WIP Kitchen worktops and cabinets - lots of doors

[carlb40]

Epoxy would be my first choice. I think the wax fillers are for smaller holes such as nail holes etc? If you had a router i would have suggested something like a butterfly/ oval patch in timber.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=Butte ... 0&bih=1078

 

[n0legs]

Try these people http://stores.ebay.co.uk/Quantum-Suppli ... 7675.l2563

They are really helpful and have many options. I believe they have dyes to tint the colour a little if you want to try and hide the resin a little.

 

[flat n smooth]

Hi Morfa
did you buy the timber locally?
Im just up the road from you and have been looking for a local supply
if you need to go down the machine route I have a few in my garage/workshop u would be welcome to come and use
Karl

 

[morfa]

Hi Morfa
did you buy the timber locally?
Im just up the road from you and have been looking for a local supply
if you need to go down the machine route I have a few in my garage/workshop u would be welcome to come and use
Karl

I bought the sycamore from a place near Usk - http://www.wentwoodtimbercentre.co.uk/

Normally I buy timber from Nottage Timber in Pyle - they're really good - http://www.nottagejoinery.co.uk/

Thanks for the offer on the machines. I'm sure I'll be ok with getting it stuck together, I was just having a bit of a moment when I got all the wood up on to the workbench and went 'b*****dy h*** this is going to be harder than I thought.

 

[morfa]

Ok, the main two pieces are jointed together. They're now being glued up and all the clamps are on. I probably should take a picture of that and post it. But it's just two big bits of wood stuck together. Again not perfectly flat, but the joint is ok and it shouldn't take too much planing to get it sorted out.

I've removed the bow from the (cup?) from the cooker worktops. Both cooker worktops have also been sanded. The abranet has worked excellently and they're both super smooth. Not perfectly flat, but very smooth.

Also the Osmo Top Oil (Natural) has arrived and it's been tested on the end of the worktop. It's not yellowed it at all and you can barely tell it's on. A slight darkening and that's it. I'll post some before and after pics of the top oil.

 

[Berncarpenter]

Good to hear your making some progress but you know we all love photos ,get em on

Cheers Bern.

 

[morfa]

Ok, Bern, as you commanded here are some pics. This is the main run in the glue-up:

The top oil test patch. If you can actually spot it, well done. I only know where it is cause I put it on.

The cooker worktop after sanding. Amazingly smooth.

Happy now? :lol: :wink:

Generally I'm really working well with the no 5 1/2. I'm also thinking of getting a scrub plane and a no 7 now.

 

[Berncarpenter]

Well done =D> =D> =D> got a No 7 and No8 here if you want to give them a test drive before you decide to buy .

Cheers Bern

 

[n0legs]

That's a lovely looking lump of wood. Niccccccce !!

 

[morfa]

Last two nights of an hour or so's work each night have made a reasonable amount of progress.

Not sure it's worth posting a pic, but here we go anyway.

Dunno if it's obvious compared to the previous pics, but it's a lot flatter than it was. Still got a few more hours to get it to an ok state however.

 

[AndyT]

This is a nice looking job... but to give you something else to worry about...

In your picture with the MDF template in place (I agree it's worthwhile making that template) it looks like there is just enough space to get your hand on the handle on the window.

With the 2" thick wood, will there still be enough space?

 

[morfa]

This is a nice looking job... but to give you something else to worry about...

In your picture with the MDF template in place (I agree it's worthwhile making that template) it looks like there is just enough space to get your hand on the handle on the window.

With the 2" thick wood, will there still be enough space?

Nice looking? You're too kind. At the moment I'd settle for 'doesn't look like a 5 year old did it'.

Unfortunately the template can't go where it needs to go (about two inches lower) cause the current sink and taps are in the way. Hence the hole in the template for the taps. The sink also has an annoying back which sticks up quite a bit. I guess it was supposed to back up to a wall, but it never did.

Actually the main issue is leaning over the worktop (90 cms at that point) to reach the handle. But I can do it just about ok and the wife never comes in the kitchen.

 

[morfa]

Ok, so I've gotten the top pretty flat. It's not perfect, but I suspect that if I spend any longer on it, it'll get worse.

I've spent a bit of time on the underneath, just to get it roughly there. I suspect that I should spend a bit more time on making sure that it's totally flat on the underside, but as I'll probably make a mistake on getting the supports on the wall, which will render time making the bottom flat pointless. i.e. they won't be flat so I'll have to shim/adjust it anyway.

