Tommy's Trade Secrets - How to Mitre a Worktop using a Router & Jig

To see the sink being cut in visit For all your building materials and tool needs please visit www.tommysyard.com

[@TheAudiostud]

He's a "Carpenter not an Actor" How quick we are to criticise, you film yourself for 45 minutes and see how many times you repeat yourself, I found the video to be extremely informative and well filmed & edited, thanks to all involved

[@joe2mercs]

I hired a 2KW router with worktop jig, bought a set of joining bolts along with a brand new 1/2" router cutter and followed this video to the letter taking my time to double check everything and the results were perfect. Excellent video

[@paultaylor5771]

You Sir are a steely eyed kitchen fitter! I feel very comfortable with your explanations and tips, you make it sound so easy. If I were 50 years younger I would consider myself really fortunate to be your apprentice. Thank you so much.

[@LeeSiggers-dt3ht]

was looking for a heel toe vid for some French doors, come across this and found myself watching til the end. Excellent demo, BASICALLY a true pro. Keep it up lads

[@mikey8strokes]

A nice clean job done with ease. I myself am a chippy, but never seem to just go from start to finish without any problems. You can never know to much and will always learn new tricks. good vid

[@tonyfrewin4822]

This is the best and most clearly explained worktop jig video on KZbin. Thanks.

[@Mark...]

Thanks for a very informative video, when I first seen it was on for 43 mins I thought "how the heck can he talk about mitring a worktop for that long" but the time just flew in, very well explained and hopefully I will be putting your shared knowledge into practice, thumbs up for your camera man too 👍

[@CaptureAdvertsing1]

Have just installed 4 x super large mango bench tops we cut and thicknessed from a 102 yr old tree here in Far North Queensland Australia. The laptop's been playing on one side of the new kitchen with you excellent video while we cut and routered on the other side. So the last two days it's been 'watch'...pause...measure...'watch'...pause...measure again... 'cut & router'....'watch'...pause...etc. Its a shame that we had to pay $350 for a jig we'll likely to only have to use once but I have to tell you, your advice and commentary has been mint and the plumber arrives tomorrow to connect the stove, sink and oven into our fabulously fitted bench tops. Only comment I'd suggest is to let everyone know that your excellent method works equally well for timber slab tops as it does for your laminates in the vid. Fan-friggin-tastic as we say here in Oz - many thanks - Shaun

[@benhewson81]

Been watching instructional videos for years doing my own home DIY, but by far, this is the clearest and simplest I've seen with so much detail and real tradesman's eye and tips. I know this has all already been said in the other comments here, but thank you very much, subscribed.

[@stevenugent845]

Hey Tommy, enjoy watching as you really give a lot of detail, I use a "Ratchet" spanner for tightening the dog bolts, I find it much quicker and easy on the wrists as we're not getting younger mate! It's good that you show the work in real time too cause most clients don't realize the work ,time and knowledge behind negotiating the peanuts Tradesmen earn!

[@smnhpkns]

Excuse my language but Fucking brilliant video. I've been in the kitchen trade as a designer for over twenty years and I've been told how its done but never really understood. Just watched this and it makes perfect sense now. Genius, thanks. Right, what were gonna do now (ha ha ha) is watch a few more.

[@TommysYardchannel]

+Simon Hopkins Cheers Simon hope you find our other videos interesting :)

[@keithbarraclough8061]

Simon Hopkins

[@smnhpkns]

Keith Barraclough

[@olly1187]

Simon Hopkins

[@smnhpkns]

olly 1

[@oompedoomp]

Just done my first worktop mitre job. Replacing tops in a u shaped kitchen. Nightmare! But thanks to watching Dave explain it and having a practise run beforehand it went pretty damn well! Thank you Dave. Keep the bids coming.

[@ChristianFrench1]

The guide bush runs in the jig with a bit of slack as the groove in the jig is normally about 8-10mm wider than the guide bush, so its always best to make the first cuts on the side of the jig groove away from the joint, and then make the final pass on the side of the jig closest to the joint, makes a much neater cut. I've never used PVA, always used clear varnish on the raw chipboard in the joint to seal it against water ingress, 3 or 4 coats, then squeeze in some colorfill to finish.

