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How to Build a Nest Box for Robins From Scrap Timber

© Eugene Brennan

In this guide I’m going to make a nesting box suitable for European robins, although it can be sized down a little to make it suitable for finches, wrens or similar small songbirds. You can make a birdhouse like this from any waste timber (lumber) that comes to hand such as cladding, fascia or soffit, skirting board (baseboard), palette timber or ply.

A Complete Guide to Pipe Fittings and How to Use Them to Connect PEX, PVC and Copper Tube

© Eugene Brennan

A DIY Guide to Plumbing fittings and Pipe Materials

Basic plumbing isn’t rocket science. If you are reasonably adept at DIY, understand the basics, and take care when putting it all together, it’s not too difficult. This is a comprehensive and easy-to-understand guide to pipe types, plumbing fittings, thread sizes, with instructions for how to use fittings to connect copper, PVC, and PEX pipes.

How to Mix Concrete With a Cement Mixer: Steps and Tips

Learn how to use a concrete mixer to get consistent, high-quality results every time.
Original image, pre-text overlay, Antranias, public domain via Pixabay.com.

Mixing Concrete With a Mixer

In my other guide on mixing concrete by hand, we discovered that it’s feasible to mix concrete with just a shovel. This is fine for small amounts of concrete. However, a mixer thoroughly mixes the materials, lessening the chances of weak spots in the final result. If you’re going to be laying floors or pavements or casting gate pillars or walls, a cement mixer is pretty much essential if you want to get the job done reasonably quickly.

What Is Concrete and What Are the Different Strength Mixes?

I go into more detail in my other article, but let’s cover the basics here:

• Concrete is a composite material consisting of cement, sand and stone.
• Cement acts as a binder joining the stone and sand together.
• Stone and sand, also known as aggregate, mixed together on their own with no cement added would have no strength. However, cement holds them together and interlocks the particles like a 3D jigsaw puzzle. This is what gives concrete its shear and compressive strength.

Concrete Mixes

Varying the proportion of cement, sand, and stone controls the strength of concrete and the force it can withstand without failing. “C” types are used to specify the strength of concrete. These recipes specify the proportion of materials (by volume) which will produce concrete that can have a certain strength.

• C20 is a general-purpose mix for fixing posts, making concrete pads, doorsteps, and bases for garden sheds, floors, etc. This mix consists of 1 part cement, 4 parts stone and 2 parts sand.
• C30 is a stronger mix suitable for thinner and narrower concrete slabs, e.g. pavements. This mix consists of 1 part cement, 3 parts stone and 2 parts sand.

Quantity of Water Needed When Mixing Concrete

The drier concrete is, the stronger it is. Ideally, it must only be wet enough so that it’s workable.

By Weight of Cement

The quantity of water needed should be 0.4 to 0.6 times the weight of cement. For a 25kg (4 stone approx) bag, if we take a figure of 0.5, this works out at:

25 x 0.50 = 12.5 kg of water

Now since 1 kg of water has a volume of 1 litre, this equates to 12.5 litres of water for 25 kg of cement.

12.5 litres is nearly 2 3/4 imperial (UK) gallons or 3.3 US gallons.

In Terms of Buckets

Loose cement has a density of about 1.5 kg/litre. That’s 1.5 times the density of water. So if we have 1 bucket of cement, it takes 1.5 buckets of water to weigh the same amount, and again, taking a figure of 0.5, we need 0.5 x 1.5 = 0.75 or 3/4 buckets of water per bucket of cement.

Concrete shouldn’t be excessively wet after mixing and should have a minimum slump. A shovelful deposited on the ground should self-support itself without spreading out (slumping). Concrete that is too dry is unworkable and also won’t have sufficient water for the chemical reaction with cement to progress properly and the concrete to cure, therefore reducing its ultimate strength.

Too much water is also detrimental to the final strength because as excess water that doesn’t combine with cement evaporates, it leaves behind micropores which are tiny air cavities. The concrete is effectively a sponge.

Tools Required for Mixing Concrete in a Mixer

• Cement mixer: Electric or gas (petrol)
• 3 buckets: One for cement, one for sand and gravel and one for water (aggregate can be wet, so having a separate bucket for cement keeps the bucket dry, otherwise cement will stick to the sides when measuring it out)
• Barrel: For holding water
• Wheelbarrow: For transporting concrete
• Shovel

A barrel is more convenient than a hose because buckets can be filled quicker.
© Eugene Brennan

Stone and sand can be wet, so using a separate bucket for cement keeps it dry and stops cement sticking to the sides.
© Eugene Brennan

PPE for Mixing Concrete

• Dust mask to protect your lungs
• Gloves to protect your hands from abrasion and cement which is an irritant and somewhat caustic
• Safety glasses to protect your eyes from splashes from the mixer
• Steel toe cap shoes/boots for foot protection

Warning

Always read the safety information on bags of cement.

