Scribing

[Alistair86]

Hi,

I've got to do a job where an 18mm laminated piece of wood needs to be installed. The panel is to go behind the seats on a van, and will cover from the roof, to about 1.5 foot downward (the bottom has a base already installed to rest on. The top is arched. The panel is already there, but the previous person did not do a very good job, and the van owner wants it flush, and neat. My plan is to scribe it, but because the panel is quite shiny, I doubt pencil mark will go on it. The question is, can a something other than a pencil be used, or is there a particular type of pencil that will be best for scribing in this scenario.

Cheers.

[Colour Republic]

masking tape on area, then use the pencil

[Alistair86]

absolute genius

Cheers!!!!

[ayjay]

Masking tape is the easiest way if you've got some: sometimes a softer pencil will work, (not always easy to get a fine line though), I also keep a fine tipped felt tip pen in the van for marking shiny stuff like tiles.

The one thing you'll notice with the masking tape is that it will probably burr up a bit and make the line a bit obscure when you're cutting and get near to the line, more if you're planing rather than sawing, smoothing it down again will mostly do the trick.

[steviejoiner74]

I always have a selection of coloured pencils in my van,great for marking on different coloured surfaces.

[Wes]

Be careful how you cut the scribe Alistair...I've seen a thread recently asking about that (might have been you )...

Laminated board chips easily. Are any of the faces going to be exposed? If so, it might be worth using an electric plane with a steady hand (and goggles!!). You could even make up a template with 6 mm ply, clamp that to the panel and use a router with a guide roller on the cutting bit. A little bit of jig work there mate

Apologies if that other thread was you and I'm sounding like an echo

[wine~o]

I'm sounding like an echo

echo..echo...echoecho..echo...


OH!!! amd definitely wear safety glasses/goggles.. I put a piece of laminate in my eye using a power planer a few months back...not an experience I'd like to repeat..

[Wes]

Yep, I concur Mr. Wine~o

Been in hospital twice now having laminate plucked out of my eye ball...Left some pretty decent scarring too Add that to some sloppy eye guarding from a welding apprenticeships I did donkey years ago and my world looks slightly odd sometimes

Yep, ware gigs

[Alistair86]

First of all, a big thank you to everyone for being for sharing their pearls of wisdom, I feel blessed

I also keep a fine tipped felt tip pen in the van for marking shiny stuff like tiles.

Thanks. Before CR told me about masking tape, I was thinking about using a fine tipped pen. I wonder if I could get that in a compass?

I always have a selection of coloured pencils in my van,great for marking on different coloured surfaces.

Thanks, any particular brand or type?

Be careful how you cut the scribe Alistair...I've seen a thread recently asking about that (might have been you )...

Haha, yeah, I think it might have been me, it was the post that you and some of the others hijacked lol

Laminated board chips easily. Are any of the faces going to be exposed? If so, it might be worth using an electric plane with a steady hand (and goggles!!). You could even make up a template with 6 mm ply, clamp that to the panel and use a router with a guide roller on the cutting bit. A little bit of jig work there mate

OH!!! amd definitely wear safety glasses/goggles.. I put a piece of laminate in my eye using a power planer a few months back...not an experience I'd like to repeat..

I was just planning on going around the line with a jigsaw, without goggles lol...

P.s. does anybody have an recommendations for a brand/model of compass, or will a normal one that was used for GCSE maths do lol

[steviejoiner74]

You don't have to use a compass to scribe with,a block of timber cut to the appropriate size and a sharp pencil will suffice. The coloured pencils I use are nicked from the kids pencil case btw!

[fin]

My mate swears by old fashioned long point compasses. I just have a one of those standard helix things from my skool days.

Try a eBay search for vintage compass or also long point compass but you'll obv get the other type coming up also

[Tesla]

Apologies for semi-hijacking your thread but it's along the same lines.

I'm just about to fit the full height end panels in my kitchen. They're oversized so need cutting down. Scribing them into the floor using a jigsaw isn't much of a problem.

I was wondering if I can use my small Bosch palm router to get the top edge of the end panel flush with the top edge of the cabinet end. I've used my jigsaw on the first panel I've fitted but it isn't as accurate as I'd like. I am hoping the router can get it spot on? If so, what sort of bit should I be using.

My router is a recent purchase and not something I've ever used before. So far used for one rebate job when replacing a section of fascia board outside.

[ayjay]

If everything is plumb and level and you scribe the correct amount off the bottom the top will be in the right place anyway.

Stand it in position (if it'll fit) and measure how far it needs to drop to be flush at the top - that's your distance to scribe from the floor.

[Wes]

Scribing them into the floor using a jigsaw isn't much of a problem.

Cutting the bottom with a jigsaw will leave one side chipped. If you're using a down cutting blade and cutting from the face side, the (exposed) face will be fine up until you get to the end of the panel, as it will chip on the opposite side. Generally about 3 inches or so past the kick board. Does it really need a scribe on the bottom of the panel?

You can use your router with a 3/4 inch straight cut router bit. You'll need some G clamps and a straight edge (guide rail for the router). Wow, just thinking about it, it's pretty advanced stuff really for your first go with a router. Especially on a large end panel. You could do with getting some practice in on scrap pieces so you've got an idea of where to attach your guide rail. Router work like that is never free hand. In fact 99 % of router work isn't free hand. Hopefully other will give you better advice than this. I'm struggling trying to explain it

Edit : Or ignore all this and listen to Ayjay

[Tesla]

Thanks chaps.

I did consider ayjay's method as that's what I have watched on YouTube. Wasn't 100% confident I could get it exactly perfect but will give it a go and report back.

I've found the end panels to not chip at all with the jigsaw, I made a few test cuts first in an off cut. The end panels are more vinyl wrapped than laminate. It's a more plastic-y material. I've masked the cuts up with masking tape too.

The floor is pretty level and a couple end panels I haven't had to scribe to the floor at all, but still need to remove some material as they're slightly oversized.