Increasing precision for hand mitre cutting.

[homeinthecity]

I have been making a set of boxes, mainly to increase the precision of my work. I'm struggling to get consistent and accurate mitre joints with hand tools. I've also seen this is an item on the syllabus for box making courses.

My current setup is to make with a knife and combination square, a mitre box or saw guide to cut the joint, with a 45 degree sloped board to then true them up with a block plane. Sometimes this works well, but other times doesn't and I have slight gaps. I also see feathering across the edge of the mitre from planing the end grain.

I have had similar issues when using the table saw to do the initial cut, and have tried obvious things like ensuring the board is actually 45 degrees etc.

Thanks in advance for any help you can all provide!

 

[johnnyb]

I think 8 perfect mitres( on a box) are probably the hardest joint to make.

exactly equal sides( length wise)and thickness. then 2 perfect 45s make it gap free.

the secret is.........dunno. but I'm guessing plenty of effort goes into jigging the plane to a minutely adjustable 45.( using the lateral adjuster?) I've seen hand crank sanders. this is a basis of boxes. always rough saw fine cut then superfine. make spares to check set ups.

 

[Jacob]

A full mitre is difficult - more of a technical challenge than a practical joint. Not just the cutting but also getting it together for gluing etc.
Rebated mitre very much easier and a better joint . You can't tell the difference except on a visible edge.
https://www.google.com/search?q=reb...ED1IQ_AUoAXoECAEQAw&biw=1118&bih=757&dpr=1.25

 

[johnnyb]

can you show us what your joints look like with a few snaps?and your set ups I often do boxes in reverse so I'll glue the mitres. allow it to set then put splines in to reinforce. are your sides fairly thin as that helps. are they flat and thicknessed perfectly?

 

[johnnyb]

this was devised by the late Bob wearing and once built and tuned should work really well.

in the same book is this character

 

[Citracal]

Well made mitre shooting board is what you need.

 

[Just4Fun]

Well made mitre shooting board is what you need.

Maybe, maybe not. I use a mitre shooting board for "flat" mitres such as picture frames. It would not be usable for "tall" mitres such as box sides. I always struggle with those so I am watching with interest.

 

[Inspector]

The animal you are after is a Donkey Ear Shooting Board, preferably adjustable, at least until you get it dialled in. Make it yourself to suit the sizes you are playing with. While a block plane may work a bigger or shooting plane would be better. From your description you are almost there, your jig needs some refining.

A link for reference only for your own build, not a recommendation to spend. Donkey Ear accessory for Vogt Shooting Board [VTW-002] - $110.00 : Vogt Toolworks, Tools for the custom woodworker And the sooting board it attaches to. Vogt Shooting Board with Parallel Guide Strip [PGS-001] - $440.00 : Vogt Toolworks, Tools for the custom woodworker

Pete

Adding that I don't have one although it could be handy. I use a good table saw.

 

[homeinthecity]

Thanks everyone! I’ll post some pictures of my current setup, but I suspect two new shooting boards are needed.

 

[TRITON]

This is the best damn mitrey thing I've ever bought.

Will do infinite angles so you arent limited to square corners. If you want your box or whatever to be multi sided, no probs. Covered everything. I bought mine because I'd about 300m worth of door trim to fit on site, so i could cut everything roughly for speed, then creep to the the exact size.

It's also very handy in the house because it makes no noise.
It isn't cheap, costs £280 now, but it will pay for itself in time and removal of frustration.

 

[Derek Cohen (Perth Oz)]

My set up …

Regards from Perth

Derek

 

[Inspector]

TRITON your best damn mitre thing is good for picture frames and door and window casings but the op is doing mitred corners on small box sides. How would that make corners on 100mm to 200mm high box sides in hardwoods including tropical? Derek's donkey ear is the cats behind.

Pete

 

[furnace]

this was devised by the late Bob wearing and once built and tuned should work really well.

in the same book is this character

I made one of these rather than a donkey's ear version mostly because it takes up less space, and I prefer holding my material flat and canting the plane. A little fine tuning and it's spot in, making mitres far easier.
As others have mentioned, the pieces to be joined must be identical thickness to match perfectly.

 

[Bristol_Rob]

I've had good luck recently using,
Table saw with Fritz & Franz jig made for 45 degrees and then clamped using spring clamps. I double stick small sacrificial pieces of wood to the edges to take the damage from the clamps.

 

[XTiffy]

I have used the Nobex mitre saw for many years and with the availability of many different blades it is often easier to cut mouldings, skirting boards etc. by hand rather than machine. I also use it when tiling for the trims plastic and aluminium. Great device but the top of the range one is now quite a lot of money.
I also believe that a fine saw cut joint glues up better than a planed one. (that should spark a debate LoL).

 

[Just4Fun]

I have used the Nobex mitre saw for many years and with the availability of many different blades it is often easier to cut mouldings, skirting boards etc. by hand rather than machine.

I have one of those. I bought it a year or so ago, from a flea market. It seemed fine when I tested it but I don't think I have used it "for real".

 

[XTiffy]

Just4Fun,
That was lucky. There were various cheap copies of the Nobex but they were rubbish and inaccurate. The top of the range one has a greater height capacity than the basic model. I screwed a block to the base so it will sit in a vice or workmate and makes it very handy.

 

[Citracal]

Maybe, maybe not. I use a mitre shooting board for "flat" mitres such as picture frames. It would not be usable for "tall" mitres such as box sides. I always struggle with those so I am watching with interest.

Like I said "well made mitre shooting board"

 

[Just4Fun]

Just4Fun,
That was lucky. There were various cheap copies of the Nobex but they were rubbish and inaccurate. The top of the range one has a greater height capacity than the basic model. I screwed a block to the base so it will sit in a vice or workmate and makes it very handy.

I did look them up after I bought mine so I know I have the basic model. As it was just an impulse buy for cheap I have no complaints. I think I paid 10 or 12 euros.

 

[recipio]

I use my table saw as the fence has a stop and a clamp to prevent the piece moving. A stop is essential in my view for cutting the second miter as you will invariably get slight movement if you are just eyeballing the piece.
As a boxmaker I use the Miter Trimmer as well. It's great for small pieces like 3 x 3 mm box line inlays . I prefer one of those hand held multi cutters with a Stanley blade for thin but wide inlays.
I would avoid PVA glue in the joint - it always seems to have it's own glue line. Use a miter bond CVA glue and reinforce the joint afterwards.
Now if anybody could tell me how to cut triple miters for box line inlays I'd die happy.