Often a beautiful picture is spoiled by the smallest details. When renovating an apartment or house, these are usually wallpaper joints that are just a millimeter apart or an incorrectly cut corner. ceiling plinth, which is clearly visible in the photo.
Cutting the ceiling plinth using a miter box will help you avoid problems with the baguette.
What is a miter box for baseboards
Unusual name carpentry tools“Miter box” comes from the German word “Stoßlade”, which, literally translated, means tsulaga (press) for miter cutting. In common parlance, a miter box is a tray resembling an inverted letter “P” in shape with paired oblique slits in the side slats located at a certain angle to the central axis.
The size of the cut slots should allow the cutting tool, saw or hacksaw to move freely, but without lateral play.
The classic number of slots is six, three on each side: two for cutting at an angle of 45 degrees (left and right parts) and one for right angle(some tool models have slots at an angle of 15, 30.60, and 135 o or in increments of 15 o). Using this device, an angle of 45 o is cut at the baseboard for precise and beautiful connection of the baguette in the corners.
You can precisely cut down the plinth strip without various devices. There are time-tested technologies for this. However, this is difficult and only professionals with extensive experience can do it. For self-taught people, it is better to use a miter box for ceiling plinths, which allows you to get a perfectly accurate connecting angle easily and simply.
In what cases is it used?
It is a mistake to think that the device was invented solely for cutting corners on a baguette. The must, on the contrary, came from other areas of carpentry in the decoration of walls and ceilings. This construction tool actively used for:
- production of door frames;
- installation of door and window frames;
- production of glazing beads for fastening window glass;
- preparing strips for frames for photographs and paintings;
- cutting cable ducts;
- cutting corners at floor and ceiling plinths.
Using a miter box as a device for working with fillets allows you to file down the ends so that they touch at the corners without gaps.
Types of miter box
Miter boxes are classified by type according to three criteria:
- size;
- the material from which the instrument is made;
- designs.
Size
Based on the first feature, there are two standard sizes:
Material
On sale you can find miter boxes made of different materials:
- wood;
- plastic;
- metal, mainly aluminum.
Wooden tool models have good performance characteristics: ease of use and cutting accuracy, which together with affordable price made this type of device for cutting materials at a given angle the most widespread. Adding advantages to a tool made from boards is the ability to make a miter box for the baseboard with your own hands.
Structurally wooden tools are made of 3 boards, one of which is the base, the other two are side planks with slots at different angles. They can be dismountable - fastened with self-tapping screws and non-dismountable - the connection of the planks to the base is adhesive with the addition of self-tapping screws for rigidity.
The disadvantages include a short service life - when working with a hacksaw or a saw, the teeth of the cutting tool file down the sides of the slot, as a result of which the groove increases in size. A lateral displacement of 1-2 o appears, which immediately affects the quality of the baguette joint in the corners. Therefore, for professional carpenters, tool models made from other materials are preferable. But for doing housework, this is an ideal option.
Tools made of plastic, mainly PVC, have a budget price (polyurethane ones are more expensive), a variety of standard sizes and low weight. They are a one-piece construction with slots on the sides. It is used exclusively at home, since the service life is even shorter than that of its wooden counterpart: the slots increase in size much faster, exceeding the permissible standard.
Miter boxes made of steel or aluminum are tools for professionals. These are durable and easy to use products with high accuracy I started drinking. The price matches the quality: it is very high.
Design
By design features miter boxes are divided:
- on simple or, as they are also called, ordinary ones. They are templates with predetermined cutting angles. IN classic version three pairs of grooves: for the right and left baguette at 45 o and a transverse cut. In some models you can find up to 11 pairs of slots. When working with such a tool, it must be fixed on the workbench using a clamp. The second clamp secures the workpiece, from which you need to cut off a corner according to a given template. Often you have to work without clamps. In this case, the plinth and miter box are held with one hand, and the corner of the fillet is filed with the other. If you work in such conditions carefully and do not rush, you can saw off a corner with the same quality as when using fixing tools;
- rotary. Such tools are better known as precision miter boxes. It consists of a rotating platform and a disk segment on which degrees are marked, which allows you to cut any angle. A number of models can also be tilted, which makes it possible to cut the part at the end in two planes at once (called universal). It is convenient to work with such a device for a small number of operations - manual sawing is still exhausting.
