I’ve been thinking how handy it would be to have plastic laminate with a 1″ grid pattern on it. You could use it for infeed/outfeed tables, router table tops, bench tops, layout table tops, not to mention how useful it would be for sewing layout. Does it exist?
I have no idea how they make high-pressure laminate or how difficult it would be to put an accurate 1″ grid pattern on it, but I think it would be useful. Any ideas?
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Aside from a general uncertainty as to the purpose you have in mind (what would you do with it?), there's accurate and then there's accurate. How accurate did you have in mind? At what resolution?
The lines may be imprinted onto the surface of the laminate, but how thick would they appear? At what point would you trust them enough to use them as a point of measure?
Then, what happens when the laminate chips, wears off, or gets cut up so the lines are illegible or incomplete? How would you get the laminate off the surface of your tool?
Er, not to pick. I just don't understand your point.
No, there is accuracy and then there is precision. I strive to be accurate all the time in my business, but precision is rarely required. Accuracy is required in framing. Precision is required in much of cabinetmaking. At least that is the way I look at things.
We build houses e.g. at about say $215/sqft ... that is accurate. A detailed materials cost is more precise.
No argument.Griff
I've seen it in fabric shops.
I have a 4x8 sheet of formica in my stash that has a 1/2" grid on it, black on white. The grid lines are not real fine though, about 1/16" wide..
Pattern probably still made, special order??
Yeah, it would be great. I looked for some once, too, but I struck out. That was pre-google, though. I haven't tried since.
An old coworker of mine back in the 70s built a boat shop, and as soon as the plywood floor was down, he painted it white, and carefully drew a 12" grid on it with a waterproof ballpoint pen.
Very handy layout tool:
Boatbuilders “loft” their boats, which means having a full-size grid like the one above. They transfer x/y coordinates from their graph-paper plans directly to the grid on the floor.
What my buddy did -- and I think this is SOP -- was to lay a bunch of drywall nails with their wide, sharp-edged heads right on the layout line, and give the shank of the nail a tap so that the head bit into the floor and stayed put.
Then he’d carefully lay a sheet of 1/4” marine ply on top, and walk all over it. When he flipped the sheet over, the complex curves were laid out right on the sheet -- little 1/4”-long cuts. Connect the dots with a springy stick, and you’re good to go.
It’s kind of like using a ponce wheel to transfer patterns.
AitchKay
I would be concerned about the accuracy. Easy solution: use a sheet of light colored formica, then layout the grid you want and scratch the lines into the laminate with a plexiglas scorer.
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I vaguely recall my first drafting table ( I inherited it from my wife's Engineering Co.) that had a green "pad" type cover that was 1" grids. Maybe check art supplies or drafting supplies.
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Don't know about 1" but I once installed 1/4" "graph paper" formica for a photographer's studio.
Had to build a series of cubes up in a form like a stair case with 16" rises and then formica the visible surfaces using the "graph paper" laminate.
one of my nightmare jobs.....alignment was supposed to be perfect and the material wasn't.
OK, then, Guys and Gals,Lets fan out, do some detective work, and then report back.I've been wanting such a grid on my outfeed and setup tables for over 15 years.I think that we shouldn't stop until we've achieved success!AitchKay
I wonder if a sharpener could grind a TS blade to cut a narrow "V" groove, and then lightly score the grid into the laminated top - that could be pretty accurate.
Oh - wait - just get a regular blade tilted to 45° to make the score.
Forrest
Find someone with a laser engraver to do the job.
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Obviously a 1" grid pattern wouldn't be accurate for precision measuring but for a rough idea it would be helpful. as long as the grid itself was accurate. In other words as long as the 24th line was darn close to 24" it would be handy. Not so much for measuring 24 and 11/16th inches.
Check this link it may be something you could use and it's priced reasonably it's a clear self stick material with a 1" grid on it it comes in different sizes on a rollI dont know which side the grid is printed on but it might be worth a try or contacting them for more info
http://apps.webcreate.com/ecom/catalog/product_specific.cfm?ClientID=15&ProductID=21132
Zeeya
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How about using a self healing cutting mat.
http://www.cutting-mats.net/self-healing-black.html
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Right - I could just see my carefully cut grid of tiny V-grooves healing over and disappearing during a weekend.
Forrest - I know I put grooves in that . . .