Shoutout to the guy who showed me his scribe trick on a kitchen install

For years I fought with gaps on uneven walls, trying to plane a cabinet side or shim it out just right... always a headache. Then about six months ago, I was helping a friend with a remodel in his old house, walls were all over the place. This other carpenter he knew came by, saw me struggling, and just said 'hold on'. He grabbed a compass, ran it along the wall with a pencil on the cabinet side, and cut the line with a jigsaw. Fit perfect on the first try. I felt like an idiot for not doing it that way from the start. Now I keep a cheap compass in my tool belt just for that. Anyone have a different method for scribing that's even faster?

3 comments

3 Comments

emmag2224d ago

Glad you got the scribe trick. That compass method is solid. But using a jigsaw on a finished cabinet side is risky. Can tear up the veneer or laminate. Better to use a belt sander or a block plane on that cut line. Takes the material off clean and controlled. Still get the perfect fit without the blowout.

patriciah5124d ago

That jigsaw fear is overblown. A sharp fine tooth blade and painter's tape on the line prevents almost all tear out. The speed gain is worth the minor risk.

patriciah5120d ago

Tape helps but a belt sander is the real key for finished sides. You run it along the scribe line with 120 grit, taking off thin layers until it fits flush. It's slower than a jigsaw but you get zero tear-out on the good face. What grit do you usually start with?