Shaping a Solid Beech Worktop

[Martin109]

I need to do a modest bit of shaping, nothing too outlandish, just a curved 90° corner.

Should I:
1)  try cutting with a hand jigsaw, and then sand
2) use an electric jigsaw, and then sand
3) use some expensive hired shaping machine

[Zoidburg]

Jigsaw

The a 2kw router with a 2inch bit

Then sand

[Woofage]

I second the router suggestion. Make a template first.

[MSeries]

yup router + jig + a little practice =  Piece of piss and a professional job.

Be careful about tearout, this is where the practice comes in, also to test your template. Rough cut with a saw first.

[fred the great]

Methinks I would carefully use a tenon saw to get a rough shape, trim to final shape  with a  very sharp chisel and sand either by hand or use a drill and sanding pad.

I am assuming that the Beech top is not too thick?

[rafletcher]

Methinks I would carefully use a tenon saw to get a rough shape

Tenons have a stiffening bead on the back of the blade so limit depth of cut.

Jigsaw blades deflect when you run them through a curve.

Template and router is the best option IMO.  Although you could probably follow a scribed line pretty well by eye and finish by surform/sandpaper

[fred the great]

Methinks I would carefully use a tenon saw to get a rough shape

Tenons have a stiffening bead on the back of the blade so limit depth of cut.

Jigsaw blades deflect when you run them through a curve.

Template and router is the best option IMO.  Although you could probably follow a scribed line pretty well by eye and finish by surform/sandpaper

I presume you mean the top of the blade. I have all the basic woodworking tools. If the depth of cut is more than a tenon saw blade which is designed for accurate cutting then you need to rethink how to do it. Must say though a top so thick seems unusual

[tonycollinet]

I hired a big router and a professional jig - makes the job much easier, cuts the worktop, and the profile underneath for the clamps. I just made one test cut on a piece of scrap. No sanding is required afterwards - in fact should be avoided to ensure the mating surfaces are completely flat. The resulting joint was clamped, and glued with colour matched glue - the result is a near invisible join.

I can't imagine trying to get an accurate joint with a jigsaw.

Make sure the router cutting edge is rotating "into" the worktop - that stops it splitting the edge off.

See also

[artyfaharty]

I did mine with a jigsaw, it was difficult to get the return point  to line up exactly with the straight edge at the finish of the cut, so I belt sanded the shape to finish. (40mm beech) Make sure your jigsaw is powerfull enough and you've got a new blade in it. Perhaps you could practice on a piece of scrap.

AF