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Cutting Kitchen Worksurface
rsmith95uk - 6/8/10 at 09:31 AM

Hi,

will be putting in new worksurfaces shortly and a change in design means that I will now have an external 90 degree turn.

My question is, how do you mitre these so that you get a bevelled edge around the turn? I have assumed that the only way to do it is to cut each 'board' at 45 degrees, but I'm not confident that I could get a perfect fit, especially as I expect the walls will not be perfectly at that angle!

OR

Shall I leave it to a professional - if so, any recommendations in the Romford/Hornchurch area?

Cheers
Ray


blakep82 - 6/8/10 at 09:35 AM

i think you can buy a sort of template thing that shows you all the best ways to cut corners on worktops?


rsmith95uk - 6/8/10 at 09:40 AM

quote:
Originally posted by blakep82
i think you can buy a sort of template thing that shows you all the best ways to cut corners on worktops?


These appear to only cater for internal mitre's, although I'm prepared to be proved wrong!


adithorp - 6/8/10 at 09:48 AM

Not sure about the best way of mitering it but a friend of mine says always use a new blade for each cut. Otherwise although the blade might be following the line at the top by the jigsaw, it'll bend/waver below. He also uses down cut blades in his jig saw so he cuts from the top surface without chiping it. Down cut blades do need you to keep presure on the jigsaw at all times though.


Liam - 6/8/10 at 09:48 AM

Aye 45 degrees and they should match up. Or more generally - half the total angle each and the profile will match up. Having said that, if the deviation is very small on your not quite 90 degree walls (they never are), even if you cut one at 45 degrees and the other ended up having to be cut at 43, say, the difference in the profile will be so small they'll match up pretty well.


thunderace - 6/8/10 at 10:39 AM

unless your a kitchin fitter dont bother as you need a jig and a router,(about £400)
just buy joining strips its the easy way and gives a nice finish .
like this
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/40MM-WORKTOP-CORNER-JOINING-STRIP-BLACK-/300286923731?cmd=ViewItem&pt=UK_Kitchen_Accessories&hash=item45ea7ed3d3

as for cuting the sink get a worktop cutting blade for your jigsaw as it wont chip as bad and cuts on the down stroke
and i always use 2" masking tape it good to see your lines and stops the fence on the jigsaw marking the worktop and can help stoping it chip.


thunderace - 6/8/10 at 10:42 AM

leave it to a professional
did not spot it was an external 90 degree turn.


MikeR - 6/8/10 at 12:04 PM

internal 90 - use a joining strip.
External 90 - use a professional.

When i cut mine i used a circular saw with expensive, many toothed blade. To cut out the sink i used the router as i didnt trust the jig saw blade not too cut perfectly vertically


BenB - 6/8/10 at 12:11 PM

quote:
Originally posted by thunderace
unless your a kitchin fitter dont bother as you need a jig and a router,(about £400)



No it doesn't!
Jig costs £20
Router costs £40
Kitchen worktop bit kit £10

(I bought them all for my kitchen installation). My old router had two narrow a collett for the length of bits needed.
Trouble is the skill bit is priceless


Liam - 6/8/10 at 12:37 PM

Not that I've done any, but I don't see why an external mitre should be so much more difficult than an internal mitre that people are saying use a pro??

Of course dont use a jigsaw as the best jigsaw blade in the world on the best jigsaw in the world guided by a straight-edge will still wander through 40mm of worktop. So just mark up, clamp a straight-edge on and use a router for the cut. Can't see why it should be any more difficult than a hockey-stick internal mitre.


locogeoff - 6/8/10 at 12:41 PM

quote:
Originally posted by BenB
quote:
Originally posted by thunderace
unless your a kitchin fitter dont bother as you need a jig and a router,(about £400)



No it doesn't!
Jig costs £20
Router costs £40
Kitchen worktop bit kit £10

(I bought them all for my kitchen installation). My old router had two narrow a collett for the length of bits needed.
Trouble is the skill bit is priceless


I'll second that, and got excellent results from one up from cheapest B&Q sourced tools, a decent jig properly clamped and sharp router bits removes a great deal of the skill required.

p.s. I'd say the router I bought as a "I'm only going to use this once but" has been the most usefull piece of kit I've ever bought under those conditions, I made jigs for a belfast sink cutout, and when cutting worktops it's just a case of hack off more than you need by a couple of mm then router back to the exact length for a good finish. Woudn't even think about cutting a worktop without one these days.

On the other hand I don't think an external mitre would be possible with a masons mitre, but the router will give you a nice neat cut. Personally I'd make the worktops join at right angles then fit the kitchen to the worktop by fettling the edge of the worktop or the wall until it fits nice, but thats just me


Peteff - 6/8/10 at 12:51 PM

Where's Joelp, he'll put you right.


interestedparty - 6/8/10 at 01:03 PM

The only way to get a clean joining edge is with a router, and you really want a big (1/2 inch) one for that job. Then you need to guide it in a dead straight line (otherwise there will be gaps in the join).

One of the pieces will have to be turned upside down for the trimming cut (routers only work one way).

The better a cut you get, the more noticeable any imperfections will be.

There is NO WAY you will do an adequate job on your first attempt.

[Edited on 6/8/10 by interestedparty]


gottabedone - 6/8/10 at 03:59 PM

Screwfix is your friend here - it's not too dificult

Steve


v8kid - 6/8/10 at 04:09 PM

Done hundreds of kitchens in my time and always subbie worktop mitering out.

£40 to £50 is the going rate.

Professional templates cost hundreds and you need a big router with a v sharp bit - not a cheapo one cos they blunt before the first cut is finished.

The difference is immediately apparent. Why spoil your all your hard work for the sake of a few pounds?


interestedparty - 6/8/10 at 04:26 PM

quote:
Originally posted by gottabedone
Screwfix is your friend here - it's not too dificult



As long as you don't care what the finished job looks like.


zilspeed - 6/8/10 at 05:36 PM

If you know what you're doing, you can achieve a completely satisfactory result with nothing more complicated than £6 worth of Sandvik 244.

And when I say completely satisfactory, I mean a pukka mason's mitre with no gaps in it.

Yes, the jig and router make it simpler to acheive consistently good results, but it's just a cut at the end of the day.


JoelP - 6/8/10 at 05:56 PM

dead easy with a router, cut the left one first at 45 degrees, then sit the other on top and mark it up, flip it over and cut it.

Have you thought about the nasty pointy sharp corner you will be left with? Probably wants a few inches taking off it, and edging. Not entirely straight forward that bit as you would have to cut it before its joined, as the exit wound would ruin your bullnose.


mark.s - 6/8/10 at 06:41 PM

its not worth the hassle doing it your self, you have got to get a router, jig, work top bolts, colour fill (if you want to use it)
i'm sure you've got the glue and 10mm spanner for the bolts


then...

you've got the pressure of fitting it and making it look good, get it wrong and your spending even more money


ring a fitter defo

mark


interestedparty - 6/8/10 at 06:42 PM

Whether its easy or difficult for those people who have done this stuff before, I stand by what I said earlier and repeat that there is no way someone who hasn't done anything like this before is going to get an acceptable result on his first attempt.