Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

Any thoughts?

M

In article
,
M wrote:
I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

It's usual to scribe skirting for internal angles rather than mitre it.

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

I use a sliding bevel then transfer that angle to my compound mitre saw -
read off the angle and half it.

--
*Few women admit their age; fewer men act it.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

M wrote:

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

Any thoughts?

There is a very simple drawing technique you can use for any non
standard (aka "******* Mitre") mitre joint. You may be able to use it in
this case. Technique described he

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...d_mitre_joints



--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

Any thoughts?

M

A sheet of paper. Fold it to fit the angle and then fold it in half. As
Dave says, the 2 angles must be the same. Lining paper's quite good for
that sort of thing

stuart noble wrote:
M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

Any thoughts?

M

A sheet of paper. Fold it to fit the angle and then fold it in half. As
Dave says, the 2 angles must be the same. Lining paper's quite good for
that sort of thing
Bit of string and a calulator. Use trignometry.

M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Not sure I understand. Is the timber going on top of the wall in the same
way a coping stone/stones would?

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

As others have said, you don't mitre internals when doing skirting boards,
you scribe them.

Going back to the garden walls, if the timber is going flat on top like a
coping stone would, there is a simple way of doing it, which is harder to
explain than to do.

Lets say the two walls are like a capital 'L'. The angle may be 90 or 88 or
92 it matters not.

Cut a board for the upright of the L with a 45 mitre at the end, call it
piece A. Leave this to one side for the moment.

Place a board (B) on the crosspiece of the L of appropriate length. Place
board A on top with a scrap piece of timber under the other end to keep it
level. Adjust the boards so that they align with the walls, then mark a
pencil line on board B along the angle of A.

Cut along this line and the boards will fit. The join will match the wall
angle whatever it is and the mitre will fit. It won't be a 90 mitre but it
doesn't matter.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

The Medway Handyman wrote:
M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Not sure I understand. Is the timber going on top of the wall in the same
way a coping stone/stones would?
Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

As others have said, you don't mitre internals when doing skirting boards,
you scribe them.

Going back to the garden walls, if the timber is going flat on top like a
coping stone would, there is a simple way of doing it, which is harder to
explain than to do.

Lets say the two walls are like a capital 'L'. The angle may be 90 or 88 or
92 it matters not.

Cut a board for the upright of the L with a 45 mitre at the end, call it
piece A. Leave this to one side for the moment.

Place a board (B) on the crosspiece of the L of appropriate length. Place
board A on top with a scrap piece of timber under the other end to keep it
level. Adjust the boards so that they align with the walls, then mark a
pencil line on board B along the angle of A.

Cut along this line and the boards will fit. The join will match the wall
angle whatever it is and the mitre will fit. It won't be a 90 mitre but it
doesn't matter.


But then the two angles won't be the same, and therefore neither will
the length of the cuts. Rather like coming round a 135 bay with 1 x 90
and 1 x 45

stuart noble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Not sure I understand. Is the timber going on top of the wall in the
same way a coping stone/stones would?
Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

As others have said, you don't mitre internals when doing skirting
boards, you scribe them.

Going back to the garden walls, if the timber is going flat on top
like a coping stone would, there is a simple way of doing it, which is
harder to explain than to do.

Lets say the two walls are like a capital 'L'. The angle may be 90 or
88 or 92 it matters not.

Cut a board for the upright of the L with a 45 mitre at the end, call
it piece A. Leave this to one side for the moment.

Place a board (B) on the crosspiece of the L of appropriate length.
Place board A on top with a scrap piece of timber under the other end
to keep it level. Adjust the boards so that they align with the
walls, then mark a pencil line on board B along the angle of A.

Cut along this line and the boards will fit. The join will match the
wall angle whatever it is and the mitre will fit. It won't be a 90
mitre but it doesn't matter.


But then the two angles won't be the same, and therefore neither will
the length of the cuts. Rather like coming round a 135 bay with 1 x 90
and 1 x 45
To extend Dave's method, once again more difficult to describe than do.
Take the two pieces of wood you want to use and lay one piece on one
of the walls as you would want it to be, with one corner over the
outside of the angle of the 'L'. Lay the other piece over it,
supporting it so that it is horizontalso that the outer corner is
exactly over the outer corner of the first piece. At the inner part of
the corner mark both pieces of wood. Cut both pieces from the mark to
the corner and you have bisected the angle.

I have used this method with paving slabs to turn a corner. Thry it
indoors with card to convince yourself

HTH

Malcolm

stuart noble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was
to buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones,
but I've failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some
preasure treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Not sure I understand. Is the timber going on top of the wall in
the same way a coping stone/stones would?
Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a
sliding bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as
it works!

As others have said, you don't mitre internals when doing skirting
boards, you scribe them.

Going back to the garden walls, if the timber is going flat on top
like a coping stone would, there is a simple way of doing it, which
is harder to explain than to do.

Lets say the two walls are like a capital 'L'. The angle may be 90
or 88 or 92 it matters not.

Cut a board for the upright of the L with a 45 mitre at the end,
call it piece A. Leave this to one side for the moment.

