Measuring angles may seem like a great challenge for a beginner. Get started with our instruction on how to measure angles in woodworking to save your time!
How To Measure Angles In Woodworking?
How to measure angles in woodworking? You can have different answers when trying to find out the best method to measure an angle in woodworking.
Here, we suggest six ways to measure most corners effortlessly. When facing any project, you can try one of the following:
- Use a miter saw
- Use math formulas
- Hands-on approach
- Drawing
- Use a bevel square
- Protractor angle
In the next section, we’ll learn about these ways in detail and see how they work.
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How To Measure Angles In Woodworking?
To complete a carpentry project, you cannot skip the angle measurement. Therefore, prepare all the necessary supplies and follow some of the methods for how to figure angles in carpentry below.
#1. Use A Miter Saw
Miter Saw
A miter saw can help you do this job. This tool features several available preset corners.
However, you cannot find all angles using this tool. Common corners are between 45 and 22.5°. If the angle you need to measure is outside this range, go with the second method.
#2. Use Math Formulas
Use Math Formulas
How to measure angles carpentry if you do not have the tools? That’s okay. Make use of the math you learned in school.
Did you forget some of them? Don’t worry. We’ll help you reminisce about the formula.
The sum of all angles is 360°. You can use this knowledge to calculate any angle.
For example, you can get a 90° angle by fusing 245° corners. It will result in a 360° when you unify 90° angles.
A similar formula also works with objects that have six sides. In this case, you will need a 30° miter angle to create something that consists of six equal sides.
It’s easy to have a 60° corner by using 230° miters. Six corners with 60° will sum up to 360°.
It’s necessary to take advantage of a calculator to know the accurate cutting angles of a hexagon. You need to divide 360 by the number of sides of the object to know the exact measure of each angle.
For example, you need to cut an object with six equal sides, do the following formula:
- 360/6 = 60
This result means that when you combine two angles, they will form a corner of 60°. Next, to calculate the miter angle, you need to do the following calculation:
- 60/2 = 30
That is, to make 60° corners, every piece must have a 30° miter cut.
#3. Hands-On Method
Even if the calculator shows your angles, there are always imperfect numbers. Occasionally, you will find out that there are gaps in between corners because structures like walls and cabinets are not flawless squares.
In addition, wooden structures tend to bend and twist over time due to weather changes and external impacts during use. It is why you need to use this hands-on method to check the results of calculations in practice.
#4. Drawing
Drawing A Life-Size Blueprint Of An Angle
Drawing a life-size design plan of a corner on a piece of wood is a more sophisticated method of solving the “how to measure angles cutting in wood?” question. You can carry out the job by following these steps:
- Take a straight line as a reference, cut the corner in half diagonally to have a 45° angle.
- Build a model by joining two wooden pieces on the technical drawing. Imagine you attached the miter to them.
- Use the pencil to draw a diagonal line to the square tips of the piece of wood.
- Place a piece on the bed of the miter saw.
- Adjust the blades to match the drawn line.
- Place the blade in the correct position and carry out the cuts.
- Repeat this process with the other pieces of wood.
- Place two pieces of wood on the technical drawing such that one is parallel to the other.
- Adjust the miter angle to make sure there are no gaps on both the inside and outside.
- Set the blade to cut your pieces perfectly.
#5. Use A Bevel Gauge
Bevel Gauge
It is easy to solve the problem of “how do you measure angles in woodworking?” with just a bevel gauge. This tool consists of two parts: a short and thick handle, the other has the shape of a ruler.
You can use it to measure, mark, and calculate something. You can also take advantage of it to check the right corners of structures.
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#6. Protractor Angle
Protractor Angle
Among modern models of testing squares, there are those where the ruler and the handle are movably attached. With the maximum extension, this tool can give a right angle.
It also has a movable mount and a semicircular scale, reminiscent of a protractor. This feature allows you to set sharp corners with great accuracy by changing the position of the ruler about the handle.
You can find the corner by following these steps:
- Free the lock of the protractor angle to move this tool to measure corners.
- Place the blade parallel to a predetermined corner on the paper or wooden piece.
- Adjust the blade to go with the angle.
- Fix the blade firmly at the position you specified.
- After you have the corners, rotate the miter saw’s blade to fit the beveled square angle.
- Place the blade at the proper angle and make the cuts.
Use scrap wood to make tests and use beveled squares to examine angles. The testing process seems to have many steps. But it helps to reduce risk and waste.
See this video to know how to use a speed square and bevel gauge to find corners in woodworking:
Conclusion
It’s important to know how to measure angles in woodworking from the beginning to minimize waste. Getting it right from the first step saves you time and delivers on time to your customers’ products.
Investing in useful tools and equipment will help you reduce your workload. You can find a lot of support on our website, and it will help if you start with “what tools are needed for a woodworking shop?”
Thank you for reading!
