Some time ago I discussed with Doug ( dougU) his method of coping base using a 4″ grinder with a sanding disc. He outlined his technique for me and I filed that info away for future consideration.
Today I had a bunch of 4-1/2″ fancy base to install, so I broke out the grinder, installed a sanding disc (actually 2 sanding discs, back to back) and went to town.
All I can say is, I may never pick up a coping saw again!
There was a bit of a learning curve, and my 5th cope was condiderably better than my first one, but once I got the hang of it I was a coping fool.
I don’t know about the rest of you, but I just love it when I can learn a better way to do something. It sorta makes me feel young again. Once again… Thanks Doug!
So… anybody wanna buy a collins coping foot? It’s never even been on the saw, and after today, it most likely never will.
Replies
LOL I've been noodling around with that after seeing that description also. I love it. I couldn't find the thread that it was in so I forgot about giving Doug and Mitremike their due. IIRC Mike was also touting the technique. Defintley the fastest and easist way to cope that I have found. Never used a coping foot. But now I don't need too.
"Enjoy every sandwich." Warren Zevon.
Been doing copes for about 25 years now, and I have one of those fancy jigs. You've convinced me. I'm always up to try something new. I'll let you know.
What's the chance of a rerun of the detailed instuctions? I know how to do it the old way but you make it sound like don't bother.
I picked up that tip here, too, and have been coping with a disc for a couple of years now. You don't need instructions. Just put the sanding discs on your 4" - 4 1/2" angle grinder and go to it. You'll be loving it by the time you've done three.
Maybe this place should have anew category opened like in Cook's Talk where they have a "Tried and True" recipe folder. (I have browsed there from time to time) We need a tried and true techniques folder, overseen by a jury with a very high jump needed to get into it.
I would certainly nominate disc sander coping to the folder.
Ron
A tried and true folder is a good idea. What's the criteria at cooks talk?
"Enjoy every sandwich." Warren Zevon.
Gunner,
I don't know what the criteria might be at Cook's Talk. Should we be talking to Justin?
Ron
I don't think it'll work real well. But you never know.
"Enjoy every sandwich." Warren Zevon.
I think the D mix should hop into tried and true also...
As Ron Said, there really isn't much to detail as far as instructions.
Just put 2 sanding discs back to back on the grinder. I am using 36 grit, it seems to work well, but takes an awful lot of wood off with very little effort. Takes some getting used to before you develop a nice light touch.
Just make sure you are applying the grinder to the wood such that it's on the "downward direction" of the disc so it doesn't throw the junk right in your face.
" If I were a carpenter"
I'll give it a whirl on some shorts and get the feel of it.
Thanks a lot!!
When you're using an angle grinder to do the cope, how do you hold the piece down? Do you have a special table, use a workmate, platform of your mitre saw , etc. ??********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
I used quickgrip clamps to clamp to a ply table or other such surface on sawhorses. The cool thing about a Lancelot is that the cutting surface is the edge of the tool instead of the flat face of the disk. Examples of crown copes done with Lancelot attached
Man that scribe into the mortar joint was a bit extreme.http://forums.taunton.com/n/mb/at.asp?webtag=tp-breaktime&guid=1C27074F-6390-45A4-B4B0-D41557DCCB53&frames=no
I found coping with a grinder is alot easier with a variable speed grinder . One of the box stores here has one for about $30. I usually use my jigsaw for the bulk and the grinder after that. Once you get the hang of it, large crowns go fast and clean.
Hey where you been man? I've been wondering where you got off to, haven't seen you post in a ong time.
"Enjoy every sandwich." Warren Zevon.
Just like the other fella described, I clamp it to my miter saw table with a quickgrip clamp.
I figured out very early in the game that those factory made mitre saw stands are pretty useless to me. I need a nice flat table for doing all of the other stuff, like coping for instance. My saw stand is a vert simple home made version with nice wide flat "arms that double as work platforms, that breaks down to 3 parts for ease in set up and break down, but that's for an entirely different thread than this one." If I were a carpenter"
Makes sense. I just bought one of those Stablemate MS stands, and I see you can attach a shelf to the legs which would probably work fine for coping.********************************************************
"It is what we learn after we think we know it all, that counts."
