Acute mitre joints: how?

[iantresman]

I am a complete novice with a hand mitre saw and jig, which I hope to fix some skirting board.

1. The jig allows angles from 45-90-degrees, but how do I make a 40-degree mitre? One of the corners is somewhat angular. I can find nothing in any of my books, nor on the Web, so I assume I'm missing something obvious?

2. The jig seems to have pre-set angles: 45-deg, 60-deg, 75-deg and 90-degs. One of my mitres requires 82-degrees. Is this the wrong tool, or the wrong operator for the job?

Thanks!

Ian Tresman
Derby, UK

[Marc]

Ha ha, I wonder why there are no replies?

Sorry mate, have a look at this thread.
http://www.woodworkforums.ubeaut.com...&threadid=5860

[BigPop]

Marc,


"Only fools rush in where Wise Men fear to tread"

[Mick C.]

Others can correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe if you cut them the way you should for a fancy cornice or picture rail etc you should have a good fit!
I think this is called "scribing in". You cut one at 90 deg which can now be installed, then the other at 45 deg, then with a copeing saw you cut the freshly cut mitered piece off, at 90 deg to the face, following the line scribed on the face by the miter cut. This leaves you with a cut end that matches the profile of the mating board.
This will allow you to easily fit the skirting into the corner without bowing the board to fit and should go very close to fitting the out of square corner without ending up with a nasty gap or having to cut a rotten 40 deg angle without the aid of a good miter saw!
Someone may explain it better but thats the jist of it.


Best of luck.
Mick

[iantresman]

Others can correct me if i'm wrong, but i believe if you cut them the way you should for a fancy cornice or picture rail etc you should have a good fit!
I think this is called "scribing in".

Yes, this does seem to be the consensus.

The thread mentioned earlier is also useful, which I didn't find originally because my "mitre saw" is spelt "miter saw" elsewhere, and British skirting board is American baseboard.

I will buy a coping saw, and give it a try.

Thanks to everyone for their suggesions.

Regards,
Ian Tresman