Advise on scribing bullnose/pencil round skirting please - see picture

[cj.wheeler1]

Hi can someone please advise on best way to scribe this type of skirting. It is similar to bullnose/pencil round. I have seen videos on how to scribe various profiles but the small curve at the top is so close to the edge I am not sure how this would work? Also I am assuming i don't need to worry about the groove as it will match up

Can anyone suggest the best way to do it please?

Thanks

 

[cj.wheeler1]

This is MDF rather than wood by the way

 

[Notch7]

You can't scribe that, it needs mitring.

 

[cj.wheeler1]

Thanks @Notch7 I was worried about internal walls being out of square but I guess i don't have much option apart from mitring and filling any gaps due to walls not being at 90 degrees?

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I beg to differ. You can indeed scribe that, especially if painted. Any minor discrepancies on the groove scribe can be dealt with by caulk as it is back from the front surface and less visible. With shapes such as this I find it easier to use a jigsaw on zero orbit and fitted with a Bosch T244D blade (as opposed to using a coping saw) to do the scribes, finishing the imside corners of the scribe with a rat tailed rasp or coarse sandpaper wrapped around a dowel, as required

 

[cj.wheeler1]

Any other views on this please? I have seen some views that doing such a thin scribe on MDF would be difficult. @JobAndKnock are you saying you would just cut the straight piece and file the small rounded bit at the top?

As this is virtually square I am wondering whether I could get away with butting on internal corners and putting a bit of caulk on the very thin gap that would be on the top edge. I am a DIYer and worried that a poorly done scribe wood look worse (worried about thin top bit breaking off) than butting them and I would rather avoid having to mitre or scribe every internal corner

 

[Deleted member 174758]

I have regularly done small radius scribes with MDF - but I do them with a jigsaw, not a coping saw which will tend to pull the MDF to pieces. The blade I specified is specific to the task and needs to be used with the jigsaw on the underside of the material, kitchen fitter body grip style to achieve a tight scribe. Doing a square cut then caulking it at the top won't look anywhere near as good as a proper scribe. On the lower scribe you could get away with a straight cut and caulk simply because it will be less noticeable

Beginning to think that I need to do some videos on this sort of stuff.....

 

[cj.wheeler1]

Thanks @JobAndKnock a video for this would be great - there seem to be videos out there of scribing pretty much every type of profile apart from this one!. I don't have a jigsaw so will have to use coping saw but will give it a go and will try finishing off the little top bit with a round file

 

[Deleted member 174758]

If using a coping saw make sure to clamp the material to a good solid surface and limit the overhang. I tend to use coping saws the same way you'd use a fret saw - teeth pointing towards the handle, handle below the workpiece which is positioned face upwards. The resulting cut is predictable and controllable partly because the blade is in tension as it cuts