It's funny how one thing leads to another and that's the story with this guide. When I started planning the deck chair assembly, I thought about what I could use (and recommend) for trimming very sharp corners for the chair frame. When I collected them for sale, I made cuts by hand on a table saw, and this I will not do again or advise others to do.
I remembered the rafter square and how it can be used to cut at a 90 degree angle while holding it at work. It can also plan different angles (roof pitch) to cut freehand. Taking it one step further, I figured that if it has a moving fence, it can be set at any angle and used as a miter cutting guide.
Without thinking, I went to the workshop to start making this miter cutter. Often the first attempt to make something like this didn't quite work out, so I didn't use the best materials. I found a piece of plywood 1/2" thick and drew a semicircle on it using my radial compass:
The plywood was left over from doing the soffit, so it's about 10 inches wide. I set the compass to 9″ and inserted the center 3/4″ from the edge. Since this will be used for cutting sharp corners, it must be large enough to properly guide the saw.
Cut it out on a bandsaw and sand to a line on the disc:
Since the fence will arc to the chosen corner, there must be a way to lock it in place. To do this, I drew two more arcs about 1-1/4″ from the edge to define a 3/8″ wide gap.
This leaves enough room on the edge to mark the scale and it's still wide enough not to be brittle:
A 3/8″ hole is drilled into each end of the arc and cut out with a jigsaw. Again, I left enough material at the ends so it wouldn't break easily:
The pivot point is drilled down to 3/16″ and it's all sanded down to make it smoother and easier to mark the scale on:
The fence is then made from a piece of spruce about 12 inches long, 1 inch wide, and about 3/4 inch thick. The end is marked round using a 3/8″ washer and the center point is drilled using a 1/8″ turn screw bit:
The end is rounded on the grinder disc:
With guardrail temporarily installed, the location of the locking knob is marked and drilled with a 5/16″ bit:
T-nut 1/4″ pressed in with my wood vise , and the fence is ready for installation:
The lock handle is just a 2″ long 1/4″ bolt glued to a plywood handle with a couple of locknuts underneath to hold it in place and spread it apart:
The pivot screw is a #10 flat head screw, and the flared underside of the screw centers it in the slightly enlarged hole when tightened:
To lay out the scale of the fixture with which I will cut the wooden parts at an angle, I use my homemade protractor:
To separate the segments by 5 degrees, I cut a piece of wood to the correct thickness to accommodate the marks. It was trial and error, cut and repeat until it was right:
The scale is not exact, but close for most woodworking operations, especially the ones I have in mind.
Another way to scale is to enlarge the one I used for my protractor and glue it on. I figure that if I did it this way, it would probably take twice as long as just measuring and marking as it would for me, which with all the confusion would get the right size print.
We test it by cutting a 30 degree angle:
It works well, better than I thought! Not bad for a first try.
Here is a short video showing how I made the fit:
Here is a video of the sun lounger assembly for which I made it:
Often the smallest details spoil a beautiful picture. When repairing an apartment or house, these are, as a rule, joints at the wallpaper that have diverged by just a millimeter or an incorrectly cut corner at the ceiling plinth, which can be clearly seen in the photo.
Cutting the ceiling plinth with a miter box will help to avoid problems with the baguette.
What is a skirting board
The unusual name of the carpentry tool "miter box" comes from the German word "Stoßlade", which, in literal translation, means tsulaga (press) for cutting into a mustache. In the common language, a miter box is a tray resembling an inverted letter "P" in shape with oblique paired slots in the side slats located at a certain angle to the central axis.
The size of the cut slots should allow the cutting tool, saw or hacksaw to move freely, but without lateral play.
The classic number of slots is six, three on each side: two for cutting at an angle of 45 degrees (left and right parts) and one for a right angle (some models of the tool have slots and at an angle of 15, 30.60, and 135 o or in increments of 15 o). With the help of such a device, a 45 o angle is cut out at the plinth for an accurate and beautiful connection of the baguette in the corners.
It is possible to precisely saw down the plinth bar without various devices. There are proven technologies for this. However, it is difficult, only professionals with extensive experience can do it. It is better for self-taught people to use a miter box for ceiling plinths, which allows you to get a perfectly accurate connecting angle easily and simply.