How to Use a Cement Mixer: Step-by-Step Guide

A cement mixer allows you to mix concrete quickly, and you can produce a wheelbarrow of it in about 10 minutes. Here are some tips to get the best results.

1. A UK builders bucket will typically hold 3 UK gallons or 13.5 litres. These are convenient for measuring out quantities of materials before mixing commences.
2. A small Belle mixer such as the Minimix 130 or Minimix 150 will mix about 90 litres of concrete, so if you do a C20 mix, i.e. 1 bucket of cement, 2 buckets of sand and 4 buckets of stone, this will produce about a wheelbarrow full of concrete. You can make the mix stronger by reducing the amount of stone to 3 buckets (C30 mix).
3. Measure out the stone, sand and cement into 3 separate piles on the ground. A sheet of plastic or large wooden board, such as a sheet of plywood, keeps the ground clean and prevents contamination of the materials by soil and dirt.
4. It’s advisable to use a small barrel or other type of large container to hold water if you’re doing several mixes. You’ll need multiple buckets of water, and you don’t want to have to go off filling a bucket from a tap/faucet or hose if a mix begins to stick to the drum.
5. Start the mixer.
6. Shovel half of the stone in first and one-quarter of a bucket of water. The abrasive nature of stone helps to scour any remaining wet concrete stuck to the drum from an earlier mix session.
7. Next, add cement, sand and stone alternately from the piles. As you add cement and sand, watch for a moment to see how the mix is progressing and add water so that the mix is not over-sloppy but at the same time not so dry that it sticks to the drum.
8. You can add all the materials to the drum first and do a dry mix. However, cement will stick to the inside of the drum, and the likelihood is that material at the back of the drum won’t mix properly and get wetted as you add water. So it’s better to add them a bit at a time.
9. Continue to add the remainder of the cement and sand.
10. Never put a shovel into a rotating mixer drum. The mixing spoons can catch the shovel and swing it around, and hit you in the face. If the mixture seems to be sticking to the back of the drum, stop the mixer, scrape the mix off the back and pull it forward. Repeat this, or add a little more water as necessary.
11. If the mix starts to overflow out of the drum, place the wheelbarrow underneath to catch any spill.
12. Allow to mix on full speed for about 3 minutes.
13. Reduce the speed of the engine and commence unloading the mixer into the barrow.
14. When the drum is empty, a new mix can be started. Add some water first to rinse off the concrete stuck to the inside of the drum. This slush can be incorporated into the next mix. If you are working alone, stop the mixer so that you can deal with transporting and unloading the barrow.
15. Don’t forget to wash all concrete from your tools before it sets and hose out the drum, ideally while the engine is running and the drum is tipped. Try to avoid getting water from the hose onto the engine. If the mixer is electric, unplug it and relocate the extension lead out of range while hosing.

Protecting Concrete in Dry and Cold Weather

Water added to concrete isn’t just for making it plastic and workable so it can be formed into slabs and other shapes. Water or H₂O combines with cement in a chemical reaction and actually becomes part of the concrete for all eternity (well not quite, but as long as the concrete is in existence!).

Any excess water evaporates over a period of weeks. Since water is necessary for this chemical reaction, it’s essential that it is retained until concrete cures or hardens over days to weeks. So once you lay concrete, cover it with plastic to stop it from drying. This is important in hot weather and/or when windy. Water can be added onto the surface in subsequent days to keep it wet while curing.

Protecting Concrete in Cold Weather

Cold weather is defined as when the average temperature is less than 41 F (5 C) and also less than 50 F (10 C) for 12 hours in a 24-hour period. During cold weather, concrete should be protected with blankets, bubble wrap or other suitable insulation. This traps the heat of the chemical reaction and stops the concrete from freezing.

Concrete is a cheap, strong material that can be used for making lots of things like gate pillars and pavements.
© Eugene Brennan - From the Article "How to Build a Concrete Gate Pier"

A newly concreted slab at the back of my house.
© Eugene Brennan

How Do I Store Cement?

Cement bags should be kept up off the ground so moisture doesn’t soak into them. You can use a palette or place the bags on boards spanned between wood offcuts or bricks. Unused, unopened bags of cement can be sealed into plastic bags (use heavy rubble bags instead of trash bags, which can puncture) to lengthen its shelf life, but apparently, it still deteriorates if bags are airtight. It’s recommended that it should be used within 6 months.

How Long Does Cement Last? Does It Have a “Use By” Date?

