Mitering corners

[Stooby]

Hi everyone. Well I am now armed with my new scroll saw and want to try some new things. I love boxes and before rushing ahead and trying one I wondered if anyone had advice on mothering corners. You may recall from previous posts that my workshop is now a full shed. I can't fit lots of tools in so have in addition to my saw a pillar drill to use also for some drum sanding and a hand router. I have a random orbital and a delta sander. I certainly have no room for a table or band saw.
Thanks in advance even I that turns out to be "Stick to round corners".

 

[marcros]

I would suggest a plane and to make a shooting board. The secret to perfect mitres is perfect angles and identical opposite lengths. Without both it can't work.

 

[gilljc]

I work in my 8'x6' shed, so space is limited. On the advice of a joiner friend I bought a nobex proman mitre saw, and even as a real novice in wood stuff, my mitres are always good (depending on my measuring - oh yes, and take the time to clamp the wood bfore you cut it ). It tucks away fairly well under the bench I have my scrollsaw on.
Like you I love boxes, and have made a few, and am planning another soon 'cos I have some lovely wood to play with

 

[scrimper]

IMHO The mitre is the most difficult joint to get accurate, as Marcros says the angle have to be exactly 45 deg any cut that is not will mean every corner has gaps likewise opposite sides have to be exact or you get the same gaps.

I can say that over 50 years I have struggled with doing mitres especially on picture frames. I started with a mitre box which was not accurate in use then I bought a Nobex which was a lot better but not great if you need to shave some off to adjust, I sometimes use my Dewalt radial arm with a home-made jig which is good as it is easy to shave a bit off after an initial cut. About the best tool is a guillotine but they are expensive unless you do lot's of mitres. I bought a really old Guillotine from a traction engine rally it is built like a battleship and with a huge cast wheel to operate it is massively heavy but it is a delightful machine to use!

 

[marcros]

. I bought a really old Guillotine from a traction engine rally it is built like a battleship and with a huge cast wheel to operate it is massively heavy but it is a delightful machine to use!

can we have a picture?

 

[RogerP]

I would suggest a plane and to make a shooting board. The secret to perfect mitres is perfect angles and identical opposite lengths. Without both it can't work.

I agree and here a board you can make.
I made one a long, long time ago and it's still working well producing as perfect a mitred corner as one could hope.


http://www.cornishworkshop.co.uk/wwmitreshootingboard.html

 

[Chippygeoff]

Boxes are really nice, very pleasing to the eye and there are many ways they can be made. Mitres would be the obvious choice for the corners but have you considered making the boxes with dovetails or maybe a comb joint. Both of these joints could be done on the scroll saw. I do them all the time, when I first started doing these joints I practiced with off cuts until I was happy with them. Another idea, as you have a router, would be to make the boxes with a half lap joint, still pleasing to the eye if done properly and if you paln on making a few boxes you could make yourself up a jig to make things easier.