CORNICE
MOLDINGS:
There are usually two different cuts to be made: inside corners
and outside corners. Here's the way to make an inside corner, using
the drawings as guidelines:
- For
an inside corner, measure the molding from corner to corner. Mark
it on the back of the molding as the molding will be fitted to
the wall surface.
- Turn
the molding upside down in the miter box; the bottom of the molding
should be pressed against the side of the box that will receive
the pressure from the sawing action (fence).
- For
the cut, the molding must be on the opposite side of the saw from
its position as it relates to the wall (or ceiling). For example,
a left-hand corner should be on the right side of the saw, and
a right-hand corner should be on the left side of the saw.
If you
have a movable saw guide on the miter box, set the saw for a 45-degree
cut to the right to make the left-hand corner cut. Then reset the
saw guide to the left 45-degree position for the right-hand corner
cut.
If you
are using a wooden miter box with the angles cut in the sides, you
may have to lift the molding out of the box to "switch" the right
and left cuts.
Outside
corners that will be mitered are cut this way:
- Measure
and mark the molding to be mitered.
- Put
the molding into the miter box upside down, with the face of the
molding tight against the fence or back of the miter box.
- The
miter for the left-hand side of the corner will be to the left
of the saw blade. Make the cut.
- The
miter for the right-hand side of the corner will be to the right
of the saw blade. Make the cut.
MITER
CLAMPS:
Whenever possible, use some sort of clamping device to hold miters
while the components are fastened together. Since miters are considered
"weak" joints, they need all the support they can get.
ou can
purchase metal corner clamps to assemble mitered picture frame corners
and other light materials. Also available are cloth straps with
clamps that can be wrapped around the mitered assembly to hold it
firmly while the adhesive sets.
You also
can buy special hardware to reinforce corner (mitered) joints, and
the hardware includes fat T and L mending plates, corner "braces",
"wiggly" nails (corrugated fasteners) and flat "scotch" fasteners
that go across the mitered joints.
