An old timer in Spokane called me out on my crown molding joints

I was finishing a job in a Spokane bungalow last month, feeling good about the crown in the dining room. An older carpenter I know stopped by and just said, 'Your cope cuts are too shallow... you're leaving a hairline gap that'll open up by winter.' He was right. I was rushing the back cut on my coping saw. Now I take an extra minute to really undercut that profile, and the joints are tight as a drum. Anyone else have a specific tip for getting a perfect cope on older, irregular trim?

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wright.leo4mo ago

Yeah, I read somewhere that on really old trim, you should cope it with the piece upside down. Lets you see the profile better and follow the weird curves. Made a big difference on my last job with some beat up hundred year old stuff.

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derek_lee4mo ago

Try a profile gauge from scrap wood first.

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angelam804mo ago

Check the grain direction on that scrap wood. A profile gauge from plywood offcuts can flex differently than solid pine, throwing your copy off. That little detail can mess up a whole project.

1