I am needing to fit new skirting to a room with lots of angles - bay window 
and corner chimney breast. I don't have the tools for this and would welcome 
advice. I am going to get skirting to complement the laminate floor I have 
fitted.
Ideally, are corner pieces availabel to save the hastle?

John

john wrote:

> I am needing to fit new skirting to a room with lots of angles - bay
> window and corner chimney breast. I don't have the tools for this and
> would welcome advice. I am going to get skirting to complement the
> laminate floor I have fitted.
> Ideally, are corner pieces availabel to save the hastle?
>
> John


I'm assuming your wanting advice on the tools to buy for mitreing?
No tools no can do :-)

I find it much easier to profile the skirting but that only applies to
taurus skirting.
You have not said what type of skirting you are fitting? however a trip to
the local sheds will get you a bench type mitre saw for hand sawing but its
best to pay the extra and get one of these.
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=101401&ts=84583&id=19245

as opposed to one of these..
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/cat/pro.jsp?cId=102080&ts=84692&id=77766

Watch the word wrap if any?

john wrote:

> I am needing to fit new skirting to a room with lots of angles - bay
> window and corner chimney breast. I don't have the tools for this and
> would welcome advice. I am going to get skirting to complement the
> laminate floor I have fitted.
> Ideally, are corner pieces availabel to save the hastle?


Hi John

If corners pieces are available they surely won't be cheap!

Are the corners all square e.g.90 degrees?  If so, you don't have to mitre 
them, just draw the shape of the profile (or use a profile gauge) onto the 
end of a board and cut the shape with a coping saw.

If they are at odd angles, buy a cheap & cheerful electric mitre saw like 
this http://tinyurl.com/9n4fn

A mitre guage like this  http://tinyurl.com/dscxl will make the job simple. 
Total outlay less than 50 - I reckon buying all the corner pieces would 
cost more - if they are available.

Dave

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
john   wrote:


> I am needing to fit new skirting to a room with lots of angles - bay
> window and corner chimney breast. I don't have the tools for this and
> would welcome advice. I am going to get skirting to complement the
> laminate floor I have fitted.
> Ideally, are corner pieces availabel to save the hastle?
>
> John


Get yourself one of these for 20 quid - it will do this job, and you'll find
lots of subsequent uses for it.
http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=YEILMSOSPZV51CJO2C1CJ0Q?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=&n=77766&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=13&y=12#

[In case the link doesn't wrap properly, try  http://tinyurl.com/7uam5 ]

You're presumably going to remove the old skirting *before* laying the
flooring, so that the new skirting covers the expansion gap? You'll also
need a very sharp flexible handsaw with which to undercut the doorframes and
architraves, so that you can slide the flooring underneath - again hiding
the expansion gap.
-- 
Cheers,
Set Square
______
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On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 20:25:22 GMT, "john" 
wrote:


>I am needing to fit new skirting to a room with lots of angles - bay window 
>and corner chimney breast. I don't have the tools for this and would welcome 
>advice. I am going to get skirting to complement the laminate floor I have 
>fitted.
>Ideally, are corner pieces availabel to save the hastle?
>
>John 
>


If you expect to do a lot of mitred work or general cutting of timber
then it's worth getting an electric compound mitre saw (aka chop saw).

If your skirting is up to about 100-120mm a simple one will do - if
it's higher, then you would need a sliding type to accomodate the
width.

Alternatively if the use is occasional, there are hand mitre saws
which would do the job, e.g. Screwfix 19927

-- 

..andy

To email, substitute .nospam with .gl

On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:02:22 +0100, "Set Square" 
wrote:



>Get yourself one of these for 20 quid - it will do this job, and you'll find
>lots of subsequent uses for it.
><http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=YEILMSOSPZV51CJO2C1CJ0Q?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=&n=77766&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=13&y=12#>


Thoes things are virtualy useless. They are so flimsy and wobble as
you push and pull the cheap as pidgeon crap saw back and forht. The
saw *always* will go off the straight line and leave you with a curved
mitre where it should be straight.

Absolute crap!


