Differences Between Rotozip Cut-Out Tools & Laminate Trimmers

Laminate Trimmer

• A laminate trimmer is a small, hand-held router. It cuts via a cylindrical straight or beveled saw bit that moves rapidly up and down. The base of the laminate trimmer guides and steadies its action and controls the depth that the cylindrical saw cuts. The opening in the base of a laminate trimmer is narrow and accommodates bits only up to 1/4 inch in diameter. The small bit diameter makes the laminate trimmer ideal for cutting high-pressure laminate like the kind used for sinks, counters and other fixtures.

Rotozip Cut-Out Tools

• The Rotozip Tool Corporation has been making their universal cut-out tool since 1972. Like the laminate trimmer, the Rotozip is a small router. And like the laminate trimmer, it is suitable for cutting high-pressure laminate. The big difference between the Rotozip cut-out tool and the laminate trimmer is the size of the base. Because the Rotozip's base has a larger opening, it accommodates bit and accessory attachments. These attachments allow the Rotozip to be used on a wider variety of materials than just laminate.

Precision

• You don't need precision cuts for every job. When cutting high-pressure laminate, for instance, you rarely need to control the depth of rough-in plumbing and wiring cuts precisely. There are rarely any obstructions directly adjacent to the laminate surface. The laminate trimmer's coarse depth gauge may become problematic when you try to use it for other applications. If precision is important, then Rotozip cut-out tools are ideal. The Rotozip's depth gauge has fine depth control that allows you to set it to virtually any depth to make precision cuts without causing accidental damage to adjacent surfaces.

Base

• The biggest difference between laminate trimmers and Rotozip cut-out tools is base size. The laminate trimmer's narrow base allows it to accept only the narrow bits suitable for cutting into laminate. The Rotozip cut-out tool's base is much more flexible. Since its establishment in 1972, the Rotozip Tool Corporation has used this wide base to accommodate a wide range of bits and accessories. The ability to switch out a wide variety of bits, wheels, circle guides, and straightedge guides makes this a tool suitable for cutting virtually any material up to 1 inch thick. This versatility makes the Rotozip a much more suitable tool for a wider range of household projects.