# Help finding correct angle to miter...



## fsutim (May 17, 2015)

I am working on putting cross braces on a table and am having trouble finding the correct angle. I have been trying 45 degree angles and I am left with a gap at the connecting points top and bottom (see picture of cross brace). How do I find the correct angle rather than continually guessing and re-cutting which so far has been doomed for failure. I appreciate any insight…


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

Cut your board long and place it against the sides of your top and bottom stretchers at the angle you want it. 
Draw a line on the new board, under the top stretcher, and on top of the bottom stretcher. Now simply cut on the lines and it should fit perfect.


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## fsutim (May 17, 2015)

Thanks Jbay, that sounds simple enough. I knew I had to be overlooking something…


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## fatman51 (May 16, 2013)

Just a thought….Jbay has given you the simplest solution for a common problem. However, it is good practice to check to be sure that your table legs are square to the top. Keep in mind that braces form a triangle where the brace forms the hypotenuse, which is equal to the square root of the sum of the length of each leg squared. if the distance of each leg of the triangle formed by your brace is the same and the 45 degree angle of your brace does not fit, you need to square your legs to your top and the 45 degree braces should fit. Where the length of each leg differs, all you need to do is temporarily brace your legs square to the top, hold the braces in place, and mark them as jbay suggested.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

-or-

The distance between the top and bottom stretchers times 1.414 will give you the length between points


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## realcowtown_eric (Feb 4, 2013)

if yer top and bottom pieces are parallel,and straight and your cuts are at 45%.(ckeck em) it should all fork out…

just like you thought and wished for.The top pieces have to be square as well,

If on the other hand, your 90 degree angles aint quite 90. or your 45's aint exactly 45 this is precisely the problem that one might expect And it's not unheard of to have a dull saw blade on a chop saw pull as it cuts, so even a perfenctly set 45 angle on the chop saw may end up at a lesser (or more) angle.

It looks to me that that might be the insight into solving your problem.

My first try would be to back off those screws on the upper and lower beams, then attach your 45's and see if they tighten up the joints. often times the angled screws will twist and tilt members. thry that..that may be an underlying problem in your assemblyAnd be sure you assemble it on a flat surface

Maybe that helps

remember it's all about precision.

Eric


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## fsutim (May 17, 2015)

Great insight, thank you guys!


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

If your table parts are parallel and you cut the same angle at either end of your brace the only thing that will make it not fit is the length of the brace. Too long and the short points will be making contact. Too short and the long points will be making contact.


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## devann (Jan 11, 2011)

Another easy method to learn what length to make a board for a project like you're building is to make a full scale drawing of the area in question on a piece of plywood using the factory cut edges. If you don't have a factory edge corner to work from use the right angle triangle formula to establish your lines. Your accuracy when making the drawing is a must. Take you time.

It'll also give you options on the direction of the brace, etc. before you make a cut. You'll also know what the right size is to achieve a square, properly aligned project without the need to temporarily square and brace your project. 
Establish the proper lengths for fitting the part where it needs to be. And then use proven techniques to reproduce exact copies of all parts needed to complete the task.

btw, when making braces in similar situations like yours above, I prefer to cuts the ends of the brace twice, making it a square end, instead of a miter end, coming to a point. It doesn't have to be symmetrical, just square. It will give you load bearing in two directions taking some of the stress off of the mechanical fasteners. It makes for a stronger connection.


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## dhazelton (Feb 11, 2012)

What firefighter said - there's nothing wrong with your angle, you just made your board too short.


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## tomsteve (Jan 23, 2015)

my wixey gage makes finding angles real simple.


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## tchara (May 13, 2016)

> What firefighter said - there s nothing wrong with your angle, you just made your board too short.
> 
> - dhazelton


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## tchara (May 13, 2016)

> What firefighter said - there s nothing wrong with your angle, you just made your board too short.
> 
> - dhazelton
> 
> ...


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Look at the picture of what he's building. He's cutting a brace to go between the bottom and top stretchers. Let's say those stretchers are 24" apart. If he's cutting 45's on each end those angles will create parallel cuts to each other and those lines have to be 24" apart for the piece to fit right. Too long and the short points of the angles will be touching, too short and the long points will be touching.


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## BobAnderton (Oct 5, 2010)

The tangent of angle theta is a/b in the diagram below. If you want to know theta it would be arctan(a/b). 
On most calculators you'd calculate a/b then hit shift then hit tan and it'll spit out the angle theta.
If you're using a mitersaw you'd set it to (90-theta) because it calls cutting something off at 90 degrees to the fence zero.


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

> The tangent of angle theta is a/b in the diagram below. If you want to know theta it would be arctan(a/b).
> On most calculators you d calculate a/b then hit shift then hit tan and it ll spit out the angle theta.
> If you re using a mitersaw you d set it to (90-theta) because it calls cutting something off at 90 degrees to the fence zero.
> 
> ...


True, but that's not what he's cutting. He's making a brace that goes between two parallel parts and not between two perpendicular parts.


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## RetiredRonnie (Nov 7, 2021)

I got so obsessed with tasks like this plus cross ends on various size tables that I created an app to do the work for me, lol.


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## CaptainKlutz (Apr 23, 2014)

Search for 'angle finder' on Home depot site. 
Manual plastic/metal version cost < $10. Digital versions cost < $20.

Quick way to determine angles on existing projects. Will also show if the frame is not square.

YMMV


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