# 7" Natural Crown



## m1911 (Feb 24, 2009)

I've done lots of 6-5/8 crown on my hitachi 8.5 slider. For me it's easier cutting on the flat anyway, since I'm not wrestling pieces trying to hold them in exact position or making jigs to cut in position. Just gotta take your time with the cuts, and good coping takes care of the inside miters. Forget the butt joints, and make a clean 30 or 45 deg scarf joint over a stud with wood glue and brads. Sometimes I'll preassemble scarf joints, glued with a backer piece, before length of crown goes up.


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Skill, no idea about the saw. Haven't given it a thought yet. I don't think a Kapex is in the budget and honestly I'm not a good enough carpenter to deserve one. I'll figure something out in the <$500 range.

m1911, The good news is that with the hexagonal shape of the front of the room I can do nearly all full runs. There's only one instance, in the squared back end of the room, that I'll have to make a joint. The rest are all under 16'.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

Easy Gibson said:


> Skill, no idea about the saw. Haven't given it a thought yet. I don't think a Kapex is in the budget and honestly I'm not a good enough carpenter to deserve one. I'll figure something out in the <$500 range.
> 
> m1911, The good news is that with the hexagonal shape of the front of the room I can do nearly all full runs. There's only one instance, in the squared back end of the room, that I'll have to make a joint. The rest are all under 16'.


Doesn't the dw716 cut crown that large nested? GET A FULL KERF BLADE. It will substantially cut down on blade deflection.

As long as there is some extra crown, You can use large off cuts to fit all the corners and really it no big deal besides slow going.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

TBFGhost said:


> Doesn't the dw716 cut crown that large nested? GET A FULL KERF BLADE. It will substantially cut down on blade deflection.
> 
> As long as there is some extra crown, You can use large off cuts to fit all the corners and really it no big deal besides slow going.


I believe so, that and a starrett miter gauge and he will be good to go


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

Now I just have to find some chump to hold up the other end for me. That or finally introduce myself to fastcaps I guess.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

Get a pc of alum or steel flat stock, drill keyhole shaped hole in 1 end, bend in J shape, put screw in wall about 1 1/2" below ceiling, hook strap over screw.
rest one end of crown on that while you are at other end, as you move to other end lift up hook to get it off screw.

I have done 10" MDF crown this way, you can do it also.


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## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

rrk said:


> Get a pc of alum or steel flat stock, drill keyhole shaped hole in 1 end, bend in J shape, put screw in wall about 1 1/2" below ceiling, hook strap over screw.
> rest one end of crown on that while you are at other end, as you move to other end lift up hook to get it off screw.
> 
> I have done 10" MDF crown this way, you can do it also.


Yup. I use fastcaps crown clips


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## fjn (Aug 17, 2011)

Easy Gibson said:


> Well obviously because I can't caulk and paint pre-finished maple. hah


 


A little caulk and a little paint,makes a carpenter what he aint.::laughing:




Just couldn't resist. No harm intended.


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## Mrmac204 (Dec 27, 2006)

I cut almost all of my crown nested. I use a spacer, and a piece of ply held down with my festool track saw clamps. My outfeed tables have the correct size of groove to fit the clamps.

On larger crown? yup I cut it flat (kapex) it takes a little longer but the results are usually better than cutting nested.

Get yourself some sort of gadget to measure your corner angle. I use the bosch, it's expensive but I use it almost every job.

Now this is the trick: measure your corner. Lets say that you get a reading of 87 degrees.

Subtract that from 180

divide that by 2

set your saw to that number, you will be amazed at how good of a finisher you are!!!

180-87=93

93/2=46.5

set your miter saw to 46.5 degrees, cut slowly, let the blade stop before lifting it out of the cut.

If you are cutting on the flat, get the buildcalc app for your phone. It's accurate to 2 decimal places, again I use this feature every day.

If you use the buildcalc app, don't do the math - just enter your number (87) into your crown feature, and it will do all the calculations for you.

I'd clamp your pieces down to the table if possible, stuff tends to move! and watch for badly warped material, that can mess you up as well.

Pictures will be required!!


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I do things a little different. I don't measure the angle. 

