Trying to finish up the trim on my stairs. Finish skirtboard is 3/4″ with an added 11/16×1-1/8 base cap and baseboard is two pieces- 1X4 topped with the same separate base cap.
The transition from the 1×4 baseboard to the skirtboard is flat trimmed-flush.
The problem comes when I try to add the base cap. No amount of experimentation has resulted in a clean transition from the baseboard cap to the cap on the skirtboard. The profiles just don’t align when I introduce the needed angles.
Can someone point me to something I can read/see to get me past this geometry problem? I’ve looked at Clayton Dekorne and Greg Kossow’s books and can’t come up with the solution.
I’m sure it’s just my thick head.
Skippy
Replies
If I understand the problem correctly; measure the angle between the skirt's top surface and the base's top surface, divide by two, use that angle to miter both caps for a joint.
Phill Giles
The Unionville Woodwright
Phil,
Sounds right to me. Little confused with the description.
JimNever underestimate the value of a sharp pencil or good light.
Tried that but when the pieces go together (they fit great) the profiles do not blend from piece to piece. Perhaps photos might help.
photos would help...
keep in mind that there are knuckle draggers here on some pretty slow speeds...
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Keep in mind that both pieces need to be mitered.
Sorry, no digital camera available. As long as the two flat planes, i.e. the bottoms and backs properly intersect, the profiles should meld. Is the inside (bottom of stairs) or outside transition ? I really hesitate to suggest a cope, or even a spline - make sure the two pieces meet without either side a little proud or shy and you should be okay to glue and forget.
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Phill Giles<!----><!---->
The Unionville Woodwright<!----><!---->
Yep, sounds like the miter angles of the two pieces need to be adjusted.
Imagine filling any voids left by your current angles with putty and sanding down any protrusions. The sharp intersection corners this brings out are the exact plane of the miter cuts.
In extreme cases where a profile doesn't line up when going from horizontal to a diagnal with a single miter intersection, the trick is then to use a pie shaped piece of the trim to make a double miter intersection, but in your description it doesn't sound like this is necessary.
Beer was created so carpenters wouldn't rule the world.
Gary Katz has a new dvd out with Jed Dixon on just this topic. After watching it for 15 minutes you will not have any further problems.
Do you know where I might find the Katz DVD?
Skippy
http://www.garymkatz.com/publications_dvds.html
If you divide the intersecting angle by two and miter both pieces to that angle and then find that the profiles do not match up at the joint, it may be that the two pieces of cap are not quite the same profile.
I recently got several pieces of poplar chair rail from the same bin at the lumber yard and found, when making a scarf joint, that the profiles of the two pieces were off by 1/16".
BruceT
Edited 4/9/2008 6:31 pm by brucet9
Does the base butt into the skirt board as a plumb cut?Does the base have a molded cap, like speed base?Are you applying a cap to the skirt?If the base has a cap, two ways work. Plumb cut the flat base to the bottom of the cap, then miter the cap like others have suggested... Rip the cap off the base, butt up the base. Rip the cap off another piece of base, leaving the little reveal part on the bottom, then miter the cap and put it on top of the base piece.Of course, this assumes that the base cap and the skirt cap are close to the same profile<G>Good luck.
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Does the base butt into the skirt board as a plumb cut?
Yes and both are 1X pine
Does the base have a molded cap, like speed base?
The baseboard is two piece-1X4 and an added cap
Are you applying a cap to the skirt?
Yes the cap is applied to the skirt as well. The cap on the baseboard and skirt are the same material. It's a simple mitre joint where the baseboard cap meets the skirt cap. I'm having a problem getting the cap to line up profile to profile. The mitre's perfect but the basecap profile is not perfect. It can't be that complicated.
Skippy
Stoopid question, but are you cutting both mating pieces of base cap at the same angle. I'm asssuming that if you say the angles match you are doing that, but I'm stumped that if that is what you are doing that the profiles don't match.ie. If stairs are about 35 degrees off horizontal and butting base is horizontal, the angle between would be (180-35) 145 degrees.180 degrees less 145 degrees equals 35 degrees, divided by two give you 17 1/2 degrees miter cuts on mating ends of the base capLet's not confuse the issue with facts!
Got it...at last, fits like someone did it who knew what they were doing. Just had to stop trying to over analyze it.Thanks to all for the help.Skippy
Damn Skippy , Good Work!! ;-)
They can't get your Goat if you don't tell them where it is hidden.
"The mitre's perfect but the basecap profile is not perfect."
without seeing it ...
sandpaper and/or a thin shim go a long way.
Jeff Buck Construction
Artistry In Carpentry
Pittsburgh Pa