I'm once again working on fitting moldings, spacers, and other details in our newly renovated kitchen. I'm hesitant about this task because I've previously found it difficult to make it look good >
What I find trickiest is getting precision in "angled" cuts...
The circular saw (green Bosch 54) feels a bit big and rough to achieve millimeter accuracy, and the cut after the jigsaw (AEG step 800) easily ends up like a slalom.
Do I need to buy one of those super fine Festool saws, or are there any good tips you can share?
Miter cuts are handled without a problem with the EB KGS 303, both for rough and fine work.
Thanks,
T
What I find trickiest is getting precision in "angled" cuts...
The circular saw (green Bosch 54) feels a bit big and rough to achieve millimeter accuracy, and the cut after the jigsaw (AEG step 800) easily ends up like a slalom.
Do I need to buy one of those super fine Festool saws, or are there any good tips you can share?
Miter cuts are handled without a problem with the EB KGS 303, both for rough and fine work.
Thanks,
T
My experience is that what separates the carpenter who achieves this well from the one who delivers a mediocre result is something entirely different from the tools used.
The secret lies in hiding these difficult cuts in a good way, and it's almost always possible if you think it through a bit.
If you take some photos of what you're going to do, you can surely get some good tips here!
The secret lies in hiding these difficult cuts in a good way, and it's almost always possible if you think it through a bit.
If you take some photos of what you're going to do, you can surely get some good tips here!
I don't want to be grumpy, but :-? :-?
I wasn't asking about how to hide failed rip cuts or how to miter ceiling moldings. My question is and was how to best split e.g. fitting pieces and window reveals in the best and simplest way when it comes to angled rip cuts (i.e., cannot use the fence on the circular saw).
On a large board, you can fasten a guide strip to saw along, but on smaller pieces (moldings) which completely disappear under the base of the circular saw, it is more difficult.
To take two examples:
1. I need to rip 22 mm beadboard for a pantry including the door. I don't want a lot of moldings around the door but, of course, want to rip the beadboard to the right width. What's the best way to do this?
2. Common window reveals that at the outer edge connect to the window frame without any molding and at the inner edge meet the window casing. The window isn't parallel with the wall, so the reveal needs a certain wedge shape. What's the best way to do this?
Best regards,
T
I wasn't asking about how to hide failed rip cuts or how to miter ceiling moldings. My question is and was how to best split e.g. fitting pieces and window reveals in the best and simplest way when it comes to angled rip cuts (i.e., cannot use the fence on the circular saw).
On a large board, you can fasten a guide strip to saw along, but on smaller pieces (moldings) which completely disappear under the base of the circular saw, it is more difficult.
To take two examples:
1. I need to rip 22 mm beadboard for a pantry including the door. I don't want a lot of moldings around the door but, of course, want to rip the beadboard to the right width. What's the best way to do this?
2. Common window reveals that at the outer edge connect to the window frame without any molding and at the inner edge meet the window casing. The window isn't parallel with the wall, so the reveal needs a certain wedge shape. What's the best way to do this?
Best regards,
T
Ok, an ungrumpy answer then: Buy a ridiculously expensive table saw and focus when you're cutting..... :Mr_T said:I don't want to be grumpy, but :-? :-?
To take two examples:
1. I need to cut 22 mm beadboard for a pantry including door. I don't want a bunch of moldings around the door but of course want to cut the beadboard to the correct width. How is that best done?
2. Regular window jambs that at the outer edge connect to the window frame without any molding and at the inner edge meet the window casing. The window is not parallel to the wall, so the jamb must have a certain wedge shape. How is this best done?
Regards,
T
#1 I don't know, I don't really understand how it's supposed to look.
#2 is easy. Cut the edge that will be against the window freehand with your cheap table saw (1500 sek at bauhaus), install your jamb and apply a bead of painter's caulk in the seam between the jamb and the window. Even if you manage to make a perfect cut, the wood will still move and create gaps => painter's caulk. Glue and nail the casing to the jamb. Use MDF, it's good to work with for this.
Exactly, saw with a millimeter's margin and then plane - fit - final plane. With a plane, you get fine edges and smooth surfaces, if it needs to be slightly curved, that's also fine. This is what distinguishes joinery from "construction."
For a builder, everything must fit from the start, otherwise, they think: "I sawed it at a right angle and put the stuff up! The gaps are for the painter to fix with latex..."
A joiner solves the task instead: If a neat edge requires 46 degrees and some whittling, you saw correctly and whittle a bit where needed. Not everything is machines. But I know many think like this: "I have a power screwdriver, and it's fun, so I must screw EVERYTHING, even oak strips, stucco, and laminate floors..."
Don't ask what machine you have; ask what the result should be! Before you can build with hand tools, machines are a risk to the result. I've seen a neighbor go at the house facade with their new MiniMouse orbital sander. I smile...
Remember to place shims so that the impression of any gaps and wedge slots is reduced and not increased! Often, houses aren't angled accurately enough for, for example, laminate flooring or kitchen frames to fit perfectly against all walls. Then you have to do some joinery with moldings, etc., to ensure it doesn't look like a funhouse. Don't leave any gaps that show how uneven it is! Fit, build in, and smooth out such things.
