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Post form tops HOW?

| Posted in General Discussion on December 29, 2003 09:24am

I have a questions on post form tops.  How do you get your seams to line up on the mitres?  I have used silicone and tightened the bolts then laid a shim on the high side and driven them flush.  I am looking for an easier way to do it!!!!!

Obstacles are the things you see when you take your eyes from the goal!
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  1. UncleDunc | Dec 29, 2003 09:42pm | #1

    OK, there's jargon and then there's jargon. I've done some building and a done lot of reading on building, and I can't even begin to imagine what you're talking about.

    1. User avater
      Mongo | Dec 29, 2003 09:45pm | #2

      I'm guessing kitchen countertops.

      1. UncleDunc | Dec 29, 2003 10:20pm | #4

        There I go again, showing that it's better to remain silent and be thought ignorant than to speak and remove all doubt.

        1. User avater
          IMERC | Dec 29, 2003 10:23pm | #5

          At first I thought he was talking about fence posts. Made sense after the mention of counter tops 

          Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

          1. HeavyDuty | Dec 29, 2003 10:42pm | #6

            I thought he was talking about padded bras. Gawd, what was I thinking?

          2. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 29, 2003 10:59pm | #7

            UH..Maiden Form..yup that's the ticket. do not ask how I know

          3. HeavyDuty | Dec 29, 2003 11:04pm | #9

            Cross Your Heart? That's how they line them up. Brilliant.

          4. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 29, 2003 11:23pm | #10

            incredibly stong suckers at that..ever break one?

          5. User avater
            IMERC | Dec 29, 2003 11:39pm | #11

            As long it's not the Maiden Living bra.

            You saw what happened to Twiggy.... 

            Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

          6. User avater
            Sphere | Dec 29, 2003 11:48pm | #12

            more than amouthfull is wasted...

          7. User avater
            CapnMac | Dec 30, 2003 12:27am | #13

            Of silicone especially

            Or toggle boltsOccupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)

          8. User avater
            BossHog | Dec 30, 2003 06:53pm | #25

            "more than amouthfull is wasted..."

            But some people like to hold on to what they're eating..............(-:Q: Do you know why they call it the Wonder Bra?A: When you take it off, you wonder where the breasts went.

        2. Novy | Dec 30, 2003 01:59am | #17

          Hey Unc,

           I was going to reply earlier today and decided..........

            "There I go again, showing that it's better to remain silent and be thought ignorant than to speak and remove all doubt."

           Bottom line with postform CT joints is .....Yes they are pita !

           That being said dryfit & scribe the bastards glue, bolt & get on with it.On a hill by the harbour

  2. jackplane | Dec 29, 2003 10:01pm | #3

    I know what you mean...fastening countertops that way with a miter and making them flat is real tricky.

      I'd suggest throwing out those bolts and nuts and use biscuits for alignment and glue-up instead.

  3. User avater
    Sphere | Dec 29, 2003 11:04pm | #8

    That is the easy way..colored seam fill helps but not much. Me, I avoied them if there is a miter. I prefer to fabricte my own, I do use bisquits at the miter if it is not avoidable to HAVE a miter. All o f my formica type work is custom, so post form tops just don't fill the bill.

  4. User avater
    CapnMac | Dec 30, 2003 12:38am | #14

    Having only a small amount of exerience with them in rental property remodeling, my first thought is "you can't."  Ok, I'll admit to being biased.  The precut postform tops never seem to match (the angle is a perfect 45°, but the profiles never line up).  The toggle bolts give a pretty good, tenant-resistant counter top, but they will not level the tops to each other (and there's never enough grip or bite to suck an ope joint closed.

    Since the corner is never a 45 in remo work, the only time I've been happy with PF is by getting a longer piece, then chopping out the mitre/bevel needed.  I also glue block on the underside to provide a clamping surface, and (used to) blind pocket screw the joint.

    Think those inside corners are fun?  Wait until the customer lays out a peninsulas, and then shows of his really great "find" of seconded PF tops--"Ain't this great, it'll be faster AND cheaper, right . . . ?"

    Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
    1. steve | Dec 30, 2003 01:48am | #16

      sorry guys, but you may sneer at the postform countertop, but many of my clients and im sure yours too, demand them as  a cost factor

      so lets do the best job we can with the products our client can afford

      miters can be adjusted several degrees, its easy. scribing them is easy, joining a miter is easy, so lets forget the snob value and realise that not everbody can afford solid surface or granite

      i cut and install many postform tops and have recut many miters a half a degree or less, its no big deal

      remember we are "FINE"  HOMEBUILDING not "FINE HOMEBUILDING"

      caulking is not a piece of trim

  5. steve | Dec 30, 2003 01:35am | #15

    inspite of all the sarcastic replies, postform miters can be made almost perfect

    takes a little time and careful work

    always start with the front bolt, get the profile lined up and snug the second bolt, get the surfaces at the firstbolt perfect and tighten the first bolt. Loosen the second bolt, adjust the level with a hammer and tighten, rest is just experience

    ive joined thousands of miters in postform, never had a callback

    use lots of glue and dont overtighten the bolts

    caulking is not a piece of trim

    1. User avater
      JeffBuck | Dec 30, 2003 03:36am | #18

      I'm with ya Steve ....

      they can be installed near perfect ....

      just takes time .... and the right touch on the bolt and the mallet.

      Once ya glue the snot outta it ... and have her adjusted and cranked snug ....as long ya ya don't bump it before the glue sets .... it's there forever.

      They may not look like a million dollars .... but they'll out last a kitchen fulla growing kids over most anything else.

      JeffBuck Construction   Pittsburgh,PA

           Artistry in Carpentry                

    2. HeavyDuty | Dec 30, 2003 05:54am | #19

      Sorry Steve. We are just a bunch of fun loving guys(hey, not gay) trying to have some fun.  You or anyone else who think otherwise have my sincere apology.

      I for one and I am sure I can speak for the other guys as well that we would not knowingly make fun of or make sarcastic comments on anybody or anything on this board.

      1. Novy | Dec 30, 2003 06:08am | #20

        "I for one and I am sure I can speak for the other guys as well that we would not knowingly make fun of or make sarcastic comments on anybody or anything on this board."

        You are being sarcastic right ?On a hill by the harbour

        1. HeavyDuty | Dec 30, 2003 06:41am | #21

          O.K., O.K., I surrender.

      2. steve | Dec 30, 2003 07:08am | #22

        accepted, we in this business have to realise that not everybody can afford granite countertops, cedar siding and slate rooves.  "fine" homebuilding to me means doing "fine" work with regular materials

        a postform top can be installed properly in most situations by accurate mitering and scribing and is an affordable product for 99 percent of our population, as is vinyl siding and ashphalt shinglescaulking is not a piece of trim

        1. User avater
          briankeith | Dec 30, 2003 08:28am | #23

          ..........we in this business have to realise that not everybody can afford granite countertops, cedar siding and slate rooves. "fine" homebuilding to me means doing "fine" work with regular materials

          Steve,

          Here! here!View Image

          1. User avater
            jocobe | Dec 30, 2003 11:03am | #24

            Many years ago I worked in a countertop shop....assembled thousands.  I would assemble the tops right side up.  One horse would be at each end of the "L" shape top and one horse perpendicular to the 45 degree assembly supporting both "legs".  Start at front for the first two bolts and then move to the back for the last two.  We used galv twist nails for the splash.  We used tight joint fasteners (draw bolts) and phenoseal adhesive.  Phenoseal was available in colors.  It is also slimy so it was easy to adjust in order to get the surfaces perfect.......white or yellow glue would be difficult.

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