cutting miters on tiny wood

[elizabeth]

Hi, guys:

I'm really stumped . The little box I've been trying to make out of my first laminating exercise is now officially defunct. I have to start over. The problem was cutting the miters on little pieces 1" square X 1/8th thick wood.

I've tried mitering with the TBS. Great cuts except for real safety questions on the final tiny piece. I was resting the pieces face flat against the miter fence. Scary, as the blade was high.

Tried the bandsaw - not precise at all.
tried the disk sander - dido.
Tried by hand with a variety of saws and blades using a miter box guide - impossible. It's all crosscutting and I really made a mess of things. My blades must not be all too sharp.

I'm going to try cutting these miters again on the TBS with the blade at 45 keeping the faces flat on the table. If this doesn't work either I will have to try it on the router table, but again, I have a problem with size.

How would you go about this?

I was hoping I'd have it done by know to show you but I've run out of my laminate blank and it'll take me a little more time to remake.

Also, I had to redo my "shoe" to cut the thin strips. I made it wrong and only seeing Cody's flat on his table did I realize this. Mine was too wide.

BTW: Cody glues a shim on his shoe? Do you know how thick a shim it is?

Thanks!

[TDHofstetter]

Do you HAVE to go powered?

I ask because when it comes to cutting tiny miters like that, I like to go neanderthal.

You got a hobby shop in town? Go track 'em down. You're looking for something like this:

www.amazon.com/X-ACTO-X75320-Mitre-Box-Set/dp/B0000DD1O4/ref=pd_sbs_t_19

...or this:

www.amazon.com/Easy-Miter-Box-Razor-Saw/dp/B000BRFWNW/ref=pd_sbs_op_8

I like the X-Acto ones. They're shockingly precise, although just a titch slower than powered. They're also superbly safe for the fingers.

[rhull]

I understand that you're trying to put a miter on a 1"x1"x1/8" piece of wood, but I don't understand across which axis you're trying to miter.

In any case...personally...I'd do it with hand tools. Hand saw, and if needed, cleanup with chisels and/or planes.

If that wasn't an option, I'd try to setup to do the complicated parts on a larger piece of wood that I could easily slice my pieces off of when I'm done. This is often done for small trim pieces: use a large board that you can easily run through the router, then use the tablesaw to slice the small profiled piece off the edge of the board.



Or...I might try do to something with double-sided tape and tape the small piece to a larger piece and carefully run it through the tablesaw.


Edit: I was typing when Tim posted his idea. Using an Xacto knife is a good one. This is something you can do with 1/8" wood.

[Ruffnek]

Safely mitering the edges of 1" square pieces is a challenge, isn't it.

Since you are making new strips, I'd make four of them...at least 6" long. Use the miter gauge on the tablesaw and miter just one end of each strip. Use an auxilaiary fence attached to the miter gauge that extends past the TS blade. The blade shouldn't have to be raised more than about 1/4" or so. You will also need to have a ZCI.

Now, turn the strip over and cut off a 1" piece from each strip with the TS blade still at 45 degrees. The off-cut will be 1" square with two ends mitered.

However you end up doing it, make sure you are completely comfortable with the safety aspect. We don't want our Elizabeth to be called Nubby.

[Joe Lyddon]

The first thought that came into my mind was a Shooting Board & a small block plane.

Configured with a 45* fence instead of the 90* fence (back board).

www.popularwoodworking.com/images/features/Shooting%20Board.pdf

[Joe Lyddon]

Another...

www.popularwoodworking.com/article/Jig_Journal_Bench_Hook/

[Stretch]

My thought was to go at it like sharpening a chisel using a guide block and a sanding block with heavy grit sandpaper. Shouldn't take too long to sand a 45* angle on 1/8" stock using 80 or 100 grit.

[autobodyman]

If it was me I would cut my 1" wide strips as long as possible then cut the 45's on my radial arm saw (plywood blade) till the piece was to short for comfort.

On the miters on the window trim for my caboose (about 1/16" thick x 1/4" wide) I just used a chisel and a hammer with another piece clamped over at a 45° angle (to lay the flat edge of the chisel against). Lay the chisel on the "veneer" at the angle you want and whack it. Course chisel has to be pretty sharp and may require a bit of sanding to flatten the edge of the wood.


~Mike

[sawduster]

I'd use one of those small miter boxes like Timmer linked, marking carefully the final dimension but cutting the miter just proud of the line. Cut all four pieces like that, then match up the opposing pieces (those that run parallel to each other) and tape them together. Then use a small shooting board with a low angle block plane to get the angles correct and the opposing pieces of exactly the same length.

[rrich]

My first answer would be to use a miter box. They are easy enough to build. I built a mitre box for use with my Dozuki saw.

My second thought is to use the miter gage on a disk sander. Cut the small piece square and a bit longer than needed. Then with an aux fence on the miter gage of the disk sander, carefully fit the miter to the application.

Usually I do both for small pieces.

BTW - a drafting triangle is a good guide to align the miter gage.