- electric. These are the same rotary tools, but with a circular saw. They are used mainly by professional builders for mass filing of corners, although such a mechanism is also found among household tools.
Principle and rules of working with the device
For many owners of an apartment or house who are renovating on our own, is news that there is special devices for cutting corners on baguettes. Therefore, they are poorly versed in how to use a miter box for baseboards.
The very principle of using the device is extremely simple. Take a baguette and fasten it in a miter box opposite the 45 o slot in the same position as it will be glued to the wall. At the same time, it should protrude 1-2 cm beyond the boundaries of the zone in which the corner will be cut, which will make it possible to obtain a smooth, chip-free end. The workpiece is fixed with clamps, and in their absence, it is pressed to the base of the device by hand. There's a little trick here: cutting is more convenient if the saw is on the side working hand(grooves in the tool allow this to be done).
Knowledge of the operating principle does not guarantee accurate and beautiful connection of the baguette in the corners. You also need to know the basic rules of how to cut a ceiling plinth using a miter box.
- The cutting tool must match the material of the fillet. It is best to cut polystyrene foam with a knife with a replaceable blade. Plastic - with a knife, a hacksaw or a grinder with a cutting wheel with diamond sputtering. Wooden fillet - using a fine-tooth wood saw.
- Baguettes with relief or ornament must be combined according to the pattern.
- To avoid mistakes when determining the direction of the cut, you need to mark in advance with a pencil the line along which the saw will go. There is no need for special precision here: the main thing is to correctly indicate the chosen direction.
- You need to start cutting after checking the quality of fixation of the plinth in the tool: whether it is installed correctly; How securely is it fixed?
Which miter box to choose in the store
When choosing a device, you need to focus on its functionality (at what angle and on what planes to cut the workpiece) and the volume of work performed. Simple, U-shaped tools are purchased if you are going to install floor or ceiling plinths on your own; rotary ones are intended for craftsmen. If you need a complex cut in 2 planes, then a non-professional will have to buy a rotary miter box.
When purchasing, you should pay attention to the following characteristics:
- the material from which the device is made;
- base width;
- wall thickness;
- the presence of a cutting tool in the kit;
- number of slots (the more, the better);
- the presence of clamps (fasteners);
- How free is the saw?
You can buy a simple device without a hacksaw for 87-820 rubles. The cost of a rotary miter box starts from 1300 rubles. It is difficult to say how much an electric tool costs, even approximately. The price difference is huge. You can buy a miter saw for either 6 thousand rubles or 25 thousand rubles.
Among the brands stand out:
The model is made of durable plastic. There are slots at angles of 22.5, 45, 90 and 135 o for vertical cutting and 45 o for inclined sawing. The price of the tool starts from 335 rubles.
Material: one-piece impact-resistant plastic. Cuts can be made at an angle of 22.5, 45 and 90 o vertically and 45 o horizontally. Allows you to make very precise cuts. The cost starts from 770 rubles.
Made of impact-resistant technical thermoplastic resin (ABC plastic), which allows you to maintain the size of the slot for a long time. You can buy it for 220-340 rubles.
Professional rotary miter box. The frame can be steel, aluminum or plastic. A saw is included in the kit. Costs from 3500 rubles. up to 6700 rub.
Is it possible and how to do it yourself?
Hike to outlet You can put off purchasing the device if you have on hand:
- 3 boards 30-50 cm long. One of them is 15-20 cm wide (base), two for making sides 30-50 mm each (a high side makes it difficult to work with a saw);
- furniture screws with hexagon heads;
- glue;
- cutting tool for woodworking (saw, hacksaw);
- clamps - these can be a vice or clamps;
- a set of hexagonal furniture keys (confirmations);
- electric drill or screwdriver with a set of drills;
- ruler;
- protractor;
- corner;
- construction pencil (marker);
- sandpaper P120.
From the given set of materials and tools, it is not difficult to make a simple device for adjusting the ends of the baguette when connecting them in the corners.
