Hi all,
I've bought an undermount sink for a kitchen I'll be fitting next week - Franke ARX 160 if anyone wants all the details. The template it comes with for cutting is just a bit of flimsy card in the exact shape of the hole you need to cut out - not sturdy enough to guide a router, and even if it was, using it direct would result in a hole too big (by the cutter diameter) with the risk that any slip goes straight into the bit of worktop I want to keep. I want to have a "negative" template that I can route round the inside of (using 1/2" cutter & guide bush, ideally, though would go with a bearing-guided cutter if not) so that if I slip off the template it's the waste bit that gets chewed up rather than the worktop. Means I need to cut myself a jig 8.65mm bigger all round (offset of 1/2" cutter inside 30mm bush) than the bit of card (or the exact size & shape of the card if I go bearing-guided).
Short of drawing round it and cutting very carefully (not my forte!) with a jigsaw (or taking measurements off it and drawing from scratch with ruler and compasses), does anyone have any cunning ideas how to turn a flimsy "positive" template into a (pref 8.65mm bigger) negative one?
I'm sure there must be pro's out there who do this every week... what's the secret (or is it just a steady hand on the jigsaw?)!
Thanks!
I've bought an undermount sink for a kitchen I'll be fitting next week - Franke ARX 160 if anyone wants all the details. The template it comes with for cutting is just a bit of flimsy card in the exact shape of the hole you need to cut out - not sturdy enough to guide a router, and even if it was, using it direct would result in a hole too big (by the cutter diameter) with the risk that any slip goes straight into the bit of worktop I want to keep. I want to have a "negative" template that I can route round the inside of (using 1/2" cutter & guide bush, ideally, though would go with a bearing-guided cutter if not) so that if I slip off the template it's the waste bit that gets chewed up rather than the worktop. Means I need to cut myself a jig 8.65mm bigger all round (offset of 1/2" cutter inside 30mm bush) than the bit of card (or the exact size & shape of the card if I go bearing-guided).
Short of drawing round it and cutting very carefully (not my forte!) with a jigsaw (or taking measurements off it and drawing from scratch with ruler and compasses), does anyone have any cunning ideas how to turn a flimsy "positive" template into a (pref 8.65mm bigger) negative one?
I'm sure there must be pro's out there who do this every week... what's the secret (or is it just a steady hand on the jigsaw?)!
Thanks!