Help--I'm miter challenged.

[Miriam C.]

Rainjer
your welcome. I like the drawing it is simple enough to make the point. Colors help too.

I had this struggle years ago and finally allowed my miter box to do the work for me. I personally like my cheat method because boards are never exactly 3" and messing with fractions spooks a lot of people.

Miriam

[rainjer]

I basically grew up in a cabinet shop. Working in wood is in my blood. That kind of stuff come second nature to me. I use my 12" compond miter saw to do my cutting. It sure saves time. I plan on biscuiting all of my joints also. The only problem I have is I do not work with "plans". I basically draw a sketch with a few rough measurements & start cutting. Building my teardrop will be hard because I will be using some plans. I will still wing it for most of it.

[Miriam C.]

Sorry Ira I gotta do it.

Is there anyone here who got plans and stuck to them?
Someone please start a poll.

I can draw you a fairly accurate print and put in the details. I am also semi-math challanged. (cause I don't like it) If there is a short cut I will try it ---on scrap. Somewhere inside my hyper brain is this very cautious detailed person. I make people crazy who watch me build anything because I want it right. Good is never Great, but it is ok.

One thing I learned from reading the builds, (and I have read a bunch) is almost every has thier own way to get to the same point.

I have 3 ways to make a miter. If I am scattered or going to get distracted I use a pencil first. If not, I wing it.

Have fun, thier not going to quit selling fun.
Miriam

[asianflava]

Just do it like I do, cut it oversized then keep trimming it down to where it fits. A miter saw is a godsend for this job. Wouldn't even try crown molding without it.

[mikeschn]

Ira,

Why not just say the heck with miters? I looked at my old house today and saw that they didn't use miters... so today, I didn't either...

Here's the plan...



Mike...

[mikeschn]

And here's what I came up with... who needs miters...



Mike...

[Loader]

Mike, I couldn't agree more. In fact, here's a "snappy" of my inside cabinet face. I skipped the miters, even though I have a nice Delta power compound miter saw, and went with butt joints with pocket screws.

[mikeschn]

I didn't even use pocket screws... I drove my screws in from the end and plugged the holes... What could be easier?



Mike...

[Loader]

I didn't even use pocket screws... I drove my screws in from the end and plugged the holes... What could be easier?

Mike...

True that! K.I.S.S.

[rainjer]

Let's say I have a 12 by 18 opening, and I want to frame it with trim. What size do I cut the lengths to, and how do I use the "box?"

I was assuming he was framing around a window.

If he is doing face frames, normally you do not use miters.

[mikeschn]

Let's say I have a 12 by 18 opening, and I want to frame it with trim. What size do I cut the lengths to, and how do I use the "box?"

I was assuming he was framing around a window.

If he is doing face frames, normally you do not use miters.

Agreed Rainjer...

But that is my framing for around a window...

Looks just like this framing I did around a window a window a few days ago...


Mike...

[bledsoe3]

I didn't even use pocket screws... I drove my screws in from the end and plugged the holes... What could be easier?



Mike...

I just cut the centers out of a sheet of ply. No joints at all.

[Ira]

It's for scalloped trim around the cabinet openings, so yeah--I thought I should miter.

It's gonna be weird though, because here's the molding we're taking about:



Is it going to be possible to make correct corners with this kind of molding? Now that I think about, the dimensions to my openings may not even ALLOW it, that the scalloping won't match up.

[Miriam C.]

Hey Ira, Thought you forgot us. Nice pic.
I think the border is great. If the scallops don't look right with the opening perhaps you can put the scalloped part into the opening and the rest as framing.

If your corners don't come out perfect use some wood fill for the gaps. If you use the good stuff it shouldn't show.

Glad you tried it anyway,

I personally would not miter a frame that was going to have a door. So I guess I agree with the others.

However, you requested info about mitering and my personal opine is that you practice. You might supprise yourself.

If you cut your pieces together or at least mark where on the molding you want to match at your corners, you should be ok.

[Miriam C.]

OOPs
Ira if you move the scroll inside the opening you have to bring your short side cut in. Cut it shorter by the amount you move inward.

Use a piece of scrap to see how it will work.
Sorry.
Miriam