Worktops with metal strips

[stainedgreen]

Hi, great forum and learning fast

I plan on using a router & jig to mitre in new worktops, but the tops have metal strips along all the edges and I have been wondering about the best way of dealing with these.
My current thought is to use a jig-saw and metal cutting blade to nip through the metal strip then line the mitre jig up with this initial cut to complete the joint ?

 

[Symptoms]

stain - post a picture of the w/tops for good advice.

 

[stainedgreen]

Pics as requested,

Thanks.

 

[Symptoms]

stain - Ah, wrapped in stainless steel, just consider plain butting them.

If you really want the butt & scribe, cut them with a jigsaw VERY, VERY slightly oversize before finishing with a router. Warning these w/tops often have a MDF (or similar) core with a thinner layer of dense plastic and adhesive sandwiched below the steel so cutting can be more complicted. The stainless will devour your jigsaw blades, so have plenty to hand and apply a coolant/lubrication to the action. A worktop router cutter WILL trim this stuff to leave a clean egde BUT ... you will not create an acceptable butt & scribe joint because the stainless WILL lift where it meets it's neighbour. We use this method for sink/hob cutouts where the edge of the stainless is 'trapped' below the appliance and so can't be seen.

Trim to length at the walls but use a plain butt join where they meet. Fasten below with standard worktop clamps, routed in.

 

[stainedgreen]

Hi and thanks for the quick reply.

Just to clarify what your saying, you mean if I use the router to cut the worktop, when I get towards the edge because of the construction in the board it will split the metal strip away from the edge ?

If I was to butt them together would a little covering of coloured sealer over the metal strip on the uncut side of the joint be a good enough finish ?

 

[Symptoms]

stain - where I say, "you will not create an acceptable butt & scribe joint because the stainless WILL lift where it meets it's neighbour", I means on the top surface. All that would holding the top surface of stainless to the core is adhesive, this will fail in your proposed situation and the stainless will lift (sort of buckle upwards). Remember what is currently holding everything firmly to the core is this adhesive AND the stainless being wrapped around the edges. Remove any wrapped edge and you will create instability in the covering. So don't cut across the top surface (unless for appliances, as per earlier post) just butt the tops. Yeh, clear silicon along the join during assembly, pinch together with w/top bolts. Don't be tempted to apply silicon along the top surface where it will be seen; infact, keep the protective plastic film on the w/tops, apply masking tape to top surface along join for added barrier to silicon spillage. Only when everything is fully fitted (and finished should you remove the protection). If you get silicon ON on the surface there is a risk that when it's being remove (rubbed maybe) you will damage the finish lustre of the stainless.