[Ruffnek]

Feb 7, 2010 17:15:22 GMT -6 rrich said:

My second thought is to use the miter gage on a disk sander. Cut the small piece square and a bit longer than needed. Then with an aux fence on the miter gage of the disk sander, carefully fit the miter to the application.

Usually I do both for small pieces.

BTW - a drafting triangle is a good guide to align the miter gage.

Crap, I should have thought of that. I've actually watched David Marks doing that exact thing while mitering inlay stringing.

Forget what I said earlier, Elizabeth. I think the miter gauge and sanding disk is the ticket.

Feeling stupid in Tyler.

[Joe Lyddon]

I got this in an email...

If you do a lot of small work, this may be the thing...

www.woodworkersjournal.com/eZine/Public/QA.aspx

[JBark]

Try Micro-Mark (spelling is probably off) for tools for small woodworking tasks. They cater to the folks that do small wood stuff like scale tall ships and such.

John

[carlcivi]

The disc sander and glue or double-sided tape and miter gauge work together to perform wonderful safe results. Carl

[Gecko]

I just finished cutting some miters on 1" wide x 1/8" thick wood for a couple of boxes. I used a small miter box and after a little practice, I was hitting the miters right on. For me it was the easiest and quietest way to go.

[Joe Lyddon]

www.woodsmithtips.com/2010/02/11/using-a-bench-hook/?autostart=true

[elizabeth]

Hi, Guys:

A quick response:

Thank you for the suggestions. Will require further study. I had, in hand, the small miter box you suggested and put it down because it was for pen blanks and only 3/4" tall. My blank is 1" + tall. Won't work in this application.

The shooting board is a great suggestion. Glad you put pics on your answer as I had no idea what it was, but figured it couldn't be to shoot myself with after messing up my work! ;D

I'll review all the replies this coming week and will look at the links again. I thing the disk sander is the way to go though I tried it and messed it up. As I said, I need to re-read your techniques.

It's been a very busy week and have not been in the shop. Life comes at you sometimes!

My PC is acting up. Not able to connect very often. Have to take it in. Sorry for the late reply. I will have something to show soon.... I hope! Lots of family in town this week for my Mom's 75. Reeling with exhaustion. My 15 year old cat is sick. We tremble.

BTW: Happy Valentine's to all of you!!!!!

Thank you for your support. This old gal will get it one day!

[elizabeth]

Feb 11, 2010 8:29:46 GMT -6 Gecko said:

I just finished cutting some miters on 1" wide x 1/8" thick wood for a couple of boxes. I used a small miter box and after a little practice, I was hitting the miters right on. For me it was the easiest and quietest way to go.

Are you mitering with the face against the miter box, or going at it with it flat? I'm trying to "bevel" the ends at a 45* Do you have pics?
Thanks, as always!

[TDHofstetter]

I c'd whip ya up a taller miter box, I'm bettin'... I've got some 2"-square 'luminum tubing and a slitting saw, and I could precision-slit guides for beveling or mitering at 45. I THINK I have a 1/32" slitting saw, lemme verify that.

[elizabeth]

Hi, guys!!!! I have a bone to pick. It's sticking out from my head! ;D

Now, seriously. I thought you said this was going to be easy???!!!! You didn't xplain it for a ding bat! Like, for instance: the matching strips of wood need to be uniformly thick so when you miter and then flip to make a pattern (V shape) the pattern flows evenly. The wood needs to be flat and of the same thickness, etc. I'm learning a lot! Thank you

I'm redoing my blanks and have discovered that I am deficient in the technique of ripping thin, and thinner, strips of wood with the keep piece running along the fence like you all do it. I re-did the "shoe" and made it like Cody's (I think). I'm also using a feather, like you suggested, to keep the piece flat along the fence on the in-feed side. I have a splitter in the out-feed side. I have a ZCI.

I'm still getting a wedged piece. Have spent two days measuring and tinkering with alignment and have everything down to around .003". I enlisted the help of a long-suffering friend (like you! ) and he helped me get everything done. His test cuts were "perfect".

My technique s..cks! My "shoe" registers on the fence only a 1/4 of it's height. When I run the wood through I'm wiggling it all over the place! How tall should the shoe be? I've only seen photos of one. I can shave it. What is the ideal height?

I've re-read all your generous posts and think the best and safest way for me to miter these little pieces is with the disk sander. I just have to practice. But, having said that, I will also try some on the TBS using the number of ideas you've written. I 've tried using a planer with a makeshift shooting board, tried your suggestion with the chisel rested on a 45* wedge, and tried my handsaw again with the miter box I bought at Lowe's. My saw is a pull saw and I barely dented the wood. I was cutting across the edge.

Tim: Thanks for the offer of making me one! Will jump on it when I learn to jump!

Joe: You're gonna have to wait to see a 1X1" from me any time soon. My realistic expectation now is to try and make a 2 X2"

Thanks again, you're all fantastic!

BTW: How can I post a pic of me and my hubby as the "avatar"?