On this forum and others I have noticed quite a few threads dealing with different jigs, foots, and other assorted gizzmos to cope crown mold, base, ect. I’ve never used any of them, I have always just pulled out the old diston coping saw and have had at it. I’m sure that these other methods are fine and probably do a great job.
But my question is this: what is it about coping with the tried and true coping saw that folks seem to object to? I mean it is easy, fast, accurate,and fun. I would especialy like to hear from the converts who went from the old method to the new.
Replies
Doode, I started trimming before electric miter boxes...
I still start my helpers on the coping saw...I use a fancy pants Eclipse...but I've also learned from the young dogs...jig saw anything but shoe (I've had pups that can even do that).
I haven't tried the Collins Coping foot, because I can do just fine without it...matter of fact, I don't see anything it can do better than a jig saw riding on the 45° cut...
evolution's not a bad thing, but I have plenty of useless gizmos that were supposed to make my life easier...ha, ha, ha...
Hi Jay. While I can't answer your question specifically, I can offer this... Sometimes I like to try a new way of doing things. Some times I find that it is faster, sometimes slower. Sometimes it produces a better product, sometimes I think it's a hack shortcut. Sometimes I just give up on a new technique out of frustration and other times I'll stick with it and try to master it.
Every once in awhile I'll try something new and the end result is exactly the same as the way I was doing it before.... same finish, same quality, same speed..... but I just happen to like that technique much better than my old one for various reasons.
I too enjoy coping with a coping saw, but have found I'm faster with equal quality with a coping foot. Now I use the coping foot and the saw stays in the bucket. Not that I cope much crown as a framer.... up and down the rakes on some custom builds is about it. Occasionally I'll lend a hand at a friend's job or my own house and find the need arises there too. I made a mess with the grinder technique myself.
When you get a house with 7 1/4" crown that the mill ran out of 6/4 poplar, then you learn to get pretty good with the jigsaw like I had to. Small stuff , coping by hand is fine-even prefered. I love what I do , but time is money and I like to make a good living.
I'm with you on this one my friend. Try coping complicated 51/2" or 7 1/2" crown that's maple or oak for a few days, and you'll get used to the Easy Cope or the Coping Foot real quick. Actually I love to hand cope mouldings and am real good and quick at it, but this is about ease and production.
What everyone else said about big mouldings! Plus, I find that over the course of a long day I can make more consistant copes with the jig saw than by hand. Then again I've run probably hundreds of thousands of feet of base, crown chair rail Etc.......... all coped with a jig saw. I can cope shoe with it too but the hand coping saw is quicker for that.
I'm with ya on this one bro.
coping saw, fast, accurate, inexpensive, trustworthy, loyal, obedient, faithful, reverent, and satisfying.
...but... some people just gotta be able to plug a saw in and pull a trigger.
Kinda like the JD kids at a stop light...gotta rev that motor...
I can see though where doing 7" crown all day might tire out ones wrists.
Non-married guys that is!!
Me I get by with a coping saw, a 4-in-1 rasp a rat-tail file, and some sandpaper wrapped around an appropriate sized dowel.
I find it hard to believe that any one is able to get a stain-grade copewith a jig saw without the requisite sanding +/or filing to the line.
maybe they do
maybe they have a different standard for stain-grade.
maybe they are talking apint grade all the way.
Maybe I am just not good enough!!
NO!! NOT THAT!!! NOT MEEEEEEEEEE!!!! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!
Mr T
I can't afford to be affordable anymore
I use a coping saw; haven't tried a coping foot yet. I'm sure I can mess it up just as badly either way.
"the JD kids at a stop light...gotta rev that motor..." You got John Deere kids in your neighborhood too? (hah!) Out here in Almost West Virginia we give each other room; which ever vehicle is bigger gets the middle of the road. Milk trucks, manure spreaders, 12-year olds driving Case or Ford or JD tractors. concrete trucks, horse trailers, the Snap On guy.
D&L
When you use a jigsaw riding on the 45* cut face, doesn't that leave a large gap on the back side? Sure that gives lots of clearance for un-square corners, but doesn't it requiure a lot of caulk to close the gap at the top where it is visible?
I'm sorry, I thought you wanted it done the right way.
I use a rtegular coping saw... but I clean up the cope with a dremmell
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
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I'm with ya on this one ... as confused as U are.
I fell for all the hype coupla years back ... ordered the collins copefoot.
Have tried it many times since ... just can't get myself to put in the time needed to master it. Regular old fashion coping just had never been that hard for me.
Plus ... I do remodeling. Either sub at my price or work on my own projects. Maybe if I did new const at breakneck speed I'd see the lure ... but with my own work ... I'm plenty fast and everything turns out looking nice.
I also like the "downtime" ... nothing like standing there for a few quiet seconds if you've ben running around all day. To me ... hand coping is like a nice little break.
Same with sharpening the chisels ... some "alone time"!
I've worked along guys that do use the copefoot ... grinders ... all the tricks.
I'm not seeing how they're much faster then my little saw.
I do admit to flipping over standard base and backcutting the straight section with the chop saw immediately after I put the 45 on her ....
my coping saw usually hangs right off the chop saw stand ... ready for the little ogee profile on the top ... that as "mass produced" as I get.
Jeff
Buck Construction
Artistry in Carpentry
Pgh, PA
Thanks for the info folks. I agree about the crown over 6 inches, but for normal copes I think I'll stick with the Diston.
I amazed myself today by coping an inside 60 degree corner, by eye , first try. probably could'nt do that again in million years. I love it when a cope comes together!