Comments on: Lesson Four: How you’ll probably never cope crown molding joints.

By: Timothy

Timothy — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 19:11:41 +0000

By: Rob Mac Elhinney

Rob Mac Elhinney — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 05:07:24 +0000

Kitliz,
I checked the two links you provided. It can be a bit confusing since there are so many different profiles out there. There’s a little double confusion here! While I completely agree that its virtually impossible to hold two pieces of moulding together and take a picture at the same time………………in fact you’re not holding it upside down….but rather right side up. That being the case……..the cut in the picture is incorrect since it’s not an inside corner. I can absolutely assure you you installed the moulding upside down. Show a piece to a finish carpenter and he will tell you. If I’m incorrect, I will buy you a brand new compound miter saw with a laser. That is a promise from an Irish gentleman.

By: Rob Mac Elhinney

Rob Mac Elhinney — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:58:56 +0000

Kitliz,
With all due respect, the last picture with the tin ceiling….in that picture the crown is installed upside down. The second last picture…..where you show the finished fit,is ultimately the way the finished product should sit on the walls and ceiling…with all that detail topside against the ceiling portion. While the fit is absolutely perfect in the second last picture….notice the angle of the other piece..it’s not an inside corner. Again,please don’t take this as criticism…I’m simply pointing this out based on 25 years experience as a finish carpenter and joiner.

By: kitliz

kitliz — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:23:12 +0000

Rob, note that I said I was holding it upside down (because holding two pieces of crown molding together and taking a picture… not easy!) but if you look at the last picture, you will see that it is installed correctly. (Or, if not correctly, at least in the same manner you will find in most pictures or descriptions of crown molding, such as this http://www.yellowbryk.com/Prods-ProfilesWalls.html, or any of these http://images.google.com/images?um=1&hl=en&rls=com.microsoft%3Aen-us&q=common+crown+molding+profile )

By: Rob Mac Elhinney

Rob Mac Elhinney — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:18:57 +0000

When holding the two pieces together to show the cope cut…you inadvertantly cut them the wrong way…upside down.

By: Rob Mac Elhinney

Rob Mac Elhinney — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 00:17:02 +0000

Why did you install the crown moulding upside down?

By: Patty

Patty — Mon, 30 Jun 2008 20:01:46 +0000

Hi there, you are a lady after my own heart. I enjoy doing projects around my house myself (sorry contractors) and just like you … in my barefeet.
I hate coping with a coping saw, my hands don’t have the strength. I tried using a dremmel, but I think I’m missing a step. I’m using 9/16th x 1-5/8th crown molding at 45 degee on top of the baseboard. I didn’t want to miter the inside cut, so I thought I would give coping a try. We’ll after several tries, I just cannot cope! (This is where I miss my Dad, he was a great teacher).
The part I am having problems visionalizing on your demonstration is when you cut the crown molding on the compound saw with markings at 31.62 degrees, and 33.9 degrees, obviously that is an inside cut? (For 45 degree crown, my settings would be 35.26/30.00). The next step you show the piece of wood with the part that needs to be removed in red. In this picture, the cut looks like a straight 45 degree cut. This is where I got lost, did you remove the excess wood by using the miter saw before coping?
Your help is appreciated before I pull my hair out and give up. I determined to learn.
Patty

By: Rob Mac Elhinney

Rob Mac Elhinney — Thu, 05 Jun 2008 08:05:21 +0000

To the DIY Diva,
Congratulations. A great website. I was born in Ireland and have been a professional trim carpenter for 25 years, now residing in Chicago. You are absolutely right,,without sounding biased, most american carpenters are rough carpenters and haven’t a clue. I went to technical school in Ireland for carpentry and joinery. I work primarily on the north shore of Chicago for extremely wealthy families who think nothing of dropping $200 thousand on a library made entirely fron ebony. Keep practising. Finish carpentry is an exquisite art at its best. If you ever need any advice or tips, please feel free to drop me a line,
Regards…measure twice and cut once,
Rob Mac Elhinney

By: Paul

Paul — Fri, 16 May 2008 18:14:15 +0000

Thanks for the dremmel tip on the moldings.
Defintely great legs. More pics of them, not wood!
Keep on keeping on. Great site.

By: Answers to the most commonly googled questions. «

Answers to the most commonly googled questions. « — Tue, 25 Mar 2008 12:11:12 +0000

[...] I will say is that if your walls are crooked, your best bet will always be to cope the joints. This is how I do it, using a dremmel and a rotozip bit, but it takes practice using that particular tool. Here is a [...]