Installing crown molding sucks

[Chaotic42]

When you have a non-adjustible miter box and a handsaw, it is terrible. I'm trying not to go rage-buy a table saw.

Ah the painful education of first-time home ownership.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

Back in the days when I was going to construction school. You should of seen how they taught us to do the corners on them. This was 1986-1989, you cut them by hand with a saw at an angle to make the top one follow the bends of the piece you are finishing it to.

 

[Chaotic42]

Back in the days when I was going to construction school. You should of seen how they taught us to do the corners on them. This was 1986-1989, you cut them by hand with a saw at an angle to make the top one follow the bends of the piece you are finishing it to.

That sounds like what I'm doing. Holding the damned thing in the miter box with one hand and two feet to keep it from slipping while sawing at an awkward angle with a hand saw with about 1" of travel before hitting the box. At the same time, the miter box is slipping and sliding.

Plus I'm getting schooled on the proper angles.

Bastards are 8ft long too.

 

[Vette73]

You want a miter saw, not table saw.

Go to craigslist and get a cheap used one. Should be more then enough to do what you need.

 

[esun]

If it would really make your life easier consider renting equipment. Probably not super cheap but if it saves you a few hours it could be worth it.

 

[spacejamz]

Back in the days when I was going to construction school. You should of seen how they taught us to do the corners on them. This was 1986-1989, you cut them by hand with a saw at an angle to make the top one follow the bends of the piece you are finishing it to.

coping?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coping_saw

 

[Chaotic42]

You want a miter saw, not table saw.

Go to craigslist and get a cheap used one. Should be more then enough to do what you need.

Something like this?

I thought these things would be like $500. I'm sure it would cost at least $169 to have someone come in and do it for me. I might go pick that up.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

That sounds like what I'm doing. Holding the damned thing in the miter box with one hand and two feet to keep it from slipping while sawing at an awkward angle with a hand saw with about 1" of travel before hitting the box. At the same time, the miter box is slipping and sliding.

Plus I'm getting schooled on the proper angles.

This was finish cutting after you have the angles cut. It was not easy. Basically you were removing part of the angle so the top peace conformed to the bottom. I think now a days they just make to angle corner cuts that come together.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

coping?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coping_saw

Yeah that's it, for the life of me couldn't remember the saw name.

 

[pcgeek11]

That sounds like what I'm doing. Holding the damned thing in the miter box with one hand and two feet to keep it from slipping while sawing at an awkward angle with a hand saw with about 1" of travel before hitting the box. At the same time, the miter box is slipping and sliding.

Plus I'm getting schooled on the proper angles.

Bastards are 8ft long too.

You cannot do what you want ( Crown Moulding ) with that type of box ( properly anyway ). You need to have the moulding in position as it would be against the wall and then cut it at a 45 degree angle.

Or

You can cut it flat as in your picture using a Compound Miter Saw and the angles here: There's other angles involved, The bevel - the angle to set the blade. That is 33.9 degrees. The table angle of 31.6.

Here is a link:
http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/162779/cutting_and_installing_crown_molding_pg2.html?cat=6

Easiest way is to use corner blocks and then there is no angles involved just cut it straight.

http://www.crownmoldingcornerblocks.com/

 

[DrPizza]

Yep. Wrong type of box for crown molding. Most people think you cut it at a 45 degree angle (when it's laying flat.)
Google "spring angle" for crown molding. Most is (52/38?) degrees. My cheapy compound miter saw (around $70) locks in place for 30, 45, 60, 90, and whatever the most common angle is for crown molding.

If you prop it up at an angle, as it would be installed, you can get away with the 45 degree angle cut. Good luck. If you're going to use hand tools, your best bet is to use a coping saw.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

All you have to do is cut a backer board to put in the miter box you have (think of cutting the corner off down the length of a 4x4). This will hold the molding at the proper angle. For inside corners, you install one side of the molding all the way to the corner. Then, you take a pencil and darken the molded edge of the piece to be installed next. Take a coping saw and cut at roughly a 45 degree angle following the darkened line. Install the molding and voila! Perfect corner (with a little practice).

 

[Chaotic42]

If you prop it up at an angle, as it would be installed, you can get away with the 45 degree angle cut. Good luck.

That's what I was doing. That's the real pain, making it stay in place. So if I pick up that saw I linked, will that get the job done?

 

[stinkynathan]

No need to know anything about spring angles if you cut it right. Cut it upside down and backwards on your miter saw (bottom of crown up against the fence instead of table). No messing around with angles other than 0, 22.5, and 45.

If you rent a miter saw, make sure you get one with a fence tall enough to support the crown as you're cutting.

One of the trickier kitchen/crown/trim I've done:
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35160491&l=869e00adda&id=116504785
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35160492&l=9767a8b449&id=116504785
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35160494&l=956ad99112&id=116504785
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35160497&l=3e0d02687c&id=116504785
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=35160500&l=900e8fb87d&id=116504785

 

[ric0chet06]

I did 4 decent sized rooms with a 12'' dewalt chop saw and one of these babies: http://www.amazon.com/Bench-Dog-10-0...7964030&sr=8-1

Pretty easy to do when you have the right tools.

 

[swerus]

Put an ad on craigslist and pay a carpenter to put it up. Should be a few hours of work.

Inside corners have to be cut upside down and backwards just like stinky said.

 

[olds]

I have this saw with a $60 blade and it works very well.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_1...5&blockType=G5

But it costs more that $80 when I bought it.

 

[LordMorpheus]

When you have a non-adjustible miter box and a handsaw, it is terrible. I'm trying not to go rage-buy a table saw.

Ah the painful education of first-time home ownership.

I've never seen "rage-buy" used before, but I immediately understand.

I've rage-bought so many tools when working on my car. But I suppose it could be worse, I love them all.

 

[lxskllr]

I was doing a job on some high end property once, and I was checking out the work going on inside. There were a couple guys putting in hand made dental molding. Every single piece was being cut on site, and each "tooth" took something like 11 custom cut pieces to build. I wouldn't wish that job on my worst enemy :^D

 

[grohl]

I bought a shitty $49 10 in Ryobi on Black Friday one year and bought a real blade for it later. Crown molding is still a pain in the ass though.

 

[Chaotic42]

Okay, I got a saw and a compressor with a nail gun. This is a stupid question, but can I run the saw inside the house (I have lineoleum, so I'm not worried about the mess)?

I've got the compressor going in the other room and it's loud, but tolerable.

 

[skyking]

up to you. If you have a lot of cuts it gets to be a pain running in and out.

 

[Chaotic42]

up to you. If you have a lot of cuts it gets to be a pain running in and out.

Thanks. I'm a complete workshop noob. I predict a 20% chance that I hit the plasma TV with the nail gun and a 5% chance that this is my last day on earth.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Crown is a pain in the ass WITH the right tools because walls are never straight and corners are never square.

Two opposite sides are easy... jst straight cuts. Coumpound miter and a coping saw are required to cope the other sides. Nice to have a few files and a sharp chisle too.

I see the op is doing it all wrong.

 

[SphinxnihpS]

I was doing a job on some high end property once, and I was checking out the work going on inside. There were a couple guys putting in hand made dental molding. Every single piece was being cut on site, and each "tooth" took something like 11 custom cut pieces to build. I wouldn't wish that job on my worst enemy :^D

Some built-up moulding can be a real nightmare. It pays well though. ...and man is it gorgeous when it's done right!