# Kitchen worktop jig and out of square corners



## Manny (21 Aug 2008)

Hi

Sorry here's another kitchen w/top question. 

I have some post formed kitchen worktops to install, "U" shaped but one of the internal angles is about 75 - 80 degrees.
I've not used a jig for the masons mitre before so am not sure if this is possible but can I get around this problem by:-


1. cutting the female joint square and the male joint at an angle
2. cutting both the male joint and female joints at an angle

or is there another way around this?


----------



## 9fingers (21 Aug 2008)

I think you will not be able to use a standard jig to make a non 90 degree masons mitre.
The mitre angle must be equal on each part of the joint as the length of the mitred section on each face must be equal.

One way of setting out the half angle is to make a paper template and fold it in half.

Bob


----------



## George_N (21 Aug 2008)

A quality worktop jig will accommodate out of square corners, but only a few degrees out, eg. the Trend Combi jigwill do up to 3 degrees out of square.


----------



## OllyK (21 Aug 2008)

Maybe not the answer you're after, but our kitchen (whole hosue) is seriously out of square. We have solid beech worktops, I fitted the kitchen untis square and the worktops on top. I then had a bit of 2x2 beech molded up and stuck it to the wall and the top of the worktop to fill the gap. Worked a treat.


----------



## Manny (22 Aug 2008)

Thanks for the suggestions


----------



## Oryxdesign (22 Aug 2008)

You can do it with a standard jig although it is a bit of messing around. You need to cut both parts at the correct angle. Mark this out on the worktops (you can cover with masking tape if it helps) then align with the jig and cut one side (either) put the cut side over the other and draw the line. Set the jig up away from this line and do a trial cut. keep knocking the jig over until the trial cuts are on the line and then make the cut. Hope that helps, it's easier to show someone than explain it.


----------



## Riggly (31 Aug 2008)

I am akitchen fitter for a living and i cut out of square worktops this way 

1 cut the female square

2 get the female worktop into its correct position and lay the uncut male worktop under the female and score the female cut into the worktop if you use some offcuts of worktop under the female it will allow you to slide the male under

3 i usually use two pegs for cutting a square cut and one peg for an out of square if the cut is going to be less than 90 degrees i.e the back edge will be shorter than the front remmove the front peg and the opposite is true for an angle over 90 degrees 

4 lay your jig over this score line and use one of your pegs to run along the jig ensuring that it follows the score line at all points. you must ensure that the peg width is the same as the distance from the cutter guide to the face of the router bit roughly 12mm

5 when you are happy clamp it all up and then run the router down the jig to see if it is all true

6 the main problem you will have is the front edge as this is where it will show if the cut is wrong as it is all down to angles and if the angles are wrong the lengths on the different cuts change

7 darker worktops are easier to correct problems on after cutting but are harder to mark so use a stanley knife to score the surface. light worktops can take a pencil mark but don't rely on an old chippy pencil i use 0.7 mm propelling pencils they are more accurate although to snap regularly.#


8 best of luck hope this has helped


----------



## Riggly (1 Sep 2008)

Hi manny 

Been thinking about this and after re reading your thread it seems that although the room is out of square you are asking a lot to get the angle out of the jig . don/t get me wrtong you can make the cut but it will show up the deficiencies of the room more it would be more favourable to look at the units and see if they could be squ\red up by scribing the backs to suit the wals and then everything that you fitted woulkd be close to square. becarefull around appliance spaces though as depth is critical in these regions

happy days


----------



## Doug B (1 Sep 2008)

Manny,
I suggest as Riggly said try & square up by removing material from back of units first if possible.
Cut your female worktop to length, but not the joint yet.Place the male length on the units, then the female overlapping it. mark a line on the male piece where the front of female overlaps.
Remove the female. Mark a square line from the back of the male top, which touchs the line at the front . You end up with a v running front to back. 
Measure the widest part of the v, halve it, & take equal amounts off each joint, or add equal amounts depending which way things are running out.
If your worried about it rip some shuttering ply down to 600mm & have a go on that first. Lot cheaper to ruin ply than worktop.
Hope this is of help, i find things a lot easier to do than explain.


----------