The step-by-step action plan is as follows:
- the bottom of the base and sides are sanded with sandpaper;
- the base is attached in a vice or clamp to the workbench;
- a side board is applied to the side of the base (covers the side edge);
- by using measuring instruments the angle formed by two boards is checked - it should be 90 o;
- in 3-4 places the side strip and the base are drilled with a screwdriver (the drill should be 1-2 mm thinner than the self-tapping screws);
- PVA glue is applied to the edge of the base (any type of glue for wooden products can be used);
- the side is screwed to the base with furniture screws;
- a similar operation is carried out on the other side of the miter box;
- Using a ruler, protractor and pencil, marks are made for the slots. There should be 3 of them on each side. One pair for cutting parts at a right angle, the other two pairs at an angle of 45 o, for the left and right baguette. The location of the grooves can be arbitrary, but it is more convenient to work if there is a groove in the middle of the device for an angle of 90 o, and on the sides at an equal distance for angles of 45 o;
- You need to make cuts with a saw all the way to the base.
Usage homemade device will save family budget at good quality cutting corners.
There is nothing complicated in the instructions on how to cut a ceiling plinth using a miter box.
1. The plinth is placed in the miter box with its face up, so that the plane in contact with the ceiling lies on the base, and the second is pressed against the side of the device. In this case, the bar should protrude 1-2 cm beyond the cutting line, which is clearly visible in the photo.
2. The fillet is pressed forcefully against the device, and a cutting tool (saw, hacksaw) is inserted into the slot. By the way, in the second photo the location of the plinth is more convenient for left-handed people. For those who are used to sawing right hand, you just need to switch to the other side or turn the miter box with the plinth 180 o.
3. The end is cut.
4. The second plinth is cut in a mirror image.
5. The cut areas are sanded with fine paper using a cutting tool with a tooth. Naturally, after the knife the grinding operation is not carried out.
You can see in the photo how to properly cut the fillet ends for the internal and external corners.
Is there a difference in technology for floor and ceiling plinths?
At first glance, there is no difference in cutting corners for ceiling and floor plinths. Indeed, there are none if we're talking about only about how to make a corner with a miter box - the sawing technology is the same.
Otherwise, there are and they concern methods for determining the length of scraps for joining in corners. So, at the top, when cutting the end, the upper part of the bar is shortened, at the bottom, on the contrary, the lower part. When joining the plinth at the outer corner, the ceiling plinth increases in size at the top, and the floor plinth at the base.
Let's supplement the instructions on how to use a miter box with several simple rules, the implementation of which allows you to correctly cut the corner at the baseboard.
- When starting work, you should not panic if after the first cuts the ends do not fit together perfectly. You need to be prepared for the fact that you will have to adjust the first plinth strips several times.
- Beginners often get confused about the sizes of corner strips. To prevent this from happening, the measurement is done as follows: the length of the fillet for the internal corner starts directly from the adjacent wall, for the external corner - from the edge of the corner plus the width of the baseboard, since the upper corner will protrude into the room.
- Before placing fillets on glue, even if you are absolutely sure of the correct cut, you need to check how accurate the joint is. To do this, attach the touching ends to each other directly in the corner.
- Builders have not yet learned how to make an angle exactly 90 o. Therefore, there will always be small gaps. They can be sealed with gypsum putty or sealant.
- If the walls are not blocked (they stand vertically), the moldings can be adjusted at the bottom, even if the angle is acute or obtuse.
Conclusion
Using a miter box to cut the outer and inner corners of baguette panels allows you to obtain precise cuts at the ends, which are impossible to do by eye. The use of technologies without equipment requires sealing the baseboard joints with sealant.
There is a wide selection of tool models on sale, varying in cost, size, operating principles and material from which they are made. It means that House master will always be able to choose the most effective miter box for his work. The simplicity of the design allows people, even without prior experience in construction, to effectively use the device for cutting out the required angles on parts used during repair work.
1. Zero clearance
If your circular saw blade leaves torn fibers and chips on the edges of the cut, try next addition. Cut a piece of hardboard6 mm thick across the width of the circular saw base.