>

ocidental wrote:

> On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:02:22 +0100, "Set Square" 
> wrote:
>
>
>> Get yourself one of these for 20 quid - it will do this job, and
>> you'll find lots of subsequent uses for it.
>>

<http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=YEILMSOSP
ZV51CJO2C1CJ0Q?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=&n=77766&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=13&y
=12#>

>
> Thoes things are virtualy useless. They are so flimsy and wobble as
> you push and pull the cheap as pidgeon crap saw back and forht. The
> saw *always* will go off the straight line and leave you with a curved
> mitre where it should be straight.
>
> Absolute crap!


I totally agree thats why I bought a compound mitre saw, after taking the
hand mitre saw back.

On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 21:01:39 GMT, "david lang"
 wrote:


>john wrote:
>> I am needing to fit new skirting to a room with lots of angles - bay
>> window and corner chimney breast. I don't have the tools for this and
>> would welcome advice. I am going to get skirting to complement the
>> laminate floor I have fitted.
>> Ideally, are corner pieces availabel to save the hastle?
>
>Hi John
>
>If corners pieces are available they surely won't be cheap!
>
>Are the corners all square e.g.90 degrees?  If so, you don't have to mitre 
>them, just draw the shape of the profile (or use a profile gauge) onto the 
>end of a board and cut the shape with a coping saw.
>
>If they are at odd angles, buy a cheap & cheerful electric mitre saw like 
>this http://tinyurl.com/9n4fn
>


thats fine for internal corners but for any external corners he will
need the saw.
Stuart 




--

Shift THELEVER to reply.

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
ocidental   wrote:


> On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:02:22 +0100, "Set Square" 
> wrote:
>
>
>> Get yourself one of these for 20 quid - it will do this job, and
>> you'll find lots of subsequent uses for it.
>>

<http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=YEILMSOSPZ
V51CJO2C1CJ0Q?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=&n=77766&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=13&y=1
2#>

>
> Thoes things are virtualy useless. They are so flimsy and wobble as
> you push and pull the cheap as pidgeon crap saw back and forht. The
> saw *always* will go off the straight line and leave you with a curved
> mitre where it should be straight.
>

Then I would question your technique! I have a very similar one (from Wickes
rather than Screwfix - but it looks virtually the same) and I have cut lots
of perfect mitres with it. You do need to clamp your wood (with a G-clamp
rather than the saw's own clamp) - and provided the blade is correctly
tensioned, it works perfectly.

I'm sure that the electric mitre saws are ok - but you need one with a very
big blade (or a slider) to handle anything bigger than about 100mm.
-- 
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Set Square wrote:

> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> ocidental   wrote:
>
>> On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:02:22 +0100, "Set Square" 
>> wrote:
>>
>>
>>> Get yourself one of these for 20 quid - it will do this job, and
>>> you'll find lots of subsequent uses for it.
>>>
>

<http://www.screwfix.com/app/sfd/sea/searchresults.jsp;jsessionid=YEILMSOSP
Z

>

V51CJO2C1CJ0Q?_dyncharset=UTF-8&q=&n=77766&pn=1&pd=1&pi=1&cn=1&cd=1&x=13&y=
1

> 2#>
>>
>> Thoes things are virtualy useless. They are so flimsy and wobble as
>> you push and pull the cheap as pidgeon crap saw back and forht. The
>> saw *always* will go off the straight line and leave you with a
>> curved mitre where it should be straight.
>>
> Then I would question your technique! I have a very similar one (from
> Wickes rather than Screwfix - but it looks virtually the same) and I
> have cut lots of perfect mitres with it. You do need to clamp your
> wood (with a G-clamp rather than the saw's own clamp) - and provided
> the blade is correctly tensioned, it works perfectly.
>
> I'm sure that the electric mitre saws are ok - but you need one with
> a very big blade (or a slider) to handle anything bigger than about
> 100mm.


What size skirting/wood did you cut?

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
ben   wrote:


>>
>> I'm sure that the electric mitre saws are ok - but you need one with
>> a very big blade (or a slider) to handle anything bigger than about
>> 100mm.
>
> What size skirting/wood did you cut?


