The Woodworker & Woodturner – September 2019

AROUND THE HOUSE with Phil Davy

74 The Woodworker & Good Woodworking September 2019 http://www.getwoodworking.com

Along with a quality router bit and guide bush, you should achieve a professional finish every time

You don’t actually need a jig for installing connector bolts, though this does speed

up the process

The correct jig ensures dead accurate straight cuts,

with the advantage of neater corners too

Much easier to use and faster are Zipbolts, which are

tightened with a cordless drill fitted with a hex bit

Cut slots between bolt positions and glue the biscuits first, though don’t

use PVA adhesive if worktops are chipboard

However, the problem with plastic laminate chipboard

worktops is that front edges are usually rounded over,

or postformed

The recesses required are the same size as those

for conventional connectors

Bolts & biscuits

Once you’ve cut matching joints in either

hardwood or laminate chipboard, you obviously

need to join them together tightly. The best

method is to use worktop connector bolts,

which sit in recesses routed underneath the top.

A part-threaded steel bolt sits inside a channel

linking circular cut-outs in each mating worktop.

With standard connectors a spanner is used to

tighten a nut that pulls the two edges up tight,

with shaped washers spreading the load on the

timber. Connector bolts are available in 150mm

and 85mm lengths, the shorter ones generally

used for 45° joints or where a joint is close to

a sink or hob aperture. Three bolts are normally

used in 610mm wide worktops. Joints are

tightened from underneath once worktops are in

situ, which can be awkward at the best of

times. Much easier to use and faster are Zipbolts,

which are tightened with a cordless drill fitted

with a hex bit – see http://www.axminster.co.uk.

The recesses required are the same size as

those for conventional connectors. You don’t

actually need a jig for installing connector bolts,

though this does speed up the process. Simply

drill appropriate holes with a Forstner bit and cut

a channel by hand or with a router.

To keep adjoining worktop surfaces aligned it’s a

good idea to use No.20 biscuits. Cut slots between

bolt positions and glue the biscuits first, though

don’t use PVA adhesive if worktops are chipboard,

then run beads of clear silicone along the edges

(to prevent water penetration) before tightening

the nuts. Clean up excess silicone from the surface

and hopefully you’ll have a perfect joint.