Hello,
I have some crown moulding I'm about to install as part of a kitchen
remodel/cabinet installation.
This is the first time I've done any real trim work but so far I've handled
the base, toe kick, scribe etc just fine.
The crown of course will be the trickiest part and the true test. Just a
couple questions.
1) This crown is 38/52 and one sees the tables for the actual miter/bevel
angles etc. If I just set up a jig to hold the crown at the spring angle
while cutting it I can just miter it can't I? The height of the cut won't
be a problem, this is a fairly narrow crown.
2) This is naturally finished maple. Pretty hard stuff. I have one (phew)
cope to do. I found that a coping saw was a pretty difficult way of coping
even the simple pine base I was using. It was much easier to use a jigsaw
to cut away most of the waste and to make notches up to the curve and then
use a chisel and rasp and file to clean it up. And that was just a simple
clamshell curve. Any tips on what tools to use for coping hardwood trim? I
can go rent tools, such as a scrollsaw, if I need to.
thank you for advice
ml
As it is a hardwood which I presume will be stained and not painted,
you get one shot. That is, you can't, or shouldn't, be scarfing in
repairs as you will see this. Also, you won't be using any caulk, so
the joints will have to be perfect. That being said, you should use a
power, compound miter saw of good quality, with a good quality carbide
blade. As virtually no 2 walls are exactly 90 degrees, you should cope
the ends. Use a hand held coping saw and a dremel or rasp to clean up.
Go slow on the coping if you've never done it before. Speed will come
with experience. It helpsto cut relief cuts when coping, to remove
small pieces as you proceed. Don't forget that if the crown is larger
than about 4 inches or so, you should put blocking up behind the crown
on the 2 walls that run parallel to the joists. Otherwise there will
likely not be anything to nail the top to. Of course you could get
lucky and have a joist just above the crown, but not likely.
Steve
On Sun, 5 Jun 2005 17:25:38 GMT, [email protected] wrote:
>1) This crown is 38/52 and one sees the tables for the actual miter/bevel
>angles etc. If I just set up a jig to hold the crown at the spring angle
>while cutting it I can just miter it can't I?
Put it on the chop saw upside down at the angle it will lay on the
wall. Once you are confident with the angle on your saw, put a
pencil mark along the fence so you can easily get there again.
Inside and outside corners will be simple 45 degree cuts.
>2) This is naturally finished maple. Pretty hard stuff. I have one (phew)
>cope to do. I found that a coping saw was a pretty difficult way of coping
>even the simple pine base I was using. It was much easier to use a jigsaw
>to cut away most of the waste and to make notches up to the curve and then
>use a chisel and rasp and file to clean it up. And that was just a simple
>clamshell curve. Any tips on what tools to use for coping hardwood trim?
We don't use anything but a coping saw. It takes some practice but
it's not too difficult. With hard wood you need a blade with a lot of
teeth. The biggest problem most people have with coping crown is not
getting enough under cut as they cope. Lean the coping saw over a lot
more than you think it needs...then lean it a little more. :-)
Mike O.