Fitting A Kitchen - Butt and Scribe Worktop Joints

[FlashmoreGash]

What a cakhanded way!

[TK42138]

I've often wondered how fitted worktops are butted in - now I know. Cheers for uploading a useful video.

[goatsears]

@HardFii jigsaw cut is not the finish cut, final finish is by router.

By removing the bulk of the waste it leaves the router with less work to do, less strain on the router = a better finish it also prolongs the life of a router cutter, top tip in my book

[ethomfactusest]

Ray, would F2 not determine the location of the cutter automatically? I'm a little confused. Why the pencil line? Thanks for a really fantastic post.

[fitthatkitchen]

@ethomfactusest

The pencil line follows the female cut so that when you cut the male cut, it will be at the same angle as the female cut and then, with the correct pin in the jig, the curved part of the joint will match. On my jig F2 pins will give a 90 degree cut only where as the pencil line shows the actual angle.

[ethomfactusest]

do you always cut the female side first, and male second?

this is the part I don't understand. If you have the stops locating the jig, why do you need the pencil mark?

[fitthatkitchen]

@ethomfactusest

Always, without exception, cut the female side first.

The stops on a jig give you a joint that is a perfect 90 degrees. many corners are not a true 90 degrees so using my method automatically compensates for the corner if it is not 90 degrees

[ethomfactusest]

I am surprised though that you have not used biscuit joins to make sure that the the two edges sit level. Is that an over kill/

[fitthatkitchen]

@ethomfactusest The full explanation is in my double DVD set and guide. I have found the biscuits to be more of an hindrance than a help. Sometimes they cannot be used because of the layout of the kitchen. My main reason for not using biscuits is that they prevent me from fine adjusting the tops for level. I use a hammer to tap the high spots until you cannot feel the joint at all.

[ethomfactusest]

now that's good experience. You know the thought of using a jigsaw never even crossed my my mind. Great idea. Thank you.

[thomasdale81]

good video has certainly pointed me in the right direction

[fitthatkitchen]

I would use the same technique with any jig, new or old, because it enables me to cut a worktop joint even if the corner is out of square or not

[xxlolsozxx]

can you tell me why you cut the off cut with the jig saw first as i have fitted 4 worktops in my time and still get a bit concerned when i cut postfomed edges i tend to plung the router bit by bit i dont do them that often

[fitthatkitchen]

There are 2 good reasons to cut off the offcut first.

1, to save the offcut from falling/breaking away at the end of the cut and damaging the main worktop.

2, With the offcut removed the router cutter has alot less work to do which puts less stress on the router and it's cutter resulting in a much smoother and more accurate cut.

You are right to plunge the router cutter down bit by bit, again for less stress on the router and cutter.