You can do it with a circular saw and a speed square as well, just need to hold the angles consistently. the more accurate the angle and length is held the more square it will be
Great vid. Thinking about adding a strip of vinyl or something to the top of rim board and joists to keep the plywood floor from squeaking 5 years down the road....
Thanks! Yep, it's only a few extra small steps to eliminate squeaks between joists and the floor boards. A strip of roof felt, duct tape or a thin bead of caulking on top of the joists is better than not doing anything at all.
You could, but you compromise the integrity of the 4x4 a bit and you would only get an angle outward to one side rather than outward from the corner, unless you pitch two sides of the end of your 4x4, but then you are cutting even more out of it.
Why couldn't you make a cut partially thru the inside of the plywood siding allowing it to bend ever so slightly to go to bottom of joist without breaking? Then the seam at floor will be waterproof.
Can you explain the different angles for me? I think I know where the 8* comes from. Most elevator brackets are set at 8*. Why did you go with 12.5* on the tops and bottoms of your 2x6s?
I really don't have an explanation other than that ripping them on the table saw at 12.5 degrees is what it takes to make the base joists level on top, so you have a flat surface to secure the plywood or floorboards. It also provides a flat surface for which you can apply construction adhesive if you are worried about the floor squeaking.
It should be 8 degrees, but the angle cut would be from one corner of the 4x4 to the opposite corner. Not one flat side to the other, so that you get the angle from both directions, to match the base. IMO, it's not necessary to make that cut unless you are trying to rest the legs on concrete pillars of some kind. If it's to be set on the ground, the inside corners of all the 4 x 4 posts will press into the ground just a little.
You certainly could, but if your plywood sides are 1/2", they would probably have to be cut (about 5") shorter on the bottom, since the blind base rim joists lean outward at the bottom with this method. The plywood would bend outward also down there if you didn't cut it shorter. As long as the plywood comes down far enough onto the rim joist to get some screws or nails along the bottom to connect it to the rim joist, it should work just fine. .
