No cheating. That's not something you should engage in. What I'm looking for are the little tricks that an amateur carpenter has learned over the years. Tricks that still ensure the result is good, but they also shorten the construction time. 
I feel like we're often too meticulous and projects therefore take longer.
What I'm looking for, therefore, are shortcuts that aren't cheating. If you all contribute with what you've learned over the years, maybe we can even get the thread pinned.
Craftsman tips are also welcome, so you pros who want to share your tricks with us amateurs, feel free to write as well.
So go ahead now... :wow:
I feel like we're often too meticulous and projects therefore take longer.
What I'm looking for, therefore, are shortcuts that aren't cheating. If you all contribute with what you've learned over the years, maybe we can even get the thread pinned.
Craftsman tips are also welcome, so you pros who want to share your tricks with us amateurs, feel free to write as well.
So go ahead now... :wow:
I'm not a carpenter but just ignoring mitering the moldings at inner corners is bound to save some time. Granted, all "cheating" or if you want to call it "tolerance" regarding seams of different materials and/or gaps against others where you can use latex and paint over is certainly handy. Personally, I don't cheat intentionally when I build; things go wrong for other reasons, and I've learned to increase my tolerance a bit
If you plan to have a ceiling moulding, you don't need to be very meticulous with the gap at the top by the ceiling since it will be concealed anyway. The same goes for spackling; be precise on the wall, but where you will have trims and mouldings, it doesn't need to be perfect; you can even skip it if you want.
If you have a piece (anything) with complicated fitting at both ends, like notches/angles, etc. I take a short piece of the same material, cut, and fit one side and then the other side on the short piece.
Mark somewhere on the short piece to transfer to where it will be placed (both sides), measure between, and draw it on a real piece. Phow! You have a piece that fits perfectly, with mm precision on really complicated pieces.
It can also be used on tricky miters on moldings, etc.
Did anyone understand, maybe poorly explained. Ha!
Good luck!
/Christer
Mark somewhere on the short piece to transfer to where it will be placed (both sides), measure between, and draw it on a real piece. Phow! You have a piece that fits perfectly, with mm precision on really complicated pieces.
It can also be used on tricky miters on moldings, etc.
Did anyone understand, maybe poorly explained. Ha!
Good luck!
/Christer
Or cheating, perhaps I wouldn't call it that. Quite the opposite.
A little tip anyway.
A little tip anyway.
EQUIPMENT:
- Hultafors foldable angle square. Fits in the folding rule pocket.
- Hultafors plastic folding rule - Can be used as a "shim gauge" since it is equally thick all the way.
- Pencils: a carpenter's pencil and a 0.7mm lead pencil. When making the marking, also make a small cross on which side the cut should be made.
- Lay the decking boards perpendicular to the house. Adjust the deck's width to the lumber length (or vice versa). Lay all the boards and trim the outer edge afterwards with a circular saw.
- Always start by installing a cut drywall board against the corner. It will be easier when it's time to plaster.
- When building kitchens, I tile before installing the cabinets. Much more comfortable working position.
- Hultafors foldable angle square. Fits in the folding rule pocket.
- Hultafors plastic folding rule - Can be used as a "shim gauge" since it is equally thick all the way.
- Pencils: a carpenter's pencil and a 0.7mm lead pencil. When making the marking, also make a small cross on which side the cut should be made.
- Lay the decking boards perpendicular to the house. Adjust the deck's width to the lumber length (or vice versa). Lay all the boards and trim the outer edge afterwards with a circular saw.
- Always start by installing a cut drywall board against the corner. It will be easier when it's time to plaster.
- When building kitchens, I tile before installing the cabinets. Much more comfortable working position.
Plaster, painted walls, or similar. I wouldn't attempt to glue on looser plaster.
I've mostly used smaller tiles, e.g., 10x10 or 15x15. About 4-5 solid clicks of hot glue per tile usually suffices. Expect around 500g for 3 sqm with 10x10. I've also installed 60x60 tiles, but then I used a combination of hot glue and PL400. The hot glue makes it stick after 30 seconds, PL400 makes it stick forever.
Hot glue + PL400 is, by the way, a good combo for installing crown moldings. However, you can skip PL400 for baseboards.
I've mostly used smaller tiles, e.g., 10x10 or 15x15. About 4-5 solid clicks of hot glue per tile usually suffices. Expect around 500g for 3 sqm with 10x10. I've also installed 60x60 tiles, but then I used a combination of hot glue and PL400. The hot glue makes it stick after 30 seconds, PL400 makes it stick forever.
Hot glue + PL400 is, by the way, a good combo for installing crown moldings. However, you can skip PL400 for baseboards.