Building the Octagon Pt.53 A plea for empathy.

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Friday: Another side of the veranda was boarded before lunch. I  have discovered a superior way of fitting the boards: Ensure the miters on the left match the previous veranda side. Then leave the other ends long as each board is spaced apart with nails. Once satisfied with positions, spacing and fit I draw a line from outer corner to the edge of the octagon post across all five boards. Then I take the boards down and cut to the line on the miter saw. Hey, presto!

It takes a fraction of the time compared with cutting each board individually to length and miter angle before moving onto the next. The method was suggested by CN forum members but it didn't really sink in as pertaining to my particular problem.

I couldn't run a circular saw across because of the posts and rim joists. I tried using a jigsaw but the joists got in the way and the mitered edges were always wavy. Remember that I am not a trained carpenter working day in and day out. I am just a hobbyist with a few tools and limited knowledge and skills and working occasionally on jobs often years apart.

In the afternoon I laid the 6th side of the veranda floorboards. I still need to add another diagonal joist to catch the overhanging ends of the boards. I had to cut the miters on the left several times before I was reasonably satisfied. Each time that shortened the boards. Each time I had to replace all the loose nails I was using as spacers. If the first board is not parallel with the rim joist then the miter angles change every time. And it shows! I was even screwing all the boards down before marking the miters on the right hand end with a straight edge. Just to avoid making careless mistakes in angle and length.

The DeWalt miter saw can cut perfectly straight and is adjustable to 1/2 a degree. It can shave off a couple of thousandths of an inch if needed and often is. Despite the clever projection of the blade line onto the work to be cut, it still takes practice and more practice, to get accurate cuts precisely where required. The fences are short and the planks are often long and more often than not badly bowed. Choosing which side to use is often compounded by grain, splits, cosmetic damage or loose knots. Ideally all bowed lengths should be 'nested' to avoid closed or open gaps in the middle or ends. All this may be second nature to an experienced woodworker but is not necessarily true of a hobbyists working on an occasional project.

Click on any image for an enlargement.

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