Coping crown molding

I haven't owned one or used one but my opinion is that cutting from the back side will likely cause tear out on the front. If you look at his picture in close-up mode you can see it's doing just that. As long as the crown is going to paint it might not be a big deal.

Mike O.

Well.... I don't get this at all.

To me, the trick to a good trim job is to use pieces as long as possible, with as few cuts or joints as one can get. I am trying to imagine manipulating a piece of crown 8 - 12' long (or longer if you are lucky) against a band saw blade with the precision one needs to cope an inside corner on a piece of molding.

Is the band saw described used on regular crown molding to ceiling effects on projects like kitchens, livingrooms, etc.? Is this a different kind of molding than I am envisioning? A different kind of band saw or blade arrangement than one normally sees?

All I have ever used is a coping saw. I am guessing there is something afoot here from those guys that are selling the crown molding installation systems on T.V.

Yes? No?

Inquiring minds, guys....

Robert

Googling "band saw coping" led very quickly to which is I presume what he had in mind. Looks like a clever little thing, but I suspect that the dual unguarded blade sections will have OSHA throwing conniptions and I do wonder whether it brings enough to the game to justify the price, whatever that price might be.

I don't agree. Tearout will be toward the back, since the blade is pulling toward the back.

I have not used one.

And I don't understand why you would want one for a band saw.

That's what I think every time I see one of those "systems" that use a jigsaw. I'm not saying they don't work well and they wouldn't be worth the money. I am saying that by the time you have it set-up on the piece of molding and start in with the jig saw, I'm half way through my cut with the coping saw.

With a fine, sharp coping saw blade, a razor knife, and two little files (radius and triangle) I'm pretty darn fast at cutting coped joints.

Back = downstream of the blade teeth travel.

Back = downstream of the blade teeth travel.

Back = downstream of the blade teeth travel.

Back = downstream of the blade teeth travel.

I was watching how carefully held the machine. Then I realized he was cutting completely freehand, guiding the machine while supporting the weight of the machine. All that with a fully exposed blade on two different sides!

Crap. Talk about an accident waiting to happen. Not to mention, a learning curve to balance the thing. And now the necessity to clamp the material.

When I cut the small stuff like he showed in the video, I mash/hand clamp the molding on the the sawhorse with my left hand, and cut with my right.

I don't see how this would be any faster, and certainly not any safer.

Thanks for the video link.

Robert