Cutting Wall Frames In Stairwell

hmahmud

I'm doing a job where I've done traditional wall frames throughout the entryway from floor to ceiling. Need to do wall frames up the stairs. I know the angles to which I have to cut,however with my current tools do not allow my to cut the bisecting point of my obtuse angle 132 (66). Any way to do this without a table saw and jig/clamps?

King of Crown

old school mitre box.

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Real nice guys

StairBuilder

I think the way to do it is to cut a triangle, or a pitch block. Should be around 34deg or the inverse of your 66deg. BTW 34deg is a very shallow stair angle but no matter- it's whatever your pitch block gives you. You use the pitch block as your saw fence and turn your mitre saw to 45deg. I think that's right. I avoid that cut as much as possible. Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but that's the general idea at least.

hmahmud

Thanks for the reply guys. I thought about the pitch block as an option. On a traditional miter block (old school) i still cant figure how to cut at 66 degrees?

WNYcarpenter

I read an article in The Journal of Light Construcion withing the last year about cutting valley rafters. but here's how the author did it in three cuts:

Set your circular saw at the inverse angle 34 and cut the bevel. Then return your saw to 90 and make a cut with the table of your saw on the end of the board and finish with a sawzall. Seems like too much trouble for a 2x4 and may not be practical, but it works nicely when cutting valley rafters.

StairBuilder

Put the pitch block against the fence of your mitre box.
I wish I could draw it. OK I'll name the legs of the pitch block:
Let's call the run-leg A, rise-leg B, and hypoteneuse(sp?)-leg C
Put leg A against your saw fence with the pointy end closest to the blade. Leg C becomes your saw fence. Put your stock against leg C, turn the saw to 45deg and cut. Cut some tester pieces and see if it works. Typically it will be close, then you can make adjustments by turning your saw.

hmahmud

Thanks for the reply Stairbuilder. I actually mistated my angle. I need to cut the angle at 24 degrees with the rise of the stairs being 48 degrees. To achieve this don't you think the hypotenuse should be slanted away from the saw? Any thoughts, I'm stumped.

StairBuilder

Now I'm not sure what you're asking...very hard to discuss without pictures. Describe what you're trying to cut.
It is much more likely that the stairs are 42 degrees (complimentary to 48) What is the rise and run?

If all else fails, hold the piece up there, mark the short and long point, and cut it with a skill saw.