offensive :P I'll check and fix the Carbatec link now :D Cheers!

@FixitFingers

3 ай бұрын

All done, they'd changed the page :) Here is the correct link to all the cabinet hardware tools by Kreg - www.carbatec.com.au/brands/kreg/kreg-cabinet-hardware

Brilliantly presented as usual mate, gotta love that shelf pin jig 😊

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

Cheers Sumo! They've actually just released a new version of it... not sure what has changed, there was little I can fault in the older one.

In my case, drilling holes in melamine was significantly improved just by switching to regular corded drill which spins quite faster than battery powered ones.

@FixitFingers

8 ай бұрын

Yep that'll help too! I could never go back though after using battery ones 😅

This video gives me confidence to work with this stuf. That guide you use with your saw, where does one get one??

@FixitFingers

2 ай бұрын

G'day mate, that is the Kreg Straight Edge Guide. Nice cheap bit of kit. You can find them here via my affiliate link on amazon :) amzn.to/3VGDMGW

Cheers mate!

@FixitFingers

11 ай бұрын

Hope it helps! I still dislike using the stuff, but it's a necessary evil in DIY stuff 😉

@mastrsk8

11 ай бұрын

@@FixitFingers it will for sure. I’m making some shoe racks built into some closets and only the inside and shelves will be seen, but it still has to look good. Or at least I want it too. Great tips! 👍

@FixitFingers

11 ай бұрын

@@mastrsk8 awesome, good luck 👍

Great Video! ... I have not had as much luck with the Blue Tape previously, but, im eager to try the scribe cut method next time!! Thanks for the Tip. I believe the professional saws have a second blade which does this automatically - so it makes sense.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

Yep those big panel saws often have them. The Festool track saw also has a setting to run safely in reverse to do the same thing before your normal cut. Wouldn't try that with a regular circular saw though 😉

@ArchEdge

Жыл бұрын

@@FixitFingers I recon ive seen Dave Stanton do that before.... you'd want it to be a REALLY shallow cut...

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

@@ArchEdge that's exactly where I saw it 😅

I know this is an old video, but is there a way you can prevent the edges splitting when screwing into it? Say when screwing two sheets at 90 degrees straight through the wood pieces

@FixitFingers

17 күн бұрын

Two ways, predrilling in melamine should help stop it but you are still going into 'end grain' which is really weak because of the way melamine is compressed. My go to is Pocket holes. They and melamine are good friends. The way the jig works means the business end of the screw is hitting the face of the mating surface, which has more strength. Always put them on the outside of the 90° joint with course screws and that should stop splits and be super strong 👍

@baz_k

17 күн бұрын

@FixitFingers Amazing response. Thank you so much. Im planning a wardrobe build, and this may have just saved me from having to use mdf and painting it

@FixitFingers

16 күн бұрын

@@baz_k best of luck! If you use pocket holes, do a few tests to get the clutch setting on the drill right. Biggest risk in melamine is over driving and stripping the thread. Low is usually the go 😊

Who has a shiny chisel like his at his workshop?

@FixitFingers

4 ай бұрын

I I'd like to say I keep them in great condition... But it was just pretty new 😅

Marlamine *loves* taking screws in the edge grain.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

I actually try to avoid that, for melamine drawers and carcsses I've always used pockethole joinery, but this video had enough blue tools in it already 😉

G'day James. Nice to see another video of you😊I've already noticed Uncle Nick....why don't you use wood drills with a centering tip. According to my information, you have them at A from Bosch. Cheers and Check Square mate 👍🏻😊

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

We call those brad point bits, I showed one at the start of the drilling section 😉 Even with an expensive carbide set I still get inconsistent holes with them 😅

@Edtopia_upcycling_

Жыл бұрын

@@FixitFingers If I'm home tomorrow morning after my night shift, I'll go to my workshop and try it out 🤘🏻

Some good tips right there mate 👍👍 That slow close hinge was a little…. How do l put this delicately….phallic 😂 Good vid mate 👍😁🇦🇺

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

At least it can still stay up proudly! ;) I am sure a lot of this was osmosis from Uncle Knackers and others and has potentially been done to death, but when you've got paying work that takes away your private workshop time the content ideas tend to mesh with what is on the workbench currently! 😁

@diyforknuckleheads

Жыл бұрын

@@FixitFingers Couldn’t agree more mate…work is such an inconvenience 😂

I don't mind reaching for a bottle of spirits at the end of the job, but I do try to avoid the metho 😉 I'm pretty sure I'll see some Kreg jigs in my shed soon 👍

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

I'm more of a fan of the brown spirits than the white ones... the melamine can keep those ;) Making the odd cabinet, the jigs are a luxury item. However if you are making a set or doing it more than a few times definitely worth it. You know where the links are when you need them 😋

💚💚💚👍🏼

@FixitFingers

9 ай бұрын

Thank you!

Bonus tip, melamine glue, it’s very effective.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

You know what, I've never found cause to use it yet! Hardware only usually for me...

Are you best to cut your board with the top face down to prevent chipping?

@FixitFingers

6 ай бұрын

With a circular saw, yes. The circular saw blade spins towards you and upwards meaning the bottom face will be cleaner as blow out will occur on the face up side, hence the tape to help reduce this. Note that on a table saw this is reversed. 👍

@billysaunders544

6 ай бұрын

@FixitFingers cool beans, so face down produces a cleaner cut than taping? On a circular saw? So I'm better to cut with the seen face down and tape the back or unseen face of the board? ... if any of what i just said made sense 😄

@FixitFingers

6 ай бұрын

@@billysaunders544 If I read this right yes 🤣 You can tape both sides if notice chip out on the underside but usually it's not needed 👍

@FixitFingers

6 ай бұрын

In other words, I make the 'good' side face down with no tape, and the 'bad' side the taped top face my saw is sitting on

@billysaunders544

6 ай бұрын

@FixitFingers perfect, thanks very much... I think I'll just stick to welding 👍😄

Why not using glue

@FixitFingers

5 ай бұрын

In which part mate? Melamine and glue are not good friends usually. That's why we make work surfaces with it, not much sticks to it 😊

Saying a material has idiosyncratic properties is too humanising, how am i supposed to cut it if it has a personality!

@FixitFingers

8 күн бұрын

Hahahahaha not as bad as now I have put googly eyes on all my tools... and they have adopted personalities. Now I feel bad every time I drop or bash them 🤣🤣

I swear every time I watch a FF video, two things ALWAYS happen. 1.) I learn something new. 2.) Another blue jig gets added to my collection. Dam you.

@FixitFingers

Жыл бұрын

As long as you are using my links I will say that is all part of the evil plan 🤣😋 Cheers mate. I do dislike melamine but it has one more redeeming quality... you can get a near unlimited free supply from dumped Ikea furniture! hahaha