Use cement within three months of the manufacture date printed on the bag. After this it often becomes lumpy where it’s in contact with the inside of the bag.

Disclaimer

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. 

Power and hand tools can be dangerous. Read and understand all manuals before use and take reasonable precautions including wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) to prevent against injury. 

© 2020 Eugene Brennan

8 Steps to Mixing Concrete by Hand (for Beginners)

© Eugene Brennan

Make Concrete Without a Mixer

A cement mixer does a great job at mixing concrete, thoroughly blending the materials to give a consistent result. However it’s also possible to mix concrete by hand without a mixer with a little care and some effort.

How to Use Air Tools and an Air Compressor in Your Workshop

© Eugene Brennan

A Guide to Using Air Tools For DIY

Air tools, as the name suggests, are tools powered by compressed air, unlike conventional power tools which are either powered by a 120/240-volt mains supply, battery or petrol. This article outlines the basics of how they work, what tools are available, and how to use them with an air compressor.

How to Grow Fuchsia From Cuttings: Make New Plants for Free

© Eugene Brennan

Propagating New Plants From Cuttings

Did you know that plants can be cloned? Yes you can make duplicate plants for your garden by taking cuttings. The new plant will have identical properties to the original plant and you can repeat this process lots of times.

How to Sow Seeds Indoors & Outdoors: Beginner Steps & Tips

© Eugene Brennan

Sowing Seeds Is Really Easy!

You can buy “ready-made” plants in a store, but it can be much more fun and a lot less expensive to grow them yourself from seed! The magical journey of a plant from a tiny seed to adulthood is fascinating for both adults and children alike!

How to Choose the Right Drill Bit for Steel, Wood, Tiles, Glass, Masonry and Plastic

AI image generated by Bing Image Creator

When drilling any material, the correct bit is essential so that holes can be bored quickly and with ease. If you’re a newbie at DIY, this article explains how to go about choosing the right drill bit for the job when boring through various materials such as steel, aluminum and other metals, masonry, plastics, wood, glass, and tiles.

How to Cut Wood at an Angle With a Hand Saw or Mitre Saw

© Eugene Brennan

3 Ways to Cut Timber

Making accurate square (90-degree) and mitred (angled) cuts in timber is an essential skill when making joints in furniture and to a lesser degree in building construction. Even if you don’t attempt any serious DIY, the need sometimes arises to cut a length of timber reasonably accurately. For instance, architrave may need to be cut around a window or doorway, skirtboards (baseboards) at the base of a wall have to be renewed, or a board from the cladding on your home or shed gets damaged and must be replaced. This article shows you three methods to cut timber.

1. Mark and cut by eye without a guide. This is not terribly accurate, but it’s ok if measurements and squareness aren’t critical.
2. Use a mitre box. This guides the saw and gives better results. However, you can only make 45- and 90-degree cuts.
3. Use a mitre saw. This is the most accurate method of cutting lengths of timber at any angle. Mitre saws are also called “chop saws”.

Note: ‘Mitre’ is spelled ‘miter’ in American English.

Method 1: Mark and Cut By Eye Without a Guide

The most basic method of cutting timber is to simply mark it and cut by eye. For basic work where accuracy isn’t important, this is quite adequate. However, unless you have a good eye and have become skilled from years of practice, the results are variable, and beginners will end up with crooked cuts on the end of timber.

Step 1. First Mark the Dimensions on the Timber

Use a sharpened pencil to produce a thin marking line on the wood. Hold the tape close to one of the edges and mark the required dimension.

Note: If you buy lumber from a store, the end will likely be a 90-degree cut, but check it beforehand with your carpenters square. If it isn’t, initially follow steps 2 to 4 of the marking out and cutting instructions below to remove a small section at the end of the timber (keep about 1/2 inch in from the edge). Once this is done, you can continue to measure, mark and cut the required length.

First check the end of the timber is square
© Eugene Brennan

Mark the required measurement on the timber with a short pencil tick
© Eugene Brennan

Step 2. Use a Carpenter's Square to Mark Top Side

A carpenter's square allows you to make a right-angled mark across the timber. You can also use an engineer's square or a triangle (set square in UK English). Hold the “stock” or handle of the square tightly against the wood while marking. Ideally, you should position the tip of the pencil on the mark you made initially when measuring, and slide the square so that it butts against the tip, then mark along the square.

Use a square to produce a right angled pencil line guide
© Eugene Brennan

Step 3. Mark the Two Vertical Sides

Continue to mark the front and rear vertical sides of the timber.