Remove the disk, lift the protective cover and use double-sided tape to glue the cut piece to the base. Turn on the saw and slowly sink the blade into the hardboard to create a zero-clearance cut. Then saw with low feed on the basis received.
Note: Be especially careful as the saw blade is exposed!
2. Set the saw on line for precise cutting
Spend a few minutes on making this template in the workshop, and the necessary precision of cuts will be available anywhere. The fixture shown in the picture was designed for 150mm wide boards, but it is easy to adjust the design to any size or angle required.
Make the jig with a slight allowance, then hold the circular saw against the fence and saw off the edge of the base to the final length.
The sawed edge of the device defines the line along which a circular saw must make a cut.
Place a mark on the board where you want to cut it, press the bottom stop of the jig against the edge of the board, and align the edge of the base with the cut mark. By passing the saw through the device, it is possible to cut boards with amazing accuracy.
3. Finding a simple guide
How to make a straight cut with a portable circular saw? Of course, you can buy an expensive guide in a store or make it yourself in a workshop if you need to cut a lot of sheets. But there is a simpler solution: make it from scraps that are lying around in the corner of the workshop. To make the guide, select the factory edge of a strip of plywood or hard fiberboard with a width of 250-300 mm. Fasten the strip along the cutting line so that saw base moved along a smooth edge. If you use foam padding to protect the saw blade, make cutouts in it for the jaws of the clamps.
4. Homemade cutting device for a circular saw
Clean and straight cross cuts can be difficult to make portable circular saw. It's almost impossible to keep the tool perfectly straight, and pieces of material tend to fly off, leaving behind unsightly chips and splintered edges.I suggest doing it yourself inexpensive device for cross cutting of several pieces of wood and aluminum angle. Assemble the base by gluing and screwing a pair of parallel planks measuring 25x50 mm to the top side of a piece of particle board or plywood measuring 18x300x1220 mm.
Using countersunk screws, attach aluminum corners at a 90° angle to the planks parallel to the width of the circular saw base. Adjust the saw so that it cuts through the slats and makes shallow cut at the base.
Secure the device with clamps on the workbench, insert the workpiece under aluminum guides and make a cut. If the saw does not slide well along the guides, then a thin layer of paraffin or silicone spray will help you move it more smoothly.
5. Template for installing the guide
When to make long cuts with a portable circular saw, you have to spend a lot of time and make a lot of measurements to set a straight guide relative to the marking line in exact accordance with the width of the saw base.To simplify this procedure cut out the template made of fiberboard (hardboard), equal in width to the distance from the edge of the saw base to the inner edge of the saw blade. Then cut the template to the length of the saw base. To use the template, align its edge with the cut mark on the workpiece, and attach a straight guide to the other side and secure it with a clamp.
Repeat this procedure on the second cut mark on the other edge of the workpiece being cut. Similar templates can be made for jigsaw or milling cutter.
If you need to do a neat gusset two wooden parts, you need to make an angular cut at their ends.
Miter box
The cheapest solution for making angled cuts is a simple miter box. It is usually made of plastic or wood and has slots to allow a saw to make a 45° or 90° cut. In addition, there are miter boxes with more holes for different angles. Use a fine-tooth, wide-blade hacksaw and press the piece of wood you want to cut against the back of the miter box. The relatively narrow miter box shown in the picture is suitable for working with small parts, for example for cutting wooden strips for a picture frame or other small wooden parts.
Miter cutting with fixed guide
When using this tool, the saw is fixed in a horizontal strip or guide. The angle between the workpiece and the saw can be precisely set to 22.5°, 30°, 45°, 60° and 90°. The saw blade is easy to replace when it wears out.
Electric miter saws
The most convenient and quick way Making bevel cuts is using an electric saw to cut at an angle. With a saw like this, you are not limited by the width of the workpiece. The rotation speed of these saws can be continuously adjusted and they also have a connection for a vacuum cleaner to collect dust.
Working with a miter saw
If you want to cut a beam or baseboard, first accurately measure where you want to cut and mark it with a pencil by drawing a line.
