Talking to a 70-year-old trim carpenter changed my approach to crown molding

I was on a job in Portland last month and this old timer told me he never uses a coping saw for inside corners, just a sharp chisel and a steady hand. He showed me on a scrap piece and the joint came out tighter than anything I've ever coped. Has anyone else tried skipping the coping saw on crown?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_vera9h ago

Man I tried this exact thing about two years ago after watching a guy on a job site do it on some stained maple. He used a really sharp fishtail chisel and took these little flake cuts off the back of the crown. I figured I'd mess it up but gave it a shot on some painted poplar and honestly the first attempt came out pretty clean. The trick for me was getting the angle right on the miter saw first so the chisel work is just cleaning out the waste. I still use a coping saw for really deep profiles though because my hand gets shaky after a few cuts.

ryand265h ago

Man that fishtail chisel tip is gold. I had the same thing happen when I tried it on some stained oak last year - the flake cuts just peel right off if the blade is scary sharp. My first try on some cheap pine baseboard actually came out way better than I expected too, but I think the miter saw angle being dialed in made the difference. I've found that scoring the back cut with a sharp utility knife before the chisel work helps keep the line clean when you're going for those tight spots. What grit do you take your chisels up to before you start taking those flake cuts?