Mark a guide line on both the vertical sides
© Eugene Brennan

Step 4. Hold the Wood Securely and Cut With a Hand Saw

If you have a vice, use this to hold the wood securely while sawing, alternatively use your knee and a stool, low table, Black and Decker Workmate or whatever.

Use the pencil lines on the vertical surfaces of the timber as guides while sawing and try to keep the saw blade straight.

Hold the timber securely in a vice
© Eugene Brennan

You can also use your knee to hold it
© Eugene Brennan

Keep your thumb out of the way in case the saw slips!
© Eugene Brennan

Quick release clamps are useful for holding timber
© Eugene Brennan

Method 2: Using a Mitre Box

This gives improved accuracy when cutting. A mitre box has slots in its vertical sides which act as guides and prevent the blade of a saw from sloping from the vertical. Metal, wood and plastic versions are available. Some need to be held in a vise while others have a “hook” or raised edge on the underside which can be butted up against the edge of a bench.

A mitre box enables you to make 90-degree cuts in timber and usually 45-degree cuts also.

Note: When cutting timber, cut on the waste side of the line rather than the centre line.

Various types of mitre boxes
© Eugene Brennan

This mitre box has a “lip” or hook on the underside which allows it to be pushed tightly against the edge of a bench.
© Eugene Brennan

Using a Tenon Saw

A tenon saw is shorter than a “normal” hand saw and is less cumbersome to cut with. It also has smaller teeth (the pitch is greater), which reduces the tendency of the blade to tear or chip the ends of wood fibers whilst cutting. Thirdly the rigid spine of the saw stops the blade from curving and warping too much while cutting. All this helps to give better results, which is important if you are making furniture or other stuff where accuracy and finish are important.

Kerf of a Saw

When cutting, position the blade and teeth of the saw so that you cut on the waste side of the pencil line rather than cutting along the centre of the line. The kerf or width of the saw cut can produce “gaps” if you are cutting joints or doing other fine work. The slight error in length due to the kerf of the saw when cutting on the centre of the pencil line, can accumulate and cause a greater error (e.g. if several pieces are cut to size and placed side by side).

Kerf of a saw. The diverging teeth cut a slot in timber, wider than the thickness of the blade, so the blade doesn’t bind.

Ludraman, public domain image via Wiktionary

The slots in metal mitre boxes don’t wear away as quick from contact with the teeth of a saw.
© Eugene Brennan

A mitre box and tenon saw produced these results
© Eugene Brennan

Making and Using a Marking Knife

A pencil is fine for rough work, however, a marking knife never gets blunt and produces a fine line, allowing you to produce more accurate results when cutting joints. You can make one by cutting a 45-degree angle on an old dinner knife with an angle grinder and then sharpening it. You could use a Stanley knife, however, the advantage of a long-bladed, flexible knife is that it can reach into tight spaces. (This knife also comes in handy for spreading silicone sealant and putty!)

A sharpened dinner knife used for marking timber
© Eugene Brennan

Using a marking knife to mark a section of timber
© Eugene Brennan

Recommended Books

Good Wood Joints by Albert Jackson and David Day, published by Collins is an excellent reference source, with clear, step-by-step, colourful illustrations showing how to cut all the most common wood joints and those used less often. It also has a thorough index of thumbnails photos, detailing which joint should be used for any particular application. A chapter in the book is dedicated to the type of hand and power tools required for cutting joints. If you live in the UK or Ireland, you can buy the book on the Amazon UK website.

Photo taken by Eugene Brennan

How to Cut Angles on the Ends of Timber

You can only cut the ends of timber square (i.e. at 90 degrees) or 45 degrees using a mitre box. If you need to cut a different angle, the simplest solution is to use a protractor or a digital angle finder like this one from Amazon. These are useful for measuring an angle between two sides of timber or other material or marking an angle before cutting. An angle finder can also be used as a bevel gauge for transferring angles e.g. when marking the ends of rafters before cutting. The rules are graduated in inches and centimetres and angles can be measured to 0.1 degrees.

Use an angle finder in the same way as a square, described above, for marking the lines of a cut. So mark the top with the angle finder, draw lines down both sides using a square, then join the ends of the dropped lines on the underside.

The quickest and most accurate way however to cut angles is to use a mitre saw as we’ll discover next.

An angle finder can be used to measure cut timber, and also as a bevel gauge to transfer angles when it’s necessary to cut more pieces.
© Eugene Brennan

Method 3: Using a Mitre Saw

A mitre or chop saw is a power saw designed to produce rapid and accurate 90-degree and angled (mitreed) cuts. It’s a virtually essential tool when framing, i.e. building stud walls. A basic saw will cut timber up to 4 x 2 in size, but a sliding mitre saw has a cutting head which slides on a rail, allowing timber up to 9 x 3 to be cut without requiring a huge diameter disk.

