OK, I am not sure how to phrase…what do you call it when 2 boards have like a diagonal cut on the end, so that when one board is attached to the other corner at a 90 degree angle they are flush? and what tool do you use to cut it that way?
It’s called a miter, and is cut with a miter saw.
I probably mitre been able to answer this when I used to dabble in woodwork.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/schools/gcsebitesize/sosteacher/design/39231.shtml
Oh, think outside the box a little, a miter can be cut with a hand saw and a miter box. It can also be cut with a radial arm saw. Table saws can cut miters too but IMO but are not the best choice unless you have a crosscut jig or a premium miter gauge. Best choice may depend on the size, both lenth of stock and length of cut, but for most work the cirular miter saw is the simplest choice.
How would you cut a miter with a hand saw?
Very carefully.
Seriouisly.
Get a mitre box. It has slots to slid a handsaw through that will make sure you have the right angle.
Google miter box. It’s a handy, dandy device for guiding the blade of a back saw to make precise crosscuts. The miter box can be as simple as a simple wooden trough with saw cuts in the sides at 90º and 45º to allow the blade to cut the stock laying in the trough or elaborate metal devices which have adjustable angles.
I didn’t say any hand saw but then again I didn’t make it clear. A back saw has pointed crosscut teeth instead of chisel rip teeth and a reinforcing spine on the blade to keep it from flexing. There are also pull saws which are big in Japanese woodworking and those don’t need to be rigid but I have never seen a Japanese miter box.
Miter boxes aren’t for cutting wide stock, more for picture frames and furniture parts. Circular miter saws in different varieties are better for construction as they can cut stock as wide as 12" and probably bigger for the sliding type. Radial arm saws are limited by the length of the arm. For making big miters a table saw can be used but it will need an outfeed table and a crosscut jig but those can be made at home. For huge miters probably best to clamp a straightedge to the stock and use a handheld saw or cut by hand and use a straight edge and router to finish the join line.
I agree, I’ve also got the scars on my left hand to prove that I agree whole heartedly.
Very carefullly. I must relate an anectode. A friend who is to be kind a classic computer nerd is the proverbial man who cannot swing a wrench to save his life. In fact he andy anyone nearby would be in mortal danger if he did try to swing a wrench. I loaned him my circular saw, a porter cable sawboss with the blade on the left side. He did two things that caused me some concern. First he immediately wrapped his finger around the trigger switch. Anyone familiar with firearms knows this is a violation of rule 2 and he does this consistently with firearms and apparently saw. Second thing he alinged the saw to the workpiece by sliding the blade next to his thumb.
HOLY FLEURKING SCHNITTTTT!!!
My head spun around twice, turned inside out and I screamed at him to stop. He was upset that yelled at him. :smack: His wife and I have an agreement now that I don’t let him use my power tools unless I also pay his life insurance premium.
I’ve done and seen small mitre cuts done ‘free hand’ with dovetail saws, or other rigid back cutting saws.
When adding a ‘skirt’ around an octagonal deck, I had to cut 16 mitres free hand, because only the top several inches had to mitred along the LONG end.
Basically, you have a reference line and you cut down into the wood staying true to the reference line.
Maybe you should get up a little earlier. The OP appears to be a woodworking novice, and I answered the question accordingly. You can rent a miter saw from Home Depot for a lot less aggravation and a lot less time wasted than trying to use a hand saw and miter box.
I get up plenty early but I believe I’m a few time zones west of you.
Yes, it was obvious from the OP that he is a woodworking novice. That is why I suggested several options to explore. A good woodworker should know several methods to do the same task along with the advantages and limits of each. A power miter saw may be just what he needs but then again it may not be. I thought a broader answer was better than saying "here is the one way to do it, end of story. "
Give a man a fish and he will eat for a day. Teach a man to fish and he will sit in a boat and drink beer all day. …I thought I had a point there somwhere.
I think a beginner should be told what to do, not given options. But this is the wrong forum for that kind of debate, so I opened a new thread over in IMHO.
Quote
A back saw has pointed crosscut teeth instead of chisel rip teeth and a reinforcing spine on the blade to keep it from flexing. (quote)
True but its called a back saw because it cuts on the back stroke.
Well pretty much any crosscut saw works as well or better when pulling because of the tooth design. True pull saws don’t need to be rigid since they are never pushed. I was taught that the back saw name came from the rigid spine but I guess I learn something new every day on SDMB.
Do you mean a dove tailed joint?
Peter Morris, I think the dovetail joint only fits the description if you really stretch the meaning of cutting the ends diagonally. In any case you didn’t bother to answer the OP’s question of what tool is used. However since there is more than one way to skin this cat I’ll step aside.