Making a gate?

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Keitai

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This isn't really a gate just to block off a gap but same principle. I had to join a small bit of decking to a longer bit so I put a piece horizontal to brace it then a diagonal bit. How do you cut the diagonal bit perfectly? I placed piece where I wanted it to go. I then marked with a pencil where to cut it. Is that the way? The angle is never exactly 45 degrees so free hand it with chop saw lining it up



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Never freehand on a chop saw unless you want to change your name to no fingers.

The only way to do it on a chop saw is to screw it to a base board of say mdf.....but quicker really to just cut by hand.
 
Notch7 said:
Never freehand on a chop saw unless you want to change your name to no fingers.

The only way to do it on a chop saw is to screw it to a base board of say mdf.....but quicker really to just cut by hand.
Click to expand...


I guess with the wood partly on fence it's not great. How could you cut your fingers though? Just keep them away from blade when you're using them to hold down the wood
 
Looking at this gate, how do you get the diagonal wood cut perfectly? I previously had the wood on the floor placed the diagonal wood and marked underneath then tried to join the two marks. It wasn't very accurate. Should I put them on saw horses then get underneath and mark exactly?
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Its hardly vital but the diagonal should ideally rise from the bottom hinge.....mark out the way you suggest and cut with a hand saw.
John :)
 
I think u know what I meant, but just to confirm, to cut the ends of this diagonal bit of wood (with arrows pointing to it in picture). I guess mark underneath on saw horses.

Out of interest, the rounded bit at top, is that done with a jigsaw?


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Yes, on the trestle stands or whatever should work fine......add plenty of exterior grade PVA as you fix.
The radius at the top will be cut with a jigsaw.....you may need a blackboard compass or whatever to mark it but you could get away with a bendy strip of plastic / long steel rule and get a helper to mark it.
It wouldn't be the first time I've used a bin lid!
John :)
 
Keitai said:
Looking at this gate, how do you get the diagonal wood cut perfectly? I previously had the wood on the floor placed the diagonal wood and marked underneath then tried to join the two marks. It wasn't very accurate. Should I put them on saw horses then get underneath and mark exactly? View attachment 178240
Click to expand...

this diagonal brace is the wrong way. it needs to go the other way due to the hinge position as weight and gravity pulls it downwards. if it was the other way the brace 'props' it up
 
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Notch7 said:
Never freehand on a chop saw unless you want to change your name to no fingers.

The only way to do it on a chop saw is to screw it to a base board of say mdf.....but quicker really to just cut by hand.
Click to expand...
Always lock a chop saw in before cutting I guess is what u mean
 
Title: How NOT to Use a Mitre Saw - or Why People Now Call Me "Stumpy"

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Keitai said:
I guess with the wood partly on fence it's not great. How could you cut your fingers though? Just keep them away from blade when you're using them to hold down the wood
Click to expand...
Keitai said:
Always lock a chop saw in before cutting I guess is what u mean
Click to expand...
FFS, you are an accident waiting to happen! You ONLY ever use a mitre saw with the wood against the fence and planted firmly on the table because the saw blade rotates towards the fence - which means that's the way it will try to pull the wood AND YOUR HAND if you are holding onto it, towards the rear of the machine, which may well take them both THROUGH THE SPINNING BLADE! Remember, that blade is spinning at give or take 100mph, so it all goes South very quickly when you **** up and even lightening fast reactions won't necessarily save you from injury.

So RTFM - or Read The Flaming Manual for the saw!!!

You know, if you'd been one of our apprentices doing that I'd have given you a right rollocking - if you'd been a chippy working for me I'd have given you your cards, it is that dangerous a thing to do

Have you never heard of using a hand saw to do cuts that you can't manage on a mitre saw? As others have said, the diagonal goes from hinge side bottom to latch side top, always, otherwise the gate will droop over time
 
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Unless you were able to make the timber parallel with the base of the table, your cuts won't even be 90 degrees to the top of the timber anyway.
 
gate.jpg

You can use Pythagoras and trigonometry to work out the exact lengths and angles.

The above might help but there are a number of websites that will do the calculations for you.

eg

https://www.calculator.net/right-triangle-calculator.html

in the above example enter the values for A and B, delete the one in C. It will tell you the angle and the longest part of the diagonal brace. BTW, they assume that the rail and styles are at right angles.
 
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