Blades are available for mitre saws with a varying number of teeth. Coarse-toothed blades cut rapidly through timber and are ideal for structural work. Blades with lots of fine teeth are slower at cutting but give cleaner results with less splintering, important when cutting architrave, shelving, baseboard (skirting).

It’s usually possible to calibrate a saw by way of adjusting grub screws to ensure that the saw actually does give a square cut. You can check your cuts with a carpenter’s square to see if the saw is cutting accurately and make adjustments as necessary.

The kerf, which you’ll remember is the width of the saw cut, is normally wider, typically 2 or 3 mm (1/8″) for a mitre saw blade than it is for a hand saw. So it’s more important to cut on the waste side of your pencil line to avoid inaccuracy.

WARNING

Like any power tool, a mitre saw can be dangerous. Follow these tips to reduce the risk of injury while using a mitre saw.

• Make sure the guard on the saw is operating correctly and covers the blade when the cutting head of the saw is returned to its rest position
• Hold timber securely against the back fence of the saw while cutting, and ensure that long lengths of timber are adequately supported so that they don’t overbalance the saw or rise up and hit the blade. Usually, clamps are provided on the saw for holding timber in place while cutting
• Don’t work with power tools if you are tired. Poor concentration can cause accidents
• Don’t use a blade with blunt teeth or teeth which have lost their tungsten carbide tips. A blunt blade can snag in timber causing an accident. It also gives a ragged, splintered cut on the edges of timber. Either sharpen or replace the blade.
• Don’t work in wet conditions
• Keep your hand clear of the blade while cutting. You might lose fingers!
• Always wear safety glasses in case you hit knots or nails/screws in waste timber. If you are doing lots of cutting, wear earmuffs or plugs and a dust mask
  

Steps to Cutting With a Mitre Saw

1. With power off, set up the saw on a bench, dedicated saw stand or the ground.
2. Release lock screws that hold the slide rails, adjustable table and the cutting head.
3. Support long lengths of timber on a roller stand, bench, step ladder, blocks etc to keep them at the same height as the mitre saw table.
4. Measure timber and place a short pencil mark on the edge.
5. Turn the saw table to the desired cut angle. The angle indicated on the mitre scale is from a reference line passing through the plane of the cutting blade, so 0º gives a square or 90º cut on the end of timber.
6. Position the length of timber on the table so that it butts up against the fence.
7. Lower the blade without squeezing the trigger switch and adjust the timber so that the blade coincides with the pencil mark.
8. Tighten clamps onto the timber.
9. Power on your saw and squeeze the trigger. Allow the blade to reach full speed and lower the blade onto the timber. Don’t force the blade into the wood, you’ll know by the sound of the motor whether it’s struggling to cut. If you have a sliding mitre saw, cut down fully into the front of the timber, then push the blade back towards the back of the fence, again cutting at the rate the saw can handle.

Tip:

For more accurate results, cut with the left edge of a tooth just to the right of the pencil mark. Since the kerf of a blade is a couple of mm wide, this ensures that the length of the cut section will be more accurate. If you cut on the centre line, your timber will be slightly shorter than measured.

Calibrating a Mitre Saw

For general construction work, it’s usually not an issue, however if you need to make lots of accurate square or angled cuts when making furniture, shelves etc, it’s a good idea to calibrate a saw first so that the scales indicate angles correctly. It may be possible to adjust the pointer on the mitre scale by loosening a screw and turning the pointer. A limit screw is often included on the cutting head which can be adjusted so that the head can be positioned quickly to give square bevelled cuts.

Adjustment procedure

For mitre cuts, adjust the table to 0º. Cut a section of timber and check the cut end with a carpenter’s square. If the result is off, adjust the table and cut again. Keep adjusting the table until you’re satisfied with the results. Adjust the pointer if this is possible so it points to 0º.

Repeat the procedure for bevelled cuts (cuts with the blade at a variable angle to the plane of the saw table) with the scale set to 0º. The bevel scale is usually at the back of the saw where the cutting head pivots about the sliding rails. There may be a limit screw to set the end of travel of the cutting head, so once you’re happy that the saw is cutting at 90º, turn this screw so that it’s tight against the head. If the scale pointer can be moved, turn this also so that it indicates 0º.

A mitre saw can make 90 degree square, and angled (mitred) cuts in timber.
© Eugene Brennan

This scale indicates the mitre angle. 0 degrees is for cutting right angles. The table can be turned to make cuts up to 45 degrees.
© Eugene Brennan

Fine pitch blades are available which give a cleaner cut when cutting e.g. baseboard (skirting) and architrave. A coarse tooth blade is adequate for cutting structural timber.
© Eugene Brennan

Blunt Tools are Dangerous!

