Fabricating Door and Window Casings on Site A versatile, easy-to-make casing that can solve tough problems.

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By Mark Clement Photo 3 Making the head jamb The head jamb is a little trickier, because it must be cut to exact length, the corners must be trimmed, then the edges must be routed. The reason: the head jamb cantilevers the jamb legs 1/2 inch on each side, and the corners are clipped so that the vertical and horizontal lines meet proportionally. First, lay out the door jamb using a marking gauge (Photo 3). You can make one yourself, but I like Bench Dog Tools' Trim-Loc trim gauge. It gives a precise 3/16-inch setback, plus it's bright orange, big enough to not lose, yet small enough to fit in my bags. Photo 4 Strike lines signifying your reveal up and down the jamb legs and across the head jamb (Photo 4). On a clear package, mark light lines or use a scratch awl. Note: At the intersection of the head jamb and jamb legs, extend the layout lines to form a cross-hair. Photo 5 Next, at the intersection of the head jamb and jamb-leg on each side of the door (or window), measure the width of your jamb leg stock from the jamb leg line (Photo 5). It should be 3-1/2 inches for 1x4 stock. Now measure between the two outside lines and add an inch. If you're working alone, set a 4d nail on one line and pull your tape from it. Cutting the head jamb. Cut the head jamb to length, then bevel it with your miter saw at 45 degrees. Clip 1/2 inch off each corner (Photo 6). Marking your saw deck makes setting the board in the correct location repeatable (Photo 7). If the cuts end up being too tight, add 1/16 inch to the overall head jamb length. The 1/32 inch you'll split between the two jamb legs is nearly impossible to notice. Rout the whole thing with your chamfer bit. Photo 6 Photo 7 PREVIOUS  1 | 2 | 3  NEXT