How to cut an interior door

I received a question for cutting an interior door down due to a new carpet install. Cutting an interior door is not difficult however a few precautions should be taken to get a good clean cut.

1 - The first thing to do is decide how much needs to be cut off. For this instance we will say a 1/2 inch would do it.

2 - Next you need to remove the door from the hinges. With most interior doors this is easily done by removing the pins out of the hinges.

3 - Next you will need to lay the door down preferably on some saw horses however anything stable like a table or something will do.

4 - Next you need to measure this 1/2 inch up from the bottom and make a pencil mark on one side. Then do the same on the other side then take a straight edge and connect the 2 pencil marks.

5 - Next you will need a utility knife and using your straight edge again, score the door right on this pencil line with the knife. Be sure you have a good score.

6 - Now you can do the same thing on the opposite side of the door however I have found it is not always necessary if you have a Skil saw with a sharp blade. The reasoning is that the blade will be cutting up on the opposite side and splintering is not an issue.

7 - Now what I like to do is run some masking tape next to this line on the upside of the line as a little more protection from splintering and I will also run this tape around and on the opposite side of the door.

8 - Next using a skill saw cut next to this line as close as possible without cutting on the line. Any splintering that may happen will stop at the score and the tape works as a little added protection. Eye protection is strongly encouraged here for this cut.

9 - Now remove the tape and just sand the cut edge to remove any roughness or burrs. Check to see if you need to clean the door a little where the tape was and you are done. The door is now ready to be re-hung back in its hinges.

Learn all about doors at www.finishcarpentryhelp.com

10 Inch Bosch Miter Saws

Today Lets take a look at the 10" Bosch Miter Saw. A side note here, I have one of these saws and absolutely love it. I have used it for years in my business and it has performed flawlessly for years. One small problem I had a few years back was the switch that turns the motor on and off wore out but I am convinced it was from so much usage.
I did not buy mine from Amazon however I would not be afraid to as I have ordered other tools from them with very speedy service and with really good luck.
Lets see what other people say about this saw:

-Incredible - You can't go wrong with this saw! - Other tidbits include an easy to use depth stop for cutting grooves, pullout extension slides for the table, and a 3 way adjustable handle for comfort on all cuts. I just don't see how a miter saw can get any better than this.

-IN A LEAGUE OF ITS OWN.....I just received my Bosch 4410 dual compound sliding miter saw from UPS today. I used the Dewalt 12" sliding compound miter saw to build a Decorator's Showhouse style home. All I can say is that the Bosch 4410 is far superior. It is smoother, quieter, prettier, easier to carry, and seems far more powerful.

-If you are like me, the first thing that runs through your mind when looking at an expensive tool is 'Wow! But is it worth the money.

-The 4410 is an outstanding piece of machinery! A lot of money but worth it!

-Terrific, Every once in a while a piece of machinery comes out and changes the industry forever, the sliding dual bevel miter saw is one of these remarkable inventions. Bosch has truly separated themselves with the 4410 and 4412.

NOW SOME BAD (Every tool has bad reviewers)

-The features are great, but the overall performance is very lacking. When I went to check the saw for trueness I was suprised to find the fence was out of square by in excess of 3 degrees.

-I was excited about this saw when it first arrived, and it worked well until the warranty expired. When it went out of square, the autorized repair shop, with direction from Bosch, quoted over $350 to fix and said even that might not do it. They said it had been dropped or run over by a truck, both of which would be difficult since the saw had been on a stand since it was new.

Here the good reviewers seem to out number the bad. You have to understand that sometimes you might just get a lemon and it does happen with every tool. Like I said I own one of these saws and if I was to go buy a new one I would start my research with Bosch because of the good luck I have had.

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The 12 Inch DeWalt Miter Saws

The 12 Inch DeWalt Miter Saws are one of the most well known products to have come out from DeWalt. Almost all the reviewers agree with the fact that the overall build quality of 12 Inch DeWalt miter saws is excellent. Here are what some reviewers say, good and bad.

- The 12 Inch DeWalt Miter Saw is very powerful and smooth, and the laser works well, though it took a while to get it set up.

