# Perfect 22.5 degree miter



## Kristin D (Nov 20, 2007)

I am making my clock case, it's going to be a octagonal face so the angle is 22.5 deg. I have made a miter box just for this, first thought was to wait for the weekend and my "out of town neighbor" would be about and I could cut the angle with his compound miter saw. Then I figured the kerf would be too wide for my tennon saw... so just how do/did people cut a acceptable 22.5 deg angle for this? I could print a line with a 22.5 intersecting line on the printer and glue it to the top of the uprights, is this the best way? I do have a General Tools adjustable angle guage too and I could just scribe the marks. How about the vert 90 deg angle, use aluminum stock to guide the saw? 

Suggestions?

Kristin


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Kristin

Wait for your "out of town neighbor" and do it the easy way and the right way..



Junk wood 2 x 4 clock below...


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## Kristin D (Nov 20, 2007)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Kristin
> 
> Wait for your "out of town neighbor" and do it the easy way and the right way..
> 
> ...


Bob, 

I can't understand how that is either the "right or easy" way, Yup I could just chop the parts on his saw, it does not solve the problem of how to make a proper miter box however. Sawing the angles with a power saw, as I said would make too wide of a kerf for the hand saw? 

Power tools are great, IF you can afford them, I can't and if I want to make another clock case later using someone else's machine does me a whole lot of good. 

So how about answering the question, obviously hundreds of years ago "BPT" (before power tools) these things were made and cabinets constructed without anything more than a compass, square, saw and a piece of something to scribe lines. 

Oh I get it I should look up Oak Park and see if they have a jig!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Kristin

At one time I didn't have many power tools and I made many,many miter jigs,,,it's a easy job In fact I made one about a 90 days ago just to put in some molding around the new floor I put in because I did want to keep running in and out of the house and I was to cheap and go buy one at HD for 15.oo bucks...

It will take you a time or two to get it just right , with a small back cut for the right fit.

A 2 x 6 works well for the base and some 1 x 3 pine stock for the side blocks..the real key is a good sharp saw with a bar on top to keep it running true...(miter saw) 

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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Kristin
> 
> At one time I didn't have many power tools and I made many,many miter jigs,,,it's a easy job In fact I made one about a 90 days ago just to put in some molding around the new floor I put in because I did want to keep running in and out of the house and I was to cheap and go buy one at HD for 15.oo bucks...
> 
> ...


Hi Kristin,
My grand dad was a cabinet-maker by trade, he made many miter jigs. As Bj has mentioned, they really are quite simple to make. Just follow what Bj described and you'll do just fine.  You don't need any special tools other than the angle finder and a good backsaw.

Just something to make ya drool. 
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=843
http://www.garrettwade.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=112416&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=12395&iSubCat=12396&iProductID=112416


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## Kristin D (Nov 20, 2007)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Kristin
> 
> At one time I didn't have many power tools and I made many,many miter jigs,,,it's a easy job In fact I made one about a 90 days ago just to put in some molding around the new floor I put in because I did want to keep running in and out of the house and I was to cheap and go buy one at HD for 15.oo bucks...
> 
> ...


Bob, 

Sorry about the last post, Yes I have a good frame made up and a miter or back-saw, I guess I will attempt a printout and make a cut I was just hoping for a tried and true way to get it right the first time, I may still end up cutting a 4x4 on the neighbors compound saw to make a guide and clamp the two pieces to the front or back rail to guide the saw for the slot. 

Problem with the compound saw is as soon as he is finished with his deck work it's going back "home" a few hunderd miles away and I will not have access to it again, perhaps as early as this weekend and since he only has 48 hours total up here on the weekend I hate to even take up 15 min to cut something and slow him down. 

As for the back cut you mention, is that like a cove or coping cut to get the front edges to meet tight? I suppose a 1 or 2 degree angle sanded into the miter may work, may have to fix the old disk sander or make a jig for the belt sander to do this. 

Kristin


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## harrysin (Jan 15, 2007)

Don't forget Kristin, necessity is the mother of invention and having followed you're past posts, I'm certain that you will come up with an original answer very soon.


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## Mike (Nov 22, 2004)

Kristin, invest a couple dollars in some cheap drafting triangles. These will make layouts a snap and are usefull for set ups as well.


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## AxlMyk (Jun 13, 2006)

I use an adjustable drafting triangle a lot of the time. Here's a link to one.
http://www.draftingtable-store.com/p/alvin-lx-series-adjustable-triangle?cm_mmc=Shopbots-_-Google_Base-_-alvin_lx_series_adjustable_triangle-_-9494011
http://www.mercantila-images.com/st...ing_Supply_And_Accessory_250x400/657708_0.jpg



Another nice tool to have is the Incra protractor.
http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?FamilyID=287


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## Kristin D (Nov 20, 2007)

Mike said:


> Kristin, invest a couple dollars in some cheap drafting triangles. These will make layouts a snap and are usefull for set ups as well.





harrysin said:


> Don't forget Kristin, necessity is the mother of invention and having followed you're past posts, I'm certain that you will come up with an original answer very soon


. 

Mike, 

Not quite following the logic here, I need to mark and cut 22.5 deg so I should go buy a 30,60,90 deg or 45,90 deg triangle? Or an adjustable triangle for about $30 , or I could just go the the store like a good little consumer and buy an adjustable miter box for $35 from Sears!

Harry, 

Your right as usual after puzzling over the Pathagreom Theorem, calculating the cotangent of 22.5 degrees, wishing I had actually paid attention in math classes it hit me. It's really easy to bisect an angle with a compass and a straightedge a real no-brainer kind of like 3,4,5 to square a corner... http://www.mathopenref.com/constbisectangle.html

I like it when it's easy and I don't have to spend a fortune on things. I was also looking at my other US General angle guage/center finder and noticed I paid a whopping $1.59 for it now lists for $13, it's written on the case in grease pencil! Ah I loved that old hardware store, they bought an item marked the price and didn't jack it up everytime the distributor raised prices. Sadly when Mr. "H" the owner died it turned into a mini home depot, everything bubble packed and spiraling prices.


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## Hamlin (Dec 25, 2005)

Hi Kristin

Something like this is really all you need: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18516&filter=measuring You should be able to pick these up at your hardware store & or HD, Lowes, etc.


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## Kristin D (Nov 20, 2007)

Hamlin said:


> Hi Kristin
> 
> Something like this is really all you need: http://www.rockler.com/product.cfm?page=18516&filter=measuring You should be able to pick these up at your hardware store & or HD, Lowes, etc.


 Looks exactly like the one I have, and I did use it to double check my compass angle dividing, think I picked up mine for about $3 back in the late 70's at the same hardware store I got the other angle/center finder from.


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