Cutting butcher block with TS55

[tms0425]

I am about to buy some 1.5" pre-made butcher block counter material for my daughter's kitchen project from IKEA HERE.  My original TS55 blade is somewhat tired from sawing lots of MDF for speaker cabinets, so I was thinking about a new blade for cutting these countertops.  I am somewhat new to this, as I haven't used the saw to cut any material this nice before, basically a one-shot deal with no room for error. 

What blade would you use, as well as technique for something this thick? 

She wants a miter of two pieces in a corner, so any suggestions for how to do this properly? 

There are no IKEA suggestions for fastening, cutting, etc.  I have TS55, OF1400, RO125, CT22, MFT/3 at my disposal, among other things, so just looking for suggestions for a rookie at this sort of thing.

Thanks in advance,

Tom

 

[Chris Hughes]

I've cut and installed a few butcher block tops since I've owned my TS75.  I would have to say that the stock blade that comes with the TS is the right blade to use.  The biggest threat to joining two pieces in a miter is blade deflection which occurs when you overload the saw cut rate.  I think for this particular function the 55 is the better saw because the blades diameter would make it harder to deflect under load. 

I have multi-passed a miter cut to keep the blade flat but ended up with more work cleaning up the work before glue up. 

As to the miter cut, I have a miter unit but it would be as easy to measure to find a 45 degree angle.

For fastening I would domino for alignment and strength in the corner but I would use "dog bones" to draw the corner together. 

Good level benches are really important  for this operation because when you are fabricating the corner the pieces will probably be face down for ease of operation when tightening the corner.

 

[FestFan]

Tom,

Looking at the picture it is a bleech panel without any synthetic additives; as for the blade I would go for a W48 (Festool order number: 491952) and then set the revolutions at 5 or 6. If you want to go for the fancy solution, you can consider a TF48 (496308). I think you can even get away with a W28 (496302)? I guess you already own a splinterguard (491473), you can?t do without on this project. Hopefully the numbers in Europe are interchangeable to those in the US.

I would let blad drop about a few millimeters below the panel so that the upper part of the teeth are well below bottom part of the blade. Even when the saw was put on the guiderail you would have plenty of room there with the 1,5? thickness.

The proper (and hugely expensive if used once only) way to connect two panels is using the CMT FK 650. Found it on a Dutch page: http://www.toolnation.nl/product_info.php?products_id=2852. Otherwise just make it a 45 degrees joint.

Good luck.

 

[ajones]

Hi if you are having a internal corner  joint I would use a worktop jig and router rather than a saw. use the saw for the straightcuts. it does not mater that the butchers block does not have a post formed edge

if you do not have a router and w/top jig you could probably hire one

 

[tms0425]

Hi if you are having a internal corner  joint I would use a worktop jig and router rather than a saw. use the saw for the straightcuts. it does not mater that the butchers block does not have a post formed edge

Thanks all!

Yes, it would be an inside corner.  I wondered about using the router on both edges to create a clean joint, although the 1.5" thickness maybe poses a problem?.  There was also something on woodshopdemos about using the TS55 to join 1x boards.  I have the MFT/3 for a smooth support and clamping surface to join them, so I think I can handle that.

 

[ajones]

the thickness is not an issue use the correct tools for the job the result will be 1000% better and remember to check the corner is it 90 deg

google masons mitre for futher info

 

[tms0425]

the thickness is not an issue use the correct tools for the job the result will be 1000% better and remember to check the corner is it 90 deg

google masons mitre for futher info

Thank you for a fresh idea on the masons mitre as I already learned something new today.  Studying up now...

 

[Brice Burrell]

the thickness is not an issue use the correct tools for the job the result will be 1000% better and remember to check the corner is it 90 deg

google masons mitre for futher info

Thank you for a fresh idea on the masons mitre as I already learned something new today.  Studying up now...

This is a super cool joint.  I don't know if these jigs a readily available here in the States.  If they are it would be fun but it would likely be costly by the time you bought the jig and the bit(s) needed.

I'd probably forgo the miter if possible.  It the pieces don't have a round over then you could just butt them together.  It they have a small round over you could cut it off the one piece, make your joint and rout another round over.

 

[tms0425]

I would just be cutting the inside corners at a 45 to join so no roundover issue there, just the front edges.  I wasn't sure whether to use some sort of dog bone like you use for laminate counter miters or glue/clamp it up or what.  Unfortunately I don't have a Domino or Dowelmax sort of jig available to do precise alignment at that point.  It would be about a 4' section connected to a 2' section.

