Likewise, if you put your pencil mark to the left or the right of your cutting point, you will need to make your cut to the left or right of the mark. As long as you take your time, make sure nothing can move while cutting and more importantly, ensure that your measurements and markings are 100% accurate, there is no reason why you can’t cut one as well and the pro’s! How to do Find the Exact Angle of the Mitre Joint you Need to cut?

Cutting in this position means that the saw blade will cut down through the centre of your pencil mark. As we have mentioned above, just make sure this is the exact point that you want to make your cut. Look down to the mitre scale and see what the reading is. In the image below, the reading is 45° and as we already know the cut is exactly this (as we cut it in the steps above) we can see that this is a fairly accurate method for calculating an angle. However, a mitre joint can be cut at pretty much any angle, so their not just confined to forming 90° turns. With your first piece of timber now cut, repeat the above steps for the remaining 45° angle that can then be used to form your full mitre joint.

The mitre joint is most commonly used to form the joints for architrave around doorways and also where pieces of skirting board meet in the corner of a room. They are also used to form the joints of drawers in a chest or drawers, dado and pictures rails, other items of furniture and a whole host of other things.

Now that we know exactly what a this joint is and how they are generally used, lets look at how to cut one and what tools can be used.In the above example we have cut and installed some architrave which is nearly always formed using a 90° mitre and in probably 95% of all cases, any mitre joints you cut will be cut at 45° to form a 90° joint.

One other point to think about is where you actually put your mark – have you marked your pencil point directly on the point you need to cut or have you put the mark to the left or right of your measurement? Key specs – Bevel capacity: 0-45 degrees; Blade size: 254mm; No-load speed: 4,800rpm; Weight: 17.75kg Adjust the cutter as necessary and repeat until the two boards are level. Note that very slight adjustments of your fine adjuster will affect the fit of the two pieces so proceed in small steps. Keep the successful test pieces to use as setting pieces for future joints. As we have already mentioned above, the mitre joint is a fantastic method of forming timber joints for skirting boards, architrave etc but it’s not necessarily a joint that should be used for anything structural.

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As we saw above, depending on what technique you use, it may transpire that after you have cut your mitres, their not quite as accurate as you might like them to be. Rotate the cutter so that the tongue is in its furthest forward position and set the fence so that the centreline on the test piece is lined up with the outside edge of the tongue. Whether you go for a single or double bevel saw will largely be driven by cost. Double bevel saws offer the most versatility, but also come with the highest price tags. Skilled users may be comfortable simply turning the workpiece upside down, but that might be over-complicated for those taking their first steps. With smaller constructions it might be possible to rout a wide board and rip the two matching box sides from it, discarding the outer strips with the breakout on them. If all is well and your cuts have been accurate you should now have a perfectly formed mitre joint.