Kitchen worktop - am I doing it right?

[Joe Shmoe]

First time doing this.

I have a jig that details using a 30mm Guide bush, which is what I'm using, but there's a 5mm gap each side as the guide run in the Jig is much larger than the bush.

I'm sure I've heard this advice before but not sure... So am I supposed to keep to the right while doing all my small passes to get rid of most material, then do one final sweep at full depth while pressing to the Left?

Just checking as I don't want to mess this up. Practising on scrap first.

Photo shows what I mean but I haven't gone all the way through yet, as just testing.

Thanks.

 

[Doug71]

What you are doing is correct but the jigs I have used only have about 1mm clearance for the bush so the last pass with the router pushed left is only removing 1mm to clean up the cut not 10mm like on yours......something doesn't seem right

 

[toolsntat]

I'm think mine leaves less than that but not too much less.
I usually cut off the waste after the first light pass.
I know your just testing and probably obvious but in case you progress further in a similar fashion on the good stuff this shape should be on the long edge not the end

Cheers, Andy

 

[Spectric]

When you see this



then you are removing more material than needed, as @Doug71 has said, that last pass is just a cleanup which is not removing 10mm.

What make of jig and size cutter are you using ?

 

[Joe Shmoe]

It's a Trend KWJ650, which I think is quite an old model jig.

Plus a 30mm bush that came with a Trend T7ek, and the specified 12.7mm bit.

Very strange.

Just checked - the bush is 30mm but the gap in jig is 37mm. Guess they altered this in newer jigs? I got this cheap, used.

 

[porker]

The instructions for this model of jig do seem to show a large difference between the guide bush and the slot. My jig (not a trend) is much tighter than this. The instructions for use mention several shallow passes but only mention bearing on the joint side surface and not bearing on the back surface for the shallow cuts and one full depth pass on the joint side.
I have jigsawed out most of the material once with the jig fitted and then a single pass with a router but the jigsaw blade wanders and I never used that technique again.

 

[Distinterior]

My worktop jig is an Axminster one.....Had it for quite a long time now, but if I remember correctly, the width of the slot is about 32mm and the initial plunges/ passes are done with the 30mm guide bush tight up against the right hand side of the jig......Final pass at full depth with the bush tight up against the left hand side.

That picture certainly looks odd with that much material to the left of the router cutter....??

 

[Jones]

As users know it's essential let the cutter stop rotating before lifting the router or you can nick the jig. It's possible that someone has used another jig to open out your jig to remove nicks before selling it. It has a very square edged opening.

 

[Sgian Dubh]

I'm sure I've heard this advice before but not sure... So am I supposed to keep to the right while doing all my small passes to get rid of most material, then do one final sweep at full depth while pressing to the Left?

It's an internal cut around a template so the router should be pushed clockwise around the opening with the guide bush held firmly against the template's edge for all the plunges. Therefore, if, for example, you're face on to the end of the slot in that template, start by pushing the router away from you and hold the guide bush tight to the left edge of the slot and hold the router tight to the right edge of the slot as you draw it back towards you for all the necessary plunges.

Basically, the rule is that if the template is to create an internal cut, e.g., a circular opening in a field (panel), or in your case a slot with a kink in it the router should run the router clockwise. If the the template is to create a straight cut, a curve or similar on the outside edge of a panel, e.g., a rounded outer corner on a square cornered worktop you run the router anti-clockwise around the template.

The general idea in both cases is to avoid climb cutting which can lead to the router running away uncontrollably from the operator which can lead to a damaged profile and even, possibly, operator injury. Slainte.

 

[Doug71]

@Sgian Dubh cutting worktop joints is a bit of an exception to the rule, the instructions/advice is generally to always work in the same direction to avoid chipping the front edge of the worktop. You take off most of the waste with climb cuts then just make one cut in the proper direction (clockwise) to remove the last couple of mill. You should only be increasing the depth of cut by 10mm at a time so hopefully the router shouldn't run away with you.

 

[woodieallen]

In the past I have also wrapped a piece of masking tape round the guide bush 1 or 2 times when hogging out the cut. Then when you've done the complete pass, remove the tape and then go round again which gives you a smoother final surface.

Caveat...I have only done this on soft and hard wood, and so can't comment whether this approach is suitable for worktops.

But still a useful tip for others, I hope !

 

[Sgian Dubh]

@Sgian Dubh cutting worktop joints is a bit of an exception to the rule, the instructions/advice is generally to always work in the same direction to avoid chipping the front edge of the worktop. You take off most of the waste with climb cuts then just make one cut in the proper direction (clockwise) to remove the last couple of mill. You should only be increasing the depth of cut by 10mm at a time so hopefully the router shouldn't run away with you.

