Mitered Cuts for the Dummy Woodworker

Sloppy miter cuts in molding

Although the vast majority of our "how-to" DotD candidates are, obviously, writing about tasks they've never actually performed, at least some of them claim to have relevant experience. We emphasize the word claim because what they write sure doesn't seem to support their biographical information. We're left wondering whether they're padding that resume or just lousy writers. Take, for instance, the post "How to Cut 45 Degree Angle Cuts on Wood Trim" that Bob White contributed to eHow.com.

White claims to have worked in construction (and pools and landscaping) for fifteen years and have a "diploma in home inspection." That might be... but you would think that either of those resume items would have exposed Bob to enough "trim" that he could have written a better set of instructions.

White started out fairly well by saying that,

"Installing wood trim is one of the final jobs in finishing the interior of the home. Its job is to provide a smooth transition between walls, windows, and flooring. When cutting trim for 90 degree corners, you are required to cut each board with a 45 degree cut. This joins the two boards with one uniform joint. Cutting these boards is simple if you understand basic geometry. The proper tool for this job is an electric miter saw." We'd like to point out to Bob that what he's talking about is molding, that "trim" shows up just about everywhere on a house, and that most people call it a "power miter saw," not an "electric miter saw." But those are just quibbles. It's the details of Bob's instructions that are... lacking. His instructions boil down to,

1. "Measure the wall from corner to corner where the trim is installed..."
2. "...mark the cut line with a carpenter's square and pencil."
3. "Adjust your miter saw to make a 45 degree cut. This is typically done with an adjustment mechanism on the back. Open the mechanism and angle the miter saw until its gauge is aligned with the 45 degree marking and lock in place."
4. "Align the trim's pencil line with the miter saw's cut line..."
5. "Activate the miter saw... and guide the blade slowly into and through the wood."

With the possible exception of the bushwa about "adjustment mechanism on the back," we suppose those are acceptable instructions for mitering a rectangular board. What's missing? well, here are a few questions our staffers had:

• What about cutting the other side of the miter? 
• What about molding with a non-rectangular profile? God forbid you try using these instructions for crown molding!
• Why is White saying to use the saw's bevel function instead of its miter function?

We'd expect some dorm-rat history major or a sorority girl majoring in "communications" to be this unfamiliar with a power miter saw, but someone who claims to have worked in construction? And he never used the word "coping"? Yeah, right...

White's been here before, usually attempting (and failing) to answer questions about electrical work. He was a Dumbass of the Day then, and he's back again for another award. Yay, Bob.

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