Perfect Miters and 3 Other Tips Every Woodworker Should Know
Perfect Miters and 3 Other Tips Every Woodworker Should Know
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REFERENCED PROJECT VIDEOS
▸ How To Build Better Boxes – https://youtu.be/VMIGLI3D1HQ
▸ “Pico” Media Console Video – https://youtu.be/aU9XG38WEwg
▸ “Glenn” Lounge Chair Video – https://youtu.be/hUxKDFle5pQ
▸ “Longview” Dining Chair Video – https://youtu.be/ZE_eXqA9eCg
WOODWORKING PLANS / PROJECT COURSES
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▸ Plans Example Chapter – https://youtu.be/RPB9yMqpMt8
In this video we cover 4 woodworking tips which were submitted by viewers like you. The tips include cutting perfect miter joints, clamping weird angles, avoiding tear out on a table saw, and tips to improve your sanding.
HOW TO SUBMIT A TIP
Submit your woodworking tip by emailing it to us at tips@foureyesfurniture.com
Here’s what to include:
1. In the subject line of your email, include a short description of tip (example: “How To Chop an Onion w/out crying” )
2. In the body of your email, include a detailed description of your tip. If you have pictures or video, all the better. Anything that will help us to better understand your tip is appreciated. Don’t worry about high production on this stuff. We’ll take care of that.
3. Where you’d like to be credited. Your Instagram Handle, your YouTube Channel, just your name…or even anonymous. Just let us know.
Many binging with babish has too many hobbies
A solution (for those who have this as an option) to getting those clamping jigs for awkward angles, since it was mentioned to no longer be for sale, would be 3D printing. Also you could make a lot of them too by making multiple of them with a single print job! Naturally I’d recommend a very high or 100% infill for this given that the part will be under load in this use-case.
Is it 44.9 from upright position of blade or from the table left of the blade? Very confusing. The thumbnail for this video shows 45.1 instead.
👍👍👍✅✅🙏
Plus wood shrinks as it dries more across the grain than along the length which will open up miters cut into the end of the wood.
Anyone else run into the issue of curved miter cuts like the blade pulls the piece as I’m pushing through
What 3d program you used?
Good video but the method you show for cutting the rabbits is extremely dangerous!!
Thank you Chris for these tips. I make hexagon shelves quite often and I encounter this problem of open ends, but with hexagons the gaps make everything shift around (it will touch perfectly in 4 places and kinda set down and open up even more in 2 that are on the sides). And getting my mitre saw to be at 30 degrees perfectly seems impossible. Do you have a tip for me to improve my hexagons?
That’s slick! Leaving extra material to provide a place to clamp, then cutting off that extra material when finished. Really slick!
With regards to clamping angle pieces, I thought I sent you a diagram with a nice alternative clamping blocks
its a little more work but i tend to cut at 45 and hand sand the inside corners a little it’s always worked perfectly for me 🙂
You’re 100% right. Never worked with me 45 degree. Allows small gap, and allows tried to move the miter saw one hair.
I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the animations! It makes such a difference in how well I understand whatever you are describing.
One of the tips I learned as an apprentice joiner over 60 years ago was that for a quick, on-site way to cut a 45° mitre, say on a skirting board, without a guide. So long as your saw is clean and a little reflective (as it should be) angle you saw whilst looking at the reflection, when you see a right angled reflection, start sawing and keep looking 👁👁
Do you have enough clamps? my trick, glue and tape! No clamps, not needed.
The demonstration showed 44.9 degrees, "inside" 45 degrees, but you said "outside" of 45 degree, right? Earlier, you showed 45.1. Is 45.1 what were really aiming for?
I avoid tear out by adjusting the blade depth to about 1/8" and making a cut, then make a second cut at full depth. It seems that the blade striking along the plane of the wood doesn’t tear but striking through does.
I am still grappling with the concept of getting a mitre joint "perfect". In a previous communication you say that "set the blade 45.1 from the vertical, or 44.9 from the horizontal"In this video at1:39the digital gauge was at 90 degrees in the vertical but you set the blade to44.9 degrees (not 45.1). Could we choose another example to illustrate your point a little more clearly. In making a hexagon, the angle would be 30 degrees from the vertical and 60 degrees from the horizontal? Is this correct? So would I set my blade 29.9 degrees starting with the blade at 90 degrees and the gauge zeroed to the blade and 60.1 degrees starting with the blade at 90 degrees and the gauged zeroed to the table, then placed on the blade that then is lowered to 60.1 degrees. I realize this is a long question and that you are busy. Thanks.
Ouch! 9:44, then all that blood dripping from the finger, always be careful using your tools.