In what cases does it apply
It is a mistake to think that the device was invented solely to cut the corners of a baguette. The must, on the contrary, came to the decoration of walls and ceilings from other areas of carpentry. This construction tool is actively used for:
- production of boxes for doors;
- installation of door and window casings;
- production of glazing beads for fixing window glass;
- preparation of planks for frames for photographs and paintings;
- cutting cable channels;
- cutting corners at the floor and ceiling plinth.
The use of a miter box as a device for working with fillets allows sawing the ends so that they touch in the corners without gaps.
Types of miter box
Mittens are categorized according to three criteria:
- size;
- the material from which the tool is made;
- designs.
The size
According to the first sign, two standard sizes are distinguished:
Material
On sale you can find a miter box made of different materials:
- tree;
- plastic;
- metal, mainly aluminium.
Wooden tool models have good performance characteristics: ease of use and cutting accuracy, which, together with an affordable price, made this type of device for cutting materials at a given angle the most massive. Adds pluses to the tool from the boards and the ability to make a miter box for the plinth with your own hands.
Structurally, wooden tools are made of 3 boards, one of which is the base, the other two are side planks with slots at different angles. They can be collapsible - fastened with self-tapping screws and non-separable - the connection of the planks with the base is glued with the addition of self-tapping screws for rigidity.
The disadvantages include a not very long service life - when working with a hacksaw for metal or a saw with the teeth of a cutting tool, the sides of the slot are filed, as a result of which the groove increases in size. A lateral displacement of 1-2 o appears, which immediately affects the quality of the baguette connection in the corners. Therefore, for professional carpenters, tool models made from other materials are preferable. But for doing housework - this is an ideal option.
A tool made of plastic, mainly PVC, has a budget cost (polyurethane ones are more expensive), a variety of sizes and low weight. They are a one-piece construction with slots on the sidewalls. It is used exclusively at home, since the service life is even shorter than that of a wooden counterpart: the slots increase in size much faster, exceeding the allowable standard.
Mittens made of steel or aluminum are tools for professionals. These are durable and easy-to-use products with high accuracy washed down. To match the quality and price: it is very high.
Design
According to the design features of the miter box are divided:
- on the simple or, as they are also called - ordinary. They are templates with predetermined cutting angles. In the classic version, there are three pairs of grooves: for the right and left baguette at 45 o and a transverse cut. In some models, you can find up to 11 pairs of slots. When working with such a tool, it must be fixed on a workbench with a clamp. The second clamp fastens the workpiece, from which you need to cut off the corner according to the given template. Often you have to work without clamps. In this case, the plinth and the miter box are held with one hand, and the corner of the fillet is sawed with the other. If you work carefully in such conditions, do not rush, you can saw off the corner with the same quality as when using fixing tools;
- rotary. Such instruments are more commonly known as precision miter boxes. It consists of a turntable and a segment of the disk, on which degrees are applied, which allows you to cut out any angle. A number of models can also be tilted, which makes it possible to cut the part at the end in two planes at once (called universal). It is convenient to work with such a device with a small number of operations - manual sawing is still exhausting.
- electrical. These are the same rotary tools, but with a circular saw. They are used mainly by professional builders for mass sawing of corners, although such a mechanism is also found among home tools.
The principle and rules of working with the device
For many owners of an apartment or house who carry out repairs on their own, it is news that there are special devices for cutting corners at a baguette. Therefore, they are poorly oriented in how to use the miter box for skirting boards.
The very principle of using the device is extremely simple. A baguette is taken and fastened in a miter box opposite the slot at 45 o in the same position as it will be glued to the wall. At the same time, it should protrude 1-2 cm beyond the boundaries of the zone in which the corner will be cut, which will allow you to get a smooth, without chips, butt. The workpiece is fixed with clamps, and in their absence, it is pressed against the base of the fixture by hand. There is a little trick here: it is more convenient to cut if the saw is on the side of the working hand (grooves in the tool allow this to be done).
Knowledge of the principle of operation does not guarantee an accurate and beautiful connection of the baguette in the corners. You also need to know the basic rules on how to cut a ceiling plinth on a miter box.
