Undermount sink installation: does it NEED a template?

[woj101]

We've recently bought an undermount kitchen sink to be fitted to a new solid wood worktop.

I bought the sink online here - http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Products/BMS020SS .html

The sink was supplied without a template, and having phoned around no template is available for it. However, the website I bought it from provides this document, featuring 'Inset Hole' dimensions - http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Technical/DataSheets/Baumatic_Line_Drawings/Taps/BMS020SS_Dim.pdf

The carpenter who was going to do the work is insisting that he needs a template to do it.

The suppliers of the sink say that a proper kitchen fitter would be quite at home working with just the dimensions.

Any thoughts on this? If you've looked at the .pdf you'll see that the inset hole diagram has straight-edge corners rather than rounded - is this normal? Presumably a rounded corner can still be achieved...

Thank you. Been without a kitchen worktop and sink for almost a month and it's just one obstacle after another...

 

[cajar]

Those dimensions are quite comprehensive. I'm confident that I could make a template from cardboard using them, and I'm a DIYer.

 

[JohnD]

perhaps you could make him a cardboard template and post it for a small fee?

if it was me I'd probably lay stiff paper, like lining paper, over the soaped edge of the sink and press it down to make an impression, then cut round the inside of the impression.

you can hold the cardboard against the sink to verify it looks right.

Your fitter obviously doesn't want to get the blame if you don't like the way he does it. I can't blame him.

 

[joinerjohn]

Although the diagram you link to shows straight corners, If a template were to be made form these measurements (taking into consideration, the size of the router bit and follower) the actual cutout would have rounded corners.
I think I'd create the template out of 9mm MDF, then try it on a old bit of chipboard first, (just to make sure it's the right size) before doing the worktop.
Shouldn't take an experienced kitchen fitter any more than half a day max, to create the template and do the cutout.