# Cutting hole for undercount sink



## The Coastal Craftsman (Jun 29, 2009)

Any advice for cutting a nice clean hole for a undercount sink? It's going into maple.


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## Scribbles (Mar 10, 2009)

Use a plunge roughter with patterns. Cut out the profile with a jigsaw 1/8-3/16 small, and then clean it up with the roughter. Sand it and profile however you want and done. Should be finished in 40-45 min with making the pattern.


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

Some sinks come with a cardboard template for the hole in the top. The trick is to get your pattern prepped exactly right. 1/2" MDF jig saws real easy and you can sand out any irregularities fast. The 1/2" thickness will stay fairly square when your jig saw turns a corner.

The best bit to use is a 1/2" compression bit with a guide collar but if you don't have one use your flush trimming bit with the pattern on the bottom. Jig saw the hole as close as possible in the top so the router isn't overloaded.

If there is no template in the sink box, you can download a dxf from the manufacturer's web site and have it printed full scale at a place that prints blueprints.

Or you can use a cnc


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

How to you seal maple to use as a sink counter? I built patio furniture out of hard maple some years ago & it doesn't weather too well. I should have used white oak instead.
Steve


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## Scribbles (Mar 10, 2009)

There is a big wear difference between an interior butcher-block, and an exterior chair. Interior, water lox. Exterior spar varnish and lots of maintance.


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## pinwheel (Dec 7, 2009)

Scribbles said:


> There is a big wear difference between an interior butcher-block, and an exterior chair. Interior, water lox. Exterior spar varnish and lots of maintance.



End grain wood & water are not a good combination. Lots & lots of maintenance is going to be a must.


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

Maple isn't the best choice for wood exposed to water. Undercounter is the way to go though. I would probably just poly the counter top with an oil base poly


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

I agree that water and wood are not a good combination. After all we spend our careers trying to keep the two separated from each other.

This is better than no stone and they still have a wood top. Home owners luv it.:thumbsup:


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

Where did you get that island? Home Depot?:laughing:
Man, that is some dazzling work Gus. IMO, one of your finest. Thanks for the photos.
Steve



Gus Dering said:


> I agree that water and wood are not a good combination. After all we spend our careers trying to keep the two separated from each other.
> 
> This is better than no stone and they still have a wood top. Home owners luv it.:thumbsup:
> 
> ...


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Lee Valley sells a solution specifically for sealing wood counters. It's a combination of oil and wax. Food safe. You'll have to Google for their web, I'm lazy tonight. :laughing:


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## JohnFRWhipple (Oct 20, 2009)

Wow!

I have never seen that before... Outstanding design and Marble inlay. Is that Calcutta Gold Marble?

Did you first have to cut and polish the sink cut out and then the other radius?

New work...

JW

:thumbup:




Gus Dering said:


> I agree that water and wood are not a good combination. After all we spend our careers trying to keep the two separated from each other.
> 
> This is better than no stone and they still have a wood top. Home owners luv it.:thumbsup:
> 
> ...


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## Morning Wood (Jan 12, 2008)

JohnFRWhipple said:


> Wow!
> 
> I have never seen that before... Outstanding design and Marble inlay. Is that Calcutta Gold Marble?
> 
> ...


I'd have to guess CNC might have been involved


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## stp57 (Dec 12, 2007)

Hey Gus, 
*JohnFRWhipple had some good questions about the counter/ sink that you built. Really curious about your answers?
Thanks,
Steve
*


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## Cairncross (Nov 16, 2010)

katoman said:


> Lee Valley sells a solution specifically for sealing wood counters. It's a combination of oil and wax. Food safe. You'll have to Google for their web, I'm lazy tonight. :laughing:


Wood counters need food grade sealers. I'm sure that is what Lee Valley sells. I just use parrafin wax melted into olive oil-50-50% mix, and buff it out.


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## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

JohnFRWhipple said:


> Wow!
> 
> I have never seen that before... Outstanding design and Marble inlay. Is that Calcutta Gold Marble?
> 
> ...





stp57 said:


> Hey Gus,
> *JohnFRWhipple had some good questions about the counter/ sink that you built. Really curious about your answers?
> Thanks,
> Steve
> *


I'm not sure about the name of the Marble.

I cut this top with the cnc. Top was upside down, cut a rabbet for the stone sub top then through cut the Stone cut out. Then outlined the top.

With 3/4 ply I cut the sub top and a pattern for the stone. On the pattern I gave the fabricator all the geometric notes. Where the center of the radius is and the length of the segment that is at the edge. Also where the sink cut out goes.

That was nerve racking to say the least.

Sorry for the delay in response. I missed this one.


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## katoman (Apr 26, 2009)

Gus - yu the man! Awesome work, fantastic design.

I'd show that to my clients, but they might want me to duplicate it :w00t:


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## ohiohomedoctor (Dec 26, 2010)

Gus, Nice job! What a great design! You da Man!


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