# Newbie: 11' lock miter cut help



## skirge01 (Nov 8, 2010)

I just joined (no pun intended) and I'm a definite amateur when it comes to working with wood, but I'm learning. I'm tackling what I find is a very difficult cut for someone of my very low skill level.

I'm attempting to encase a beam across the ceiling with a nice wooden "box", to simulate a wooden support beam. (The actual beam is an I-beam with wood and drywall around it.) I thought a lock miter would give the best visual for this.

However, I'm having an issue getting a consistent cut over the 11 feet of the pine I need to join together. The ends are usually fine, but the middle tends to get off track for long portions with the edge being too thick. This leads me to believe the end supports (a couple of roller stands) aren't enough to keep the board flat against the fence and/or table throughout the entire cut. I have several featherboards and have even tried clamping a wooden fence to the router table, but I keep having the same issue. Since I don't have a 22 foot router table (does anyone? :laughing: ), and assuming the roller stands are the issue, does anyone have any suggestions on how to keep the wood supported evenly throughout the entire cut? I don't know if simply doubling the roller stands will be enough, plus the spacing could be an issue, due to their footprint. If you think it might be something else, I'm all ears, as well.

Thanks in advance!


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*"Un roll" the roller stands*

Remove the rollers and replace them with a 2" x 12" plank on either side of the table, assuming you have 4 stands. Under the plank you can "tack" additional support struts to support the plank if it sags. To remove the rollers from the stands just push in on the pin, it's springloaded, and the roller will pop out.
If you don't have 2 - 2 x12" planks just buy some at HD, use them, and return them the next day, "Sorry, I didn't need these...... any more" :blink: bill


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

I would suggest if it's the type of bit you reverse, do the procedure with a handheld router, and flip the second piece.












 









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## JMC'sLT30 (Oct 26, 2010)

I do have a 22' plus router table for making box timbers. It is pretty hard to free style a good lock miter without it. I use a 3/4 and 5/4 CMT lock miter bit to make box timbers that appear to be real and they work great. They are reversable, run 1 flat down both edges with 1 featherboard and the others standing, of course with the featherboard lying flat. I tried to upload pics but am having problems today for some reason unknown to me.


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## skirge01 (Nov 8, 2010)

@woodnthings: Excellent idea for the roller stands! I had no idea that was even possible. I'll give that a shot this weekend, but I have a feeling this should be just what the doctor ordered. Thanks so much for the tip. :thumbsup:

@cabinetman: I appreciate the idea to do it freehand, but I prefer more exacting methods. With how new I am to this, I'd be afraid of not holding it steady enough.

@JMC'sLT30: I guess I should have expected the pros to have such a huge router table, but... WOW! Just, wow. 

Thanks, again, everyone!


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## cabinetman (Jul 5, 2007)

skirge01 said:


> @cabinetman: I appreciate the idea to do it freehand, but I prefer more exacting methods. With how new I am to this, I'd be afraid of not holding it steady enough.



Actually you're not doing it freehand. You have an edge guide for the router base. Just set up the board and walk down the edge.












 









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## skirge01 (Nov 8, 2010)

We finally managed to get the box built, thanks in no small part to everyone who offered up suggestions. While it didn't come out perfectly, a little wood filler very easily filled in the couple of small gaps and we're very happy with the results.

I believe the cause of our issues were partially due to the lack of straight wood. As we were feeding the wood through the router, if we kept pushing down or back, the curve of the edge would raise the wood up and completely destroy the lock miter cut. Do people normally straighten the wood by cutting an edge off first, particularly with long cuts like this?


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## BWSmith (Aug 24, 2010)

There's a point when you stop moving the workpce and start moving toolhead.From your description it sounds like there was some lumber wrestling going on.Infeed/outfeed tables(conveyors,stands,ect)are a serious excercise in design.They fail because folks don't take them serious enough,and we're back to wrestling.Safety and mistakes on workpc then crop up.BW


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## woodnthings (Jan 24, 2009)

*Jacques Jodoin's shop tour video*

This guy has more roller supports than FED EX!
Hardly any room left to make anything in this shop, but an an incredible amount of tools and storage and stuff!  So, whether you move the work or the tool depends on your space, your type of tool, and the support system you have.
I just made an 11 foot long oak column cap for a post in my shop. Sometimes I moved the work other times I moved the tool, being crafty and lazy helps decide. :laughing: bill 
My project thread: http://www.woodworkingtalk.com/f2/capping-post-oak-21195/


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