Cutting coving mitres? Argos cheapy mitre saw?

[dmc]

Is there a trick to cutting mitres for coving? I'm trying to put up the Wickes lightweight coving in our bedroom and am swearing at the mitres somewhat.

Wickes sell plastic templates for the 90 and 127 mm coving - this stuff is

100mm (SWMBO picked it - don't go there) but even if they did the template in the correct size only 5 of th corners are 90 deg. I also have 4 in the bay and a door at an odd angle.

Cutting it in my mitre saw (typical 10 quid cheapy) is a bit hit and miss as a) it doesn't sit flat and b) the saw only locks in certain positions -

25deg not being one of them :-( The blade seems somewhat reluctant to cut the polystyrene stuff anyway.

I've done a couple by eye with a hacksaw which given a bit of filler will do but its a bit painful. I was tempted to buy a 40 quid electric mitre saw from wickes earlier but part of me is telling me that at that price it will be crap.

Looking in the argos catalogue I notice that I can get one for 26 quid - at this price that is pretty much disposable and given the amount of coving I am screwing up may pay for itself on this job alone! :-)

Anyone got one? Am I completely wasting my 26 quid? Will it lock to any angle or is it stuck with the preset positions (which won't help me!) I'm not expecting it to be much better than crap but its a chance of a new toy :)

Darren

[tony sayer]

In article , dmc writes

I've just done this using a mitre saw, a sort of frame thing with four upright posts and a large hacksaw ish looking frame that holds the blade that sits on some guides on the upright posts and its got a base thing where you can set the upright pole thingies to whatever angle you like.

Seem to remember it cost around 15 to 20 quid B&Q IIRC....

Worked a treat:)

[al]

Welcome to the hell I had a couple of weeks ago! I used a plain old woodworking mitre box with 45 degree angles in it. I had 90mm coving, which I then held at 45 degrees in the mitre box (not as hard as it sounds as it sort of "fitted" quite well at that angle - something I could verify with my spirit level).

I drew a diagram for left and for right for both internal and external mitres (practice on some spare coving) that showed what way to bring the coving into the box from and what 45 degree angle direction to cut in. Result (after lots of experimentation!) was damn near perfect corners!

For odd angles around bay windows, etc. you'll have to get a bit more creative. Personally, I'd just go and ask someone to cut them for me rather then over-spending on adjustable equipment ... unless it's something you think you'll do again. But maybe I'm lazy and have little love for coving ;)

a

[mark b]

What I do is cut an internal mitre set (and external if required). Off cuts about a foot long will do. Hold them up in place and mark them LEFT and RIGHT. These are your templates.

Keep them by your mitre saw. So when you want to cut a left hand mitre for real you can use the left hand mitre template to figure out which way to set the coving for cutting. Thus minimising visits from Mr and Mrs Cockup.

mark b

[Mike]

The way I did the odd angles (ALL of them in my house) was to use a couple of offcuts and hack them to the right positions at just the top and bottom then mark these on the real stuff and draw in the shape needed from there (experience soon teaches you which shape) and cut freehand with a woodsaw.

[dmc]

Sorry, I wasn't clear enough in my post. I have one of these (actually I have two but don't go there...) but the problem is that they lock at angles for "standard" corners. I need to cut loads of odd ones. For example, I want a couple of 25 degree cuts. I did think 22.5 would be close enough with some filler but seems not :-(

Darren

[dmc]

Yeah. This sort of worked for right angles. Although my mitre saws are not the easiest to cut polystyrene (or whatever it is). A hacksaw works well but of course doesn't fit in the mitre saw.

I think I've grasped the angles needed now (longest lenght on the wall, longest length on the wall, repeat to self :)).

Well, I would use a powered mitre saw occasionally but I couldn't really justify more than 30 quid. It is the chance to buy a new tool though :)

Still, with a bit of playing last night I managed to cut a few "by eye" with a hacksaw - seemes to be ok and SWMBO is happy. Just 11 more to do...

Cheers,

Darren

[Dave]

For this job, yes. A powered mitre saw will just make your coving into a mess!

If it were me I'd stick with the hacksaw and a good eye (and a bit of filler!) if you can make it work for you.

[dmc]

Bah. No fun :-(

Ok, will do. I'll treat myself to a new hacksaw blade though I think. It'll be easier with one that is not twisted!

Darren

[David Hearn]

I've got a Wickes basic mitre saw and it can lock into the standard angles, but the manual also says that if you undo the locking mechanism and remove a washer, you can then screw it into any angle you want. Basically there's a bolt which you can tighten - when the washer is in place then it doesn't tighten fully so you can move the arm between standard angles, but without the washer, when you tighten the screw it clamps fully - not relying on the standard angle indents. Bit of a pain as you need to use an allen key each time you want to alter the angle - but it worked.

I was doing stair balustrading needed to go slightly over 45 degrees in my cuts, and this one wouldn't. In the end bought a reduced B&Q electric compound mitre saw which did 45 deg one way and 50 deg or so the other. Very cheap actually - either £25 or £35 - reduced from £50+ for some reason (end of line?) - there was a whole pile of them though, so not just a return cheapy etc. This was about a month/6 weeks ago. Very pleased with it actually - although I need ear plugs when using it as it makes a right racket, especially as it kicks in.

David

[Lee]

My powered mitre saw, with a decent 80 tooth blade and a very light touch, can *just* about manage to cut this plastic coving without melting it.

Yes, having had both tools to hand when we put up coving recently, it's easier to use the hacksaw ;)

Lee

[al]

Probably too late to say it now, but the plaster based stuff is *much* easier to work with IMO, once you've got the hang of things. Much nicer to cut, sand, fill, paint, abuse, etc.! That and it's not a fire hazard!

a

[dmc]

Yeah, I know. Problem is the 127mm ones wouldn't fit over the bay and the

90mm one is too small according to SWMBO. The 100mm one was deemed "just right".

couldn't tell the difference myself but hey ho.

Also, as I had to transport it back from Wickes with it sticking out of the window of the car resting on the glass at least the lightweight stuff was less likely to break the window :)

Darren

[Dave]

Yep, my experience exactly!

Dave

[Mark]

You can lock them at any angle, with a little Ingenuity and a G clamp.

-- Mark§ This is an automatic signature of unknown origin

[dmc]

The elcheapo one that I have doesn't have a great deal available to clamp but yes, I could do. Given that it doesn't actually cut the stuff all that well anyway (needs a much finer blade) I don't think I'll bother.

I've got myself a new hacksaw blade - anyone in the Folkestone area tomorrow listen out for the swearing :)

Darren

[Pete C]

Hi,

Try a serrated bread knife, it might cut straighter having a wide blade.

Might also be possible to make a jig for cutting different angles out of spare bits of wood.

cheers, Pete.

[Carolyn]

Strangely enough, I manged to pick up a cheap Mitre Saw with adjustable angles, clamps, the works from Aldi last week for a tenner.. Did the job and cut odd angles too..Don`t know if there will be any left, though..