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I’ve coped inside corners of simple base moulding. But I am having trouble with (what I call) complex shaped baseboard. The attached picture I lifted from the Taunton site; it’s exactly what I’m trying to do.
My attempts always wind up ragged. The corner was cut at 45* like an inside mitre joint and I cut the face profile with a coping hand saw. Maybe I should use a razor knife? Some other tool? Dremel?
What do you use?
TIA
Phil
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Replies
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I cope the og profile and use the saw for the straight cut. On occasion I back cut it a little. If it's the og that's ragged, try a diff. tpi coping blade.
*That image shows one of the easier copes to make. Be sure your coping saw blade is sharp, tight, and fine toothed. I make the straight cut first with a saw, back cutting about 2 degrees, then cope into it from the top.For more complex patterns, I keep a small round fine rasp or a rolled up piece od sandpaper at hand to clean up the cut. You could use a razor or utility knife too.
*A bottle and a couple of happy pills does the job for me. I've used the sander attachment with my roto-zip, takes a steady hand though. Also have used a scroll saw on smallter pieces. Set the table at slight bevel and it worked pretty good. Clamp and coping saw and patience has given me good results as well.Jim
*Phil,
View Image© 1999-2001"The first step towards vice is to shroud innocent actions in mystery, and whoever likes to conceal something sooner or later has reason to conceal it." Aristotle
*Like Calvin, on that cope I would use the saw to make the straight cut then use a coping saw for the remainder. Sometimes I will use the side of the lead in my pencil and run it along the edge of the profile that you intend to cope giving a more visible line to follow.Scott R.
*Big moldings, take off as much as possible with the shop saw, use a carving wheel on the angle grinder to get almost to the line, and finish up with files. Small profiles, angle grinder with sandpaper wheel. Not traditional but quick and accurate for me.
*Like Joe says, practice. A dremel tool with a sanding drum and an assortment of burrs can also be of some help.
*If you can't cope that baseboard its time to call a pro. It should take no more then 30 seconds with some practice.
*Thanks all for the advice. Phil
*Again....practice. And use a fine tooth blade. I put the blade in with the teeth pointing down.....but then hold the saw upside down.....kinda gripping the wood handle and the metal part.....thru my fingers.....kinda like that fancy way to play ping-pong. I can cut that straight line by hand quicker than I can walk to the saw....but do what ever works. I'm gonna start a thread on the coping foot. Jeff
*Trying different saw blaade direction is a good point. I face mine down and cut down. One of my guys always faces his up. we have to keep from mistakenly taking the wrong one 'cause One can't use the other. Diff spokes for diff folks.
*what helps me to cope.. my bible and a nice cup of hot chocolat, I use a coping saw and I have a assortment of jewelers files handy. Im gonna have to try it with the scroll saw soon, bought it for the wife she couldnt wait to use, she did about 6 times now I use it very occasionally, but now coping moldings i might have more of a use for it.
*A few months back I described how I use a Table saw instead of a coping saw. I start at the Mitre saw and get my scribe line from that. Then I lay the piece backside "Wallside" down on the table saw. Working the piece side to side about 1/8 of an inch at a time. I leave about a 1/16 of an inch from the line and carve the remainder away with a sharp knife Carefully!! I am quite pleased with the results. Did "a" room this summer that way. There is a large back cut with this method due to the circular saw blade. It makes the carve to the line very easy. I have used a dremel before for the finish cut but the sharp knife was less hassle
*Like everybody sez......use the saw for the straight part. Then cope the rest. It's a simple cope, no disrespect intended.One trick is to leave the base a little long and snap it into place. Sometimes a little pressure can close up a small crack in the cope.Dremel? Sure. Riffler files? They work. Save those for the more complexed copes. For this one you can do the top portion with your coping saw.Ed.
*first thing i do is look for my coping saw.... then when i give up on that , i borrow one or go buy a new one.. after that it's a piece of cake...
*Can I move a toilet, 1/2" from the wall? I am in a 1 1/2 yr old house and want to install wainscoting on the walls of our downstairs bathroom, but the toilet tank is flush against the wall. Is it possible to re-seat the tank so I have clearance? The wainscoting I am using is 5/16" thick so I figure I'll need at least that.
*cope the wainscot out??? Jeff
*Bill,Ask your plumber about an offset flange and next time don't ask unrelated questions in the middle of a thread. OK?Ed.
*ed...yessir, yessir, three bags full sir !
*I have seen guys cut the straight part of this on a miter saw and then cope the rest, but it seem to slow to me. I cut the base with a 45* miter, then make the entire coping cut with my jigsaw fitted with a coping blade. I rest the foot of the saw on the miter and cut the straight run first finishing at the top of the molding.It takes a little practice but it is quite fast and accurate.
*I use a table saw with the blade run up as high as possible. I mitre the corner ready for coping then laying the base or crown face up I gently run the material into the saw blade repeatedly until I have removed 90% of the material, then I clean up the edge with a verity of sharp files and sand paper. I also use a drywall screw at the bottom of the corner to make sure the base stays flat and 90 degrees to the other piece butting into it.Jcool
*It seems to me a lot of you are making a simple job using a simple tool a whole lot more complicated than it needs to be!Yes, it takes practice, but my helper now takes pride in his coped joints, this after a few ragged tries. This is what a coping saw does, whether teeth up or teeth down---forget making it too complicated!
*bear313,Amen.Ed.
*Recently, I watched an old carp make copes on a table saw. Simple, easy, quick. Dennis
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I've coped inside corners of simple base moulding. But I am having trouble with (what I call) complex shaped baseboard. The attached picture I lifted from the Taunton site; it's exactly what I'm trying to do.
My attempts always wind up ragged. The corner was cut at 45* like an inside mitre joint and I cut the face profile with a coping hand saw. Maybe I should use a razor knife? Some other tool? Dremel?
What do you use?
TIA
Phil