The teeth on a mitre saw blade should always be kept sharp or the blade replaced to avoid a serious accident if the blade catches in timber instead of cutting it.

Cutting with a mitre saw. The guard retracts when cutting and should return when you raise the cutting head.
© Eugene Brennan

Mmmmmmm Square!

A mitre saw gives an accurate cut if it’s setup properly.
© Eugene Brennan

A mitre saw is virtually essential for rapidly producing accurate square cuts when framing (building timber frame walls.)
© Eugene Brennan

I used a mitre saw to cut all this timber to size.
© Eugene Brennan

Tips for Cutting Wood Using Hand Saws and Power Saws

• Keep your hand saws clean. Remove any rust with wire wool or sandpaper. Lubricate with light oil, Vaseline petroleum jelly or a candle.
• Keep pencils sharp so that they produce a fine marking line and timber can be cut more accurately.
• Timber, especially softwood, swells somewhat in damp humid weather conditions, for example if it’s indoors in an unheated garage or warehouse. This can result in gaps in floorboards or paneling as it shrinks on drying. If possible allow timber to dry indoors for a few days before using.

Did You Find This Article Useful?

Was the info in this article useful and instructive? How can I improve it? Would you like to ask me any questions?

Please provide some feedback below. Thanks!

References

Jackson, A., & Day, D. (1993). Collins Complete Diy Manual. HarperCollins.

Jackson, A., & Day, D. (2001). Good Wood Joints. Cincinnati, OH: North Light Books.

Disclaimer

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. Content is for informational or entertainment purposes only and does not substitute for personal counsel or professional advice in business, financial, legal, or technical matters. 

Power and hand tools can be dangerous. Read and understand all manuals before use and take reasonable precautions including wearing personal protection equipment (PPE) to prevent against injury.

© 2014 Eugene Brennan

Old Comments From Readers on HubPages 

(You can post a comment further down) 

robert l reed sr on June 26, 2020:

how do you cut a 2 by 4 or 2by 6 at a 30 degree cut to be straight on the ground or saw buck or picnic table? what type square do I need or what type toll . I am building both

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on June 26, 2020:

Hi Robert,

You can use a protractor which you can buy in a school supplies shop to mark the angle. Alternatively you can use an electronic angle finder as described in the article. Mark the widest section of the timber top and bottom (4″ or 6″ surface). Then draw right angles down the 2″ side and cut by hand. The problem with a mitre saw is that it may limit mitre (angled) cuts to a minimum of45 degrees. If you want to cut at 30 degrees to a long side, the best thing would be to clamp a piece of timber onto the 2 x 4 or 2 x 6 at a 30 degree angle to act as a guide and use a circular saw to make the cuts. Make sure you support the timber adequately while cutting. If the 30 degree angle is with respect to a line drawn at right angles to the long side of a timber, then you can just set the mitre saw to 30 degrees and cut.

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Frank on June 24, 2020:

Zero info on the vital part about cutting the angle by hand

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Leigh on September 14, 2016:

TERRIFIC DETAIL FOR A NOVICE!

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Razlan Awal from Malaysia on January 20, 2015:

Yes, this article is useful and instructive, with lots of photos to guide us through. A well-deserved HOTD award and a good start to your 2015. Well done. Maybe I should copy your template 🙂

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 20, 2015:

Thank you Razlan! It’s probably the way to go now. Google seems to like articles with lots of photos and some of my hubs which have a high image count, and not so much text weren’t affected by the Panda update.

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Diane Ziomek from Alberta, Canada on January 19, 2015:

This is an excellent tutorial, as I am starting to do more of my own building. I have done some basic loom frames, but would like to make them prettier. I am also planning on building some animal housing this summer, so this is good to have for a reference. Thank you!

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 20, 2015:

Thanks Diane! If you decide to use metal cladding for the roof of the animal housing, thin angle grinding disks are more effective for cutting this type of material than standard types.

Diane Ziomek from Alberta, Canada on January 20, 2015:

Thank you. That is a good thing to know. I am going to have to go shopping for more tools soon. 🙂

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Liz Elias from Oakley, CA on January 19, 2015:

Congratulations on HOTD! Well done, with excellent photos!

My husband and I have done a lot of this sort of work around our home, as well as formerly running a small handyman remodel/repair service. In years before I met him, he was a general contractor. We have a shop full of all these tools and more.

So many people are clueless about handling tools and cutting; not knowing to allow for the saw kerf, which in fine finish work, can make a huge difference. It is somewhat less critical in rough framing, but nevertheless, it is good to have good habits even there. It drives is NUTS these days to see guys using chain saws for framing!