- If I had a con, it would be that the dust collector bag is small and stingy.

- I decided to try this Dewalt because it was belt drive, and I thought that would smooth it out on fierce cuts. That proved to be the case, it has been a very good and very smooth saw. So far, no problems, have had it about a year and half. It also has very good power. Adjustments are easy, table section is reasonably stout.
All in all, I am pleased.

- Out of the box The 12 Inch DeWalt Miter Saw was nearly perfect. But as stated by others, the throat plate stinks. It's a cheap piece of plastic. It bows in the center and will throw off your cut. I removed it and the bow remained. I tossed it. I'll buy the zero clearance metal plate or maybe make a couple from hardwood.
The blade cuts well but leaves a rough edge. It would be a good blade for cutting dimentional lumber but not for furniture grade hardwoods.

- I was impressed with Amazon's shipping speed...2 days! WOW!! The saw was ready to go right out of the box...and needed no adjustments. This saw will cut through anything...especially the 6 1/2" crown molding I have! The fence is great and accurate...makes bevels a sinch to perform. I am very pleased with the saw.

- The DW716 miter saw I purchased meets all my expectations and was just the item I was looking for. The only disapointment is the blade that was sent with thew saw. It doesn't make clean cuts when mitering trim and splinters the wood making trim cuts unacceptable. I had to replace trhe blade with on I had just to make clean cuts.

The worst review is at the bottom of the list and as you can see it is not really a bad review. I have used the 12 Inch DeWalt Miter Saw and it performed extremely well for me.

The 10 Inch DeWalt Miter Saws

The 10 Inch DeWalt Miter Saws come with a lot of innovative features. They are one of the most popular names on the market today. The saw is very sturdy and will last for years. Here are what some of the reviewers say about this saw:

--Miter adjustment is rock solid. The quick detents have no wiggle room at all, and the detent override makes it easy to adjust to any angle. The simple push-down miter lock is easy to use, and once locked I was unable to force it slip to either side.

--For trim work, I have found you just don't need to buy a saw with lasers and clamps and whatever else. Just buy the right saw the first time, a sturdy one like the DW713.

--I watched this 10 Inch DeWalt Miter Saw get day in and day out abuse from students who cut too fast, started the saw while touching the work, let the saw run too long, let the saw snap back to its upright position, chopped wood not against the fence, never cleaned the blade or used wicked dull blades all day. Long story short: you couldn't find a better field testing environment than a high school shop class. Despite this merciless abuse, this saw cut perfectly accurate.

--This 10 Inch DeWalt Miter Saw has adequate power and does not bog down unless you really try to rush it which is a bad idea to start with. I cut plenty of hardwood with it and have had no problems.
The saw is very accurate, mine was perfect out of the box.

--The 10 Inch DeWalt Miter Saw is a handy size, and it has a nice carrying handle. The miter adjustment is the best design I have tried.

Every tool has some bad reviews but all in all there are not a lot of bad reviews for this product worth mentioning.

Tool Deals

I know a lot of people are hesitant about buying tools online however some of the best deals can be found online. I would like to show some of the deals going on right now at Amazon. These tools are Black and Decker, a lower quality manufacturer however for home use they would work just fine. Also be sure to read the reviews associated with these tools. Here are some links to various Black and Decker tool deals.

Black & Decker CDC180ASB 18-volt Compact Drill with 20 Accessories

Black & Decker BD12PSK 12-Volt Smart Select Drill

Black & Decker 9099KC 7.2-Volt Cordless Drill with Keyless Chuck

Black & Decker RTX-B 3 Speed RTX Rotary Tool with Storage Case

Black & Decker LI4000 3.6-Volt Lithium-Ion Smart Select with Exclusive Magnetic Screw Holder

Black & Decker 71-968 Drilling and Driving Set, 109-Piece

Black & Decker DR650B 6.5 Amp 1/2-Inch Dual Range Hammer Drill with Storage Bag

Black & Decker 14.4V 126-pc. Home Project Kit

Black & Decker JS680V 6 Amp Jig Saw with Smart Select

Black & Decker 71-966 Drilling and Screwdriving Set, 66-Piece

Black & Decker 7750 4-1/2-Inch Small Angle Grinder

Black & Decker CG100 2-Speed Powered Caulk Gun

Factory-Reconditioned Black & decker 3-in X 21-in Dragster Belt Sander DS321

Failing is An Element Associated with Installing Trim For First timers

By understanding and using these easy recommendations a person will be installing trim work efficiently with professional looking results. A good deal of times the end result connected with your work may be the direct depiction associated with precisely how you are feeling or perhaps what frame of mind you’re in. I am a firm believer in this due to the fact of all the years I have performed finish carpentry in addition to the actual experiences with my very own employees.

