How do you cut or profile the open end of a wooden worktop?

[Rusti]

Hi,
Iam fitting my own wooden worktop and don't know how best to go about finishing the open (short) end cut. I think the long sides of the surface are squared off, but not sharp, so I would like to match them. I don't think they are bull nosed but it would be good to know how to do both. If I use a circular saw it will leave too sharp an edge and will no doubt splinter the wood.

Does anyone, professional or otherwise, have any experience they can share with me please on how I should do this?

Thanks.

[Simon Site Manager]

Hi Rusti,

What you need to do is turn the work top upside down and cut from the back, make sure the teeth on the saw are small (PPI smaller the better) and very sharp. Once cut, carefully run a block plane over the top edge to put a light chamfer on it, then sand the endgrain smooth.

S

[royaloakcarpentry]

Cut the worktop upside down and circular saw will not damage top side. The more teeth the blade has, the better the finish.

use a router to cut and it won't damage.

You can take the sharpness from the edge with a block plane or a block and glass paper plus patience.

[Simon Site Manager]

I should also say to start the cut from the front of the worktop!

S

-- Fri Aug 20, 2010 12:02 am --

Great minds think alike!

S

[Rusti]

Thanks for that, i really appreciate it.

Now in the carpenter's spirit of mark twice cut once, are you saying cut from the front as it is upside down, or as it will be when in place?

Cheers

[Simon Site Manager]

Hi Rusti,

You need to start the cut from the edge that you will see when the worktop is the right way round. Does that make sense?

S

[big-all]

you need to think off how the blade moves

the dammage is caused when the blade leaves the wood

the blade on a circular saw travels forward an up into the base plate
so the break out will happen at the back edge and on the top surface

to get the best visible finnish the good edges need to be underneath and at the front
or as describe above upside down good edge at the front

[Rusti]

Thanks, yes that makes sense.

I have access to a router and a circ saw so can use whatever will give the best finish - which would you guys choose?

Also how do I approach the corner that will be visible (the 90 degree point where the 2 edges are visible)? Do I need a 90 degree jig, just a block plain or or would you run the two edges to a sharp point?

Thanks again.

[Razor]

For how cheap the jigs are nowadays it has to be a router, jig and proper joint for me!

Once you have practises setting it up on some scrap ply

[big-all]

do it the easy way cut to within 1mm off the cut line with the circular saw then you can clean with one pass off the router

you dont need a jig but you do need a half inch router and a worktop cutter
slow speed slow feed rate

[Rusti]

Thanks a lot guys, I feel confident enough to have a crack at this now.
Cheers

[wine~o]

Like they said..practise on a spare bit first...rather than make an expensive mistake..

[fin]

do it the easy way cut to within 1mm off the cut line with the circular saw then you can clean with one pass off the router

you dont need a jig but you do need a half inch router and a worktop cutter
slow speed slow feed rate

whenever ive fitted worktops ive used a router. and just had it set on max speed.

are ya suposed to slow them down for worktops?

[Rusti]

Hi guys,
I did the worktop today and after a long day of quadruple marking and practice cuts, it's looking pretty good!
Only two problems were the blade blunted on the router and started to make ragged cuts but a bit of sanding should sort that out. The other thing was that the jig was for a slightly wider width worktop so we shifted the jig 4mm or so to make it fit, but it didn't work out as we expected and the finish is around 4mm out (doh!)
Still, that can be shared between front and side so it'll be 2mm out on each bit which can be tolerated with some filler.
So if anyone else is about to do their worktop for the first time and they are tempted to go off jig for the curved cuts, just be very sure about what you're doing!
Thanks everyone for all your help.

[big-all]

do it the easy way cut to within 1mm off the cut line with the circular saw then you can clean with one pass off the router

you dont need a jig but you do need a half inch router and a worktop cutter
slow speed slow feed rate

whenever ive fitted worktops ive used a router. and just had it set on max speed.

are ya suposed to slow them down for worktops?

on most 1/2" routers the slow speed goes from just below half speed on "A"or1 about 8000rpm then in roughly 2000-2500 increment up to full speed around 20000 rpm
hardwood should be around 12-14000 rpm slow feed rate
passes should be 6 to 8mm deep in soft or hard wood with a final cut reposition the jig 0.5 to 1mm and do a full depth cut
on chipboard worktops full wack or 1 notch down but most people are full wack

the official line is half the router shank maximum depth per pass but
the extra 2 mm allows it to be done in 2 less passes so the tip off the cutter will manage another 30% so may complete the second join without changing cutters

when doing masons mitres or belfast sink cutouts providing you have a jigsaw that wont wander or the blade turn under

cut to within 5mm off the line and finnish with 2 passes off the router
if your realy brave 3 mm and one pass