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?

2 comments

2 Comments

derek_lee3h ago

Try a profile gauge from scrap wood first.

angelam801h 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.