Instead I place a piece of crown in position and draw a pencil line on the ceiling and wall. I do this on both sides of the corner and I run the lines longer than needed. I then mark the crown pieces where the lines intersect.

I take the piece to the saw and set the saw to cut along those marks. That's my angle. I test the fit. When prefect I cut the actual pieces and install.

I've had very good results with this method.

Good luck

Also, I always cut nested. I use a 12" DeWalt slider with crown stops: upside down and backwards.


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## rrk (Apr 22, 2012)

If you use the Starrett miter protractor no math is necessary, cutting angle setting is indicated right on it.

Since all of my work is in occupied homes I would not be drawing lines on a finish painted ceiling, and for me it's too time consuming going back and forth


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I can't remember not repaint after installation. I guess if I wasn't going to paint after, I wouldn't draw the lines. But I think every trim job that I had, painting was also requested.


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## hdavis (Feb 14, 2012)

jb4211 said:


> I guess if I wasn't going to paint after, I wouldn't draw the lines.


Put tape up and mark the tape.


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

Yea, the more I think about, I never installed crown molding without painting after.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

It's natural maple. If you have to sand the outside corners and apply a spray lacquer to it and you'll never know you sanded to bare wood.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

jb4211 said:


> Yea, the more I think about, I never installed crown molding without painting after.


I respectfully disagree,....


Quite the opposite happens in my world....



Why some of you paint trim after ...,......I haven't a clue as to why.....:blink:



JMPO...


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

PrestigeR&D said:


> I respectfully disagree,....
> 
> 
> Quite the opposite happens in my world....
> ...


Because it looks better in 9 out of 10 cases. And you say "some of you" like people who paint after in the minority. I would say its the other way around by an exponential amount. 

Do you normally trim out entire houses? Hang doors, casings, base, crown, etc? And if you do, are you pre painting all the jambs, casings, base and crown before install?


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

I respectfully disagree , but - Yes! That's exactly what should be done. IMO........

Why.....


I think I went off on this subject on another thread......


You want to open a thread about this subject Eric...be my guest.....I'll be sure to be there........




JMPOV....


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

I guess if you want to see shadow lines on every seam, it's perfect. I'm sure all the individual pieces will look great, but the job as a whole will look horrible. 

But, my question remains, do you trim entire houses and is this the method you use?


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Yes...

Shadow lines.....:blink:

Would love to talk about this...but not here....

Out of respect .....


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

EricBrancard said:


> I guess if you want to see shadow lines on every seam, it's perfect. I'm sure all the individual pieces will look great, but the job as a whole will look horrible.
> 
> But, my question remains, do you trim entire houses and is this the method you use?


Learn to cope better, and for outside corners learn the techniques of using crayons, fillers and spray clear.


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Leo G said:


> Learn to cope better, and for outside corners learn the techniques of using crayons, fillers and spray clear.


There is no issues with my copes. I'd be happy to post pictures. Tight fitting copes are something i take pride in. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the combined seams in a typical house, painted with no caulk to smooth the transition. This is a much different thing than relying on caulk to fill gaps due to poor cuts. The seams were stops meet jambs, where casings meet jambs, where jambs meet walls, where crown meets walls and ceilings, where the top of baseboard meets the wall.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Let's say.....

There is no caulk....:blink:


There is no paint............:blink:


And your installing some VERy EXPENSIVE blood wood trim....


You can't F"ck up....PERIOD.............

Quite a different world............. Nothing...and I mean nothing EVER goes completely square,,,,,,,,,your saw might,...but the walls won't........ 

I completely agree with what Leo said.......


There is art attached to this end of the spectrum.........IMPO....


However....



The effort and profit becomes Client based as to what is going to be done- ,,,,,,A,B,C, and so on.......

If your installing $35,000 of trim (product only) ,......now finish.....

That is some serious responsibility,,,,,and gets charged accordingly,,,,


Then...some slam me up the ass replacement window with. HD casing......


If I told them what it would be for the high end work.......

Well.........need I say more..........



You want better profit margin....

Ahh......


The things I want to say..............but can't...


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

PrestigeR&D said:


> Let's say.....
> 
> There is no caulk....:blink:
> 
> ...



