Carpentry and Woodworking - miter cuts

I am installing wood baseboard around the walls in the basement. I know how to cut 90 degree angle joints but I have two joints that are different, perhaps 60 degrees (one inside, one outside). How do I cut a joint at an angle other than the 90 degrees?

If you don't have an adjustable square and compound miter saw, you can use a table-mounted belt or disk sander. It takes longer because you have to sand a little off and test fit a number of times, but it works.

I have a compound miter saw but how do I get the correct angle degree for the cut?

Well..Prob use a tool like this http://www.compoundmiter.com/images/BVPtxtbig.jpg to get the true angle. I believe it actually give you the saw setting as well. It will prob still involve some trail and error fitting. Coping on an inside corner is the way to go.

This is a little hard to describe, but I'll give it a try.

An adjustable square is a two-piece square connected in the middle w/ a fingernut. This allows you to get any angle you need. Let's say you're going around a hexagon shaped island in your kitchen. Loosen the nut and press the two sides against the island at one of the corners. While you've got it against the corner, tighten the nut. Now you have the angle of the corner.

Using a protractor, figure out that angle and the supplementary angle (2 angles adding up to 180 degrees are called supplementary). Then set your saw to the supplementary angle. That should do the trick.

Let me know if this isn't clear enough, and good luck!

When mitreing both pieces of wood, cut each at half the angle.

I've never looked at it this way, but Wirepuller38's saying the same thing I did, only simpler. Takes a little spatial awareness, though.

Wirepuller38, thanks for helping me think outside my box!

If in doubt, cut two pieces of scrap and see if they fit. When you have the angle correct, then cut your baseboard.

When I miter a 90 degree joint I know to cut it in half and cut two 45 cuts. However, with my adjustable square I measured the wall angle to be 130 degrees. Half of that is 65 degrees but my miter saw only goes to 45 degrees. How do I do the cuts when they are 65 degrees?

Set your mitre saw at 25 degrees and cut 2 pieces of scrap and do a test fit. Adjust from there if necessary.

Flip the piece over and cut at 25 degrees.

Wirepuller and Rock Stone, thanks for the info. I won't be able to get to the cuts until tomorrow but I will let you know how I made out.

When I miter a 90 degree joint I know to cut it in half and cut two 45 cuts. However, with my adjustable square I measured the wall angle to be 130 degrees. Half of that is 65 degrees but my miter saw only goes to 45 degrees. How do I do the cuts when they are 65 degrees?

If you have a 130 deg. joint it must come to a point??!! What are you trimming? Is this an outside miter? If an inside miter, cope the end to fit!!

Mike, wouldn't he still need to cut a mitre in order to do an accurate cope?

Mike, wouldn't he still need to cut a mitre in order to do an accurate cope?

It is easier to cope with a miter cut but not absolutely necessary. I think I just now understood what he is trying to do. Actually the angle is 50 deg. and not 130 and it is an outside miter. Is that about right? Sometimes my "old mind" doesn't work as quick as it should!

I was very successful in cutting the two miters. The one was an outside angle of 130 degrees and the other was an inside angle of 135 degrees. I cut the outside at 25 degrees and the inside at 22.5 degrees and they both look great. In fact, they look better than some of my 90's! Thank you very much for your help.