I recognized one thing immediately when I started out recruiting employees and doing work along with these individuals on a day to day basis. Any time I showed up for work in the morning in a fantastic mood, thinking and feeling positive, this particular great energy ended up being magically transferred on to the guys. The results ended up being extraordinary. I have seen unskilled people whom I was training in for installing trim work carry out some stunning tasks. Almost all the challenges of trim work appeared too disappear and their work was of great quality. I could not help but commend them on the work and this merely fueled more determination for them to do better.

As a result of reading through information pertaining to a certain element of installing trim regardless if it’s installing doors or baseboard or whatsoever. Then taking on the work with a positive attitude will considerably enhance your results. Don’t sweat it in the event that you can’t get something just right. People have to allow small failures in order to succeed and it’s how a person learns and applies these failures That helps them move on. Don’t let these little failures get you distressed or mad or guess what?

Being mad, upset, depressed or just negativity produces substandard results with a person's work. Installing trim could seem too difficult and your work will express this if you continue while you are in this specific state of mind. That is all I will mention about negativity, it’s not worth the energy to dwell on. I recently wrote a short article (in my blog) to enable an individual to obtain as well as stay in the frame of mind a person needs to maintain whenever performing any type of finish carpentry or installing trim work. The article is called "Getting the Mind Set for Finish Carpentry".

For more information regarding all your finish carpentry needs visit www.finishcarpentryhelp.com.

Obtaining Tight Miters With 45 Degree Angles in Finish Carpentry

Since most people in all likelihood understand that two 45 degree angles cut onto two pieces of trim wood, for example, door casing will create a perfect 90 degree mitered corner. When trimming doors as well as windows this might be regarded as the analogy nonetheless is seriously a long way from reality when trying to accomplish nice tight 90 degree miters in finish carpentry.

Truth be told there can be a number of small factors that may well and do change such so termed picture perfect analogy. Why don't we have a look at a couple of these issues so most people can get the nice tight miters needed for ones own personal trim projects.


In the event that you might be trimming a door or window the initial thing to check for is making sure the outer edge of the jamb is even with the inside wall. If this is completely flush all the way around you are generally good in order to move forward. If perhaps not then you will have to to correct this issue and there are actually a number ways to do this depending on your individual scenario.

The jamb may be sticking out past your wall or maybe it is possibly short of reaching the inside wall whatever the circumstance it has to be flush so the casing sits flat against the wall and jamb without being tipped in or out. There are a number of finish carpentry web sites on the internet to quickly find solutions to your particular problem to remedy this situation.

When you are comfortable the casing is likely to be flat as possible the next detail is getting ready to cut the angles on both ends of the top section of casing. I will typically start with the top piece of casing whenever trimming doors and windows.Then proceed on with either of the side pieces of casing.

A single very important factor for tight miters is being certain there is a back cut on the 45 degree cuts. This particular back cut or bevel will be so the face or outside of the casing will be extended therefore the two 45 degree cuts will meet at the face or outside of the casing together before the back of the actual casing meets together. Cutting this bevel upon the 45 degree angle cuts makes tighter miters less difficult to achieve.

45 degree angles only work when the casing is perfectly flat. When the casing is tipped inward or outward this will certainly result in the angle to change somewhat. Practice using several scrap pieces of casing to find out exactly what the angle is prior to cutting the actual piece that will be nailed on in the event the casing is slightly tipped either way. All of these miters need to be glued as well as pinned / nailed.
Regardless, all miters require to be worked a little in order to end up with them perfectly tight.