- The cutting tool must match the fillet material. Styrofoam is best cut with a knife with a replaceable blade. Plastic - with a knife, a hacksaw for metal or a grinder with a cutting wheel that has a diamond coating. Wooden fillet - with a wood saw with a fine tooth.
- Baguettes with relief or ornament must be combined according to the pattern.
- In order to avoid mistakes when determining the direction of the cut, you need to pre-mark with a pencil the line along which the saw will go. Here, special accuracy is not needed: the main thing is to correctly indicate the chosen direction.
- You need to start washing down after checking the quality of fixing the plinth in the tool: is it installed correctly; how secure it is.
Which miter box to choose in the store
When choosing a fixture, you need to focus on its functionality (at what angle and what planes to cut the workpiece) and the amount of work performed. Simple, U-shaped tools are bought if you have to install a floor or ceiling plinth on your own, rotary tools are designed for craftsmen. If you need a complex cut in 2 planes, then a non-professional will have to buy a rotary miter box.
When buying, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:
- the material from which the device is made;
- base width;
- wall thickness;
- the presence of a cutting tool;
- number of slots (the more, the better);
- the presence of clamps (clamps);
- how free the saw is.
You can buy a simple fixture without a hacksaw for 87-820 rubles. The cost of a rotary miter box starts from 1300 rubles. It is difficult to say how much an electric tool costs, even roughly. The price gap is huge. You can buy a miter saw for 6 thousand rubles and 25 thousand rubles.
Among the brands stand out:
The model is made of durable plastic. There are slots at angles of 22.5, 45, 90 and 135 o for vertical cuts and 45 o for bevel sawing. The price of the tool starts from 335 rubles.
Material - one-piece molded impact-resistant plastic. Cuts can be made at an angle of 22.5, 45 and 90 o vertically and 45 o horizontally. Allows for very precise cuts. The cost starts from 770 rubles.
Made of high impact technical thermoplastic resin (ABC plastic), which allows you to maintain the size of the slot for a long time. You can buy for 220-340 rubles.
Professional swivel. The bed can be steel, aluminum or plastic. A saw is included in the kit. It costs from 3500 rubles. up to 6700 rub.
Is it possible and how to do it yourself
A trip to a retail outlet to buy a device can be postponed if you have at hand:
- 3 boards 30-50 cm long. One of them is 15-20 cm wide (base), two for 30-50 mm sides (a high side makes it difficult to work with a saw);
- furniture self-tapping screws with a hexagon head;
- glue;
- cutting tool for woodworking (saw, hacksaw);
- clamps - these can be a vice or clamps;
- a set of hex furniture keys (confirmates);
- electric drill or screwdriver with a set of drills;
- ruler;
- protractor;
- corner;
- construction pencil (marker);
- sandpaper R120.
From the above set of materials and tools, it is not difficult to make a simple device for fitting the ends of the baguette when they are connected in the corners with your own hands.
The step-by-step scheme of actions is as follows:
- the bottom of the base and the sides are polished with sandpaper;
- the base is attached in a vice or clamp to the workbench;
- a side board is applied to the base on the side (covers the side face);
- using measuring tools, the angle formed by two boards is checked - it should be 90 o;
- in 3-4 places, the side bar and the base are drilled with a screwdriver (the drill should be 1-2 mm thinner than self-tapping screws);
- PVA glue is applied to the edge of the base (any type of glue for wooden products can be used);
- the side is screwed to the base with furniture screws;
- a similar operation is performed on the other side of the miter box;
- using a ruler, protractor and pencil, marks are made under the slots. There should be 3 on each side. One pair for cutting parts at a right angle, two other pairs at an angle of 45 o, for the left and right baguette. The location of the grooves can be arbitrary, but it is more convenient to work if there is a groove in the middle of the fixture for an angle of 90 o, and on the sides at an equal distance for angles of 45 o;
- make cuts with a saw to the very base.
Using a homemade device will save the family budget with good quality cornering.
There is nothing complicated in the instructions on how to cut a ceiling plinth with a miter box.
1. The plinth is laid in the miter box with the front surface up, so that the plane in contact with the ceiling lies on the base, and the second one is pressed against the side of the fixture. In this case, the bar should protrude 1-2 cm beyond the cut line, which can be clearly seen in the photo.