John Wooden 1910-
The sanding disc work well for me but I got into some very wide crown that required a lot of wood removal. My solution was to chuck up a biscuit blade on my side grinder. It's a bloody beast but it will hog out the wood. Actually works better than my "chain-saw-on-a-disc" set up. The blades a little to agressive for small crown tho.
Have never tried the biscut jointer blade on a grinder but am very adept with my Lancelot chainsaw wheel. I've coped crown to logs, base to logs, 1x alder mantle top to drywall w/bullnose corner and lots of other wood products. It is very aggressive and would only recoment a grinder with a paddle type switch, years ago doing log work we used grinders with switches and these blades were nearly fatal at times. There is a learning curve but with some practice nearly perfect copes can be obtained. Tomorrow I will take a few pics and post them.
tsquaredframing,Would you mind describing how that feels using that lancelot chainsaw blade. It sure has a "rabid gator look" to it. Is it smooth? Does it want to "dig in". Do you feel "in control"? Tx
Fz
I use the blade with more teeth so it isn't quite as aggressive but it still takes some wood off in a hurry. If you clamp your work piece and have a steady rest you can be very much in control. Just like any other grinder wheel, if you try to take too much off, it will grab and take out a pretty good chunk. With practice you can take very fine amounts of wood off. The nature of the blade hase various ways of cutting also, it can carve with either the top or bottom plane of the blade and the flatter you lay it the slower it cuts with more exposed blade to cut from. It will also cut with the edge very aggressively. I usually use it 5 to 10 degrees from straight in, cutting with the edge but moving laterally to the cut. I don't know if that makes sense. I'll try to rember to take some pics next time I use it and post them.The difficult we do right away, the impossible takes just a few minuts longer
TS,Yeah, that all makes sense. And it's not a safe world anyway. If I could bother you with a couple more questions. How much chance is there of that chain flying off? How quickly is it "cashed" if an unknown nail gets hit? Have you successfully resharpened it? What is the exact name of it and/or your purchase source? I've looked at that thing and it makes my toes curl up in my socks. Fz
Unless the chain breaks, it can't fly off. It is sandwiched between two discs on the grinder shaft. Its just like any other chainsaw chain, if you hit a nail or scerw it will dull the teeth but it can be resharpened. It is called a Lancelot and can be found at http://www.woodcraft.com/family.aspx?familyid=929 The difficult we do right away, the impossible takes just a few minuts longer
More scribed pieces made with angle grinder. The synthetic stone was done with a diamond wheel.The difficult we do right away, the impossible takes just a few minuts longer
tsq,Nice, very nice. I must admit my ignorance about what you mean as far as "putting the two sandpaper disks back to back" - I mean what kind of backer/how much do the disks stick out beyond the holder, what grit (maybe you mentioned this)/ do you just use the edge?I think I have the idea basically, but since you have done a lot of this maybe you have forgotten to mention some things you've learned. I do plan to try this.Fz
Fonz: Fiber backed disks are pretty stiff: much stiffer than regular sandpaper. You can get two disks, place them back to back with nothing in-between, and mount them like a grinding wheel.
chile_head,I think I'm starting to get the picture - so the sandpaper sticks out pretty far past the arbor.Fz
Yup. The sanding disks are very similar in size to a CD.
another good tool to use is an pneumatic recip saw. they work fantastic. no hearing protection required, low dust, runs of small compressor, excellent control. and one of the nicest features is you can cut trim in place (undercutting ect...) cut out drywall, nails, use as a 0 clearance saw. many many uses once you have one. the blades are hard to get but they just so happen to be the same thickness as a hack saw blade. one hack saw blade cut into 3 costs about 2 bucks and lasts a looong time.
i had one of these till some f@#*er stole it.
http://www.porter-cable.com/index.asp?e=547&p=2629
Tmaxxx
Urban Workshop Ltd
Vancouver B.C.
cheers. Ill buy.
here's one..
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