[chuckgray]

I'm making a base for a small box and I'm having problems with the miter joints. I cut them on my table saw using an Incra V27 miter set to the 22.5 deg notch. I normally don't have trouble cutting 90 deg or 45 deg miters because I have tools to help me set the angles precisely. However, I don't have anything for setting up a 22.5 deg angle. I used a stop block when making the cuts and I verified afterwards that all like pieces are the same length.

For reference purposes, the cherry frame is roughly 4.5" x 8" and the frame pieces themselves are 1" wide. The stock is 0.5" thick.

My question is how would you recommend that these cuts be made? Would you use a table saw or a miter saw?
Do you sometimes get the same imprecise results and then fine tune the angles with a plane or sanding block? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

[chuckgray]

John, I'm not sure what you're referring to. Do you have any specifics about the framing gizmo?

 

[chuckgray]

Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

The Lion Miter Trimmer looks like a fine tool but I can't justify the price for as seldom as I would use it. I like the idea of the 22.5 deg chamfer bit but I'm not sure how to safely use the router with the small pieces.

Stick, you've always got a myriad of good ideas and I appreciate that. I checked the blade angle with my Wixey and it shows to be right on 90 degrees. There doesn't seem to be any play between the blade and arbor. Is there a way I can check for wobble? I'm using a Freud Industrial Glue-line blade, 1/8" kerf.

 

[chuckgray]

Hi,
I use what used to be called a Lion miter trimmer. The picture shows how it looks, how it works is that the lever moves a set of extremely sharp cutters back and forth. You pre-cut the frame pieces to about 45 degrees and about 1/16th or so over size. The steel base has a stop for a small arm or mini fence. You slide your workpiece against the fence, then push maybe 1/32nd past the blade, then slide the blade across, trimming off a very tiny amount. This produces an exact 90 or 45 degree angle that is glass smooth. Theoretically you can cut other angles this way, but it is specific to picture frames, or making exact 90 rails and stiles. Mine is a Grizzly and has a couple of arms with a stop block to make sure lengths are exactly the same. This tool was originally made in the 1880s. My wife bought it for me to make frames for her paintings.

What you're makeing is going to require using something like a 22.5 degree router miter bit. You could also do this on a perfectly set up miter gauge, or my other alternative, which is a perfectly tuned Rockler table saw sled, which has a huge scale showing the exact angle in at least hundredths of a degree. But I had a lot of problems using thin kerf blades because the blad deflected just enough so I couldn't get a straight cut and ends wouldn't match up. Using a full kerf blade helped a lot.

Another method is to use the Wixey angle gauge to tilt a table saw blade to an exact angle, with a full kerf blade. See picture. I'd want to use a perfectly set miter gauge to hold those small parts, and a good sacrificial fence.

I would not use a miter saw or chop saw, just not accurate enough to suit me, even my Bosch saw isn't accurate enough for this precision work.

But for your project, the router bit approach would work well. Finally, even with all of that, sometimes a little cover up is required, and for that, Timber Mate filler has worked best for me. Takes stain and finish well and stays put even in the tiny amounts I actually use.

Great ideas Tom. I think I'll give a try to tilting the blade on my table saw and see how that works. By using the Wixey, I believe I can set the blade angle on the saw more accurately than setting the angle on the miter gauge. If that fails, I'll go with the Timber Mate filler.

 

[chuckgray]

Wow, a lot of good advice. It'll take a bit to get through it all. I performed a thorough setup of the table saw before I put it into service but it's been awhile so I'll begin by going through that process again.

Stick, I also ordered the Veritas® Poly-Gauge from Lee Valley Tools. That should help me set up my 22.5 degree angles more precisely. Thanks for the link. I'll also be checking out my miter gauge as you suggested.

Harry, I would really like to use a chamfer bit but I'm still a bit concerned using it on the small 1" corner pieces. Even trying to hold those small irregular shaped pieces in a small-parts holder seems unsafe.

Herb, you said, "Remember that a Machinist makes things that fit every time, and wood worker MAKES things fit." That's so true. I had the opportunity to work in the Astronomy Department's machine shop while attending college and I was always so impressed with how precise I could make things even as a rank amateur. Exactness is more challenging with wood.

 

[chuckgray]

Your're right Stick, that's how I made the cuts. When my Veritas gauge arrives, I'll make a shooting board. That appears to be a solution that provides a lot of control over the cutting process.

 

[chuckgray]

yur shooting board...
do not use MDF... over time thinks and hardware holding power will fail...
use a LA plane w/ it because of the end grain...
make sure there is no sawdust build up against the fence...
trim one end of every piece...
set a stop block to control length to maintain lengths...
use your clamp to hold the piece... more fool proof..
I like this style...

Thanks again Stick. I didn't know what an LA plane was and my first google attempt tried put me on a plane to Los Angeles. Then I tried LA Wood Plane and found out it stands for low angle. I'm almost afraid to ask you for a reasonably priced recommendation because you seem to deal in only the highest quality stuff. But I'll give it a try. Can you recommend a reasonably priced LA plane such as the least expensive one that you would still recommend?

 

[chuckgray]

Wow, there's a lot of good information in this post!

Sie haben richtig DerSchuhmacher! There's a cadre of active members on this forum that are very generous in sharing their knowledge and it's much appreciated by those such as me who are trying to learn.