Set the saw to the desired angle and clamp the workpiece; You can, for example, use a gluing clamp. If you're not sure what angle you need, first make a test cut on a piece of scrap wood.
Before making a cut, check that the saw blade is sharp enough - otherwise the material will split severely and you will have to apply additional force. Fine tooth blades give the best results.CLUE!
If the saw often gets stuck, rub the saw blade with the end of a candle. Candle paraffin will allow you to cut without jamming.
Cutting width
The maximum width or depth of cut when using an electric miter saw depends on the diameter of the blade. The maximum cutting width is equal to the disc diameter, which is usually 250 mm. An electric miter saw may have two guides. They allow you to move the saw towards you and get a larger cutting width.
Sawing
Measure the cutting angle, for example using a measuring stick. If two pieces of wood are at right angles to each other, then the angle is 90°. In this case, each of the two angles at which you need to make a cut is 45°. Using a miter box, you can make a cut at a 45° angle to the left or right. For best appearance, ensure that the same sides of the workpiece will be visible from the inside and outside of the completed joint. If you have learned how to make miter cuts, you can also make a straight join with a bevel edge to join two pieces of wood to add length. In this case, two planks or two plinths will be neatly connected to each other.
Variable cutting angles
By using different cutting angles, you can make the connection at the desired angle. For odd angles, you can make a neat joint by measuring the required cut angle using an adjustable jig or contour gauge. Set the grinder exactly at half of this angle and make corresponding marks on each workpiece. After this, set the grinder at the same angle and you can make a neat connection.
A miter box is a tool for cutting workpieces at a certain angle. These blanks can be made of wood and plastic. Most often it is used for cutting door frames, baseboards, and wooden blocks.
You won’t be able to manually cut a block at an angle of 45 degrees, which is why such a tool was invented - a miter box.
They come in different widths and lengths, depending on the size of the workpiece.
For example, the photo below is the most common one.
One of inexpensive models, with its help you can cut workpieces measuring 65mm in width and 35mm in height. If the workpiece is higher, then it will no longer be possible to insert the saw into the grooves.
It is possible to cut at an angle of 45 and 90 degrees.
This is suitable for small thin bars and narrow trims. The kit includes a simple saw with a small, non-hardened tooth.
This option is quite suitable for infrequent household work; the plastic is quite flimsy.
Approximate price for 2013 – 120 rub.
If you use a miter box constantly, then take better option more expensive, but better quality. 
The miter box itself is already noticeably wider; you can cut workpieces 100mm wide and 52mm high. Unlike the first option, it is possible to cut not only at an angle, but also at an angle, 
those. It will be possible to make an angle in a different plane. The plastic is much thicker, making the body more rigid and reliable. For convenience, it can be attached to the table with bolts or screws. There are two holes for this.
There are markings on the body for convenience.
The kit includes a saw with a hardened tooth, a powerful rubberized handle that fits perfectly in the hand. To prevent the canvas from bending, there is a stiffener on top of it.
Estimated cost 350 rub.
Another option. With eccentric clamps, which allow you to fasten workpieces of any shape, not just rectangular, even, but even round. 
There are angles of 22.5 degrees, 45 and 90, and you can also cut at an angle.
Width 110mm, height 75mm – for quite serious workpieces.
Made of thick plastic, can be mounted on a workbench.
The saw is not included, you will have to buy it separately, it costs 150 rubles.
The miter box itself is 300 rubles.
When planning the premises of their apartment, many people think about how difficult the work can be. However, everything is not so scary: you can install the ceiling plinth with your own hands - the main thing is to know about some of the features of the materials from which this finishing element is made.
Different materials and their features
- Tree . The most durable material in comparison with the other two below, the advantages of which are hardness, impact resistance and the ability to withstand certain mechanical loads. Nevertheless, wooden skirting boards(another name is fillets) glued to the ceiling are also relatively easy to process - they can be cut (a hacksaw is used for this) and varnished. Wood will add warmth to the interior. One of the disadvantages is the higher cost than that of polystyrene foam. However appearance Wooden fillets last longer than foam fillets.