"Tip adjacent" I’m so glad you were precise in pointing out that detail. (eye roll)
am trying to explain to workmates that cutting 8m wont evenly divide giving me 20 x 400mm pieces. I’ll be left holding a smaller piece. They maybe understand when I tell them why, like, I can see there is scratching of heads may but no nodding that yeah, don’t blame me if it is 60 mm short, even though your measurements drawing tells you it is possible.
8:04 The way you lean over that table saw looks really scary. Please be careful. You’re freaking me out.
Chuck the ball thing…. It’s hookey
Chris Salmone: uses 45.1 degree bevel to achieve perfect miters.
also Chris Salmone: freehands 45.1 degree bevel without a fence and achieves perfect miter joint.
The ONE advantage of having a mitered corner open, rather than closed, is that you can take the shaft of a screwdriver (or scraper sharpener), and rub along the edge to "fold" the edge in on both sides so they meet. Yeah, it’s a fudge, but a lot of woodworking is a fudge.
2:43 that looks really nice.
You cant buy it, but you can print it! 🙂
Surprised I haven’t seen anyone mentioning 9:47 – happens to all of us sometimes!
Great tips, thanks for the video!
About tear out, Your tip is really important when routing. I always start with the end grain first and end with the long grain. Always cleans up the corners.
▸ Tips are great, but there’s no substitute for actually building stuff. Check out our plans – https://www.foureyesfurniture.com/plans
▸ …or just watch more woodworking tips – https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLg7QrqfzwiFrpIAYDnIpKoGneqc7JG3Ai
Thanks
I wonder if you could combine this with painters tape and CA glue trick so you dont have to cut and sand those areas where you holding peaces are. Gotta try this later, well as this angle trick, though my table saw is the cheapest china shit money can buy and getting just straight equal size peaces is bit difficult.. so go figure.
great tips
You guys sound so super serious in these videos.
6:30 "Oh! Phew! Thanks." The understated way this is delivered is absolute genius.
Adam Sander
Are we gonna just ignore the bloodshed at 9:48 ?
Sorry, but the constant up inflection at the end of a sentence makes you sound like a California valley girl. I Can’t take it.
One better that your clamping block with set angles, one one end have a circle 2" to 3" diameter and a tail tangent to that, about 6" or 7" long. Use the (2) tails to clamp this to the opposing surfaces then use the circles to clamp between this way your always perpendicular to the glue joint.
Having a mitered corner that doesn’t fit on the inside is not okay, and I don’t think we should be recommending this. I saw guys recommendations of cut both miters at same time so that they fit even if one if 44’ and the other is 46’. This is much better because what is the likelihood that someone will whip out their favorite angle measurement tool, and give you hell for a tight fitting miter that’s technically not symmetrical. But that would just be my preference. I personally like the recommendation from YouTuber Stumpy Nubs which says you should take the round shaft of a Philips driver and deform the edge that don’t meet towards each other. It has the effect of slightly bullnosing the corner, and causes a slight gap to close.
As a guy who does a LOT of "organic shapes" with my joinery, it’s worth pointing out that your tip about "erring in a known direction" is REALLY useful just about everywhere in joinery… not just mitres.
Look at it this way… If you’re likely to be a "smidgeon" off, it’s better to pre-plan where that "smidgeon" might show so you know where to cover it… worst case… AND best case, you’re off in a known spot and direction with the "primary cut" so it’s easier to make the minor adjustments with a file or even as small as a popsicle stick covered in sand paper… to get a "perfectly snug fit" every single time…
It SHOULD go without saying, that you should ALWAYS "dry fit" your joints before the final assembly and gluing process/step. Even if you’ve already "test fit and adjusted" before, go ahead for a full assembly (if at all possible… or as close as possible) and DOUBLE CHECK EVERYTHING… It’s just too easy, whether by haste or just poor memory or whatever else, to miss a piece in processing and refining to "perfection"… SO that extra bit of "dry fit" and checking everything together will save you LOTS of heartache, headache, and hair loss before you’ve got glue drying as you sit there wrestling between two pieces that can’t possibly meld together properly and the mess of sticky, gooey run-off spreading from the joint to your fingers, clothes, work-table, floor, other bits of scrap and possibly project materials, tools, and everything else in the shop…
OH YEAH… AND no matter how frustrated you get with yourself, throwing the project across the shop is NOT the answer either. It won’t help anything. ;o)
You guys are pretty great.
Man, you got me good with that thumbnail. I read it and thought "yeah right, what kind of nonsense is this, or is he gonna use some mathematical formula that is basically the same as just using a 45". So, I clicked thinking I would get a good laugh. I’m glad I was wrong, this is such a simple yet effective tip.
9:44 how’d that cut happen? sanding?
inb4 this guy sticks his hand in his saw
Best tip that can be given, a half degree large on 45. Tricks are done with a deck of cards or balloons or something. Makers have techniques not tricks.
Great advice here… btw hope your thumb feels better !
I don’t batch sand. I get paid by the hour.
Big LIKE for 6:33