Hi,
I'm going to be replacing a lot of a kitchen, including worktops, cupboards and some electrics but no plumbing. Both of the things I'm currently not confident about involve worktops, namely a) joining two slabs together at a
45 degree angle, and b) cutting a hole for a sink.What equipment will I need for those two jobs?
All advice gratefully received!
Harry
For the corner joints you need a worktop cutting template and a 1/2" collet router with a reasonable amount of power (1.6kW or better), and some long 1/2" straight fluted cutters. Dog bone connectors and sealant for making the final joint. If you have a biscuit jointer, then a few biscuits on the join also help alignment.
For the sink, it will depend on the type. You can use the router again, or for just cutting a shape that will then be covered by the edges of an inset sink then a reasonable quality jigsaw will also do it.
John Rumm wrote in news:57ydnb_oZf_wSb snipped-for-privacy@brightview.co.uk:
Thanks John! Just been having a nose round the web; it seems I can make the template. Have you got any advice regarding what kind of router to buy?
Thanks again.
Harry
Just a suggestion: if you've not used a router before, practice on some scrap material first. Then, if you know in advance where you want your sink cut-out, do that job where accuracy isn't such a requirement and you can feel how the material responds under your cutter. Then last of all go for the precision corner joint.
Nick
Let me add that you pretty much always cut away from you on the right hand side of the piece and towards you on the left hand side. Obvious to most of us but if you've never done it .......
Rather than buying, for a one-off job it might be more economical to hire the template (and possibly even the router and cutters) from a local hire-shop.
I had my kitchen fitted by a local firm, who did advise against one of my first ideas of a corner sink, on account of an increased risk of water penetration into a mitred joint of the worktops.
Why? Honest question as I've never tried this. Assuming the cutters are running clockwise, doesn't this mean you're moving "with the motion"? I would have expected to want to move against the motion.
Paul DS.
If hiring, I would still buy your own quality cutters.
I bought a Trend jig and then sold it on eBay after finishing the job. Overall cost less than hiring.
MBQ
If you're pushing away from you on the right hand side of the piece, the cutting edge hits the work first (and tends to push you back).
Hi,
I'm going to be replacing a lot of a kitchen, including worktops, cupboards and some electrics but no plumbing. Both of the things I'm currently not confident about involve worktops, namely a) joining two slabs together at a
45 degree angle, and b) cutting a hole for a sink.What equipment will I need for those two jobs?
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A man who can do it properly.
Even if you do acquire the right kit, your first time effort will not be anywhere near as good
tim
I'm afraid that I don't understand the answer. It may explain why I'm so shit with a router. :)
+1
Ok, just spin a pencil clockwise against the right hand edge of your laptop. It wants to move towards you, so, you push away to cut.
You can get relatively cheap ready made templates for around £30 - usually MDF rather than Ali, but for a few joints more than adequate. You can hire the templates as well I believe.
For a router you need a plunge router with a 1/2" collet... for one off jobs you can get away with pretty much any cheap shed special. If you want something nice to keep and use for other jobs, then something like:
Something like:
The £99 own brand one will also be ok, but there will be differences in the quality and smoothness of the plunge mechanism, and the bearings will not be as well dust sealed - so they will get wobblier and more graunchy with extended use.
The confusion comes from the type of cut you are performing...
Normally if cutting on just one side of the cutter - say edge profiling, rebating, flush trimming, template cutting, slotting etc, then you cut such that the cutter is working against the direction of travel. This has the effect of pulling the work against the fence of the router or against the bearing of the cutter if using a bearing guided cutter. Hence you get a clean and consistent cut.
Cutting with the direction of travel is what is termed a "climb cut" (since the cutter will naturally try and climb away from the thing you are routing).
Sometimes climb cuts can actually be useful - however use with care since climb cuts are generally thought of as more risky. You might use one when doing a final pass on a wood that tends to leave a slight feathered edge, a climb cut can help clean it up. Also when routing things like awkward end gain that might otherwise snatch.
Now when cutting a dado of other type of slot where the router is cutting on both sides at once, the distinction can disappear in some circumstances. Use with a worktop template is one such example since the template fixes the location of the router using a guide bush that exactly matches the width of the template - so it is constrained between both sides of the template. This is like having two fences - one either side of the cut simultaneously. Hence whichever way you push it, you will get a decent cut.
If however making a cut through material with a straight edge guiding the router on only one side (say for a rabbet for a shelf), the you need to ensure that the direction of rotation of the leading edge of the cutter is driving the machine toward the fence and not away from it. If you think about a cutter being pushed through the timber - it is cutting on three sides only left, front, and right. The back of the cutter is spinning in free space that the leading edges just cut. So while the reaction to cutting from front and back traveling edges tend to cancel each other out, there is nothing to balance out the reaction from the leading edge with is pushing laterally to your cut direction.
Errr, you prolly just made Harry Davis give up on the idea ;)
Well if one adds the executive summary that for worktop cutting you can forget all about direction of cut issues (other than route into the roll edge not out of it). Just take no more than about 10mm depth of cut per pass and you should be fine.
(plenty of videos on youtube of worktop cuts as well)
+1
I have "cheap" laminated MDI for worktop joints and grooves, OK for limited use. Don't think I would try to make them.
Not sure I would agree with that; I have a Silverline 1/2" which is only just about useable. My Hitachi 1/4" is much better, but doesn't have the oomph for worktop.
Worktop is expensive and easy to mess up, especially the first time. The earlier advice about having lots of practice is good. If you don't already have them, you might think about getting two identical workmate type benches (so that they are exactly the same height), and a few trigger-grip or F type clamps. Holding stuff securely is one of the secrets, IMHO
which does matter
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Silverline might be pushing it a little too far down market. There are a few chinese imports that get badged by the various tool shops etc at around the £100 mark that would cope. However with routers you get what you pay for and IME its worth having a decent one.
Yup... the better jigs have lots of alignment pegs etc, but the clamps are also essential. (the Silverline quick grip ones *are* ok for that ;-)
It certainly does for ease of use and quality of finish... probably not quite as critical for a worktop joint as long as its square.
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