Just A Thought... On Tall Crown

Jeremy E

Hypothetical situation we've all run across:
Crown moulding is too tall to cut nested in the upsidedown/backwards orientation.

Typical solutions:
1. Excuse to go buy a bigger saw

or...

2. Cut it on the flat having to adjust both the miter and the bevel

Possible alternative solution:
Build a cradle that holds the crown nested so that it's flipped only 90 degrees and with the left-right orientation consistent with how it will go up on the wall (i.e. let the fence of the saw represent the plane of the ceiling while the table of the saw represents the wall). Then make your cut with the saw's miter angle at zero and the bevel tilted to 45 degrees (or 22.5, or any other angle required to make it around the corner).


I can't see a geometrical reason that this wouldn't work. It obviously wouldn't help you with a crown that has a 45 degree spring angle, but it might get you the extra height you need with a 38/52 crown. I think I'd rather do this than have to mess with re-adjusting both the miter and bevel angles every time I had to change the cut...

Is this already common practice? Is it a stupid idea? Is it a decent tool to keep in the bag of tricks when the need arises?

What do you think?

Jeremy

jeffaah

Here is what I have done in the past when faced with the same situation.

1. Cut it on the flat. I hate adjusting 2 angles.

2. made a jig so I can accurately position in place at it's spring angle so it springs out from the fence...NOT upside down and backwards. It worked, but was just a little awkward.

3. Bought a new saw. This was actually the best option since I need/wanted a new saw anyway.

WarnerConstInc.

How big are we talking?

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Jeremy E

Just a hypothetical... no actual moulding will be harmed as part of this discussion.

Just bigger than the saw.

trimworks

We always cut it on the flat.

Resta

Hand saw

WarnerConstInc.

I agree with Resta. Good old hand saw and a big box to cut it in.

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Trim40

That what she was asking.

jeffaah

I've done that with huge foam crown. I'm really glad it was foam.

PlaneWoodworker

Flat cutter here - better then having to awkwardly balance crown against the fence IMO. Especially if it's long.

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TBFGhost

Just build a jig...no balancing then....

It is stupid easy to make...I googled up an image for you...


I even made one with adjustable stops for differnt crown out of 3/8" BC, and some 1/4 carriage bolts and wing nuts.

basswood

Jeremy's idea in the OP would work with some crown sizes.

Huge crown can be done in a large site-made miter box as mentioned, but each size of monster crown would need a different box to be built... but if you cut a bunch of large crown here is another idea that may be interesting to think about:

You could base a jig on the design of the jack miter jig I made. I used mine for cutting large casing on edge, but the slot could also hold crown (on edge). Then the same slot could hold lots of different crown sizes (no need for different big miter boxes for different crowns). The depth the slot would fit the largest crown and fillers would slide down into the bottom of the slot for smaller crown. Instead several large boxes for different crowns, you have one small slot miter box.

The miter box attached to the slot jig has a miter scale and the platform angle provides the bevel setting (the platform can be either built at the bevel angel you need or mark the angle on the slot jig and attach the platform at that angle).

Clear as mud???

The miter box is not even needed. The vertical slot jig is a miter box if it has the proper saw kerfs (compound miter angles) cut in it...

Wrap your mind around that!

Bass

Attached Thumbnails

 

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Quiglag

I am not buying a saw bigger then 12", so I will always have to cut my large crown on the flat. The average size crown I install is 8-10". Once you get used to it, it is not any slower.