2. The fillet is pressed against the fixture with force, and a cutting tool (saw, hacksaw) is inserted into the slot. By the way, in the second photo, the location of the plinth is more convenient for left-handers. For those who are used to sawing with their right hand, you just need to go to the other side or turn the miter box with the plinth 180 o.
3. The butt is slaughtered.
4. The second plinth is cut in a mirror image.
5. The cut points are ground with fine paper when using a cutting tool with a tooth. Naturally, after the knife, the grinding operation is not carried out.
How to properly cut the ends of the fillet for the inner and outer corners, you can see in the photo.
Is there a difference in technology for floor and ceiling plinth
At first glance, there is no difference in cutting corners for ceiling and floor skirting boards. Indeed, there are none if it is only about how to make a corner with a miter box - the sawing technology is the same.
Otherwise, there are and they relate to methods for determining the length of trimmings for joining in the corners. So, at the top, when cutting the butt, the upper part of the bar is shortened, at the bottom, on the contrary, the lower one. When joining the plinth at the outer corner, the ceiling plinth increases in the upper part, the floor plinth - at the base.
Let's supplement the instructions on how to use the miter box with a few simple rules, the implementation of which allows you to correctly cut the corner at the baseboard.
- Starting work, you should not panic if, after the first cuts, the ends do not fit perfectly. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to adjust the first skirting boards repeatedly.
- Often beginners get confused about the size of the corner strips. To prevent this from happening, the measurement is done as follows: the length of the fillet for the inner corner starts directly from the adjacent wall, for the outer corner - from the edge of the corner plus the width of the plinth, since the upper corner will protrude into the room.
- Before landing the fillets on the glue, even with absolute certainty in the correct gash, you need to check how accurate the joint turned out to be. To do this, attach the touching ends to each other directly in the corner.
- Builders have not yet learned how to make an angle of exactly 90 o. So there will always be small gaps. They can be sealed with gypsum putty or sealant.
- If the walls are not littered (standing vertically), the baguettes can be adjusted at the bottom, even if the angle is sharp or obtuse.
Conclusion
Using a miter box for cutting the outer and inner corners of the baguette panels allows you to get accurate cuts of the ends, which cannot be done by eye. The use of technologies without adaptation requires sealing the plinth joints with a sealant.
On sale there is a wide selection of tool models, different in cost, size, operating principles and material from which it is made. This means that the home master will always be able to choose the most effective miter box for his work. The simplicity of the design allows people, even without primary experience in construction, to effectively use the device for cutting the right angles for parts used in the course of repair work.
Those people who are far from carpentry often express bewilderment at the word "miter box", you can even hear chuckles and jokes about this unusual word. However, experts easily explain the meaning of this simple word.
What it is?
This word comes from several ancient foundations that are included in many European languages. “St” - in translation means “to approve, put”, “sl” - “fold”, the ending “o” indicates that it helps to add and connect. Let's take a few words as an example. For example, a chisel is what helps to gouge, a drill is what can be drilled.
As you can see, the very meaning of the word "miter box" encrypts its use. With it, you can make parts that are stacked with each other. There is also one old concept: “connect in a mustache” (without flaws) - some masters translate the name of the instrument in this way. The same meaning is encrypted in the more understandable word "hang out" - to meet, connect, get together.
A miter box is an auxiliary carpentry tool designed for cutting materials at a strictly specified angle. The correct angle, as well as accurate sawing, is especially important when installing finishing materials, such as ceiling or floor skirting boards, baguette frames or platbands.
This convenient fixture is fixed on a workbench or other surface with screws, clamps or self-tapping screws - only reliable fastening can ensure the quality of the cut.
Having mastered the miter box, any master will significantly reduce the amount of marriage, thereby quickly paying for this simple but necessary tool.
What is it needed for?
Initially, the miter box was used as a device that washed down boards at an angle of 45 and 90 degrees. Modern tools allow you to saw the workpiece at different fixed angles. The rotary miter box provides adjustment of any cutting angle.
The need for sawing at an angle arises in many carpentry works, for example, when washing down a door frame, because a mistake can be expensive in the literal sense of the word: you will have to purchase a new frame. But even relatively small work, such as the manufacture of frames, material for platbands and skirting boards, does not allow distortions and inconsistencies.