For a builder, everything must fit from the start, otherwise, they think: "I sawed it at a right angle and put the stuff up! The gaps are for the painter to fix with latex..."
A joiner solves the task instead: If a neat edge requires 46 degrees and some whittling, you saw correctly and whittle a bit where needed. Not everything is machines. But I know many think like this: "I have a power screwdriver, and it's fun, so I must screw EVERYTHING, even oak strips, stucco, and laminate floors..."
Don't ask what machine you have; ask what the result should be! Before you can build with hand tools, machines are a risk to the result. I've seen a neighbor go at the house facade with their new MiniMouse orbital sander. I smile...
Remember to place shims so that the impression of any gaps and wedge slots is reduced and not increased! Often, houses aren't angled accurately enough for, for example, laminate flooring or kitchen frames to fit perfectly against all walls. Then you have to do some joinery with moldings, etc., to ensure it doesn't look like a funhouse. Don't leave any gaps that show how uneven it is! Fit, build in, and smooth out such things.
Now it's starting to look like something...
I mean our house was built long before latex and other materials were invented, and despite that, many of the carpentry works are very nice. You can see that a lot of time was spent making pieces fit precisely. It's a joy to look at craftsmanship that hasn't been hidden behind a thick layer of putty.
Of course, a large part of the success lies in the actual construction and planning, so that you don't make things unnecessarily complicated.
For example, look to the left in the picture from Gysingekök how a refrigerator door in beadboard fits nicely in the opening without moldings:
I realize that neither expensive tools nor a quick tip will quickly transform a desk jockey into a skilled interior carpenter, but surely there must be different good approaches to achieve a nice result?
I'll try to get more concrete photos during the week so you can see what I mean.
/T
I mean our house was built long before latex and other materials were invented, and despite that, many of the carpentry works are very nice. You can see that a lot of time was spent making pieces fit precisely. It's a joy to look at craftsmanship that hasn't been hidden behind a thick layer of putty.
Of course, a large part of the success lies in the actual construction and planning, so that you don't make things unnecessarily complicated.
For example, look to the left in the picture from Gysingekök how a refrigerator door in beadboard fits nicely in the opening without moldings:
I realize that neither expensive tools nor a quick tip will quickly transform a desk jockey into a skilled interior carpenter, but surely there must be different good approaches to achieve a nice result?
I'll try to get more concrete photos during the week so you can see what I mean.
/T
If you're going to split smaller pieces, I think a bandsaw is best suited. Use the fence, and you'll get straight pieces with repeatability within 0.5 mm. Additionally, it's often possible to adjust the bandsaw to a belt sander when/if you need extra fine finishing.
At biltema, there is a klyv for under 1000 spänn that I bought one day when I forgot my own... It actually works quite well...
Draw a line where you're going to saw (as usual), then remove the fence and saw freehand with the klyv... Just be careful not to slip..
hej svejs.
Draw a line where you're going to saw (as usual), then remove the fence and saw freehand with the klyv... Just be careful not to slip..
hej svejs.
If one wants to split a board in a wedge shape, one can build a simple jig with support on both sides and then a ruler or straightedge as a stop against the saw. Personally, I think a hand-held circular saw is the best tool when you want to split at an angle. I think the easiest way is, as someone already wrote, to roughly saw and then plane or sand the last bit accurately.
Thank you very much for the good feedback.
I've started a little with the carpentry and it looks quite promising so far. Unfortunately, it's probably not the best plan to start with the fine details at 8-9 PM when you've worked 10-11 hours before. It's just a matter of realizing that if it's going to be good, it has to take time (quite difficult, I easily get eager when the finish line is in sight)
/T
I've started a little with the carpentry and it looks quite promising so far. Unfortunately, it's probably not the best plan to start with the fine details at 8-9 PM when you've worked 10-11 hours before. It's just a matter of realizing that if it's going to be good, it has to take time (quite difficult, I easily get eager when the finish line is in sight)
/T
The discussion may be over, but I couldn't resist adding a few points. Cutting lists and fitting pieces into wedge shapes or similar is obviously easiest with a good table saw (freehand without a stop). But it can also be done perfectly with a jigsaw; just saw from the underside so you have 100% control over the blade. A jigsaw from the back with a sharp blade has surprising precision. Finish with an electric planer and possibly a hand plane (if needed).
Festo'n has its advantages, but standing and repeating a task with it is just not great.
Splitting 2000 in length requires >2000 in track, and not everyone has these lengths.
I personally advocate for a good table saw, e.g., DW744, which gives precision down to a tenth of a millimeter with a sharp blade. The fence on it is fantastic.
/Kent
Splitting 2000 in length requires >2000 in track, and not everyone has these lengths.
I personally advocate for a good table saw, e.g., DW744, which gives precision down to a tenth of a millimeter with a sharp blade. The fence on it is fantastic.
/Kent