cutting oak worktops

You should be able to do most of it with the Skil saw (assuming that's what you meant by "skill saw"). It's fairly easy to do a plunge cut with a circular saw, just try it first on some scrap (e.g. the old worktop). Cut the most of the cut-outs with the circular saw and then finish off with a hand saw so you get reasonably square corners.

Staffbull ( snipped-for-privacy@googlemail.com) wibbled on Sunday 13 February 2011

All the YouTube vids I've watched re worktops have either used jigsaws or routers depending on the finish required.

If your sinks are overlapped (ie normal, not underhung) - and this will be true of the hob, you need a hole of no particular quality good to a few mm of tolerance.

Thus a jigsaw from pilot holes will probably be the easiest and quickest way. I don;t know what a skill saw is so if that can do plunge cuts, then whatever - use it and use a jigsaw to finish where it cannot go.

For underhung sinks, a router is normally used (possibly after removing the bulk of material with a jigsaw, possibly not).

I had to cut a 25 mm oak sheet cleanly for a Belfast sink drainer. Assuming that the edges will be exposed, a router is the best way as you get clean square edges. You will need a powerful router. I have a 2kW one but I think you could get away with a bit less. Make sure that the cutter is sharp, ideally new. Most important will be to clamp guides on to ensure that you don't drift and ruin the work. You could work from underneath and screw them on. The ideal is to do all three or four sides of the cut in one continuous movement. You then don't get edges that have to be cleaned up with sandpaper.

Then two or three trial runs without the router on to check for freedom to move, flex catching, correct positioning etc. Then deep breath, switch on and approach with confidence. The £300 cost of the board I used was a bit nerve racking.

Good luck.

If you are cutting curved corners then don't have the pendulum switched on.

I did mine with a router but I think it would have been easier to do the straight runs with a plunge cut using a circular saw, joining up at the corners with a jig saw. The one important thing I did learn was to support the lump of wood that falls out when you finish the cuts - It's heavier than you might think!

Yes. It's not hard to use s long router bit to 'plane' 5-10mm off a a rough jigsaw cut in one pass.

Far easier than routing the whole thing from scratch.

Assuming an inset sink with a lip, it's certainly the easiest way. Holes at the corners to avoid too sharp a turn with the jigsaw