Interesting, and I can see the logic to reduce or eliminate chip out or spelch. There's no doubt in my mind that it works okay, but it's not a method I've ever used for that kind of cut.

The technique to prevent chip out which I tend to use is as follows. Take, for example the image in the opening post where, at the bottom of the picture, the edge of the worktop is visible through the template slot's opening; this exposed edge is the one most likely to spelch/chip out as the router travels clockwise around the profile. So the technique here at the beginning of making that cut is to position the router slightly beyond the exit point of the cut and make a full depth plunge after each move of the router back into the cut by a few millimetres at a time until at minimum a full clearance of material at the exit is achieved. After that the router can be used as normal making a series of cuts travelling clockwise around the template as I described before. Slainte.

 

[Distinterior]

With all due respect Richard, but you may well be overthinking this....
I'm certainly not trying to tell my Grandmother how to suck eggs....

When using a worktop jig such as this, it's not really a case of moving the router clockwise or anticlockwise.....The jig (or slot is probably a better description) is usually only about a couple of mm wider( say 32mm) than the 30mm guide bush. The router cutter is usually a 12.7mm dia.
As the laminate faced worktops are nominally 40mm thick, incremental plunges are made before entering the material at 10mm depths keeping the router tight to the RHS of the jig until the bulk of the waste is removed, moving from before the front edge to beyond the rear edge.....The router is stopped after each plunge at the rear, removed from the jig and the next 10mm depth rout is completed and repeat until all the waste is gone.
Each 10mm depth cut is only made travelling from front to back, never back to front!

Then, with the router cutter depth set to about 45mm, a full depth pass is made with the router Bush tight to the LHS of the jig, thus removing the last couple of mm and giving a nice clean cut edge, with no breakout of the laminate.

I hope I've explained that okay, but I find it easier after 42 years of doing it, to actually cut a worktop joint than to try and describe the technique.

Edit.
The method I've described above is for cutting the female part of the joint.....The male part is actually a lot simpler ....The jig can be just placed about 10 or 11mm back from the rough end of the worktop and then there is minimal waste material to be removed.

 

[toolsntat]

Just a note from experience with modern postformed worktops when doing 90 and angled cuts.
The method of cutting INTO the vertical face of the laminate to prevent spelch out has not always been successful. Sometimes the bond between the postformed laminate and edge of the chipboard is hollow and I've had it chip inwards to the extent of ruining the joint.
As a matter of standard practice I now creep up with the cut and fill in between with super glue set with activator before the final cut, just make sure the glue is set!
Cheers, Andy

 

[Sgian Dubh]

With all due respect Richard, but you may well be overthinking this....
I'm certainly not trying to tell my Grandmother how to suck eggs....

I have to admit that I haven't executed more than maybe five or six such worktop joints with that type of jig so it seems like you've used one much more than me and I'll give way to your experience. Still, I do recall using the plunge and back in technique I described in my earlier post prior to doing the rest of the routing. I recall there's always a build up of crud needing sucking or blowing out prior to a final cut for precision and accuracy.

I guess I get my methodology of plunging and backing into cuts like that doing things like housings in solid wood such as tongue and housing joints in mostly furniture and very occasional housings for risers and treads in stair strings. Slainte.

 

[MikeJhn]

And always use a freshly sharpened or new bit.

 

[planesleuth]

The slot in your jig has been re cut by the 'fly by night' that sold it you. Having used home cut jigs and latterly Duropal jigs for over 45 years, it is essential that the front edge of the scribe slot is erred to and this will be easy because the slot should be 30.5 mm wide and the bush 30mm. The cutter is 1/2 inch because the chuck is 1/2 inch....Get your mother to take the jig back. She'll sort the scum bag out. Wes Hal.

 

[toolsntat]

It's a Trend KWJ650, which I think is quite an old model jig.

Plus a 30mm bush that came with a Trend T7ek, and the specified 12.7mm bit.

Very strange.

Just checked - the bush is 30mm but the gap in jig is 37mm. Guess they altered this in newer jigs? I got this cheap, used.

View attachment 179691

So to avoid any more erroneous speculation, can I ask if have you done a real cut and test fit joint to prove the jig and guide bush sizing are compatible?
Did the mitre work absolutely perfectly?
Cheers, Andy

 

[Joe Shmoe]

Hi Folks.

In the end, I just bought a new jig for toolstation for £40 and it had a 31mm slot. Everything went perfect and I'm really happy with my joints. Not sure why the other jig had a larger slot, but it appeared factory standard and fabricated that way. It cost £3 from a bootsale so no hardship.

Thanks for all the help. Turned out it really wasn't as difficult as some made it out to be, but it is scary and a lot at stake for your first time. In the end, all good!