Hi Bert
As far as I understand it, the router is used with a worktop jig to produce a masons mitre, not a 45 degree join. The 45 degree joins don't tend to work as the walls usually aren't square. The alternative is, as you say to but up one edge against another, and use the metal joining strips you can buy to match the worktops. Easier to achieve, but not so aesthetically pleasing and not as hygienic as food can get trapped under the strips.
Smelly Kat
Thanks for that. I've no idea what a mason's mitre (or is it a Mason's mitre?) is, but it's given me something to look up...
Bert
Mason's
It's like a Bishops's Mitre but made of stone. Worn during the ceremony to initiate a new member into the lodge.
MBQ
Obviously this is the origin of the hard hat. Thanks!
Bert
It's a "mason's mitre", not a Mason's or Freemason's mitre.
A worktop joint is a scribed joint (as is a mason's mitre), but it isn't a mason's mitre. It's similar, yet almost the opposite of one!
Both are attempts to avoid the mitre. Masons avoid it because a sloping joint in stonework is a weakness, as gravity acts to make the joint slip (except of course in arches).
A worktop mitre is scribed so that the end of one piece extends into the side of the other piece. In a mason's mitre the long sided piece is formed as a slight L shape and theres a straight butt joint to the end of the first piece. Traditionally the edges would often be chamfered or fluted. This chamfer is cut as a dummy mitre in the corner (entirely within the long piece) and it's usual that the extension to its side is just deep enough to contain this chamfer and the false mitre.
150 words. That's about a sixth as useful as a picture of one.Andy,
Many thanks for the detailed description. I think I know what you mean, but you're right: I'm off to find an illustration.
Bert
On 7 Jan 2005 07:21:18 -0800, "Smellykat" strung together this:
I've no idea where this came from, well done!
There is a trick of the trade to get them to fit perfectly in non square corners.
When you cut one side of the join position the two worktops in the corner and scribe a line onto the uncut piece. Rather than using the pegs to line up the jig use the scribed line and the joint will fit perfectly in any wonky corner.
I found this out after fitting a square joint in a very unsquare corner against very unstraight walls.
Noooooo.
I was thinking of using a square-edged worktop, which presumably removes some of the aesthetic objection to a 90-degree butt joint, that the rounded edging leaves an ugly gap which has to be covered by the joining strip. With square edging it should be possible to make a neat 90-degree butt joint, shouldn't it?
Bert
On Sat, 8 Jan 2005 09:19:12 -0000, "Bert Coules" strung together this:
If you use a router and jig you don't get a gap.
Simple, you don't even need a jig, just a straight edge. Use the same method as I mentioned above about unsquare corners and you will get a perfect fit.
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