Forum Topic

Getting a board cut to specification

I am not a very knowledgeable diy man but an enthusiastic one. I'm going to try and construct a small pedestal I need at home, but I figure I do not have the tools to properly cut the board to specification (esp where I need the edge cut to a 45 degree gradient so they fit together). Do you know if there is somewhere I can get this done if I take the board and provide specifications? B&Q can't do the edging thing.

Manish Madan ● 4715d17 Comments

Most circular saws can cut at an angle, alternatively use a smoothing plane

Geoffrey Berg ● 4714d

What sort of 'board'?MDF, Ply or hard/softwood?A table saw or router will make short work of it.With hand tools I would use a low angle block plane rather than a smoothing plane as the end-grain will tear out with a smoothing plane.Not really an issue with MDF or ply.

James Richmond ● 4713d

Thanks for the suggestions, Geoffrey and James. I am going to use MDF. I was hoping I could take the board to a shop and get it cut for a fair fee. Don't really want to invest in a saw at the moment, but I think a block plane will work instead.

Manish Madan ● 4713d

If it is MDF then a smoothing plane will be fine- and having a longer sole it will be easier to keep it level.If you've never planed before you might struggle to get the angle right.A quality plane is more expensive than a power tool- plus then you need to sharpen it properly, which means a diamond stone, honing guide and water stone, etc.Have you thought of buying a hand-saw and a mitre box?Oh and finally, MDF dust is highly toxic- make sure you wear a mask.

James Richmond ● 4713d

you can try A.J. Fergusson, 4/6 Keith Grove, Shepherd's BushLondon W12 9EZ Tel.: 020 8743 0099  Ask for the workshop.They used to have a work shop and machines and if they cannot do it they will know somebody who can.

Ireen Esmann ● 4713d

I looked up 'hand saw and mitre box', and I think that is going to be much easier to manage for me. I'll go into B&Q and look at some mitre boxes so I get the right height etc.Thanks for the heads up about dust. I'll get a mask too.

Manish Madan ● 4712d

No worries- I'm happy to advise.I'd offer to help, but I'm a luthier and not a carpenter.

James Richmond ● 4712d

Thanks James. I don't mind having a go myself, it's part of the fun.

Manish Madan ● 4712d

Thanks Ireen, I'll make a note of the number and address. I've sort of come to the conclusion that it's worth trying this on my own, but if it doesn't work out, I'll give A J Fergusson a call.

Manish Madan ● 4712d

What size is the board? Trying to get an acceptable edge on mdf with a hand plane is going to be difficult for a diy'er. A machine finish and a light sand between coats of paint is adviseable. Personally I would use a decent circular saw set at 45*, good blade, straight edge and clamps with a sacrificial board underneath. Remember to prime the mdf properly before applying finish coats of paint.

Steven Diver ● 4671d

I eventually used a mitre saw for the job as the 'box' I needed was small, this worked well.I don't have a circular saw (or a workbench) and didn't want to invest in one at that time. The mitre saw has worked very well. It only cost £22 and I've already used it again to make a frame for mounting some embroidered fabric. It would have cost me more if I'd had it done professionally.

Manish Madan ● 4670d

Mitre saws and boxes only work with relatively small timber (typically for picture frames). You don't say how long an edge you want to mitre, but if you're using mdf, it is probably too long. Getting two long 45 degree edges to match is quite a tricky operation even with a power saw and I would rethink your design.

Pete Grist ● 4670d

I've only just seen how much this thread had grown since I made the first reply. Anyway I'm glad you've done it OK and would say that for this sort of detailed work a proper mitre saw is a good investment.

Geoffrey Berg ● 4670d

I guess it must be small if it goes in a mitre box. Seems a shame waste a sheet of mdf when you could get a small offcut piece of Oak or Walnut (any hardwood realy) for a relatively small cost.

Steven Diver ● 4670d

Yes, and thanks for taking an interest. It turned out well in the end.

Manish Madan ● 4670d

I had initially wanted to do something like this (on a smaller scale):-And I'd viewed a video on YouTube that explained how to do it. This, as you pointed out involved joining very long 45 degree edges, and more importantly, cutting the edges with an automated saw. I realised this was too ambitious for me and changed what I needed. The final product turned out well.

Manish Madan ● 4670d

I didn't use a itre box, but rather a mitre saw:-This can manage timber 4 inches thick and/or high.Initially, I'd wanted to make a kind of box and thought of using MDF, but dropped that idea. I'm actually a bit of a novice and didn't know what kind of wood or board to use! I did buy some pieces of MDF before I changed my plans and they were only something like 6 inches by 6 inches. I didn't have to buy a whole board, I spotted a board at the timber cutting station at B&Q (which was left over and they would've thrown it away) and asked if I could have it cut. The guy charged me only £1.50 for 4 pieces, so thankfully, my ignorance did not translate into a large loss on this occasion!

Manish Madan ● 4670d