Click a link to open separate instructions for:

• Fitting Crown Moulding
• Fitting Chair Rail & Skirting Board
• Cutting Chair Rail for Stairs
• Cutting Crown Moulding for Stairs
• Cutting Architrave
• Cutting Skirting Board larger than 4"

This will help you at all times to be constantly aware of exactly which face goes to the Wall and which face goes to the Ceiling.
To help the consumer, some crown mouldings are already marked wall edge or ceiling edge when purchased from the Building Center Retailer.

TEST CUTTING
Before cutting your first mitre joint, measure the walls and cut your mouldings over size in length to allow for cutting the mitre joints. Remember an external mitre joint means your mouldings need to be longer than the walls. Remember you can always cut a little off but you cannot add it back so measure Twice- check – cut once, this golden rule will save both time and money.
Before proceeding to cut into any long useable lengths of moulding always use your small "OFF CUTS" to do some practice mitre joint cutting. This will give you confidence whereby you can avoid error and enjoy the end results.

LOOK AT THE INSTRUCTIONS
To help avoid errors remember the following practice when cutting mitre joints in Crown moulding to fit around THE ROOM.
The crown moulding that is to go on the RIGHT HAND side of the mitre joint, when being cut is locate in the LEFT HAND locked workpiece holder with the wall edge to the back and ceiling to the front.

The crown moulding that is to go on the LEFT HAND side of the mitre joint, when being cut is locate in the RIGHT HAND locked workpiece holder with the wall edge to the back and ceiling to the front.

Directly after having located the pivoting workpiece holders with the aid of the template in the desired position, the red locking screws located in both workpiece holders MUST BE FULLY TIGHTENED. (Turn the red locking screws clockwise and fully tighten both red locking screws until such time as any further movement in both of the pivoting workpiece holders is prevented).

Before proceeding further remember: - MEASURE TWICE – CHECK- CUT ONCE. This will help you to avoid waste of materials.

When correctly set and double-checked you are ready to start by placing the crown moulding into one of the pivoting workpiece holders but do not cut any materials until you have read all of the following.

The edge of the crown moulding that you have marked WALL EDGE should go to the back. To remind you the Guide Piece/Cam Stop has the word "CEILING" on it and obviously the edge to go to the ceiling should be towards the front. See FIG4.

The "Guide Piece/Cam Stop" with the word CEILING in it is provided to help guide the workpiece (your material) to the required inclined angle at which the workpiece is to be cut. Both pivoting workpiece holders have four pairs of holes into which the "guide piece may be located at various distances from the back. This arrangement is used as follows:
You must first establish the distance by which your crown moulding will be standing out from the wall when fixed. See FIG 5.

Having determined exactly what measurement "X" is, you must then locate the "guide piece/ cam" with the word "ceiling" in it, at measurement "X" from the back wall of the pivoting workpiece holder. It may be necessary to use a "timber packing strip" (not provided) to arrive at measurement "X" to suit the selected type and size of crown moulding, See FIG 6.

CUTTING MOULDING / CORNICE TO LENGTH BETWEEN WALLS
First: Measure the distance between your walls 2 and 3, then cut the moulding with a square cut at 90 degrees to fit tight between the walls. Then proceed as follows to achieve the correct mitre cut.
Use the Template to set the workpiece holders at the required ("A" internal angle See FIG 7.) then cut two short test pieces and when you are satisfied they fit together properly you can proceed to the next stage.

Now place the workpiece for wall 1, (with its "wall edge" to the back) in the LEFT-hand workpiece holder and cut your mitre cut at the very end of your workpiece for corner "A".
Remove your workpiece and off cut and place it to one side. (Placing your off cuts in a waste bin)
Before going any further, and whilst the workpiece holders remain set for corner "A" select your workpiece that you intend to fit to wall 2, and (with its "wall edge" to the back) place it in the Right hand workpiece holder and cut your mitre at the very end of the workpiece for corner "A"and place it to one side for future use. (again placing your off cuts in a waste bin)
NOW, To cut the mitre joint for angle "B".

Once again using the Template set the workpiece holders to the required "B" Internal angle and proceed by cutting Test pieces. When satisfied, place your workpiece for Wall 1in the RIGHT-hand workpiece holder and cut your mitre cut starting at the very end of your workpiece.

Your workpiece for wall 1 will now be ready for fitting. But before proceeding any further and prior to changing the corner "B" setting of the workpiece holders. Select your workpiece that you intend to fit to wall 3, and (with its "wall edge" to the back) place it in the Left hand workpiece holder and cut your mitre at the very end of the workpiece for corner "B".

This practice will become a habit and you will soon not bother to read the instructions, however always save the instructions for when you next use your Magic Mitre in case you need to recall some of these tips.

CUTTING MOULDINGS TO FIT ABOVE KITCHEN UNITS
With the aid of the template, set the workpiece holders to the required internal or external angle. Mark your moulding WALL EDGE and follow the same instructions as for fitting crown moulding around the room

SMALL CORNERS
When the wall returns are short and you think the template is too long to measure such Angles, simply cut a piece of 2"x 4" timber (cut back at one end so as not to interfere with the angle) and place it against the wall so as to increase its depth See FIG 9.

USING A HANDSAW
Holding the hand saw with the INDEX FINGER pointing in the direction of the saw cut (along the side of the saw), will steady your hold on the saw and provide more control over the direction of cut, and will help to stop the hand saw from simply rolling in your hand. Take your time and let the hand saw do the work and always cut into the face of the material so that any break out is on the back face.
Keep the saw cutting edge horizontal and avoid pulling the handsaw out of its guides and use a backless fine tooth hand saw with a minimum length of 20". When you have finished cutting always immediately apply the guard to cover the saw teeth, so as to avoid any injury.

CUTTING EXTERNAL MITRE JOINTS IN CORNICE AND CROWN MOULDINGS
To help you to determine the point at which you need to cut the mitre joint, it is beneficial to offer up your workpieces into the position it is intended to be fixed and to draw a line with a pencil on the ceiling along the front edge of the moulding making sure to extend the lines until they cross one another see Fig 9a.

You can then position your crown moulding and transfer the point at which your lines cross / intersect with the aid of a fine pencil onto your workpiece. ( For further assistance you can also mark the edge of the moulding that touches the wall at the very corner of the wall)

Having set your Magic Mitre to the required External angle and having locked both the workpiece holders in position and double checked, you can proceed as follows.

Your next step is to simply place your left hand moulding into the right hand workpiece holder and position the workpiece so that the line of joint is positioned on the line of the saw cut.

Take your time and secure the workpiece from moving and whilst leaving your pencil lines still just showing (to ensure you do not cut to much off) Simply cut with your fine tooth backless hand saw. See Fig 9b.

Repeat the work with the right hand moulding located in the left-hand workpiece holder.

These TOP TIPS are provided as a service from Magic Mitre Limited. The information is intended to help with the cutting and fitting of mouldings around the house with the use of the "magic mitre" product. Magic Mitre Limited and Interwood Direct assume no liability for omissions, errors or the outcome of any project. The reader and user of the product must always exercise all reasonable caution and follow all applicable codes and regulations and the safety instructions.