Cutting the last bit by hand

[borrow]

Wise ones,

I've got to trim a couple of cm from a piece of worktop in my kitchen, but in place.

Why? This is to enlarge a space for a slightly bigger appliance. 'Careful' planning on installation a while back left the gap between cupboards bigger but masked the visual effect by overlapping worktop on both sides and adding a couple of strips of cupboard matching board. This, nearly, all unscrews to allow for the bigger appliance to slot in...but it turns out that the worktop on one side would actually be a huge mess to get out (due to over creativeness in the nearby corner). You can "tut" now.

Hence I need to trim one side it in place. Most of the length I can use a router for but I'm looking for advice on the best way of cutting the last few cm where the router cutter won't reach as the body reaches the wall.

Assuming I'm reduced to cutting by hand, what's the best way of preventing chipping on the (40mm laminate) worktop, er, top. Pre- Scoring with a Stanley? Stroke from above or below? Japanese Pull Saw? Honed Dental Floss?

Alternatively any magic alternative or exotic power tool recommendations to do the whole job (excuses to acquire more power tools are always welcome)?

Ta muchly, B

[visionset]

I've done just that. Increased my cooker slot to accept a 600 rather than

500mm unit. Doddle, do the lot by hand. Fine toothed rip type saw. Mask it off, mark it out. Go throught the nose first and the rest of the laminate. Using the saw Tenon style. Support towards the end, stand up and work back wards to the 'tiled ?' edge taking care not to scratch tiles. You think it'll be a mare but it isn't.

[Andy Dingley]

Fein Multimaster

[borrow]

Mike - thanks for the manual reassurance / experience.

Andy: - multimaster looks tempting but is the blade flush with the base of the unit? I can see that it will cut up to the wall OK but it's going to leave a lip working horizontally...or is the blade angle / size sufficient that a cut from above can swing down in an arc to (nearly) meet the wall?

Thx B.

[John]

The stroke of a Multimaster is such that it can plunge and will cut right up to the wall. Expensive though.

John

[Ian Stirling]

Your average hacksaw, with the blade turned 90 degrees and a fine-toothed metal blade will do just fine. Set it so it cuts downwards.

[visionset]

Much slower and impossible to cut true. Fine toothed 'rip' saw is much better.

[Lurch]

On 9 Mar 2007 04:48:45 -0800, "John" mused:

Yep, and does soooo much more. I'd be lost without mine.

Depends how much you use it, mine has easily paid for itself. I've used it for use at home as much as I have at work.

[Forrest Anderson]

DeWalt (and perhaps others) make a special jigsaw blade for cutting right up to a vertical surface. Since the blade mechanisms of jigsaws are set back by differing amounts, you'd have to check to see that the blade gave a flush cut in the jigsaw you intend using.

The part number is DT2074 and there's a photo and description at

and

Forrest

[Andy Dingley]

It can be. They do many sorts of disc blade and strip blade, both with and without an offset bend in them to permit flush cutting. Use the right blade and you can get flush, it's what the thing is notable for.

[Ian Stirling]

IME, it's just fine for the last couple of inches. Especially when you can tidy up later with a file/sandpaper to get it to the last tenth of a milimeter.