[@Ben-xd4fc]

Bloody brilliant. Can't find anyone to do the worktops in our kitchen and this has given me the confidence to give it a go. Will probably do a few dozens mitres on the old ones first!

[@kickpublishing]

When cutting from the back of a wood worktop you need to clamp another board under your cut line nice and tight, otherwise you risk blowing out the wood fibres as you plunge through it resulting in ugly tearout on the visible surface of your worktop. Generally its better to cut with the entire worktop supported on a scrap board than hanging on saw horses as your offcut could snap off under its own weight before the last cut and make a right balls of the cut. Also, its pretty standard to use a biscuit cutter to place some mating biscuits when joining to solve that alignment issue when bolting.

[@bazburdett9756]

Great video!...clear guidance....I was cringing when the hammer was being used directly on worktop ( always use a block )....to flush the joint....video shows how long and tedious it is to fit worktops....don't just happen....nice one....

[@johnconnolly2853]

Best video I've seen on how to install a worktop, and I've installed a good few, very informative well done!

[@markr1142]

You can score the worktop with the router, then jigsaw the rest out leaving the jig in place. Leave a couple of mm with the jigsaw. Then just clean it up, with one full depth pass of the router. It saves your router bits and router from an early grave.

[@cardigan7726]

Mark R - excellent tip. It also saves time and reduces mess to clean up.

[@MrCorfuz]

I thought I was the only one that did that!

[@Nigeno]

Love the name!

[@Nigeno]

I meant..love the nae Alvin Sawdust.

[@lukakoprivica]

Beautiful video! Detailed, honest, very precious detailes and little craft secrets. And nicely recorded! Thank you!

[@settingfree]

Absolutely brilliant - very clear with explanation. This really helped me a lot. I have done one worktop before and watched this again as a reminder for another one I have to do.Thank you very much.

[@PhantomMark]

I watched this despite not needing to do the job being covered here, basically because it is such a great lesson, thanks for these :) Subscribed

[@davidweston9110]

Thanks for the video, I've just bought a kitchen and this has given me the confidence to buy a router and template and have a go doing it myself..

[@andynorton4854]

nice little pull focus at the end, never used a mitre, but watching this gives me a bit of confidence to try

[@lewismcgregor5330]

Tommy thankyou very much for posting. Much appreciated to folks whom take the time to educate the rest of us. As a Yorkshireman saving money always appeals. Many thanks. Lewis

[@jpk2742]

Lewis McGregor time you hire the tools and the time it takes you plus the job won't be as good its wise to get a kitchen fitter

[@MrTeatime2]

Great explanation and demonstration, extremely clear video, first thing I was thinking watching that spanner work was that, like Max said, I'd use a ratchet ring spanner to run those nuts down, it would be a lot quicker and easier than an open end spanner, especially if you're doing joints often.

[@thundertiger76]

Have to say thanks to you for the video as It helped me fit my first kitchen worktop successfully and I'm well happy, thank you buddy...

[@gata958e]

Best instructions I've seen on yoube. Simply perfect and extremely clear.

[@petemc5070]

There's some other helpful videos out there but this is probably the best of the lot. Thanks very much.

[@das250250]

A couple of notes - A small gap between wall and boards gives you some breathing room if there is movement in house and or require a very slight adjust from error. Probably try and use a 0.7 - 0.9 mechanical pencil to keep lines sharp .. the fat lines from blunt pencils make for bad errors. Great video ..

[@deef3433]

excellent video, now have the confidence to hire a jig and tackle our new worktops by ourselves

[@russellpindar7717]

Well put together, no messing video with some good camera work. Excelent.

[@jamesmckenna2565]

That was excellent, very informative, well spoken, very very helpful thank you so much.

[@Mr53T]

Two tips for first timers. When cutting the joint with the template, always release the router cutter upwards before lifting the machine out of the slot otherwise you will invariably nick the template with the cutter destroying the machined edge. To tighten up the bolts, get a 10mm ratchet spanner, one from the Halfords professional range is best as it has a very fine ratchet. Makes doing up the bolts much quicker. Also. Bushboard do a joint compound especially for this job in matching colours.