 

[ajones]

you can use biscuits and dog bones if you dont have a biscuit jointer you can get a special cutter for the router, this joint does need support along its length

 

[ajones]

the thickness is not an issue use the correct tools for the job the result will be 1000% better and remember to check the corner is it 90 deg

google masons mitre for futher info

Thank you for a fresh idea on the masons mitre as I already learned something new today.  Studying up now...

This is a super cool joint.  I don't know if these jigs a readily available here in the States.  If they are it would be fun but it would likely be costly by the time you bought the jig and the bit(s) needed.

I'd probably forgo the miter if possible.  It the pieces don't have a round over then you could just butt them together.  It they have a small round over you could cut it off the one piece, make your joint and rout another round over.

Brice how do you guys joint counter tops over there? do you not use post formed tops? laminated tops?

 

[jonny round boy]

In the US, pre-made laminate tops often have a small upstand built in at the back. Because of this, mason's mitres aren't suitable, so it's commonplace to mitre the two tops at 45 degrees & join them in that way.

Also, many laminate tops are NOT pre-made, but are custom made from man made board & laminate sheet. The joints are usually kept away from the corners, so corner joints aren't an issue.

For solid timber tops, I wouldn't do a mason's mitre - I'd butt-joint them. I would also avoid a 45 degree mitred joint like the plague - I've seen solid timber tops shrink by as much as 7 or 8mm across the width after installation. With that amount of movement you wouldn't have a prayer of keeping a mitred joint together as it would open up at the front.

 

[tms0425]

That makes sense not to use a miter.  I see that most shown in the IKEA galleries just butt them at 90 degrees on the factory edges then cut the end facing the wall and/or sink/appliances to length.  I just don't like the look of it much  [unsure]  Thank again to all for inputs.

 

[mike1967]

you can use biscuits and dog bones if you dont have a biscuit jointer you can get a special cutter for the router, this joint does need support along its length

You could just use a slot cutter in your router (same bit for biscuits) and just rout two slots in the pieces and then insert a spline.  Think of it as a string of biscuits.

Someone suggested dropping the miter, and I think this is a good idea as well.  If it opens up in a kitchen it will not look good, there is typically water all over the place, etc.

Mike

 

[ajones]

Jrb
interesting.....
What about the small chamfer on the font edge of most of the tops ? A masons mitre is as close as you can get to a butt joint

 

[Brice Burrell]

....For solid timber tops, I wouldn't do a mason's mitre - I'd butt-joint them. I would also avoid a 45 degree mitred joint like the plague - I've seen solid timber tops shrink by as much as 7 or 8mm across the width after installation. With that amount of movement you wouldn't have a prayer of keeping a mitred joint together as it would open up at the front.

My thoughts exactly Jonny. 

Jrb
interesting.....
What about the small chamfer on the font edge of most of the tops ? A masons mitre is as close as you can get to a butt joint

In my earlier post I was suggesting cuttting off the round over or chamfer to make the joint. Once together the chamfer can be routed back in.

 

[ajones]

Strange it would not enter my head to do it as you suggest Brice to my mind the masons mitre is perfect the 45deg mitre is only about 45mm long then you have a but joint for the rest of the width of the top domino'ed or biscuited and glued with three dog bones to the underside its not going anywhere its quick easy and the results are guaranteed

different strokes [smile]

 

[jonny round boy]

Personally, if I was supplying the top I'd get square edged rather than profiled. Some tops come with a small chamfer, but it's usually only 2mm so I do as Brice suggested & rip off the front edge. You're only losing 2mm and that isn't a problem. I've never seen a solid timber top come with a large profile on the front edge.

I don't like mason's mitres on solid tops, I think it just looks wrong.

 

[ajones]

Personally, if I was supplying the top I'd get square edged rather than profiled. Some tops come with a small chamfer, but it's usually only 2mm so I do as Brice suggested & rip off the front edge. You're only losing 2mm and that isn't a problem. I've never seen a solid timber top come with a large profile on the front edge.

I don't like mason's mitres on solid tops, I think it just looks wrong.

you are right the timber tops only have a small chamfer

I prefer the masons mitre  because it moves the joint over to one side and because of the short mitre takes your eye off the join

 

[Brice Burrell]

I think the mason's miter (Yank spelling [tongue]) might look odd with the only one or two of the boards of the butcher block making a miter.  With a uniform pattern like that of laminate it looks fine.

Strange it would not enter my head to do it as you suggest Brice to my mind the masons mitre is perfect the 45deg mitre is only about 45mm long then you have a but joint for the rest of the width of the top domino'ed or biscuited and glued with three dog bones to the underside its not going anywhere its quick easy and the results are guaranteed

different strokes [smile]

Like I posted earlier we don't do this type of joint much in the States.  With jigs not readily available it's not worth the trouble.