Merndog


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Merndog


Recent comments


Re: custom open stairwell in basement reno

Great job, I'm finishing a set of basement stairs and needed some inspiring ideas for a carpeted skirt and hand rail/cap. Thanks

posted: 8:31 am on March 21st  

Re: There's a Better Way: Installing Crown Molding

Coping crown is not hard! Get the cuts right by understanding the following: 1st Spring Angle, 2nd the proper miter and bevel settings for each spring angle and the pretents on your compound miter saw, 3rd caulk only the ceiling and wall lines not the miters and copes, 4th lay-out lay-out lay-out, no complex pieces (avoid any pieces that have both a cope and a miter, sometimes you can't avoid it but proper lay-out can minimize these complex pieces). 5th Cut copes first in long stock and check the fit often, If the fit is off re-cut the cope, then cut the piece to length.
Get rid of the golf ball and the jig saw. Get the right coping saw blades change them often and improve you coping skills. Get a set of files, curved and flat, cut close to the cope line and file or sand away the excess. Take your time this isn't supposed to be the fastest part of the job but it can go quick if you get good at it. Good luck

posted: 8:40 am on September 27th  

Re: UPDATE: Ultimate Miter-Saw Stand -- And the Winner is...

I find myself relying on my miter stand to act as a second set of hands, especially with longer stock. Extending arms help but are limited and clamps are great but with longer or joined stock they can damage the wood. If I were designing the perfect miter stand it would have a light weight detachable stand like a table saw roller that would simply hold the distal end of longer stock. I think it would have a tripod base and adjustable height, with a clamp or edge guides that would hold the stock steady and a small bearing or roller that would allow the stock to slide slightly when positioned for the cut.
The other thing is a re-writable surface on the saw fence. Tape measured fences work I guess, but I always measure the first of repetitive cuts then leave the blade and stock in place and run a pencil line on the fence marking the end of the stock the move the uncut stock to that line and repeat the cut. The problem is I end up with so many pencil lines on the fence that I have to decipher which one I'm using. A re-writable surface would be great.
The last thing I would put on my perfect miter saw stand is a spring angle guide. I always start any crown job by confirming the spring angle. A spring angle guide would make that easier and confirm that I'm using the right pre-tents for the crown being hung. I guess this would only be good for those of us who still cut crown flat and know how to use a coping saw.

posted: 9:20 am on September 20th