Ok, that's fine. No issue there. I believe there is a big difference between paint grade projects and stain grade projects. Natural wood and painted products look much different against walls and stacked up on each other. Much different than moldings in shades of white.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Since were not moving the changeover to another subject....


I will continue ........



So you think natural is more forgiving.....:blink:


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## jb4211 (Jul 13, 2010)

I've done far more paint grade than stain grade. And in my experience, the trim was being installed and then I moved on to painting the ceiling and walls. It might be strange, and I never realized it till now, but they always went together in my experience. I don't even like to paint. That is what the customer wanted.

But, I always painted after because I thought it would look best that way. I suppose you could paint first, after it's installed, go back, fill the nail holes, sand and repaint, but it seems like double the effort.

If I'm missing something, or there's a better way educate me. I mean this sincerely not sarcastically.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

EricBrancard said:


> There is no issues with my copes. I'd be happy to post pictures. Tight fitting copes are something i take pride in. But that's not what I'm talking about. I'm talking about the combined seams in a typical house, painted with no caulk to smooth the transition. This is a much different thing than relying on caulk to fill gaps due to poor cuts. The seams were stops meet jambs, where casings meet jambs, where jambs meet walls, where crown meets walls and ceilings, where the top of baseboard meets the wall.


I thought we were talking about natural Maple. I wouldn't caulk it to the ceiling.


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## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

Stained trim is way less work to install and finish then painted. People expect painted trim to be seamless and grow out of the wall. Tons more work then slapping up some stained and even prefinshed if you will mouldings.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Worlds are colliding...........


I guess that depends on how critical everything has to be.....


I don't like stained wood......

You want the color - get the write species........


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

PrestigeR&D said:


> Since were not moving the changeover to another subject....
> 
> 
> I will continue ........
> ...


No. We seem to be talking at each other without actually connecting. 

What I am saying is that natural trim work looks fine against a wall or against other natural trim work without caulk to blend to the seams. We aren't talking about hiding sins, we are talking about providing a smooth transition for paint. No need for that transistion with natural wood.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Leo's calking maple to the ceiling......:blink:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

Leo G said:


> I thought we were talking about natural Maple. I wouldn't caulk it to the ceiling.


No, of course not.


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## Leo G (May 12, 2005)

Leo G said:


> I thought we were talking about natural Maple. I wouldn't caulk it to the ceiling.





PrestigeR&D said:


> Leo's calking maple to the ceiling......:blink:


He is?


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Just havering a little fun Lee.....lol....


Have you , or do you ever shoot your finish Eric,...:blink:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

PrestigeR&D said:


> Just havering a little fun Lee.....lol....
> 
> 
> Have you , or do you ever shoot your finish Eric,...:blink:


Yes. I spray all my trim work. Not a fan of brushing, personally.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

So ,..

What are we arguing about......:blink:


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

PrestigeR&D said:


> So ,..
> 
> What are we arguing about......:blink:


I have no idea? I shoot final coats after install, then cut and roll walls. Like Warner said, seamless and looks like it is growing out of the walls.


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## PrestigeR&D (Jan 6, 2010)

Maybe I misunderstood you,...

For that- I apologize.....

I thought you meant painting with a brush-EVERYTHING.... After it is on a wall.....



My apologies....


:thumbsup:


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## Easy Gibson (Dec 3, 2010)

R&D, please don't trouble yourself with trying to respect my threads, though I appreciate the concern.

I consider any thread I start a blank canvas. Do what you want with it! Picassos and graffiti artists are welcome to paint elbow to elbow on my walls.

To continue the discussion, I'm going to agree with Eric on the painting issue. If I'm putting crown in your standard suburban home, which is what I do, people are always concerned that the PFJ crown they want installed is caulked as part of the job. Once it's caulked, it's got to be painted. Can't go leaving the wavy caulk lines and grimy finger marks on everything.
I'm handy with a brush so I typically have paint touch up included in the pricing for crown jobs. Makes me an extra few hundred on the job and leaves my stuffing looking great the day it gets installed.

Is that what we were talking about?


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## EricBrancard (Jun 8, 2012)

PrestigeR&D said:


> Maybe I misunderstood you,...
> 
> For that- I apologize.....
> 
> ...


No problem.


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