Cutting mitres on skirting board

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by Ferm Handshake, Feb 18, 2004.

  1. Ferm Handshake

    Ferm Handshake New Member

    Hi,

    I need to cut the necessary mitres on my skirting board, the board is 170 odd high and my dear old mitre saw wont handle the depth and wont take it lying down, so to speak. I cant justify buying a nice power tool to the wife so can someone tell me what the solution is?

    Thanks a million.
     
  2. nigel

    nigel Guest

    You could buy a coping saw and butt joint the corner using the saw to match the profile where they join meaning no mitre is required.
     
  3. Ferm Handshake

    Ferm Handshake New Member

  4. big all

    big all Screwfix Select

    the mitre block might do the job im not sure
    you would be very lucky to have 90 degree corners
    in your room!!!!!!!!
    why not make your own mitre box from 3 bi 2
    for the base 12mm ply for the sides you fix
    the ply 1 inch up from the bottom make it about
    18 inches long you mark your angle on the top
    straight line down the front you saw your angle
    at the top half inch down the without sawing any
    more depth at the back you still leave the
    blade in the back slot for guidance whilst
    sawing the front you then turn it round and saw
    down the other straight line your sides need to
    be abit taller to allow for over lap\clearence
    about 4 inches taller if you make a mistake just
    cut another slot about 3 inches away from the last
    you may need to put battons across the top for
    support you can now put in your workmate or vice
    if you need to clamp the box down make the box a
    bit taller to accomodate the clamps and the packing
    piece inside the box i would also cut 2 lots of wood
    so you can easily make another mitre box
    if you need to ajust the angle slightly you just put
    apice of between the mitre box and skirting sliding it along to increase decrease angle
    if you would rather have a new tool dont show the misses
    this answer just go and buy one good luck
    big all
     
  5. big all

    big all Screwfix Select

    it should be apice of wood
    looking at my answer if i read it i think i would
    probably buy a saw couldnt be ar**d to do all that

    big all
     
  6. magsevern

    magsevern New Member

    Ferm Handshake, Having just fitted new skirtings in the front room I used the compound mitre saw from SFD. Cost £15.19. It has performed well and will cut 150mm mitres. For internal cuts my I suggest scribing. The details of this are in most DIY Books.
     
  7. Ferm Handshake

    Ferm Handshake New Member

    Many thanks gents.
     
  8. hillheader

    hillheader New Member

    Why not use your mitre saw to cut what you can (thus cutting a slot) and the remaining bit not cut, use the slot as a guide for a panel saw or similar.
     
  9. Ferm Handshake

    Ferm Handshake New Member

    I would, but the problem is the skirting is 170mm plus high and the mitre saw max depth is 150, so I cant get it in there in the first place.
     
  10. foxy

    foxy New Member

    Try cutting it halfway, flipping it over and cutting the rest.
     
  11. Dewy

    Dewy New Member

    hand mitre saws go to 150mm.
    Power mitre saws wont get near that except when the blade is tipped for bevel cutting & then you would need a sliding compound mitre saw.
    Beech mitre blocks, used with a hand saw are too low as well.
    A table saw could do it with the blade tilted to 45° but very few corners are exactly 90° so it's hit & miss without a purpose made tool that halves the angle for using a power mitre saw,such as the Trend Anglefix but as already said, they wont cut 170mm.
    There is The Magic Mitre with Jack Xpert Saw but that only goes up to 135mm.
    The only thing I can think of without the right tools is find the outside angles with an adjustable bevel then take this to your local timber merchant along with a couple of pieces of skirting & ask them if they can cut the correct mitre by halving the angle from the adjustable bevel.

    When the pros come on later I hope one of them can give better help.
     
  12. Dewy

    Dewy New Member

    foxy, those mitre saws don't lift high enough to fit the skirting in. The saw is held on a slide, up & down, & the maximum hight of the saw is between 120 & 150 depending on the model.
    Its always possible to cut part way by eye then slip the piece into the mitre saw but, having tried that myself, It's a bit hit & miss.
    I suppose it depends on whether the skirting is to be painted or left as wood.
    With painting, it's not so importand as the gaps can be filled.
     
  13. bodget&scarpers

    bodget&scarpers New Member

    get ur set square,mark it then mark 45 degrees and use a hand saw 2 cut joint,ull be surprised how accurate u r after a few trial cuts!
     
  14. kesh

    kesh New Member

    Have a peep at my post on the "cutting mitres with jigsaws" topic posted today.
     
  15. Dewy

    Dewy New Member

    thats for inside mitres kesh.
    Ferm Handshake needs it for externals
     
  16. kesh

    kesh New Member

    Ahhh, then he needs to invest or get good at cutting them by eye!

    Sorry about that!!
     
  17. Dewy

    Dewy New Member

    That's why I went through all the options i could think of when it was 1st posted.
    I'd use a sliding mitre saw set at half the angle on a bevel cut.
    I did it on my table saw once but the cut wasn't clean enough for the plinth on my desk.
     

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