Miter cuts

jerome8283

What is the secret to achieving a perfect miter cut? I'm putting trim around a window and I'm not happy with my cuts. I have a compound miter saw but the four pieces never seem to line up around the window correctly

ncor

level and plumb

space_coyote

Don't trust the numbers on the saw. I line up the blade with the fence and a square for every 45 and 90 cut that I need to be precise.

mcwilson

To close up any gap in the face, try adjusting your compound miter box so that you "undercut" joint by about 1-2 degrees, leaving the saw set at 45 degrees. This will help the face join together before the back does, which you don't see anyway. Make sense?

If your installing casing on a door, put the head on first, then you can cut the legs a liitle too long and check your joints and make nescessary adjustments, (the legs usually end up a 1/4" to 3/8" off the subfloor. Hope this helps

mcwilson

Just read your question again. When trimming out a window, install the head first, then the legs leaving them long until you like the joints at the top, then the bottom. You will but the bottom just a little long so you can check each joint and adjust

Good luck

jerome8283

I think this makes sense. I'm trying to locate the instruction manual for my Delta 10" Compound Miter Saw (36-075).

As far as doing doors, I'm ok. In this case it's the trim around a window.

Someone suggested that if I get the two sides cut exactly the same and the top and bottom cut exactly the same everything should fall into place?

jerome8283

oh ok, got you.

Joe Carola

Is the sheetrock flush with the window jambs?

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Joe Carola

jerome8283

I got it to work. I cut the top piece and two sides and got them to work together and then cut the bottom piece a little longer and continued to cut it little by little until it fit perfectly.

Thanks for everyone's help!

joewho

If you cut the head and legs to fit, isn't there a way to lay the bottom across the legs and just mark the angles from the legs?