Box beams with lock miter joints
detailedbuilder
| Posted in Construction Techniques on
Hi there,
I’m wanting to make some box beams from 3/4 or 5/4 material. I want to use the lock miter joint. I have never used a lock miter router bit, but I do know it is suposed to be used on a router table. since I am wanting to use long boards, working on a miter table doesn’t seem practical. I was wondering if anyone knew of a way to do it using a stright edge and running the router on the boards? thanks
Replies
3/4 and 5/4 boards take different sized bits so you need to decide which you one you want to use.....
with rests / extended table, long boards are easy to do on a router table...
a lock miter is a one pass cut so you need a router with an attitude... 3HP range...
to hand cut without the table you need to make supports and guides for the router and material
hand cutting is not nearly as accurate as using the table...
it can be done but ... WHEW!!!!
use the KISS principle and go with the table...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming
WOW!!! What a Ride!
Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
Thank for your info. I get your point about the router table. I guess my thought was that I could straighten the board when running with the router on the board using a straight edge (get a straight 6" out of a 1x8"..). By the way I don't have a router table. what one would you recomend for this job? thanks
I haven't a router table... shaper...
limited experience too... but I'm sure others will pipe in...buy rough cut material...
small areas can be roughed with a cross grain swiping action from a dull sawzall blade...use yur table saw to rip the 1x8's straight with a ripping guide...Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
buy rough cut material...
Seems like the obvious solution!
Have you considered building the beams like this:
View Image
The shadow line is a nice detail and it simplifies construction. The old work was simply nailed together without any joinery whatsoever, but I find that milling a dado into the "cheeks" of the beams is a simple step that really speeds up assembly.
I like the idea, but I need the box beams to look as much as possible like the real thing. so mitered corners is the only way to go. Thanks for the pic.
I need the box beams to look as much as possible like the real thing.
Real thing? Aren't those pictured beams the real thing? ;)
I assume you're matching existing work or trying to get the beams to look like solid stock.
Sorry, real solid stock is the look I'm going for.
I'm looking into giving the lumber a 'comb finish' look (like the finish on rough ceder boards). I heard that this is done by special planer knives which are serrated. Know anything about this? where can I get these planer knives?
That finish you describe is done with an abrasive thicknesser..think like a 24 grit or less belt."you are dead a lot longer than you are alive"Noah Aaron MacKenzie, 1990.
I was told the rough look on lumber like the primed spruce and rough cedar is from serrated knives in a planer, but your idea sounds easier. Anyone tried this before?
I heard that this is done by special planer knives which are serrated.
Which, unless I'm way off base (which is entirely possible) is to replicate the lines a resaw makes in roughing lumber out of sawmill flitches (or from that Dudley-Do-Right circular saw used for the same purpose).Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
But a resaw leaves cross ways tracks, where as the "rough" cedar I installed just last week was most assuredly stiraited paralell to the grain.
I wish more local mills were still circle saws, I really can enjoy those saw marks. Resawn, just don't cut it (g) in my eyes."you are dead a lot longer than you are alive"Noah Aaron MacKenzie, 1990.
But a resaw leaves cross ways tracks, where as the "rough" cedar I installed just last week was most assuredly stiraited paralell to the grain.
Yeah, well, parallel to board is probably easier to "fake" . . .
I wish more local mills were still circle saws, I really can enjoy those saw marks.
Too true--but the sawyers probably like how much simpler the band-like blades are to live with in production runs. There's also probably more than a small amount of no-scaring-the-OSHA-rep with the Dudley-Do-Right Damsel Disecting divil-blade whirling about, too . . .
The local RR tie people finally gave up on the circular saw as the blades were just to steep a special order.
Hmm, just think, we are expending this effort to recreate the effect of unfinished timber, a less-expensive item in days of old, which is now more expensive . . . go figure. Don't suppose OP wants to invest in an Adze and some drawknives for a true rustic look, nu?Occupational hazard of my occupation not being around (sorry Bubba)
Hmm, just think, we are expending this effort to recreate the effect of unfinished timber
I've always found it incredibly ironic that synthetic siding would have "wood grain" raised patterns on it. If we were installing real wood and came across a piece with such raised grain, we'd toss it in the scrap pile!
So why exactly are the siding companies making their product look like an inferior grade of wood? I guess so Suzy Homemaker thinks her house looks like it has "real wood siding". ;)
I'm looking into giving the lumber a 'comb finish' look (like the finish on rough ceder boards). I heard that this is done by special planer knives which are serrated.
"Brushed" (I think "combed" is another word for it) cedar shingles are definitely an intentionally machined finish. But I think the rough sawn look on cedar is just due to regular processing in the mill -- either band sawn or circular sawn. If you look really closely at the boards you want to emulate, you may see some telltale signs of what process was used.
However, why not just buy a rough-sawn product to begin with?
Out in the NW, cedar is typically sold with one sign rough and the other sanded.
Many builders use some sort of "whiteboard" for exterior trim these days. I think it's spruce or pine or some other softwood. Anyway, it has a machined surface to give it texture and it's inexpensive. The only "problem" is that I've only ever seen it pre-primed, and I'm not sure if you're planning to paint.
Edited 6/4/2007 4:43 pm ET by Ragnar17
DETAIL, Try Baileys-online.com......Do a search for Makita or Makita wheel sander.
I think they make em in Nylox or wire, Expensive tho and ya gotta have the tool to use em.
I'd give em a call before I ordered an ask if this will do what ya want it to.I've never used that set up but I have used Nylox wheels and a drill to get bark out of the crevices and knot holes in log furniture.It worked great.
Good luck,
dug
Why the lock miter? It's not necessary for strength since you'll be gluing side grain to side grain (I assume you plan to glue). It might make it easier to position the pieces during assembly, but a biscuit every few feet would do the same thing. In fact, I would question the need of a miter joint at all if you're going for a roughed-up finish. Simple butt joints would be just as strong, easier to make, and no one could see a difference without a very close look.
or a rabbet cut into each vertical side with an eigth inch or so of remaining material, you could either glue with lots of clamps, pocket screw from inside, biscuit.nail whatever... lock miters are tough IMHO without a shaper and feeder, even then they don't always work out for longer pieces.
How about mitrefolding the boards? I like this process because I do not have to use any clamps or fasteners. I use packing tape (or preferably) clear duct tape to hold everything together.
The lock-miter on a long board is a tricky proposition at best. The lock-miter set-up can be infuriating as it involves minute adjustment of BOTH the bit height and the fence. They are best cut using a power feed. You need this to maintain consistent pressure on the workpiece. By hand you can't guarentee perfectly consistent pressure on longer boards, which will make assembly tough if both piece aren't close to perfect.
I would second an option by a previous poster, namely, a rabbet on each side. Either one rabbet on each side piece or rabbet two sides of the bottom of the beam.
As far as the planer blades go I know that Festool has a planer that uses special blades for a rough hewn look.
Good luck.
K.H.