Chippie in Eastbourne area

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by Burlington Bertie, Mar 23, 2008.

  1. Burlington Bertie

    Burlington Bertie New Member

    Need a worktop joined and cut outs for a hob and sink. Anyone in above area who can do it for me?
     
  2. Jay_Kent

    Jay_Kent New Member

    What kind of work tops?

    Is it one masons mitre needed?

    Is the Corner good for square?

    And if you dont mind me asking why are you not doing it?

    Jason in Kent
     
  3. Mr Mike

    Mr Mike New Member

    ....because Bertie's a Painter & Decorator.....;)
     
  4. Burlington Bertie

    Burlington Bertie New Member

    What kind of work tops?

    Is it one masons mitre needed?

    Is the Corner good for square?

    And if you dont mind me asking why are you not doing
    it?

    Jason in Kent

    Don't mind at all. This work is at my own place which I have recently bought and am in the middle of refurbishing. It's 40mm solid butchers block. The worktops will be 'L' shape. All I want is one mitre where the two piesces join. The old units have not been removed yet so don't know how square they are, but the existing tops look OK.

    The reasons I am not doing it myself are that I don't have a worktop jig and it's not worth my while buying one for one mitre. I have fitted a few kitchens before but always got a chippie to do the mitres if they were needed. As far as the cutouts are concerned, I can do these myself but I know I probably won't get a chippie to just do one mitre (not worth his while) so I'd be happy to pay a day's money for the three jobs.
     
  5. murrmac

    murrmac Member

    on a 40mm "butchers block" (so-called) worktop I wouldn't do a mason's mitre at all. It looks sh1te on glued up real wood worktops, because the grain runs one way and suddenly there is a line where it runs at right angles.

    instead, I would use a 45 degree mitre, which looks terrible on postformed laminate worktops, but which looks great on glued up real wood (so-called "butchers block" ) worktops.

    always assuming that both worktops have been fabricated on the same production run at the factory of course, ie the strips have to be exactly the same width.
     
  6. sammy toaster

    sammy toaster New Member

    thats tellin ye.
     
  7. parana

    parana New Member

    Might be a good idea to ask the kitchen fitters forum. I fitted my own 40mm solid wood (walnut) butchers block worktop, the instructions specifically said not to mitre to work tops together at 45 degrees. if its square edge which it probably is they said to butt it together, biscuit jointed and bolted. which i have done, and has been fine. Kitchen fitting is not my profession however and i am now prepared to be shot down in flames.......
     
  8. sammy toaster

    sammy toaster New Member

    get your extinguisher out, this whole palaver about joining two pieces of work top together, one would think it was life threatening."my profession" get real.
     
  9. Burlington Bertie

    Burlington Bertie New Member

    murmmac. Thanks for that, never thought to cut at 45 deg. The two pieces of worktop are from the same 4 metre lenght, therefore the grain should be a perfect match (and I can do it myself)

    I did post the same question on the kitchen fitters forum but last time I looked there were no replies
     
  10. flyingscotsman

    flyingscotsman New Member

    The problem with 45 mitres is that any shrinkage of the wood will be emphasised at the bottom, like you see in some architrave, this is why they are normally butted.
     
  11. murrmac

    murrmac Member

    you will have to expand on that , flyingscotsman, what do you mean by "the bottom" ?

    I see no reason why a glued, biscuited, and bolted 45 degree mitre in a "butchers block " worktop should suffer in any way from shrinkage.
     
  12. murrmac

    murrmac Member

    I have just noticed parana's reply where he suggests that this topic belongs on the kitchen fitters forum.

    with all due respect, there are very few kitchen fitters who have either the appropriate machinery or the necessary experience of working with solid hardwood to make a judgment call on this.
     
  13. parana

    parana New Member

    I have just noticed parana's reply where he suggests
    that this topic belongs on the kitchen fitters
    s forum.

    with all due respect, there are very few kitchen
    fitters who have either the appropriate machinery or
    the necessary experience of working with solid
    hardwood to make a judgment call on this.

    fair comment but if I was employing a kitchen fitter I would expect them to be able joint a work top...having yet to be asked to do one i assumed this sort of work would go in that direction..
     
  14. murrmac

    murrmac Member

    yes, all competent kitchen fitters can joint worktops, but 99.99 % of these worktops will be postformed laminate worktops.

    when you get into the area of solid wood, the fact is that 99.99% of kitchen fitters will be outwith their comfort zone, and, again, with all due respect to kitchen fitters, 0 % of them will be able to make a rational judgment about whether a 45 degree or a butt joint would be better in this instance.
     
  15. lamello

    lamello New Member

    I always butt my solid worktops up, my reasoning is that a)to me personally it looks right but everybody has their opinion, and b) endgrain is the most vulnerable part of a top in terms of shrinkage and movement, if you are doing 600mm tops butted up you have one 600mm length of endgrain bolted and bonded to a 600mm length of longrain, if you mitre them on a 90 degree corner you will have a 900mm length of endgrain bolted and bonded to a 900mm length of endgrain. To me having a 600mm run of endgrain as opposed to an 1800mm run is preferable. Also a 600mm joint endgrain to longrain will under most circumstances keep flatter over time as the longrain will keep the endgrains natural wish to cup in check wheras the 900mm endgrain to endgrain will cup more as once pieces natural wish to cup will be exacerbated by the other peices natural wish to cup


    End splits are a real problem in terms of solid tops, on mine and on customers who will pay for the labour, I will cleat the ends by trimming the tops 44mm under in terms of length and then biscuiting a 44mm section at 90 degrees to stop the end splitting, this is essentially what happens on a butted joint with endgrain meeting longrain.

    Murmac, I am no kitchen fitter but I do fit kitchens, I think you are being a bit harsh on kitchen fitters with your views on their abilities regarding solid tops, most good fitters will have fitted lots of solid tops and will know the way forward.
     
  16. lamello

    lamello New Member

    yes, all competent kitchen fitters can joint worktops, but 99.99 % of these worktops will be postformed laminate worktops.

    when you get into the area of solid wood, the fact is that 99.99% of kitchen fitters will be outwith their comfort zone, and, again, with all due respect to kitchen fitters, 0 % of them will be able to make a rational judgment about whether a 45 degree or a butt joint would be better in this instance.


    I think your numbers are a bit out, I fit significantly less than 1000 kitchens a year and fit significantly more than one solid top a year as will most fitters.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice