That 'perfect' miter joint tip backfired on me yesterday

I was at a supplier in Columbus picking up some plywood and overheard this old timer telling a new guy that you should always cut your miter joints at 46 degrees instead of 45 for a tighter fit. Sounded like solid advice from someone who's been at it 30 years. So I tried it on a crown molding job I had yesterday. Well that 1 degree extra threw my whole kitchen corners off. Left gaps on three joints that I had to fill with caulk and it looks like crap now. I guess what works for one guy doesn't always translate. Anyone else get burned by some passed down trick that ended up causing more work?

2 comments

2 Comments

joel6037d ago

Man that hurts just reading it. Did something similar once where a buddy swore by cutting baseboard 1/16 long so you can "squeeze" it into place. Ended up splitting the corner block on my first try and had to patch it with wood filler. Guess we all find out the hard way that some "secret tips" are really just someone elses good luck charm.

victorb177d ago

Haha yeah those "pro tips" are always a gamble... I swear half of them are just someone trying to justify their own screw up. Cutting 1/16 long sounds like a fast track to splitting wood if you ask me, especially on older trim that's already brittle. Wood filler is a lifesaver though, I've used it to cover up plenty of my own "learning experiences" in the kitchen, just different materials. Really makes you wonder how many of those tricks are actually tested or just passed down from some guy who got lucky once. Either way, you're definitely not alone in that corner block massacre.