How to calculate angles that aren't 45 degrees

[Alison556]

This is a bit on the urgent side!!

I'm putting up new skirting board and we have a bay window. I'm totally stuck on how to calculate the angles - two external corners and two internal corners. It's obviously not a 90 degree corner but I'm absolutely stuck.

Can anyone advise how I work out what angles to cut the skirting to?

Sorry if it's a bit garbled. Hired a chop saw and only got it for 24 hours so I'm kinda flying about mad doing it.

 

[CortinaV8]

http://www.miterdivider.com/images/small_angle_tool_1_big.jpg

you could knock one up from a few bits of card I guess.

 

[big-all]

dead easy
take a bit off skirting lay flat on the floor into the corner draw a line along the edge
reposition to the other side and repeat

if you now draw a line from the corner to where the lines cross you have the angle
do this with a bit off card or paper in the corner you can then set up your saw to the line

 

[Alison556]

Thanks guys - had a bit of a brain meltdown trying to work it out.

CortinaV8 - I've got one of these tools - didn't have a bloomin clue what it was or how to work it though!!!!

 

[joe-90]

Don't rush with a chop saw - you'll have nothing to pick your fingers up with.

 

[Alison556]

I wasn't doing much rushing this morning. The bloomin thing kept locking and I couldn't figure out what was causing it. Phone call to the hire shop and they didn't know either so had to take it back to them (nearly got a hernia trying to lift the thing) and discovered that there must be a broken spring somewhere - there was like a little hook type thing that wasn't lifting and I certainly didn't fancy sticking my finger in behind the blade to release it every time.

Got another one but I've a feeling it's not going to cut the depth of skirting that I have - 6 inches cos the handle doesn't seem to go up high enough.

Doesn't help that I wasted so much time running up and down with knackered saws that by the time I got home and set up again, it started to snow!!! And it's still snowing.

Got the angles marked out on a couple of offcuts of facing but I think I'd have to cut it vertically cos the bevel setting only goes from 0-45 degrees and I need something like 60 degrees.

 

[Deluks]

Probably a worn bushing that the blade cover slides along.
Make sure they give you an extra day free for the hassle.

 

[Alison556]

They just said I could hand it back a little bit later tomorrow!!!!! I'll be up with the larks, disturbing all the neighbours to get it all done!

My brother was horrified that they hired it out to me cos nobody explained how it worked - they just handed me the saw and a transformer and let me get on with it.

Shoulda seen me and my mum standing with the instructions trying to work out how to get it going!

 

[Alison556]

Thanks for the advice on my strange angles - they've worked out grand.

I have discovered, however, that I'm cr@p at scribing corners.

Thank goodness for filler..................................

 

[Alison556]

Just wanted to thank you all for the tips. Flooring went down, the flooring guys fitted my skirting boards and my bay window angles were bang on perfect!!!

And where I thought I was crap at scribing corners - I wasn't!! Only one corner needed a tiny bit shaved off it = the rest fitted fine. Minimal filler required.

Thanks again. I'm chuffed to bits = I can now cut skirting board and door facings!!

 

[big-all]

thanks for the feed back we realy appeciate it
thats what makes it all worth while thanks

 

[Alison556]

I really appreciate being able to ask questions and get them answered - so it's only nice to thank everyone.

I tell ya though - I was standing at the living room door, chewing my nails while he was fitting the skirtings and when they all fitted, I was so pleased with myself - felt right smug!! Poor guy was probably gutted that I was more thrilled at my skirtings than I was at his floor laying!!

Its all gorgeous though - the room looks MASSIVE without a carpet.

 

[big-all]

pictures would be fantastic
but not gloating over the floor laying man/womans face when you dont notice there work lol

 

[Alison556]

Sorry to take so long.

Here are the pictures. Thought I'd better put a couple of the actual floor in. I'm proud of my skirting boards but my painting skills leave a lot to be desired. I blame water based paint though - cos of the tight timescale, I used that cos it dries quicker. Oh and excuse the shoddy bit of phone wire - going away to change that for a nice new bit!!

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[big-all]

what a brilliant job well done
concidering your not a proffesional that 11/10
was going to give you 12/10 but the phone socket is hanging off