I've mainly used mine on 3" skirting. The biggest section I have cut is
about 4" x 1.5" when making a plinth to raise the toilet for a disabled
relative - but it will handle wood up to over 5" wide. The Screwfix saw
which I cited can handle wood up to 190mm (nearly 7.5") wide.
-- 
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Set Square wrote:

> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> ben   wrote:
>
>>>
>>> I'm sure that the electric mitre saws are ok - but you need one with
>>> a very big blade (or a slider) to handle anything bigger than about
>>> 100mm.
>>
>> What size skirting/wood did you cut?
>
> I've mainly used mine on 3" skirting. The biggest section I have cut
> is about 4" x 1.5" when making a plinth to raise the toilet for a
> disabled relative - but it will handle wood up to over 5" wide. The
> Screwfix saw which I cited can handle wood up to 190mm (nearly 7.5")
> wide.


Ok, now try cutting 6" depth skirting/wood and then tell us it doesn't go
off course.
when you start to get about four inches down this is when it starts going
of the line.

ben  wrote in message news:ShLNe.92938

>

Ok, now try cutting 6" depth skirting/wood and then tell us it doesn't go

> off course.
> when you start to get about four inches down this is when it starts going
> of the line.
>
>


These were designed for people who cant cut straight with a hand saw,
_Almost_ fool proof
pity you cant buy ready made technique at B&Q.

-

On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 22:39:36 GMT, "Mark"  wrote:


>
>ben  wrote in message news:ShLNe.92938
>>
>Ok, now try cutting 6" depth skirting/wood and then tell us it doesn't go
>> off course.
>> when you start to get about four inches down this is when it starts going
>> of the line.
>>
>>
>
>These were designed for people who cant cut straight with a hand saw,
>_Almost_ fool proof
>pity you cant buy ready made technique at B&Q.
>
>-
>

You cant cut a decent mitre without some kind of guide however much
technique you have.

ocidental wrote:

> On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 22:39:36 GMT, "Mark"  wrote:
>
>>
>> ben  wrote in message news:ShLNe.92938
>>>
>> Ok, now try cutting 6" depth skirting/wood and then tell us it
>> doesn't go
>>> off course.
>>> when you start to get about four inches down this is when it starts
>>> going of the line.
>>>
>>>
>>
>> These were designed for people who cant cut straight with a hand saw,
>> _Almost_ fool proof
>> pity you cant buy ready made technique at B&Q.
>>
>> -
>>
> You cant cut a decent mitre without some kind of guide however much
> technique you have.


You can providing the saw is of good quality and will go through the wood
like butter.
I used to do the taurus with a spear&jackson till it got nicked but the
price of these compound mitre saws these days swayed me to buy one.

Mark wrote:

> ben  wrote in message news:ShLNe.92938
>>
> Ok, now try cutting 6" depth skirting/wood and then tell us it
> doesn't go
>> off course.
>> when you start to get about four inches down this is when it starts
>> going of the line.
>>
>>
>
> These were designed for people who cant cut straight with a hand saw,
> _Almost_ fool proof
> pity you cant buy ready made technique at B&Q.
>
> -


Techinque doesn't come into it they do go off course during the cut, I'm
talking 4" depth I'm talking 6" and thewy where not made for people who
can't cut straight, they where made for making different degrees of mitre
cuts easily(alledgedly)

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
ben   wrote:


>
> Technique doesn't come into it they do go off course during the cut,
>


Well, there are a number of things you can do to make wandering off less
likely.

Firstly can make sure that the device is held firmly. I have a strip of wood
screwed to the bottom of mine, which I clamp in a Workmate.

Then you can make sure that the workpiece is firmly held in place. Forget
any clamps which are part of the device and use decent G Clamps. Also, if
cutting a long piece of wood, support the ends.

Then, take any wobble out of the saw guide by doing up its swivel clamp.
Mine locks in position with an Allen screw - which *has* to be done up when
cutting anything other than the preset angles, and which is *good* to do up
even when using the presets.

Finally, make sure that the blade is correctly tensioned.

