I have to think someone here has done this.
We will be buying a new countertop eventually, but we(read SWMBO ) "needed" to move the fridge to the other side of the kitchen.

The long counter top needs to be cut so the piece can go to the side of the kitchen where the fridge was.

To minimize or maybe even get lucky and not have any cracked surface on the cut, how should I do this, surface down or up using a hand circular saw?

What about a sabre saw? Different procedure?

PS This is a standard off the shelf Home Depot 'formica' counter top.

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

Home Depot countertops are made by pressing oatmeal together then covering it with laminate. I wouldn't even use pressed oatmeal to build a FIRE! Buy the lady some Corian countertops.

Doubting you will, cut the existing countertop from the top using a fine-tooth blade on a circular saw. A trick that helps is to cover the Formica with masking tape over the saw cut area and make your cut over the tape. It's supposed to make it chip less.

Poor SWMBO...

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"HEIDI" White 1998 E-300TD 176K
European Delivery is a HOOT!

2002 Harley "FatBoy"

What he said....and I would add go slowly. You are more likely to chip if the blade speed drops due to pushing too fast.

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
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Section 609 MVAC Certified
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"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

What they said.

Use masking tape and buy a high quality fine tooth blade for your circular saw or table saw. These blades are also good for cutting melamine board, which is incredibly prone to chipping.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Thank you all!!
This is just so we have a working kitchen for July 4th. We have a big party because we are AMERICANS!!!

We will get good countertops, but they won't be ready in time. She's also not sure what kind she wants yet.

These tips are a huge help. Love this place.

__________________
85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

If you'll use that saber saw to make the cut, your kitchen will be featured by Jeff Foxworthy's Blue Collar Humor.

__________________
"HEIDI" White 1998 E-300TD 176K
European Delivery is a HOOT!

2002 Harley "FatBoy"

yes..buy or borrow a circular saw...otherwise just go at it with an axe...

__________________
Proud owner of ....
1971 280SE W108
1979 300SD W116
1983 300D W123
1975 Ironhead Sportster chopper
1987 GMC 3/4 ton 4X4 Diesel
1989 Honda Civic (Heavily modified)
---------------------
Section 609 MVAC Certified
---------------------
"He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you." - Friedrich Nietzsche

Agreed. Clamp a straightedge down with cushioning and score the bee-jesus out of it. Use a straightedge for the saw and cut a fraction away from the score.

__________________
Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I cut it from the bottom, that way the teeth cut into it rather than pulling it apart and you won't scratch it.

I cut from the top with a circular saw, taping the surface first and cutting on the line on the tape.
The temporary Foxworthy kitchen isn't looking bad at all, what with the clean cut lines dividing the counter top and all. All we have to do now is get one of them whole turkey friers. Heck, we might even let the kidduns try to fry that sucker.

Thanks all.

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85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

You're right, cutting from the bottom is better -- the teeth are pulling up on the work, way less chipping potential. It can be harder with the bullnose and all, but you can put a small wedge for the saw shoe to ride up on and with the blade set deep, it will still cut it.

__________________
Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

When you buy the fryer, put a turkey in it and fill to proper height with water. This will tell you how much peanut oil to use. I've seen video of a turkey being added when too much oil was heated. It overflowed and caught fire badly. Decks, garages, and homes have been burned down due to turkey fryers. be careful!

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"HEIDI" White 1998 E-300TD 176K
European Delivery is a HOOT!

2002 Harley "FatBoy"

And when your done with the oil, let it cool a little, filter it, and use it for fuel

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

I was joking about the turkey fryer. You'd never catch me near one of those things.

__________________
85' 300D No inspection, No registration fees, Cheap insurance
"If my calculations are correct, when this baby hits 88 miles per hour, you're going to see some serious %$&^."

See, Men will cook if it involves open flames, serious risk of injury and an appropriate amount of special hardware.