I have fitted a couple of wooden worktops in the past, both having Belfast/butler type sinks. On the second occasion I "perfected" my method having learnt a thing or 2 from the 1st. The method I adopted was to mark out the cut out, then using a circular saw and some battens as guides cut to within a few mm of the finish line. After removing this rectangle I then cleaned up the 3 cuts, using the batten guides again, with a router. I used a 4mm bit in the router and had to take the wastage away a bit at a time depth wise. This was a limitation of the tool that I have really, only suitable as a hobby router as not got a 1/2" collet so couldn't use a 40 or
50mm long cutter. On the internal corners where I was left with a slight round from the cutter I pared out the wood with a chisel. I am very pleased with my results. However! I notice that on most professionally fitted wooden tops the internal corners are very rounded, probably due to the use of a 12mm cutter, guide bush and a jig. I would like to get myself a router with 1/2" collet to facilitate the use of the longer cutters. I could then get one of those w/top jigs and maybe do some laminate tops if asked by friends. But can you get a special jig to do the sink cut outs for the Belfast or do you use the same 1 as for the laminate tops? Or is it a case of make your own up? The sink cut outs that I have seen seem to have been done in 1 continuous cut. Is it just a case of cutting away the baulk as I have been doing, laying out guide battens and then let the router follow these, although I can't see this working. Any general tips on cutting laminate top corner joins also greatly appreciated as would be reasonably priced router suggestions. Just googled the Erbauer 1850w, doesn't look to promising. Does Wickes still do a clone of the Freud. Many thanks. Simon.- posted
18 years ago