kitchen worktop jointing square edge

[Gary111]

Hi, I need to do s joint on a square edge laminate worktop.

Ive seen a video where a kitchen fitter heats up the edge of the worktop and strips it with a chisel , then sands the glue away and joins it.

It looks quite easy, is this the best way ?

I will still need a router to cut the channels for the clamp bolts, will a cheap £25 palm router be ok for that ?

Do I need to get a jig for the clamp channels ? or is there another way please ?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

You need both a jig and a router capable of taking a guide bush, although there's no reason why you couldn't make the jig from MDF. A 600 watt 1/4 in trim router is going to be slow going with many, many shallow passes needed rather than the 2 or 3 passes you need with a heavy 1/2in router. Out of interest before the days of jigs we used to drill the dog bone holes carefully with a Forstner bit then cut the grooves for the threaded rods with a fine tooth tenon saw, cleaning out with a chisel

 

[foxhole]

You can avoid router use with these.
https://www.locksonline.com/Worktop-Connecting-Bolts-Two-Wings-One-Bolt-11675.html

 

[Gary111]

thanks for that,I might try the drill and tenon saw method.

Some colorfill was included with the kitchen, should I use that instead of pva to waterproof the joint ?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

thanks for that,I might try the drill and tenon saw method.

It's important to use a drill which will make a flat bottomed hole whilst having almost no point, hence the Forstner bit. Recently saw the resulting mess when someone tried doing it on the cheap (and you need something like a 35mm Forstner to do the job) and used a spade (flat) bit instead (they have long pilot points).... it took more than Colorfill to mask the holes produced by the drill point!

Yes, you can use Colorfill to seal the joints but it isn't an adhesive as such

 

[lostinthelight]

If you get a 35mm Forstner bit it can be used for kitchen door hinges if ever needed

 

[Gary111]

Thanks, Ive actually got a forstner bit I used for that years ago.

Do I need to get a reverse tooth jigsaw blade to cut the sink and hob, looked at a couple of vids but that wasnt mentioned.

 

[Deleted member 174758]

Horrid things. They never ever cut straight (perpendicular to the worktop surface) in my experience. I cut mine out with a plunge saw and rail, but an ordinary circular saw with a fine tooth blade cutting from the underside works almost as well, albeit more slowly