To work, you need a special hacksaw. It differs from the usual version in small teeth and a small divorce, which allows you to make a narrow neat cut.
The handle of such a saw is fixed at the top of the blade so that it is possible to use a hacksaw along the entire length.
Varieties
The design of the miter box has been developed for a long time. Its shape resembles a tray or box without end walls, which has a U-shaped section. Slots are made in the side walls at a certain angle. Initially, the device was made of wood.
For some work, a do-it-yourself tool made from scraps of bars and boards with clearly calibrated angles is quite suitable.
You need to work with such a miter box very carefully, since you can easily saw the tool itself along with the workpiece.
Step by step, the manufacture of the simplest wooden miter box can be represented as follows:
- first of all, it is necessary to choose an even cut of the board up to 50 cm long and 10 cm wide;
- screw side boards of the same size as the base onto it with self-tapping screws;
- using a protractor, mark the side walls for slots, make angles of 90 and 45 degrees;
- carefully saw through the guide grooves in both side walls.
Modern products have become cheaper as they are mass-produced from plastic or polyurethane. They weigh a little and are suitable for mobile repair teams.
The plastic miter box has one, but quite a serious drawback - rapid wear.. The slots gradually expand, and it becomes impossible to work with such a tool. However, due to the low price, it is always possible to replace a worn device with a new one.
Metal (aluminum) products - the most reliable and durable. Many professionals use just such tools. The only drawback of this type of product is its price.
However, with constant use, a metal miter box will quickly pay off.
Structurally, tools can also be divided into several groups.
- Simple. Such a device fixes the workpiece for sawing at a right angle and an angle of 45 degrees. It can be successfully used for sawing skirting boards, slats, platbands, baguettes and other details. For this type of tool, a special hacksaw with a small set of teeth is produced.
- Swivel option makes it possible to rotate the hacksaw to almost any angle: from 15 to 135 degrees. This type of tool is of little use for small household work, but it is very convenient in workshops, as a stationary tool that works in a constant mode. Some inconvenience is the rather laborious setting of the required angle. But if the blanks are sawn in several pieces, then this factor will not be relevant.
- Electric miter box is a circular saw mounted on a special machine with a turntable.
The last two types of tools will be useful for large volumes of work - they can cut several products at once. A special clamp helps to cut, for example, several blanks of floor or ceiling plinth, products for frames.
Some models allow you to cut workpieces in the corners for a connection called a dovetail.
How to use?
Before starting work, you need to prepare all the necessary tools: a miter box, a special backing hacksaw with fine teeth (sometimes sold complete with a miter box), a pencil, a tape measure, sandpaper.
Using a miter box requires some skill.
A typical mistake is insufficient clamping of the workpiece or the tool itself, which often leads to displacement of the material during the sawing process. In addition, loose parts and elements are a direct path to injury.
Safety precautions when working with this tool require special attention - this applies to both fixed parts and a movable hacksaw.
The workpiece is placed in the fixture so that it fits snugly against the bottom and one of the side rails. It is necessary to monitor the correct position in accordance with the required cutting angle. It is necessary to cut with a hacksaw to the end, otherwise, in the process of breaking the workpiece, splitting of the end may occur.
It is very convenient to cut a baguette using a miter box for finishing frames or a special ceiling baguette made of polymer materials. Since there are often decorative fillets on the outer surface, the requirements for the quality of the cut are always very high.
For a more thorough fit, you should stock up on a clerical knife - a baguette is easily processed with this tool.
The cutting principle is the same.
It is described below.
- Before cutting, you need to carefully mark the workpiece so as not to confuse the corners.
- It is necessary to lay the workpiece in the miter box so that the marked line coincides with the corresponding groove of the tool.
- Then you need to press the workpiece and cut it off with a hacksaw strictly according to the mark.
- When cutting the second workpiece, you need to clearly understand how it should be docked with the first one - it is important to correctly position the baguette in relation to the grooves of the tool, otherwise the work will have to be redone. When you are convinced that everything is installed correctly, the operations must be repeated in the same order.
In order to saw off the corners of the plinth, the miter box is installed on a workbench or table. Both adjustable plinths are placed in the miter box at once - it is important to follow their precise fit to the opposite walls of the fixture.
