I just supplied some cabinets (~$100K) that included a 4-1/2″ crown. My installer says the crown is junk, as the vertical and horizontal “faces” are not exactly at 90 degrees. He cuts upside down and backwards, so the crown does not lay the same away against his fence for each cut, resulting in open miters. I told him that maybe he should cut on the flat with CMS, but the “flat” back of the crown actually has a roll to it also.
Maybe the crown (which has a large cove profile) was not at proper MC and moved?
Note- Installer has run miles of crown, he has done about 15 kitchens/year for me over the last 9 years, and that’s all he does.
Anyone ever experience this?
Replies
All he needs to do is to clamp/fasten a simple guide(s) to the saw table to position the crown to the SAME spring angle for all of the cuts.......
Like already mentioned, a guide or a mark on the bed of his saw can minimize the issue. It's probably just cupped after milling. Lot's of variables may cause it.
Never paid much attention to the squareness of the 2 flats on crown since there's usually only 1 edge to really focus on & for cabinet crown, it's usually the edge against the cabinet since the ceiling SR tends to have enough of variations to require at least a little caulk (if they're butted to the ceiling). It's also easier to hide caulk on the ceiling side of the crown than it is on the cabinet/wall side.
It sounds like it has moved some from moisture, but many crowns are milled slightly over 90° on those two flats i IOW it is back relieved a bit to avoid having a lot of hand planing to do fitting things.
All he has to do is pick one edge and work with that or learn to cut flat. Probably the edge that connects the cabinets would be best.
I am speculating that since this is cabinet crown, it is pre-finished with more finish on the face than on the back, which would definitely have an effect on how much moisture changes the wood since it can absorb more on the back.
Welcome to the
Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime.
where ...
Excellence is its own reward!
I like to have one extra 8' piece of the pre-finished crown on kitchens I install, as one or two pieces are often culled out and used for short runs as a last resort.
I use crown cutting jigs to do my "upside-down and backwards" cutting. If the crown is tight and flat against my fence it will be a good fit to the cabinet and the miters will be perfect. I glue and clamp the miters together and pin the miters with a 23ga micropinner.
Note: The jig in the picture can be used for 3-1/4" and smaller crown. I draw horizontal lines on the jig fence to show me where the bottom of the smaller crown will rest against the fence and I rip a filler to fit the space between the top of the samller crown and the curb on the jig table.
The jig is much easier to build and use than to explain. The jig also immediately identifies for me if any piece of crown is bad and warped crown can be straightened out as it is put into the jig. The jig holds goofy crown straight, allowing a proper miter to be cut.
Edited 7/11/2007 6:16 pm ET by basswood
I had my mill shop take a look at it, they came to the same conclusion as many here. The large cove and finish on only one side has allowed it to cup. I'm getting all new and will have him take a second crack at it. When I run crown, I also make up a fence/guide. I find this to make life easier on me. I'm goint suggest he do the same. Collins springs are nice, we sell them though I have never used them.
Thanks for the input. I'll post some pics when all done. It is a really nice kitchen.
WE noticed in our shop that the crowns edge faces are NOT cut at a right angle to one another. The knife we have for our molder LOOKED like it made those faces to be 90 with the edge but after the profile is milled on the face you have to put the flats on the edge (where it meets the ceiling and where it meets the cabs) with a chamfer bit in the router table/shaper or cut it on the saw...we do ours on the router table. But we noticed that the show face immediately adjacent was NOT 90 to the chamfer we put on the edge. It doesn't make a huge difference when mounting a crown that is 45 to the ceiling and cabs but most crown isn't 45 'cept the coves. just something we noticed over the years...both our 6 1/2" crown and the 4 1/2" crown have the same issue...
Bass buddie...
I hate to break the bad news but...
the curvy side of the crown faces out.
you did do aa nice job otherwise...
;o).
.
I am not wearing any Pants....
LOL
"I never met a man who didn't owe somebody something."