Place a board (B) on the crosspiece of the L of appropriate length. Place
board A on top with a scrap piece of timber under the other
end to keep it level. Adjust the boards so that they align with the
walls, then mark a pencil line on board B along the angle of A.

Cut along this line and the boards will fit. The join will match
the wall angle whatever it is and the mitre will fit. It won't be a
90 mitre but it doesn't matter.


But then the two angles won't be the same, and therefore neither will
the length of the cuts. Rather like coming round a 135 bay with 1 x 90
and 1 x 45

But for timber on top of a wall its good enough. Done it many times edgeing
decks, second cut will be a fraction longer but not really noticeable.

Wouldn't work for skirting etc granted.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

On Oct 24, 6:16*pm, Malcolm wrote:
stuart noble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
M wrote:
Hi,

I've been doing a bit of landscaping over the summer (?) and have
terraced my garden with a few low retaining walls. My intention was to
buy some stone (or concrete) blocks to work as coping stones, but I've
failed to find anything suitable and so have bought some preasure
treated wood to do the job instead.

Having messed up some skirting a few years ago by not correctly
measuring the angles of the corners of the room and assuming them to
be 90 degrees (please, nobody else do this) I would like to get the
wooden wall tops fitted with tighter joints, but how do I accurately
measure the angles?

Not sure I understand. *Is the timber going on top of the wall in the
same way a coping stone/stones *would?
Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

As others have said, you don't mitre internals when doing skirting
boards, you scribe them.

Going back to the garden walls, if the timber is going flat on top
like a coping stone would, there is a simple way of doing it, which is
harder to explain than to do.

Lets say the two walls are like a capital 'L'. *The angle may be 90 or
88 or 92 it matters not.

Cut a board for the upright of the L with a 45 mitre at the end, call
it piece A. *Leave this to one side for the moment.

Place a board (B) on the crosspiece of the L of appropriate length. *
Place board A on top with a scrap piece of timber under the other end
to keep it level. *Adjust the boards so that they align with the
walls, then mark a pencil line on board B along the angle of A.

Cut along this line and the boards will fit. *The join will match the
wall angle whatever it is and the mitre will fit. *It won't be a 90
mitre but it doesn't matter.

But then the two angles won't be the same, and therefore neither will
the length of the cuts. Rather like coming round a 135 bay with 1 x 90
and 1 x 45

To extend Dave's method, once again more difficult to describe than do.
* Take the two pieces of wood you want to use and lay one piece on one
of the walls as you would want it to be, with one corner over the
outside of the angle of the 'L'. *Lay the other piece over it,
supporting it so that it is horizontalso that the outer corner is
exactly over the outer corner of the first piece. *At the inner part of
the corner mark both pieces of wood. *Cut both pieces from the mark to
the corner and you have bisected the angle.

I have used this method with paving slabs to turn a corner. *Thry it
indoors with card to convince yourself

HTH

Malcolm- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Malcolm,

I like the sound of this method, no measuring and it must fit as
that's how it was marked. Hopefully the weather will be kind to me
this weekend and I can give it a try.

Thanks,

M

Not sure I understand. *Is the timber going on top of the wall in the same
way a coping stone/stones *would?
Dave - The Medway Handymanwww.medwayhandyman.co.uk

Yeap, exactly that.

Malcolm wrote:

To extend Dave's method, once again more difficult to describe than
do. Take the two pieces of wood you want to use and lay one piece on
one of the walls as you would want it to be, with one corner over the
outside of the angle of the 'L'. Lay the other piece over it,
supporting it so that it is horizontal so that the outer corner is
exactly over the outer corner of the first piece. At the inner part
of the corner mark both pieces of wood. Cut both pieces from the
mark to the corner and you have bisected the angle.

Thats better than my method, thanks. Bit more time to set up, but much more
accurate.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk

M wrote:

Take the two pieces of wood you want to use and lay one piece on one
of the walls as you would want it to be, with one corner over the
outside of the angle of the 'L'. Lay the other piece over it,
supporting it so that it is horizontalso that the outer corner is
exactly over the outer corner of the first piece. At the inner part of
the corner mark both pieces of wood. Cut both pieces from the mark to
the corner and you have bisected the angle.

I have used this method with paving slabs to turn a corner. Thry it
indoors with card to convince yourself

HTH

Malcolm,

I like the sound of this method, no measuring and it must fit as
that's how it was marked. Hopefully the weather will be kind to me
this weekend and I can give it a try.

Its pretty much what is described in the link I gave befo

http://wiki.diyfaq.org.uk/index.php?...d_mitre_joints


--
Cheers,

John.

/================================================== ===============\
| Internode Ltd - http://www.internode.co.uk |
|-----------------------------------------------------------------|
| John Rumm - john(at)internode(dot)co(dot)uk |
\================================================= ================/

M wrote in message
...
Hi,

Does anyone have any foolproof techniques to measuring internal or
external angles of walls for use when calulating mitre cuts? Ideally
i'd prefer some method whereby I don't have to go out and buy a
special angle measurement tool (ashamedly I don't even have a sliding
bevel), and i'd even consider maths as a way out so long as it works!

Any thoughts?

My son-in-law uses one of these
http://www.axminster.co.uk/product-T...Guide-21211.ht
m
it's saved him 6years learning how to cut an angle by eye.



-