Excellent miter box copes with the preparation of cable channels. This element of the interior can be difficult to hide, and all the flaws in their laying and installation are in sight. Using the miter box in this case is not difficult, and the effect will be amazing.
Nuances
Sawing a workpiece at the right angle with the help of a miter box, at first glance, is not difficult - it, in fact, was invented for this.
However, special requirements are placed on the hacksaw. An ordinary tool for fine work will not work - a wide set and large teeth will not give the expected effect. The cuts will be rough, and the miter box groove will gradually be expanded so much that the hacksaw blade will begin to “walk” in it, after which you will have to purchase a new fixture.
1. Zero clearance
If the circular saw blade leaves torn fibers and chips on the edges of the cut, try to next addition. Cut out a piece of hardboard6 mm thick across the width of the base of the circular saw.
Pull the disc away, lift the protective cover and stick the cut piece to the base with double-sided tape. Turn on the saw and slowly plunge the blade into the hardboard for a zero-gap kerf. Then saw with a small feed on the basis received.
Note: Be especially careful as the saw blade is open!
2. Set the saw on the line for an accurate cut
Spend a few minutes on making this template in the workshop, and the necessary precision cuts will be available anywhere. The fixture shown in the picture was designed for boards with a width of 150 mm, but it is not difficult to adjust the design to any required size or angle.
Make the jig with a slight allowance, then press the circular saw against the stop and saw off the edge of the base to the final length.
The sawn edge of the fixture defines the line along which a circular saw should make a cut.
Put a mark on the board where you want to cut it, press the bottom stop of the fixture against the edge of the board and align the edge of the base with the cut mark. By passing the saw through the fixture, it is possible to cut boards with amazing accuracy.
3. Finding a simple guide
How to make a straight cut with a portable circular saw? Of course, you can buy an expensive guide in the store or make it yourself in the workshop if you need to cut a lot of sheets. But there is an easier solution: make it from scraps that are lying around in the corner of the workshop. Choose to make a factory edge strip of plywood or hardboard with a width of 250-300 mm for the manufacture of the guide. Fasten the strip along the cutting line so that saw base moved along the flat edge. If a foam backing is used to protect the saw blade, make cutouts in it for the jaws of the clamps.
4. Homemade cutting attachment for a circular saw
Clean and straight cross cuts can be difficult to make with a portable circular saw. It is almost impossible to guide the tool perfectly straight, and pieces of material usually fly off, leaving behind unsightly chips and split edges.I suggest doing it yourself inexpensive fixture for cross cuts of several pieces of wood and aluminum angle. Assemble the base, for which, to the top side of a piece of chipboard or plywood measuring 18 × 300 × 1220 mm, glue and tighten with screws a pair of parallel planks measuring 25 × 50 mm.
Using countersunk screws, attach to the planks parallel at a distance equal to the width of the base of the circular saw, aluminum corners at an angle of 90 °. Adjust the saw so that it cuts through the planks and makes shallow cut at the base.
Fasten the fixture with clamps on the workbench, insert the workpiece under aluminum rails and make a cut. If the saw does not slide well along the guides, then a thin layer of paraffin or silicone spray help move it more smoothly.
5. Template for installing the guide
When to make long cuts with a portable circular saw, you have to spend a lot of time and take many measurements to set a straight guide against the marking line in exact accordance with the width of the saw base.To simplify this procedure cut out the pattern from fiberboard (hardboard), equal in width to the distance from the edge of the base of the saw to the inner edge of the saw blade. Then cut the template to the length of the saw base. To use the template, align its edge with the cut mark on the workpiece, and attach a straight guide to the other side and secure it with a clamp.
Repeat this procedure on the second kerf mark on the other side of the workpiece to be sawn. Similar patterns can be made for jigsaw or milling cutter.
To quickly and accurately cut a skirting board at the right angle, make a baguette frame for a picture or equip a French garden, you will need a carpentry tool to create the right corner joints and equal cuts - a miter box. You don't have to be a professional carpenter. The miter box will allow you to make perfect corner joints for beginners who for the first time take up the independent repair of an apartment.
