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Mason mitre - freehand

I am renovating my daughter's kitchen using a second hand kitchen I bought. It is a total strip and replace. Problem is it is u shaped and the bottom of the new kitchen was too big requiring cupboards to be cut down to size. The join on the bench top has a mason mitre where it needs to be shorten. Has anyone cut or have suggestions how to cut a mason mitre without a jig as I only need to do this one joint. Thanks James

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Mathy

Hi @JDE (Jason) - I feel that a photo might be needed here. I interpret what you’ve written as being you need to alter a mitre cut on a countertop???? It’s not clear which kitchen is U shaped - the one you bought, or the space you’re wishing to fit the second hand kitchen into, cheers Deb 🙂

Brad

It's a tough job!
Do you have a router?
I would mark the joint out in place using the female joint to trace around. If there is a radius edge the degree of difficulty increases the larger it is.
If you have enough to cut the end off and you can clamp it on and not have the clamps interfere with the router you have a template.
If not you can use the female side and clamp it on the waste side allowing for the thickness of the router bit, degree of difficulty is much higher this way.
Run a pattern bit in your router to trace the edge using your template, bonus difficulty if there is a radius edge to deal with, If your offcut has a radius you may be able to slice it off on a table saw or bandsaw so you have a thinner but flat piece to work with. If it is a full radius edge or bullnose there is a work around if needed.
Your not going to be able to route all the way through if it is a decent thickness top, so you should be into solid material i.e. past any radius so you ca adjust the cutter to have the bearing level with or above the grove you have made.
Carefully route out the waste material while being careful not to have the router tip, bonus difficulty if there is a radius edge to work with.
If it used connecting bolts depending on how much you have to cut off you may need to trim the bolts to fit or make a new recess for them or work around it.
Once you have done that swear never to do it again and have a sit down and a drink.
Jig is easier as long as it is the same type of jig, there are plenty of brands out there that may or not match each other.

JDE

Brad
Thanks
Just my luck it is a full radius edge. Unfortunately its the bottom of the u so the piece has a mason's mitre on both ends one male one female. I need to shorten the top by approximately 150mm. I do have a router. If I cut the end off and use it as a template will the radius/ angle of the mitre stay true or change due to the router bits distance out from template? Or am I better of to suck it up and visit a cabinetmaker. Sorry will take pictures later.
James

JDE

Thanks Deb

Both are u shaped. I have a ready managed to cut down and rebuild both the top and bottom cabinets. I now need to cut the benchtop at the bottom of the u down by 150mm. Currently it has a mason's mitre at each end one male one female. Unfortunately the bench has a rounded edge. Sorry haven't got any pictures but will take some when I put the last of the cabinets back in place so I can sit tops insitu.

James

JDE

Brad

Can you tell me does a mason's mitre have a) a radius or b) is it just a 45 degree edge to a 90 degree cut.

Thanks

Brad

They mostly have a radius which is not standard so jigs vary on the size and position.

Mathy

Hi @JDE (James) - you sound like you’ve got a handle on this, I would love to see some photos of your finished (or even partly) kitchen. I feel re-fitting a secondhand kitchen is one of the toughest jobs out there, good luck to you, I’m sure it will turn out brilliant, cheers Deb 🙂

JDE

Chickened out and got a benchtop workshop to do my masons mitre today. Hope to have the benchtops fixed in place tomorrow. Then I have to wait for the sparky to wire in the new oven and hotplates before I tile.
James

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