- Styrofoam . Perhaps this material is the most fragile - it is not resistant to mechanical damage, scratches and even minor impacts. The advantages are light weight, the ability to be painted various colors and ease of processing (it can be cut with a stationery knife - although very carefully).
- Expanded polystyrene . This material can be considered a type of polystyrene foam, although its strength characteristics are slightly higher (extruded polystyrene foam is denser than polystyrene foam). As for processing, polystyrene foam is just as easy to cut with regular sharp knife, and also has a low weight, and this is an important factor when taking into account the load on the walls.
Both foam plastic and expanded polystyrene have one significant advantage: the softness of the material allows you to press the baseboard as tightly as possible to the corners and to each other, as a result of which there are no gaps. In addition, modern polystyrene skirting boards are made in such a way that they have a small recess - specifically for hidden installation of electrical wiring.
Useful. can transform the appearance of a standard apartment into an elegant, stylish interior.
Miter box - a tool for cutting skirting board corners
There are two ways to cut corners - with a tool (miter box) and without it. We will look at both methods.
Miter box made of plastic
A miter box is a carpenter's tool, which is a small rectangular tray (you can make it yourself from wood or buy it ready-made from plastic or metal), the walls of which have grooves. The grooves guide the hacksaw blade at a certain angle to the axis of the tray.
Important: The cutting angle of the edge of the plinth is always oblique and equal to 45°, when elements intended for butt installation in the corners of the ceiling are processed. The oblique cut ensures a tighter fit of the fillets.
Making a miter box with your own hands
Unfortunately, not everyone has a full arsenal of carpentry tools at home, but you can make something like a miter box yourself. To do this, a rectangular tray is knocked together from planks, then grooves are sawed into the walls - at an angle of 45°.
Homemade miter box made of plywood
To measure the angle, you can use 2 knocked down boards and a protractor or a regular one. right triangle- here's the miter box and it's ready!
Method 1 - trimming the edge of the baseboard using a miter box
It is worth noting that ceiling corners can be both internal and external, and the difference between them lies in the methods of joining and different angles slices. The former are present at the junctions of two walls and the ceiling, the latter - when decorating protrusions, columns, outer edges of niches, pilasters, etc.
The angle of inclination of the groove in the miter box can be 45°, 60°, or 90°. Professional carpenters purchase a miter box with a rotating mechanism - this is very convenient for turning the cutting tool when cutting plinths.
Cutting "internal" corners
Important! To cut the “internal” corner, the fillets should be placed on the bottom of the miter box top part- the one that will be glued to the ceiling. Wherein Bottom part The slats should be pressed tightly against the wall of the tray.
Step 1: correct measurement of the length of the plinth according to its markings on the wall, applying a “notch” with a pencil on the material for the future cut.
Step 2: placing the material in the miter box. The correct placement of the plinth in the tray will determine the correct cutting of the edges of the fillets, and, accordingly, the accuracy of their placement on the ceiling.
Step 3: After the plinth is installed and tightly fixed in the miter box (you can simply press the material firmly with one hand), a hacksaw is placed in the groove at 45°. Now the material can be cut. The edges of the second plinth, which will be installed adjacent to the first, are cut in the same way, only as if in a mirror image (the plinth is installed in the opposite direction, the edges are also cut at an angle of 45°).
Important: when cutting the edges of fillets, jeweler's precision is required - otherwise the material will be damaged, and the appearance of the skirting boards at the joints of the walls will also be damaged. If polystyrene foam baseboards are used, then the edges can be cut off with an ordinary sharp knife without a miter box. However, it should be remembered that cutting corners should be done from the front side.
Cutting "external" corners
The difference between cutting an “external” corner and an “internal” one is that the baseboards should protrude slightly from the edge of the wall - for the so-called overlap.
We repeat steps 1, 2, 3 in the same way as cutting “internal” corners. However, it should be remembered that the upper part of the plinth (one of the edges) should have a small allowance. The second (adjacent) overlay is cut in the same way, only mirrored to the first.
It is easiest (and best) to cut the edges of a wooden ceiling plinth with a hacksaw for metal - with fine, fine teeth. Then the cuts will be more neat and even.