I'm not sure whether these come within your definition of "technique" - but
they certainly come within *mine*!
-- 
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

ben wrote:

> ocidental wrote:
> > On Fri, 19 Aug 2005 22:02:22 +0100, "Set Square" 
> > wrote:
> >
> >
> >> Get yourself one of these for 20 quid - it will do this job, and
> >> you'll find lots of subsequent uses for it.


<Snipped addy for crap.>


> > Those things are virtualy useless. They are so flimsy and wobble as
> > you push and pull the cheap as pidgeon crap saw back and forth. The
> > saw will *always* go off the straight line and leave you with a curved
> > mitre where it should be straight.

> > Absolute crap!


They come with the wrong blade and quickly lose their "set". If you can
buy blades for them and they are any good, they are useful but not as
good as getting to grips with a mitre block and a new Bacho or Sandvik.
Their main bugbear is they only use half the blade.


> I totally agree thats why I bought a compound mitre saw, after taking the
> hand mitre saw back.


I've also used those cheap electric saw before replacing it with a 110
volt machine. That too had its foibles. Getting the angle right for
one.

They cut the 45 in a choice of 2 ways. Use the tilt to cut the board
laid face down on the plate. Use it on a bench with blocks to raise the
board to the right height along its length.

ocidental wrote:

> On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 22:39:36 GMT, "Mark"  wrote:

> You can't cut a decent mitre without some kind of guide however much
> technique you have.


If I am only replacing one or two, I manage to get by on a saw bench
with a pencil line and a decent decent hand saw.

Put a piece of scrap under 2 of the legs to save the blade and rest the
board on the most suitable leg. Cut it upside down to get a square
section to go through, to start you off. Again remember to support
bothe sides of the cut. With a brand new Bacho you will soon get the
confidence you need.

And no I do not have an interest in the firm other than appreciation of
their high quality. Get a short bladed, blue handled one.

To do odd angled corners, Mark the line of the outside edge on the
floor, with a scrap piece and the inside edge with apencil mark at the
top of the board where the wall ends.

Do the same with the other side of the corner and see where the bottom
pencil line appears under the board.

Asuming the wall is plumb, a perpendicular will give you all the
guidance you need.

Use contact adhesive especially designed for mitring to join them. PVA
and pins will do though.

Skirting board mitres and scribes are perhaps the most difficult
joinery of all because floors are never quite level, walls never quite
plumb, corners never quite square, skirting profile often slightly
different from previous piece. Easier if only 3 inch (never done 3 inch
myself) but harder as it gets bigger.
The details of how to do it traditionally and perfectly are too long
but you will need - mitre block (make your own), panel saw, coping saw,
2 or 3 sliding bevels, protractor, block plane, pencil, carpenters axe
(for scribing to uneven floor) etc.
Only external corners are mitred, internal are scribed i.e. one piece
is butted into the corner and the other is profiled to fit against it.
Could go into more detail but I'm off down the boozer, tata

On 21 Aug 2005 10:07:31 -0700, jacob@jpbutler.demon.co.uk wrote:


>Only external corners are mitred, internal are scribed i.e. one piece
>is butted into the corner and the other is profiled to fit against it.
>Could go into more detail but I'm off down the boozer, tata


Having just taken off skirting to fit flooring under it, I was surprised
to find this.    Then I go on line and find it described.

One piece is just cut off straight, the other is cut straight for the
thickest part, but then is longer where the other board is thin -
filling the gap nicely.   So it looks at first glance as though it's
been cut badly.
-- 
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Nick Atty   wrote:


> On 21 Aug 2005 10:07:31 -0700, jacob@jpbutler.demon.co.uk wrote:
>
>> Only external corners are mitred, internal are scribed i.e. one piece
>> is butted into the corner and the other is profiled to fit against
>> it. Could go into more detail but I'm off down the boozer, tata
>
> Having just taken off skirting to fit flooring under it, I was
> surprised to find this.    Then I go on line and find it described.
>
> One piece is just cut off straight, the other is cut straight for the
> thickest part, but then is longer where the other board is thin -
> filling the gap nicely.   So it looks at first glance as though it's
> been cut badly.


