Trimming bookcase base.

Greetings fellow WoodWorkers. I am building a bookcase out of maple and is the case with this and the other bookcase I have built, there are trim boards that go around the base and trim boards around the top. These are typically 2-6 inches wide and dressed up by routing ogees, coves, etc. The problem I always have is mitre cutting them to the exact length, especially the board that goes across the front. I cut the side boards and clamp them in place, then cut the front board longer than necessary and keep cutting it shorter and shorter, little by little until it seems to fit. But then when I glue, screw or nail the boards in place, the front board never ssems to be perfect. Any tricks to get this to come out like a professional? Rich

Reply to
RJDurkee
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Put the front board on first and add the side boards insuring that the joint is closed. If the side boards are a little short it will be at the back side.

Reply to
Leon

I definitely second the advice to do the front first. I also recommend experimenting with a lot of different types of fillers and how they perform with different wood species and different types of finishes. It is often possible to make a small gap virtually invisible with the right filler and technique. (This advice is only for amateurs like myself who have no hope of ever getting it perfect :-))

Reply to
Charlie M. 1958

Just cut the front board the correct length. Ok, here are some hints.

For the front board, clamp a dummy board on the case and mark it on the back side in a very consistent manner. Use a sharpened pencil or a marking knife, just some very repeatable manner and mark it from the case edge to the back of the board.

On your miter saw make a fresh backer fence so when you cut the miter you have a zero clearance edge on your back fence. Now you know exactly where the blade will cut. You need to do this for both left and right cuts if. On the mitersaw have the marked side up and move the board to the correct side for cutoff. You can do the same with a cross cut sled or miter bar on the table saw witn a fresh backer for a zero clearance reference edge. Cut from left of the blade on left tilt and the right of the blade on right tilt so you can have the marked edge up..

Now cut the board aligning it to leave the entire mark you made when measureing. This should be very repeatable process because you can see the exact edge where the saw will cut through your zero clearance backer. Now fit the board on the front of the case and try fitting up two side pieces. If it is too long, then trim exactly on the mark line. If it is too short then mark and cut another dummy and cut farther from the mark.

The whole key is to get a repeatable marking and cutting process. Having the exact zero clearance backer gives you a repetable reference and the consistent marking method is essential.

Other options include butt joint sides into a wider front board and sand flush or add a small molding at the upper edge of front and side boards to hide any gaps. You have the same problem but the smaller molding is easier to sand, scrap or trim with a arazor to fit.

Final trick is to use the edge of a screwdriver to burnish the outer edges of a face miter to close any gap. Once you burnish it from bot sides and have laid the fibers into each other closing any gaps, you can sand it bacl to a sharp edge by face sanding each face.

Reply to
SonomaProducts.com

Cut the front molding about 1/32" long so it snaps in. Same way you trim out a window case.

Reply to
Father Haskell

After years of running crown moldings I always work my way around a piece (or room) in the same direction as I apply molding. I normally work left to right with a few exceptions. I also will mark my cuts in place as I hold them on the piece where possible.

Mike O.

Reply to
Mike O.

Cut the front first, with miters on both ends.

Next, cut the side return miters, leaving them slightly long.

Third, cut the side return back ends to length

Now you can cope the inside corners on the pieces that meet the side boards, leaving the far ends of same boards slightly long, as they'll be trimmed to length last.

Here's a nice tutorial on coping that I Googled:

Inside corners should always be coped, not mitered.

Reply to
B A R R Y

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