Very Confused about cutting cornice and baseboard corners

[mininecessities]

I can't seem to get a clear picture of cutting the inside and outside corners on cornice and baseboard.

does anyone know of good tutorials, videos etc that may help me get this procedure installed in my brain ? LOL I do have a small miter box and just bought the Easy Cutter scissors.....hmmm you can't use the easy cutter though can you cause they have to ......hmm well maybe you just have to hold them right in the scissors? Anyone else have this trouble or is it me? LOL

thanks!

Cheryl

[patkneazle]

I have to mark which way the cut goes on my piece of wood. I can't just visualize it. And no, you'd be better off using the saw that comes with the mitre box to cut something thick like cornice. Easy Cutters are great for the thin stuff, though.

[mininecessities]

Thanks Mary Anne,

I didn't get a saw with the miter box I have, it is plastic and not in real good shape. maybe I should get a new one that comes with the saw. I guess I am hoping there is some magical way to do these corners without racking my brain lol.........not even sure how to mark them. I have to study each one each time lol

[patkneazle]

Xacto makes a good metal mitre box that comes with a saw, and they're not too expensive. Any craft store should carry them. And what I do is hold the stick in place where I am going to install it, and then mark the direction of the 45 degree angle with a pencil. The mark doesn't have to be accurate--it's just telling you which direction to cut.

The side walls are easiest because usually the one end is just straight. The hardest is the back wall because there are mitres on both ends of the stick. I often cut those slightly too long and cut them down as needed, because it is easier to do that than deal with one that I've cut too short. Done that plenty of times and don't ask the number I've cut backwards. If I have to cut a non-45 degree angle, I do my best and then sometimes have to use a little wood putty. I am math challenged.

Cut the baseboard or ceiling molding in the same position as it will be on your wall. Hold it flat against the side of the mitre box and saw! It is also a good idea to have a piece of wood in the bottom of your mitre box to cut through to. I just stick mine in with that Gummi stuff.

[mininecessities]

I can pretty much see myself cutting them backwards, and every which way they are NOT spose to be. Well I best take a deep breath and do one at a time, and have the filler ready lol thanks for your help though........I need every bit I can get lol

[havanaholly]

The aluminum miterboxes are soft and the saw teeth will mar them; I put a piece of craft stick or scrapwood in the bottom of the miterbox and then put the piece I want to cut on that in the box to cut it. There is a tutorial on the site by a different Holly (I'm holly, just so you can tell it isn't me): http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?app=gallery&category=29

[DocGreen]

Here's a tutorial on how to do it. It works the same with a miter box as well. Same technique for baseboards. How this helps. http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/video/0,,20056482,00.html

[sparklepuppies]

Hey Cheryl!

The tutorial Holly posted above is what I used, and it helped me tremendously. Here is a link to an old post on the same topic, there's a lot of useful info in there.

http://www.greenleafdollhouses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=27003#entry453516

I use my Easy Cutter. I have a miter box, but haven't used it yet.

Once I finally figured it out, I made a few test pieces, and labeled them with tape (outside corner, inside corner...). Now, when I need to make a cut, I get those out, and have a good visual on how they need to be cut. There's a picture of these pieces in the topic I posted above.

Another thing some people do, which looks nice too, is to just put a corner block in each corner, then every cut just just be straight.

Good luck!

[mininecessities]

Hey thanks all of you!! Will go to those sites this evening and study all I can. I think I am getting ready to put down my l room carpet, dining room wood flooring and the windows in those two rooms. Trying to decide if I need to put the baseboard and cornice in before I do the windows or not. Seems to be some large areas to get to things pretty much. I am balking a little because the material for my l room isn't quite what I wanted lol but don't want to get something else. Think I may put it on poster board and not glue it down, will have to see how it works. Will probably put it on poster board with wonder under first.

That is neat to think maybe I can use the Easy Cutter for all this. I don't have the metal miter box with the saw yet and will have to order one, and will soon but anxious to get started. Thanks for the idea to put wood on the miter box. Well back to work and anxious to go to those urls you all shared! thanks so much!!

Cheryl

[Ravenswing]

The aluminum miterboxes are soft and the saw teeth will mar them

You can say that again. Those things are little nightmares, and unless you're prepared to screw it down to your work surface don't waste your time with it. You wind up with one hand trying to hold the box still - which usually means your 4 fingers are inside the box holding your work flush to the side, while your thumb is outside the box trying to steady everything - as your other hand saws back and forth constantly moving the box. Use your ez cutter or invest in a mini miter saw - your nerves will thank you later.

[havanaholly]

Judith, small C-clamps will also hold the miter box at either end.

[Ravenswing]

Judith, small C-clamps will also hold the miter box at either end.

Like a lot of folks here I work on my dining room table c-clamps or clamps of any kind are not an option. There's no way I'm going to run the risk of marring my table with indentations from clamps. Not to mention that clamps on each end of the box makes it difficult if not impossible to get your trim properly seated inside the box. As I said - useless. Invest in a better tool and save yourself the aggrevation, frustraton, and expense of poorly cut wood. I like a bargain as much as the next person, but cheap (and they are cheap-and not in a good way) isn't always the best way to go. By the time you pay for the miter box, the saw, extra saw blades (because they last about 10 minutes, and clamps to hold it down, you could have gone ahead and bought a real tool that will work for you every time.

