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James Klausner Making interior corners with baseboard moulding
November 4th, 2003 03:41 PM
I cut the end of the piece of baseboard moulding at 45 degrees to create an outline on it for cutting so that the end will meet at right-angles the other piece of moulding. However, I am not successful following the outline. I even bought a Sears Scroll Saw, installed a spiral toothed blade so I can scroll in all directions. No luck. My cut wavers, and results in a joint that is not pretty. I am thinking of buying a router with a Roman Ogee cutter in hopes of being able to make a perfect cut so that pieces of baseboard meeting tightly at interior corners. Before doing this, I am asking for suggestions.
Adam Chamberlain Making interior corners with baseboard moulding
January 17th, 2004 01:55 AM
Spiral scroll blades, although convenient, are very difficult to "follow" a curve. Try using a conventional blade. If you can not cut tight curves, try forming a radius on the two rear edges of the blade with a small honing stone.
You can cut a curve on long molding with either a hand Coping Saw, a big Saw, or (if the piece isn't too long) on a bench Scroll Saw.
Cutting two edges to 45 degrees and fitting them will almost always fail. Finding a 90 degree angle in a house is nearly impossible.
On outside corners, cut one piece to 45 degrees and match the other piece with something close to 45 degrees (using scrap wood) until you're ready to make the final matching cut in your molding.
On inside corners use contour gauge (sold at Sears stores) to transfer the molding shape to one piece of the molding and cut it to fit the second piece. This joint simply butts together.
Doug Roach Making interior corners with baseboard moulding
January 17th, 2004 07:53 AM
Perhaps I'm missing something, but I have to wonder: why aren't you just cutting both at 45 degree angles, and fitting them together?
Bill Fay Making interior corners with baseboard moulding
January 17th, 2004 08:43 PM
The easiest way to match up this corner is to cope the joint. To do this you cut one side at 45 degrees and then cut along the edge following the contour of the wood with a regular hand coping saw. To make the line easier to follow yuou can rub the side of a pencil along the front edge to better see the contour. Leave the other side as a square cut end and butt it up to the corner. By doing this you should get a nice tight corner.
Adam Missing something
April 3rd, 2005 05:08 AM
You're not missing anything.

Matching the ends with a mitred joint is one of the most basic joints we've ever used.

Anyone making a picture frame has had the pleasure of accomplishing this.

But, a picture frame is free form and you can move the pieces of wood as you please in order to match two mitres. And, 45 plus 45 make that 90 degree rectangular corner all picture frames have.

Doing molding work is different. Although you can make you moldings 45 degrees. The chances of them coming together properly are small.

The molding is being restrained by the walls of your house. Everything is built with an accepted degree of accuracy or tolerance.

Carpenters are not paid to build to exact 90 degree specifications. And even if they did, as the house foundation settles the frame (including your walls) are going to twist and distort.

You'll probably never notice this until you become a Cabinetmaker or do interior trim work.

Then you'll have to learn the better suited coped inside joint.

Also, wood is not an Engineering fixed material. During different seasons the wood expands and contracts. This shifting can literally open up your carefully prepared inside mitre joints.

Professionals need to be concerned with the lasting quality of their work for continued good references. The DIYer has to LOOK AT their handywork for however so long they own their house.

These are the reasons a simple internal mitre joint is not recommended for trim work.
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