[@eddieq1905]

Great video mate - thanks for posting and sharing your knowledge

[@bobjohn3916]

Thanks so much for this excellent and professional video. Well planned and good photography. I have to buy a router yeah? I will now watch you cutting the sink hole. The last time I cut one upside down and lifted it up on my back to install, it broke. That's the last time I remember crying. So hopefully this time I can put it in position, and then cut the hole from the top. My biggest problem seems to be fitting the sink and drainer in between the support bars of the base units. Thankz smuchly and God Bless.

[@7justyna]

Went throught all videos on youtube. This is the best video. Topman

[@bl4desman]

Thanks for the video. I only had one worktop to join but it is perfect on my first attempt ever

[@willoneill7269]

I love watchIng this guy work,

[@mickmiller3019]

"Basically," very informative.

[@Chardonbois]

Brilliantly informative...thanks for sharing your expertise Tommy!

[@TheDickPuller]

I always love Dave's videos, you can just tell that he's done it 100s of times before & of all the KZbin videos on Worktop Mason mitres this is by far the best. Thanks Dave & Tommy, please do more videos Dave.

[@arfonia]

Excellent video....The guy is very good at his trade and at making videos Perfect! Help get rid of the Cowboys do you're research and use one of the good guys like this one...

[@iestynrogers5621]

I'm Dave not Iestyn, he's my son lol thank you Tommy for taking the time to put this video together. I'm a time served Carpenter, but I never do many Kitchen butt and scribe work?? this has given me ease of mind as I lost the instructions for my Trend jig. Can't fault you mate!!

[@supersesqui]

This is so well done. Logically explained with little tips. I would love to work with this guy for 12 months. I could learn so much. Would a ratchet 10mmm spanner make life easier ? Also, is it practical to glue softwood jaws onto the C clamps to save fiddling with cardboard ?

[@chrisc5418]

Nice to see you back Dave and, a great lesson on how to as always,thanks

[@benito1977]

great video for a new bee or someone in the trade for years

[@Pat19eighty4]

Excellent tutorial. Originally searching for a how to on cutting MFC chipboard, was thinking of router to finish off edge.

[@lofty276]

This video helped me install my first kitchen really informative helped me make a great job of our worktops. Nice one

[@ajr8777]

Hi, thanks for the informative video. Two questions: Why not use the jig's sliding gauge to determine the width of cut in the female?? Also, when marking the male joint, why not put the male end on top of the female cut top, supported at one end, then just scribe from beneath the worktop? Cheers Dave, Tony

[@sicereluv75]

Brilliant , excellent tradesman, explanatory detail first class

[@supersesqui]

Love watching dave work. Great practical tips.

[@brianmorris8045]

Great workmanship.

[@diydave3034]

Many thanks for this video. Watched it 3 times then hired a router and template (HSS hire bundle), had a practice on an old piece of worktop and then went for it. Really pleased with the results. One question. Why no biscuits in the joint?

[@woodbine66]

A real pro. Thanks Dave - and more please!!!

[@jasonnoble8988]

Brilliant informative video, a precise procedure for completing a worktop mitre joint!..😀

[@RichardGriffiths1]

What a great video! Really wish I'd watch this last week before my new kitchen just got put in!

[@sty857]

Great video! And you like you actually enjoy it too mate!

[@wakefieldyorkshire]

Thank you for the master class.

[@jonbagshaw7919]

Quality guy every day a school day

[@kevinhancock4064]

perfectionist tidy work

[@maxharrow]

Brilliant video tutorial, thank you.

[@scripps143]

Working for a university degree couldn't be any more difficult than the work involved in mitreing a countertop.

[@hervevandevoorde8457]

Good vidéo ! Thanks from France.

[@robertavery8897]

Wouldn't make sense to cut the bulk of the material out with a jigsaw after you have your jig mounted to prevent any laminate chip out. Nice job ... I'm just thinking of cutter pull with the heavy cut. Nice video. Thanks.