My own miter saw (chop saw), is the type with the blade that lowers down and cuts straight through, not a sliding type. It is stored in the locked-down position.

Voted up, interesting and useful.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Thanks for the vote of approval!

Mitre saws do may life easier, especially for framing and for cutting roof timbers. Their cousin, the metal cutoff saw, is great if box, angle or flat lengths of steel need to be cut.

The saw in the photo is a 10 inch model, however I have added removable hardwood spacers so that I can use it with 8 inch blades.

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Patsy Bell Hobson from zone 6a, Southeast Missouri, USA on January 19, 2015:

Wow, this is a great hub. And may I say, it makes working with power tools less intimidating to folks unfamiliar with shop tools. Voted up IU, tweet, pin.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Great, thanks for that! Power tools aren’t dangerous once you remember where you’ve put your hands and feet, and keep your head out of the way!

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Elsie Hagley from New Zealand on January 19, 2015:

Congratulations for HOTD, you deserve it, explained so well.

But I still think I will leave it to the experts as I have a problem with my shoulder and somehow I can’t hold on to any moving item, never mind old body young heart.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Thanks Elsie. Glad you liked it!

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DreamerMeg from Northern Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Mitre saws are only useful when no one else borrows them and loses pieces! As you can tell, I did have one and I will get another when I have time to try out a new hobby again. Useful hub, thanks.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Yes, those dreaded borrowers, they won’t buy their own tools and lose bits from yours! I know the feeling – Thanks for the comments!

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RoadMonkey on January 19, 2015:

I got myself a mitre saw a few years ago, so I could make my own picture frames. They are very useful.

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Mary Norton from Ontario, Canada on January 19, 2015:

Congrats on your HOTD. This will be useful come summer when we go to the cottage and start having projects.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Thanks aesta1 , good luck with the projects in your cottage!

Sorry about the quality of the video, I need to make a new one with my smartphone when I get a chance.

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RTalloni on January 19, 2015:

Congrats on your Hub of the Day award for this tutorial with useful information on saws and other tools. This is a very useful post for people interested in learning to cut wood correctly. Your old square is neat to see.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Thank you RTalloni! , much obliged for the comments!

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Emily Tack from USA on January 19, 2015:

Great article, and wish I had written it first! Kidding…

A few years ago, I decided to make my own bed. I really should have taken photos along the way, of my project, but I was determined to get it finished as fast as I could.

It only took me about 3 days, working on it in the evenings, after I got home from our store. I measured the two mattresses I intended to use, and left myself some leeway, for bedding. On a mission, I made a double-decker, full-size bed, constructed out of 4×4’s and 2×4’s; complete with a ladder to the second deck. I thought it would be great, when the grandchildren stayed over – it was, too!

After my creative frenzy was finished, and my lovely bed was ready to sleep in, it “dawned on me” that I could have been finished with my project in a fraction of the time it took, if I had used an electric miter saw. I had made it with my square, my wooden miter box, my old hand-held power saw, and my ancient hand saw, and my power drill. What was I thinking?

The finished product was delightful, and I really enjoyed sleeping in it; convinced it was the most comfortable bed in which I had ever slept.

Then, I remarried, after being a widow for over 10 years, and moved into my husband’s home. One of my grown children and their family moved into my room, at my old house, and had beds of their own. My beloved bed had to go. It was so large, that they could not get it out of my old bedroom, so they dismantled it. I felt bereft of an old friend; it was a great bed!

Shortly after I built the bed, I bought myself an electric miter saw. What a joy it was to use! I should have done that before I started on the bed. The next time I take on a big project, it will most definitely come into play.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Thanks for the comments Emily , and the anecdote!……

Many years ago, I made a bench for my desktop computer which was destined for an attic room. I had stupidly guesstimated the width of the doorway instead of measuring it, and yes you guessed it, the finished bench was too wide to fit through the door! I was practicing making mortice and tenon joints and of course these were glued together. Luckily I discovered my error in time before the glue dried and was able to do some disassembling, and reassembling inside the attic. If I ever remove it, its going to have to be cut up!

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Dennis L. Page from New York/Pennsylvania border on January 19, 2015:

When I began woodworking several decades ago, it was by trial and error. I probably would have saved a lot of money and wood if I had your wonderful article and pictorial guide way back then. This is a great post for those looking to get into the joy of woodworking.

Eugene Brennan (author) from Ireland on January 19, 2015:

Thank you Dennis!

It was the same for me, learning by trial and error over the last thirty years or so. Wood is a wonderful material to work with, planing and carving especially, is very satisfying. I think craftwork, whatever form it takes, alongside exercise, is great therapy for body and mind.