[mininecessities]

Like a lot of folks here I work on my dining room table c-clamps or clamps of any kind are not an option. There's no way I'm going to run the risk of marring my table with indentations from clamps. Not to mention that clamps on each end of the box makes it difficult if not impossible to get your trim properly seated inside the box. As I said - useless. Invest in a better tool and save yourself the aggrevation, frustraton, and expense of poorly cut wood. I like a bargain as much as the next person, but cheap (and they are cheap-and not in a good way) isn't always the best way to go. By the time you pay for the miter box, the saw, extra saw blades (because they last about 10 minutes, and clamps to hold it down, you could have gone ahead and bought a real tool that will work for you every time.

miter saw.jpg

Looks like that would work well......is it little? I mean very small? I need a way to cut straight edges by power tool.......and that would do it huh? I have thought about looking for a tiny table saw ...but maybe that would work for the same purposes? what brand is it?

[DocGreen]

Might be more than you want to do but it's an idea. http://makezine.com/2010/12/06/how-to-mini-tablesaw-from-a-rotary/

[Ravenswing]

The one I showed you can be found on Amazon or eBay or just about anywhere. It is a mini saw with a 2 inch blade that is more than adequate for the thicknesses of wood we usually deal with. The second one from Harbor Freight is less expensive but will also get the job done, and neither will “break the bank”, because as we know with the sometimes high cost of mini’s, budget must always be a consideration.

http://www.bing.com/shopping/high-speed-mini-miter-cut-off-saw-870208009194/p/13D2274B04A8D8365012?q=mini+miter+saw&lpq=mini%20miter%20saw&FORM=HURE

http://www.harborfreight.com/bench-top-cut-off-saw-42307.html

http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-Mini-Cut-Off-Saw-Mini-Miter-Saw-Mini-Wood-Saw-2-Saw-Blade-Bench-Saw-/230784302659?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35bbd0fe43#ht_1526wt_888

[mininecessities]

I "Get It" whew!........not too bad. a little harder in the bay windows where it isn't a 45 degree angle.....but I am getting it. I love love this Ez Cutter! it's great!........now all is fine.....my upper molding isn't perfect .....will have to paint and fill a little...but getting it done.

I just bought another Heidi Ott doll.......I have a man so now just bought a woman. I hope to have a family of the Articulated dolls. I love the way they can move all their wrists, ankles etc. I contemplated for a while before buying her but finally gave in LOL. Perhaps will get a couple children, an old woman and old man. then the rest of my dolls will probably make. anyway just letting off steam there whew! after making a big purchase.

thanks all of you for your help in getting this stuff figured out. Still nervous about the molding but it is getting done anyway. Spent a few hours getting the nerve up to get started and it really isn't all that bad. But I think when you get my age you really don't want to learn new things.....I mean by now haven't we learned enough? lol

Cheryl

[havanaholly]

Cheryl, my permanent New Year's Resolution is to learn at least one new thing every year!

[KathieB]

Cheryl, my permanent New Year's Resolution is to learn at least one new thing every year!

I learn something nearly every day ... the hard part is remembering it!

[mininecessities]

I learn something nearly every day ... the hard part is remembering it!

LOL now that I can really relate to! LOL ......

[havanaholly]

I learn something nearly every day ... the hard part is remembering it!

That's why learning something new is so easy! It's new because I forgot I'd already learned it.

[Dalesq]

That's why learning something new is so easy! It's new because I forgot I'd already learned it.

Uh-oh, maybe we shouldn't go there.

[fov]

It depends on the angle of the window, of course, but for my bay windows in the Queen Anne Rowhouse I found that I could cut one piece straight and the piece that meets it 45 degrees, and it would basically fit. Might not be the "right way" to do it but that was easier than trying to cut a ~67 degree angle (I only have one of those miter boxes, so my options are 45 degrees or 90...)

Judith, thanks for the tip on those saws. The man of the house loves Harbor Freight... maybe he Santa will bring me one for Christmas. :lol:

[mininecessities]

It depends on the angle of the window, of course, but for my bay windows in the Queen Anne Rowhouse I found that I could cut one piece straight and the piece that meets it 45 degrees, and it would basically fit. Might not be the "right way" to do it but that was easier than trying to cut a ~67 degree angle (I only have one of those miter boxes, so my options are 45 degrees or 90...)

Judith, thanks for the tip on those saws. The man of the house loves Harbor Freight... maybe he Santa will bring me one for Christmas. :lol:

thanks........think I will try that. Actually I may have already done that accidently lol one came out really weird but was able to fix it....but not sure how........lol maybe that is what I did? I was thinking they would be about 37 degrees but maybe I had that backwards........maybe it is more like 67......oh I hate math.....would rather finagle around till it is right lol....... ho hum......."Me and the Scarecrow.......If I ONLY had a brain!!" anyway thanks for the tip......

[sparklepuppies]

I made a paper template of the crazy angle areas. Then I could lay my trim pieces on there and kinda mark the direction and angle the cut should be.

[Selkie]

... I was thinking they would be about 37 degrees but maybe I had that backwards........maybe it is more like 67......oh I hate math.....would rather finagle around till it is right lol....... ho hum......."Me and the Scarecrow.......If I ONLY had a brain!!" anyway thanks for the tip......

Boy do I feel your pain !!!

I'm not doing cornice boards but I'm having the same problem with some roof ridges. I have made paper templates and measured them with a compass/protractor and got the numbers - translated that to the angle on the saw table and NOPE - it's not right. I tried the backwards number like you said and again - NOPE - it's not right. Because my strip has to be 20" long with an angle on both edges, I've wasted more strips of wood than you can imagine - argh-h-h-h-h ... I'm right there with you and the Scarecrow waiting for the great OZ to imbue me with a math brain.