Flexible countertop template

[Patrick Kane]

Hello,

I need to template a friend's kitchen to make her countertops, but this isnt something ive never done before. I keep reading about people using 1/4" plywood, which makes sense, but i wont have a means of transporting 106" long plywood templates after they are made at her house. I read a few references to plastic template strips you can roll up,but i cannot find a place to purchase them. I guess it used to be provided by TemplatePro that looks to have disappeared since 2012. I might be missing the point of a template, but is there a way to not make a template? The only thing im concerned about are walls not being perfect 90°. I am confident i can measure lengths and the location of the sink accurately.

Patrick

[Jamie Buxton]

If you do not have means to move templates, how are you going to move the countertops themselves, which will be the same size as the templates?

[Peter Christensen]

Use two smaller pieces with a third strip screwed on top. Take it apart to transport.

[Patrick Kane]

I think she was going to rent a uhaul or borrow a friend's vehicle. Id prefer not to go through the hassle of renting a vehicle to transport a template.

Thanks, that seems like a good idea with the connecting piece screwed to the template. I can fit 5-6' lengths easily with the seats folded flat in my hatchback, so that should be easy enough to transport a few sections 25" by 5'. Have you done this before? I assme if you are careful when reconnecting the template in your shop, the screws should align everything correctly.

[Al Launier]

I think she was going to rent a uhaul or borrow a friend's vehicle. Id prefer not to go through the hassle of renting a vehicle to transport a template.

Thanks, that seems like a good idea with the connecting piece screwed to the template. I can fit 5-6' lengths easily with the seats folded flat in my hatchback, so that should be easy enough to transport a few sections 25" by 5'. Have you done this before? I assme if you are careful when reconnecting the template in your shop, the screws should align everything correctly.

Just a thought: Whenever I need to keep things aligned I don't rely on screws, especially when used repeatedly. Instead I much prefer to use dowels to keep thing aligned.

[Peter Christensen]

For the few times I've had to do something similar I use ticking sticks and a smaller piece of plywood or cardboard. Do some searching and you'll find lots. One from this site below.

https://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?66637-Ticking-Sticks-Duplicating-Curves

[Jim Becker]

Use two smaller pieces with a third strip screwed on top. Take it apart to transport.
This. You can also do a two-piece template with a reference line and a little overlap for the counter maker to work from.

[Jacob Mac]

If your template is symmetrical, aren't you really only looking at a template that will be 53 or so?

[johnny means]

1/8 luaun and cut the template to appropriate size with a knife. Cut a bird's mouth and the pieces will line up perfectly every time.

[johnny means]

If your template is symmetrical, aren't you really only looking at a template that will be 53 or so?

By definition a template doesn't assume symmetry.

[Mike Cutler]

Patrick

I made the templates for out granite counter tops and center island. They were made from 1/8" luan and had all of the dimensions and math formulas written onto them.
Full size templates are nice to work with.
Are you making the counter tops?
Walls won't be perfect 90's unless you make them so. ;)

[Jacob Mac]

By definition a template means something that is used as a pattern. So what I was getting at is if the table is symmetrical, you really only need to make a pattern for half the table and then you can flip it over and use the same pattern on the other half of the table.

That makes it easier to transport and easier to get a symmetrical table.

[johnny means]

By definition a template means something that is used as a pattern. So what I was getting at is if the table is symmetrical, you really only need to make a pattern for half the table and then you can flip it over and use the same pattern on the other half of the table.

That makes it easier to transport and easier to get a symmetrical table.

I read countertops and walls. Why would one template a table?

[Neil Gaskin]

We use to use plasticore before digital templates. Check with the fabricator to see if they offer digital templates. We buy plasticore from a plastics manufacturer. It’s basically plastic corrugated cardboard.

Where are you located?

[Ted Derryberry]

Scribe the top to fit on site if it's wood or laminate and not granite.

[Roger Bull]

Plasticore can be found by calling sign shops. They might even have scrap you can use.

Thinking outside the box, how about letting her arrange to transport the template. Perhaps she or a friend can drop it off for you. Keep it one piece if at all possible. Cutting and reassembling a template leads to problems.