Hardware stores offer a wide range of different woodworking products, mostly made of plastic. Purchased plastic miter box has a number of disadvantages. Its guide openings are made in standard widths - for saws with teeth of different sizes, and not for your personal wood saw. As a result, after several times of use, they wear out and become wider. This leads to errors in obtaining the required angle.
In order not to litter your home with low-quality tools, it is easier to make a miter box with your own hands.
Advantages of a homemade miter box:
- its production does not require much time;
- expensive purchased materials for its manufacture at home can be replaced with scraps of wood that are already there;
- the dimensions of the miter box and the cutting angles are made according to your needs;
Consider step by step how to make a miter box with your own hands.
Step 1. Preparatory work
The easiest variant of the miter box to manufacture is a wooden box of three parts: the bottom and two side ones. You will need:
- Wooden board made of hardwood, about 1 meter long. For oak and ash, the thickness of the board is sufficient at 10-15 mm, for pine - at least 20 mm. The height of the side walls is selected depending on the planned work. For example, if you have to work with a plinth, then the height is at least 30 mm, with wooden planks - 50 mm. The width of the bed is selected depending on the workpiece used. For skirting boards, it must be at least 150 mm.
- Hand saw. Note that the parameters of the miter box are made specifically for the saw with which you plan to work further, and not vice versa. Therefore, it is recommended to pre-select a hacksaw with optimal stiffness parameters, tooth size and blade thickness.
- Ruler, pencil, right angle tool.
- Self-tapping screws and sandpaper.
Saw your existing board into three pieces of the same length. Sand the workpieces, especially the ends and align the corners to 90 degrees. Connect them with self-tapping screws, securely fixing each. For reliability, you can glue additional dowels and fix the elements of the resulting box with a clamp. Let the glue dry. The base is ready. You can stick rubber on the bottom, then the miter box will hold firmly on any surface
Step 2. Markup
You can draw a preliminary markup on paper, you can make a drawing directly on the wooden box itself.
Draw perpendicular lines at the ends of the side parts. Measure the outer width of the miter box and make the first mark. Then make a second mark on the side at a distance equal to the width of the box. Likewise on the second side. By connecting the opposite marks, get an angle of 45 degrees. You should get a square if you visually project all the marks onto a plane.
Check the marking accuracy several times - the distance between the marks should be the same, the lines should be strictly parallel. The quality of your further work depends on the quality of the markup.
Step 3
Using a wood saw, make cuts on the sides of the box at three marks diagonally and perpendicularly. This is where maximum precision is needed. You can widen the grooves by sanding them with coarse sandpaper. If desired, sand and paint your instrument.
In just three steps, we described how to make an elementary miter box with your own hands from wood.
You can also make your own hands and a rotary miter box. For this purpose, a rotating saw guide is built into the fixed base, which is fixed at the angle required for cutting the part from 0 to 360 degrees.
This is almost a professional tool that allows you to set and maintain the desired cutting angle up to one degree. A more complex structure of the rotary miter box allows you to firmly fix the material being processed, as well as cut at an angle using special marks.
Usage
Having a finished miter box, you can start manufacturing and cutting parts. But it is worth learning a few rules for its competent use:
- Correct angles. Please note that the skirting board has a left and right side. Therefore, if we nail the plinth on the right side of the room, then we saw it on the left and vice versa.
- Do not confuse internal and external corners. To do this, it is worth making a preliminary marking of the material, and then comparing these marks with the grooves on the miter box. For reliability, the structure must be fixed with clamps and only then sawn.
- Remember that ceiling plinths and floor plinths are opposite to each other, so their sawing should be done in reverse order.
- With a lack of experience, it is advisable to fix the sawn plinth in the same position in which it will be located on the floor or ceiling.
- It will always be useful to fill your hand first - to practice on scraps.
Making a miter box with your own hands is not at all difficult. Such a carpentry tool will always come in handy for cutting ceiling and floor plinths, cutting out various lugs and frames, creating comfort in the house and beauty in the garden.
Floor exercise
Creating frames for canvas or framing for paintings is a pleasant pastime. But the miter box is also the perfect tool for beautifully slicing bread, eggplant, pumpkin, cheese, and anything else your imagination can capture.
Good luck in mastering this incredibly useful and versatile tool!