However I now have a dilemma which I knew was coming, but I'm still not sure how to fix it. Well two actually.

Number one is a question of fitting. At the moment, it's just a long rectangle, which can be easily slid into the alcove. I have also cut the piece of wood for the windowsill part of the worktop. Once that goes on I don't know how I can get it in. As the worktop is the full width of the alcove, it's not possible to put it in at an angle and then slide it across. Also once the piece for the windowsill is on you can't slide it in straight. Again due to all the bits that stick out, I can't put it in on it's side and then let it go flat. If you're still with me, then suggestions on a post card?

Number two is should I bother putting a piece of wood across the grain on the end? Sort of like you see on a lot of chopping boards etc. I've got enough wood to do it. I'm not going for any kind of look, but I'm wondering if it'll last longer that way.

Also chamfering the edges, worth doing? How much should I do it by? Any specific tool? Or just a no 4?

The epoxy has arrived, so i'm off to do that now.

 

[carlb40]

How much access underneath do you have where you need to join the small piece to the main section? Is there enough room to place the short piece in first then fit the main section? Then clamp them up from underneath with worktop bolts?
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3-x-KITCHEN-U ... 2c763857fc

Can be done with hand tools it will just take longer.

The breadboard edge is usually there to stop the tops from cupping along the width, so it will depend on whether or not you timber is at risk of cupping?

I would chamfer the edges, it doesn't need much at all. It is just there for added protection to soften the edges to help stop them getting chipped so easily. Or if on a painted surface to help the paint stick as paint doesn't stick to a sharp edge.
Any plane can be used, i normally either use my block plane or even just a piece of sand paper just to knock the sharp edge off.

 

[morfa]

Ok, the expoying is done. It's horrible stuff. Sadly two of the three cracks go all the way through the worktop, so it's been challenging to get them to stay filled. I'll post some pics tomorrow. Hopefully it won't look too awful, but I'm not happy with it.

 

[carlb40]

Ok, the expoying is done. It's horrible stuff. Sadly two of the three cracks go all the way through the worktop, so it's been challenging to get them to stay filled. I'll post some pics tomorrow. Hopefully it won't look too awful, but I'm not happy with it.

Didn't realise some of the cracks went right through or i would have offered more advice on filling them. Too late now sorry But a tip for filling cracks that go all the way through is to pour the epoxy on the crack, use a vacuum from the other side to pull the epoxy through. When done, tape the underneath side to stop it escaping further.

 

[morfa]

Ok, the expoying is done. It's horrible stuff. Sadly two of the three cracks go all the way through the worktop, so it's been challenging to get them to stay filled. I'll post some pics tomorrow. Hopefully it won't look too awful, but I'm not happy with it.

Didn't realise some of the cracks went right through or i would have offered more advice on filling them. Too late now sorry But a tip for filling cracks that go all the way through is to pour the epoxy on the crack, use a vacuum from the other side to pull the epoxy through. When done, tape the underneath side to stop it escaping further.

Neither did I till I filled up a crack and then it all disappeared. I then looked underneath and was not best pleased to see that some of it was on the floor.

This morning the epoxy still isn't dry. Which I was surprised by as it's had 11 hours now.

 

[Racers]

I used Wilcos epoxy for filling pippy oak it did take some time to harden fully, Araldite stained with ground instant coffee set as I was mixing it!

Pete

 

[morfa]

I used Wilcos epoxy for filling pippy oak it did take some time to harden fully, Araldite stained with ground instant coffee set as I was mixing it!

Pete

I probably should have just used Araldite really. But I bought the stuff off ebay as linked higher up the thread. There's a lot of it and it was a good price, but it's slow to set it seems. I used a mix of 50ml to 2ml, which sounds about right.

 

[morfa]

When I got home the epoxy was dry, finally. I cut and scraped off the worst of the epoxy. It actually looks ok once that's done. So despite the stink and the faff, I'm actually happy with the end result. Of the three cracks, one didn't work, so I'm doing that again.

I then got mr rippy out and cut window sill piece to width.

Carl - i like the look of those bolts. I can adjust them laterally as well, so it doesn't all have to be perfect. There will be just about enough space to get behind there. Doubt it'll be pleasant to do, but it's all (just) accessible. Surely it's as simple as marking it out and then drilling a few holes?