Sourcing Fireback Material.

[wizer]

Hello

I need to re-make my router table for a future project and I'm trying to find a source for 'Fireback'. For those who've not heard of it, it's the material that such people like Lord Nibbo and MowtownMartin used for their router table tops. It's a laminate material that is about 3mm thick. The only place that I can find it online is wickes. I have not actually been in there yet and I'd guess that B&Poo do it for roughly the same price. 2 Problems. 1. The size. With the cut out, it looks like it won't be big enough to cover the top in one piece. 2. Price. £35 seems a little excessive? Am I being tight?

Look forward to your helpful and insightful replies

 

[9fingers]

9 months or maybe more ago, B&Q were doing sheets of this stuff in a range of colours/patterns and there was a plain, pale one available.

About £35 and no cut outs about 2.5 to 3 foot square IIRC

I checked these out when several posters here we using them for router table tops in preference to risking lumps and bumps from gluing thin formica onto MDF.

Their website is pretty poor and so a store visit is needed to confirm suitability.

Bob

 

[Chems]

Tom,

Bought mine for my build just before Christmas, it was closer to £40 for the pale coloured one. It was quite large and was well worth the money. I had enough left over for the fence and still have some left. I would recommend just forking out the money as looking for other bits is difficult. I did buy some other low friction stuff but it was HDPE and was un-glueable.

 

[OPJ]

Does it have to be 3mm thick Fireback? When I made my table, I used a sheet of white Formica laminate from a local supplier, which is closer to 1mm thick and it's been fine. I payed £30 for a 10x4ft sheet. Apparently, you can order sheets of laminate/Formica through builder's merchants (Travis Perkins). I think someone said on here that they payed about £40 a sheet.

Otherwise, you could always approach your local shop fitters for their offcuts... :wink:

 

[JonnyD]

I would have thought you would have to balance the fireback material adequately to prevent the top from warping. You may get away balancing with a thin laminate or using the same thickness is better.

I cant see what benefit you will get from using 3mm laminate. Stamdard thin laminate would be ideal with a white 10X4 sheet costing in the region of £20. If you know a local forum memeber with an airpress this is ideal for bonding the laminate with either PVA or Titebond Adhesive.

Jon

 

[wizer]

Cheers guys. I do like the look of the thicker fireback stuff. It just seems a bit more rigid and easier to affix. I will pop down to B&Poo tonight to see if they still do it.

 

[wizer]

Right, popped into Homebase and they do 3mm Fireback 930mm x 930mm for £35 That seems expensive but it looks better than just the normal thin stuff. Need to have a think about this.

 

[Mr Ed]

If its not a daft question Tom, why don't you just use the cast iron top you are selling in another thread - surely thats got to be better than a bit of laminate?

Just wondered...

Ed.

 

[wizer]

It doesn't fit in the space I want to put it Ed.

 

[Paul Chapman]

Tom,

Why do you need to use laminate at all :? If you are making the top from, say, MDF why not just wax or varnish it? You are only going to be sliding wood along it so the wear will be negligible and if you finish it nicely the surface won't offer much resistance to sliding wood.

Cheers :wink:

Paul

 

[wizer]

yeeeh I kinda see where your coming from Paul, but all the cool kids are using some form of laminate on their router tops and I want to be in their gang

What about a plastic like Tufnol? Does that stick to MDF well?

 

[9fingers]

Whale grade Tufnol should make quite a good top surface and provided the underside was roughened with coarse sandpaper, should stick OK to MDF.

I would favour a pale colour, hence the fireback, so that pencil mark can be made to indicate routing limits.

Incidentally Tom, did you go to homebase because BQ did not have any in stock or did you just change your mind in the course of the day?

Bob

 

[wizer]

No I just ended up nearer to Homebase. I will look in B&Q next time I'm there.

I quite like the idea of Tufnol and it looks a little keener on price.

 

[9fingers]

Wizer ( and others)
I have just been to my local Homebase and amongst their fireback selection I found several sheets of 610 x 1220 mm x 2mm laminate white on one side and cream on the other. This size was unpriced whereas other sizes were £24.99 or £34.99.

I took it to the info desk to get a price. £7.98 !!! needless to say my credit card was out in a flash!

I think 610 mm will be plenty wide enough but even so I could make a joint by the T track groove.

Bob

 

[wizer]

Wow thanks Bob, I assumed that stuff was £24.99 and the larger stuff was £34.99 Will keep that in mind.