Step 3: Cutting the Lumber into Pieces
Remember to square up the fence of your mitre saw before starting. This can be done with the rafter square (see photo 1). Don't rely on the reading from the scale for the mitre angle! Before you cut each piece of lumber make sure you cut a little sliver off of the end to square it up (See photo 2). Measure and mark accurately and make sure when you cut that the blade is on the correct side of the pencil mark (See photo 3).
First of all, out of each piece of 5/4 x 6 x 12 board you should cut one piece that's 93 1/2 inches long and another piece that's 45 1/2 inches long. Out of each 12 foot length of board you should have approximately 5 inches left over after you make your two cuts. Do this until you have 8 pieces of 93 1/2 and 8 pieces of 45 1/2 with one full 12 foot board left over.
The left over 5/4 x 6 x 12 board should be cut into a whole bunch of pieces 8 1/4 inches long. The exact size is not critical, it's just that 8 1/4 inches is one and a half times the width of a 5/4 by 6 board (more on this later). If your mitre saw has a cut length scale on the fence you may use that for speed (see photo 4), as the exaxt length is not critical.
Take a 2 x 4 x 8, square off the end and cut a 46 inch piece. Take the left over 50 inch piece and cut it exactly in half (make a mark at 25 inches and cut with the saw blade centered on the mark). Take the two 25 inch pieces and mitre the two ends on a 45 degree angle so that it can be used as a cross brace (see photo 5). Remember to use the rafter square to set the saw to a 45 degree angle (see photo 6), don't use the angle scale. Repeat the whole process for another 2 x 4 x 8. You'll have 2 pieces of 46 inches and 4 mitred cross braces of 25 inches.
If you're going to put on the decorative side caps, you'll need 2 pieces of 2 x 4 x 8 and rip both of them down on the table saw. Each 2 x 4 needs to be quartered (i.e. ripped in half along the 3 1/2 inch side and then ripped in half again on the 1 1/2 side). This should give you 4 pieces that are 1 11/16 inches by 11/16 inches if you have a 1/8 wide blade like I do. Set up the table saw by using the rafter square to square up the fence and a tape measure to position the fence (see photo 7). Do not rely on the distance scale on the table saw! You should also use a roller stand to make your ripping much easier (see photo 8).
Next, take your 4 x 4 x 10, square off the end and cut 8 pieces of 14 3/4 inches out of it. After you're done there should be about 1 1/2 inches of wastage left over.
First of all, out of each piece of 5/4 x 6 x 12 board you should cut one piece that's 93 1/2 inches long and another piece that's 45 1/2 inches long. Out of each 12 foot length of board you should have approximately 5 inches left over after you make your two cuts. Do this until you have 8 pieces of 93 1/2 and 8 pieces of 45 1/2 with one full 12 foot board left over.
The left over 5/4 x 6 x 12 board should be cut into a whole bunch of pieces 8 1/4 inches long. The exact size is not critical, it's just that 8 1/4 inches is one and a half times the width of a 5/4 by 6 board (more on this later). If your mitre saw has a cut length scale on the fence you may use that for speed (see photo 4), as the exaxt length is not critical.
Take a 2 x 4 x 8, square off the end and cut a 46 inch piece. Take the left over 50 inch piece and cut it exactly in half (make a mark at 25 inches and cut with the saw blade centered on the mark). Take the two 25 inch pieces and mitre the two ends on a 45 degree angle so that it can be used as a cross brace (see photo 5). Remember to use the rafter square to set the saw to a 45 degree angle (see photo 6), don't use the angle scale. Repeat the whole process for another 2 x 4 x 8. You'll have 2 pieces of 46 inches and 4 mitred cross braces of 25 inches.
If you're going to put on the decorative side caps, you'll need 2 pieces of 2 x 4 x 8 and rip both of them down on the table saw. Each 2 x 4 needs to be quartered (i.e. ripped in half along the 3 1/2 inch side and then ripped in half again on the 1 1/2 side). This should give you 4 pieces that are 1 11/16 inches by 11/16 inches if you have a 1/8 wide blade like I do. Set up the table saw by using the rafter square to square up the fence and a tape measure to position the fence (see photo 7). Do not rely on the distance scale on the table saw! You should also use a roller stand to make your ripping much easier (see photo 8).
Next, take your 4 x 4 x 10, square off the end and cut 8 pieces of 14 3/4 inches out of it. After you're done there should be about 1 1/2 inches of wastage left over.
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