I know that's the way the 'professionals' do it. But is it really any easier
than mitring the corner?
-- 
Cheers,
Set Square
______
Please reply to newsgroup. Reply address is invalid.

Set Square wrote:

> 
> In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
> Nick Atty   wrote:
> 
> > On 21 Aug 2005 10:07:31 -0700, jacob@jpbutler.demon.co.uk wrote:
> >
> >> Only external corners are mitred, internal are scribed i.e. one piece
> >> is butted into the corner and the other is profiled to fit against
> >> it. Could go into more detail but I'm off down the boozer, tata
> >
> > Having just taken off skirting to fit flooring under it, I was
> > surprised to find this.    Then I go on line and find it described.
> >
> > One piece is just cut off straight, the other is cut straight for the
> > thickest part, but then is longer where the other board is thin -
> > filling the gap nicely.   So it looks at first glance as though it's
> > been cut badly.
> 
> I know that's the way the 'professionals' do it. But is it really any easier
> than mitring the corner?
> 

I've tried both, and prefer the results with the profile/coping method. 

Sheila

> I know that's the way the 'professionals' do it. But is it really any easier
> than mitring the corner?
> --
> Cheers,
> Set Square

Its easier mainly because you are only doing one mitre/scribe on most
of the pieces of skirting. If you are doing two such as the front piece
where it goes around a projection, you find that by the time you have
got the 2nd end right the 1st end no longer fits.
Actually you start a scribe with an internal mitre i.e. 135 deg not 45
deg. You then cut with a coping saw around the mouldings and with a
tenon saw along the straight bits -  perpendicular to the face, along
the junction of the mitre and face. Easier than it sounds. Important
trick is to 'back off' the cuts i.e. just under 90 deg so that the
visible part of the join will be tight. You may also have to fiddle
about with sharp chisel, gouge, sand paper, block plane etc to get
perfect joint.

cheers

Jacob

PS and fill gaps with putty!

On Sun, 21 Aug 2005 21:33:38 +0100, "Set Square" 
wrote:


>In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
>Nick Atty   wrote:
>
>> On 21 Aug 2005 10:07:31 -0700, jacob@jpbutler.demon.co.uk wrote:
>>
>>> Only external corners are mitred, internal are scribed i.e. one piece
>>> is butted into the corner and the other is profiled to fit against
>>> it. Could go into more detail but I'm off down the boozer, tata
>>
>> Having just taken off skirting to fit flooring under it, I was
>> surprised to find this.    Then I go on line and find it described.
>>
>> One piece is just cut off straight, the other is cut straight for the
>> thickest part, but then is longer where the other board is thin -
>> filling the gap nicely.   So it looks at first glance as though it's
>> been cut badly.
>
>I know that's the way the 'professionals' do it. But is it really any easier
>than mitring the corner?


The problem seems to be that you have to put it back in one particular
order.  Which is a pain, because I'd quite like (through having one side
of the room otherwise finished, and the other still needing some work)
to put it back in the reverse order.   But I don't fancy trying to slide
the straight piece under the profiled one.
-- 
On-line canal route planner: http://www.canalplan.org.uk

(Waterways World site of the month, April 2001)

ocidental  wrote in message

> On Sat, 20 Aug 2005 22:39:36 GMT, "Mark"
> >Ok, now try cutting 6" depth skirting/wood and then tell us it doesn't go
> >> off course.
> >> when you start to get about four inches down this is when it starts
going
> >> of the line.
> >>
> >>
> >
> >These were designed for people who cant cut straight with a hand saw,
> >_Almost_ fool proof
> >pity you cant buy ready made technique at B&Q.
> >
> >-
> >
> You cant cut a decent mitre without some kind of guide however much
> technique you have.


_You Cant_

I can.
Any skilled carpenter should be able to cut a mitre by eye, with only a
handsaw pencil straight edge and bevel gauge.
Practice that until you get an acceptable finish, then all those mitre saws
and jig saw that don't cut in a straight line miraculously start to go were
_you_  want them.


-