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Judy Specht from California on May 16, 2014:

Love our miter saw. We struggled for years with a miter box or cutting by hand. Nice instructions.

A Complete Guide to Power Tools for Beginners

© Eugene Brennan

Power Tools for Beginners

Thinking of buying a power tool as a gift? Or maybe you want to make light work of DIY? This article is an absolute beginner’s guide, covering practically every type of tool used for home maintenance, construction, woodwork, metal fabrication or crafts.

The Complete Guide to Garden Hose Fittings

© Eugene Brennan

This guide shows you what fittings you need to connect up your garden hose to an indoor or garden tap (spigot or bib in the US) and also how to attach it to spray nozzles, sprinklers, pressure washers and coiled hoses.

String Trimmer Won't Start (Strimmer): 2-Stroke Engine and Carburetor Troubleshooting

Typical string trimmer
© Eugene Brennan

Why Won't My String Trimmer Start?

String trimmers, also known as strimmers in the UK can be troublesome garden tools. Difficulty in starting is often due to an issue with the carburettor

Lawn Mower Won’t Start: The Complete Troubleshooting and Repair Guide

Original image without title, Charles & Hudson,  CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Help! My Lawn Mower Won't Start After Winter

It's summer again, you drag the mower out of storage and of course it refuses to start up. Or it starts once, then refuses to start again. TYPICAL!
In this article, you'll find a ten-point checklist to get your mower started. If that doesn't work, you'll learn more in-depth information about fuel, oil, and ignition system problems, carburetor fault-finding, checking for bad compression, and other issues which could be preventing the engine from starting. 

Cold Water Header Tank Overflowing: How to Replace a Ballcock Washer

© Eugene Brennan

An Overflowing Water Tank in Your Attic

You hear water running outside your home. You look up and see a pipe sticking out from the edge of the roof or soffit which you've never even noticed before. Water is trickling out from the pipe and down onto the ground.

How to Get Your Home Ready for Winter

 

There are lots of ways to prepare your home for winter's freezing temperatures. © Eugene Brennan

Winter Is Coming!

This article gives you some common sense tips on keeping your home snug and warm in the winter. It also provides information on how to protect your home and yard from cold, wind, rain, and snow. 

Why Doesn't My Power Tool Startup?

When a power tool won't power up there are various causes of failure. but troubleshooting should be done in a methodical order, the main thing though is to check the obvious first!

Repairing a Heat Selection Knob on a Fan Heater

Well this was frustrating! The range selection knob on my fan heater was turning without doing anything. I decided to try and open the case to see what was wrong, but of course the manufacturer had used security fixings, relatively uncommon triangular ones too!

How Can the Pressure be Increased in a Shower?

If the shower is fed from a hot water tank, a cold water tank provides the pressure head to force out the hot water from the tank. This is usually in the loft to maximize the head so if it is located there, you are not going to be able to rise it any higher.
Cold water power showers are fed from the incoming mains cold water supply and the water is heated by a high powered electric element.
Shower heads incorporate a restrictor/aerator to reduce flow and water wastage. The Federal Energy Policy Act of 1992 made it a requirement that these were added to shower heads to reduce flow to about 2 gallons per minute, so removing this would increase the flow rate. Also it is possible to buy a shower head designed for a lower flow rate. This increases pressure but the flow rate will be less.
You can buy a booster pump which effectively works like a power washer and increases the pressure while keeping the flow rate constant.

How Can Hand or Garden Tools be De-Rusted?

Remove excess rust with steel (wire) wool soaked in lemon juice or vinegar which are mild acids. Rinse the tools and allow them to dry. You could soak the tools for a period to remove excess rust.
Another alternative which definitely works is phosphoric acid. This is often a constituent of rust removing chemicals and can also be bought in gallon containers from companies which supply cleaning chemicals. It is a powerful acid and can also be used for removing limescale from surfaces. Usually it is diluted with water before use. The objects being cleaned are submerged in the solution and should only be left in the acid for the bare minimum of time to dissolve the rust, otherwise the acid will start to dissolve the underlying metal! I have cleaned an old vice pillar drill vice belonging to my grandfather which developed a thick layer of rust after being exposed to dampness in a shed for over thirty years and the acid completely removed the rust.
Once you remove the rust, rub some oil into them and wipe off any excess. This will help to prevent future corrosion.
Sand can also be used as an abrasive for removing rust from tools.
If you wipe tools with light oil after use, it helps to prevent condensation and subsequent corrosion. Guns and tools were traditionally given (and probably still are) a coating of oil after manufacture and before packing to protect them from dampness and rust.