Replies

1. 
   DaveRicheson | Oct 06, 2003 07:12pm | #1

   Build a template out of two pieces of cardboard or luan overlaped. Scribe each side seperately and fasten the two pieces together. Use the joined pieces as a template to scribe both sides of the panel you are installing.

   Dave

1. 
   BillHartmann | Oct 06, 2003 07:42pm | #2

   An other technic is to cut a pattern that will clearly fit in the space.

   Say 1" smaller. Then take a compass, scribe, or offset block that will hold a pencil a fixed distance off the wall say 2".

   Use that to mark the pattern so that it follows the wall, but 2" smaller.

   Then place the pattern on the goods and then use the same offset follow the marks on the patters and mark the material at the ture size.

2. 
   CloudHidden | Oct 06, 2003 08:30pm | #3

   Dave's method is what my counter guys did.

3. 
   DougU | Oct 07, 2003 01:51am | #4

   Tim

   I dont know what you have for a cabinet but, if it is a custom cab then you can leave one of the styles off and scribe the fixed one, then the loose one.

   Otherwise do it with a template, leave a little extra if your concerned, as you get better you will have a feel(or confidence) for doing it one time.

   Doug

4. 
   StanFoster | Oct 07, 2003 02:58am | #5

   Tim:    You already have excellent advice posted....here yet is another way....not any better..but just another way of doing weird and tough patterns.  Its called spiling.  A spile is a straight stick with either a sharp point on its end or a point of a nail protruding from the end.    Basically you secure a piece of posterboard inside the area to be scribed. You then take the spile and place the point at each corner to be fitted to.   The outline of the stick is then marked on the posterboard.  You just number each intersection and number the tracing of the spile. You then just move around the 360 degrees and have each corner plotted.  

   You then place this posterboard on your material to be cut and position your spile on each tracing around its sides. The nail point is then plotted and as you do the 360 degee trip again..you end up with a very accurate plot of each corner to be cut out. Just connect all these corners with a straight edge and you will have a very accurate copy.   I have done stair landings this way that have many corners...odd angles etc.  Even a curve can be accurately plotted by making the index points close enough and connecting these with a bent lath.  It is almost scary how accurate the piece will fit. 

5. 
   Schelling | Oct 07, 2003 05:02am | #6

   A lot of good advice.

   One warning. You may find that your fit is too good and that it won't slide  into the space without causing some damage to the adjacent surfaces.