Supporting sink cutouts

When cutting the hole for a sink in a laminated countertop, care must be taken to keep the cutout from falling. If it falls, the cutout can tear away a patch of the laminate. The drawing shows the method I use to support the cutout when I'm working solo.

First I drill holes at the four comers to accommodate my jigsaw's blade. Then I make cuts #1 and #2 on both sides of the cutout. I screw a pair of cleats from below to the underside of the countertop to support the cutout at the ends. When I've made cuts #3 and #4, I remove the cutout, square its edges and trim it for use as a portable counter.

Peter Campaner, Thunder Bay, Ontario, ca