Fitting cornice in a kitchen

huddsta

Hello
Currently fitting a new kitchen and things have gone swimmingly up until fitting the cornice to a open corner unit
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=6140234&fh_search=corner+unit&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1170097769275

Like that one^

Can't seem to mitre the angles right. Anyone got any tips?

mattogier

huddsta wrote:

Hello
Currently fitting a new kitchen and things have gone swimmingly up until fitting the cornice to a open corner unit
http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/nav/nav.jsp?action=detail&fh_secondid=6140234&fh_search=corner+unit&fh_eds=%c3%9f&fh_refview=search&ts=1170097769275

Like that one^

Can't seem to mitre the angles right. Anyone got any tips?

Assuming that the unit is 90 degrees and that the "chamfer" on the front is 45 degrees you need a mitre angle of + / - 22.5 degrees (as opposed to +/- 45 degrees that you would use if it were a right angle - also it's best if you imagine standing on your head whilst cutting as the piece will be upside down in your mitre saw block!:eek:

HugoSP

I assume you're using an electric mitre saw. If not it's worth buying or borrowing one, they are very cheap.

If you are the mitre saw needs to be set to half the angle you need to mitre to. The angles on the unit will be 45 degrees, so the mitre saw needs to be set to 22.5 degrees.

In practice this may be more difficult to achieve. I suggest therefore that you do trial and error with offcuts of anything (2x2 or similar that you may have lying around) and see which fits better.

One tip I picked up is to cut the more difficult mitre first whilst leaving the piece of cornice oversize. Then once you're happy with the more difficult 22.5 degree cut, execute the 45 degree cut cutting it to the correct length. If you're unsure, cut it a little oversize on the 45 degree cut, you can always shave a bit off.

Hope that helps

andrew-b

Also make sure you cut from the facing side first...else you'll end up with splinters coming off the mitred corners when the saw exits the wood - which is exactly what our kitchen fitter did much to my annoyance!

Andy

HugoSP

andrew-b wrote:

Also make sure you cut from the facing side first...else you'll end up with splinters coming off the mitred corners when the saw exits the wood - which is exactly what our kitchen fitter did much to my annoyance!

Andy

Good point Andy - you mean the blade has to ENTER the wood on the facing side.

With a power compound mitre saw this is achieved by having the good side facing you, as the blade will rip down and into the job, cutting away from you.

If this cannot be done because of the profile of the cornice then the option is to use a small piece of timber the right profile to allow the cornice to rest against the back of the tool squarely.

huddsta

Cheers guys, got it done now.