Replies

1. 
   NEXTLEVEL | Dec 03, 2004 02:32pm | #1

   Mike, I think I know what you are talking about.  Can you possibly send a picture?  Is this trim going to be painted?  I don't think you can or need to cope this.  The best bet might be to precut some scrap pieces and prefit these corners with angle cuts.

   What we do sometimes is cut the angle that looks good and write the degrees on the wall and keep going until we have prefit all the weird angles.  Then all you have to do is go back and cut the full length pieces by the degrees you wrote down.  You could use that angle finding tool to narrow the search.

   You might have to cut the sharp point off the back side to fit into that bullnose transition.   Hope this helps.

   James Hart

1. 
   MichaelJacob | Dec 03, 2004 08:07pm | #6

   i'll try to snap a couple pictures when i'm over there today... i haven't moved in yet, so i can't do it right now...

   the baseboards that were original to the house were all coped and somewhat recessed in the drywall in these areas.  the original base was only about 3.5" so its not like my new stock fits in those spots anymore.

   -mike.

1. 
   highfigh | Dec 03, 2004 08:23pm | #8

   If you need to cut angles on a table saw that are beyond 45 degrees, you can make a jig that consists of a flat board for the bottom, one that attaches to the bottom with a piano hinge and 2 friction supports, like what are used on a cedar chest- one at each end. The piece to be cut clamps to the top board and can go at least vertical, depending on how you mount the friction supports. The limiting factor will be the blade diameter, but would work on a bandsaw, too. You could modify this design to work on a chop saw for cutting moulding by making a smaller one that clamps to the fence and using a solid adjuster that moves in and out of the acute angle. I don't have one for my chop saw yet, but if I get a chance this weekend, I'll make one and try to attach a photo.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

2. 
   calvin | Dec 03, 2004 02:46pm | #2

   On these i don't cope either.  I'll mitre cut the pcs to fit individually, glue and pin them together, then mount the contraption as a whole.  Keeps the mitres nice and simplifies the install in the bastard configuration.

   Remodeling Contractor just outside the Glass City.

   Quittin' Time

3. 
   wrick2003 | Dec 03, 2004 04:05pm | #3

    

        Good Morning Mike.

        Do not think of these joints as traditional coped joints. Set the piece to be cut near the piece in place and use a scribe to mark the exact curvature the cut requires.

        Here is how you use a scribe. Hold one point against the installed piece, while holding the beams at a horizontal position. The pencil of your compass, or the point of a traditional scribe will draw or scratch itself onto the surface of the mating piece.

        The scribe I use is over a hundred years old and works like a charm.

        It is this line you will cut. You must back cut it since you are working at an obtuse angle. Leaving a thinner edge at the toe will also help in fitting the piece in, in that you can tap the other end of it and the thinner edge will conform, bending a little here and there, but you can file or sand those bits off.

        Do it right and it will be there a hundred years.

        Good Luck     RRRRRRicky

1. 
   MichaelJacob | Dec 03, 2004 08:08pm | #7

   sounds like a good trick... i'll give it a shot today.

    

   thanks,

   -mike.

4. 
   davidmeiland | Dec 03, 2004 05:49pm | #4

   You have to cut the same angle for coping as you would if you were going to miter the pieces. If angle of the walls is 130 degrees (i.e. the inside corner is more open, not as sharp as a typical 90 degree corner), the you will be cutting LESS than a 45 degree miter on the piece to be coped. Then, when cleaning up with the coping saw, you have to backcut the piece more deeply than a typical 90 cope, because the piece that you are lapping over extends more deeply behind the coped piece.

   The angle you cut on the chopsaw is to make the profile on both pieces meet. The angle you cut with the coping saw is for clearance.

   Most people would miter those pieces. Depends somewhat on the molding shape.

1. 
   MichaelJacob | Dec 03, 2004 08:05pm | #5

   the amount of backcutting needed seems to be too extreme.  i was using my table saw to remove the bulk, and even that wasn't letting it sit right.  the molding is a simple profile, called a Newport I think, with a large flat base, and a single S curve at the top.

   thanks for the advice,

   -mike.

5. 
   RW | Dec 04, 2004 12:10am | #9

   Its not that bad to actually cope it. Yes, a convoluted profile can make your head hurt, but a 135 - you cut the profile on the chop saw at the 22.5 mark, and you need to back cut it at least that steep, so you're left with a sharp end. I usually cope it by hand and flip it over and widen out any recesses with a series of files. Test fit along the way. Alternately, you can make a sanding block out a scrap piece of the trim. Take some real light (like A weight) paper and spray contact adhesive on the back. Attach sandpaper to block. Now you can sand the back of the cope. On real detailed stuff, I've done a couple of things to get it in the profile. One is simply work it in with a putty knife, but that doesn't tend to be real reliable. The other is make a plaster cast of the scrap block. Now you have two mating pieces. Sandwich the paper in there with a small clamp for ten minutes until the glue sets. And you can glue paper to the cast to smooth out splices on rooms with long runs.

   "If you pick up a starving dog and make him prosperous, he will not bite you. This is the principal difference between a dog and a man." - Mark Twain

1. 
   highfigh | Dec 04, 2004 02:07am | #10

   If you don't have any plaster and will be using this or any other profile often, you can use Bondo in a plastic bag, pressed into the contours. Then attach the sandpaper to the face. If you need to fill any holes or gaps, either Bondo or polyester resin will work. Using a piece of the moulding for sanding the back of coped joints is a good idea. You don't need to actually make anything.
   "I cut this piece four times and it's still too short."

1. 
   Sphere | Dec 04, 2004 02:51am | #11

   I normally would just use a miter in that situation..I have been asked to use corner block transition pcs. tho'I did one job in particular where I made a corner block with the same profile, and was able to butt into it..a real pain vs. a 90 to 90 with a wedge shaped block..but it looked pretty cool after all was done. 

   Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

   Repairs, Remodeling, Restorations.