[@jonstockwell8351]

Tommy, blinding explanation! Love the banter - you can say 'basically' as much as you like as far as I am concerned! My kitchen worktops are solid wood which were in the house when we bought it. A 3m length is over £400! I have enough remaining from downsizing the tops to make up what I need by joining with straight joints. A good router will cost approx £300 (for me as a competent DIYer for 40yrs) so a router and jig it is. Please could you tell me what the make and part number is of the router you are using in the video please. I like the ease of locking and adjusting the depth. Judging as an engineer, it looks to be well engineered. Cheers, Jon

[@zeeraak]

very well explained brilliant video quality

[@stringmanipulator]

Very interesting to watch it really shows you've done that before :) thanks for sharing your knowledge Tommy

[@Nick_Ath]

You did an excellent job!!!

[@user-vb5fs1sf2y]

Thanks for a great video - I think this is the best and clearest I have seen - subscribed :)

[@brzyd4l]

Awesome work, thanks for the video!

[@RHpaintball]

Very nice mate :) well done good to see you enjoy it also. Regards Bart

[@addhow2511]

EXCELLENT tutorial a joy to watch, well done m8 ,:0 )

[@sammarks5447]

Good clear instruction, thank you.

[@loafersheffield]

Nearly 1.5 million views, as I type. Just hope this guy is getting some £$love£$. Artisan. My DW625EK only gets the dust blown off the box 3 or 4 times a year.

[@arsecheese51]

Ratchet spanner on your Christmas list?

[@geoffreycoan]

Thank you, I found this a very helpful guide to cutting in a worktop. I was able to follow the basic principles and successfully mitre together two worktops, twice for different rooms. I did have some issue with the visible edges on the surfaces chipping slightly where the cutter went along, on both the top surface and (more seriously) on the front profile edge, despite all my efforts to prevent this. The only other thing I would suggest is to not drop the router down too much on each cutting pass because this increases the chance of the router going off track as it struggles to cut too much material. Top helpful video though

[@cyclerevive]

Always wondered how it was done thanks ;)

[@joeshaft]

i want this guy to come fit my kitchen!

[@jinkertsun]

Used a router a couple of times and found it to be a very scary tool. Your video shows how the pros do the job properly so next time I'm needing a worktop fitted I'm getting a kitchen fitter or joiner to do the job. Great video though.

[@thanxx]

I enjoyed watching this.........for obvious reasons:)

[@nuskaha]

Nice one Dave. Cracking video

[@edrustria3524]

Very useful techniques!

[@OldDunollieman]

Awesome instructional video, clear, concise info. 5*****. Thanks.

[@robertavery8897]

Just a thought. Once ur setup ... why not go into the jig slot and remove most of that material with a jig saw. Would save a lot of time and wear and tare on the cutter bit.

[@LITTLEDAVEH]

dave your the main man top class every video,

[@ifitistobeitisuptome]

Excellent video, thanks! However I can't help but notice how the sink bowl looks to be in a terrible position to use every day!! (half way in the corner of the work top) Home owners decision I'm sure, but it just looks very awkward to me.

[@martinadejaquiz2482]

that's cool! i learned something.... seriously, i learned! thank you!

[@djevil247]

My only criticism with the video is the lack of hearing protection. I've spent years attached to routers and they're bloody loud. Other than that, I can't fault it, cracking vid

[@Poontang123]

Paul moss pardon

[@ianutz]

Great video mate. Well done !

[@paulwright5236]

Really useful to watch if you are having new worktops fitted, even if your not going to attempt it yourself, you can see how its done and check the workman are doing it correct. ta

[@nottmtrucker]

great video, found it very useful

[@fazer12779]

Should have mentioned about cleaning the pencil marks off also. Good video.

[@manpor123]

in full detail, very useful.

[@goodall1bay]

Really beautiful, shame the position of the sink in that corner probably spoil the joint with all that water splashing around it after few years.

[@BillsCountrysideAdventures]

Well done, love this video, wont prob do myself anytime soon but loved the skill, thanks :)

[@Cumbriahandyman]

Very good video, my only concern would be you hitting that worktop with a hammer and no protection.

[@trentmyers538]

great video I would love to see a 22.5 degree cut with the jig is this possible ?

[@tanwirkhan78611]

Great job.. even better instructions . ..

[@ianjenkinson8325]

Would you cut the hole for the kitchen sink first or Mitre the worktop first ? Don't want the laminate breaking.

[@RRED2]

Thanks for the video :)