How to Cut a Miter on a Tall Crown Molding
jrogerh
| Posted in Power Tools and Machinery on
Big problem! Building a large wall cabinet out of walnut. I built up some nice crown molding and to get a good scale I made it 4″ tall. I finally got to the point of cutting miter joints and mounting the molding to the cabinet. It was then I discovered my rather dated chop saw could only handle heights of about 3 1/2 inches and my radial arm saw about 3 3/4 inches. My 10″ table sawwould be very iffy. Now no sane person would spend another $600 or more for an upgrade to a new compound miter saw simply to make this one-time cut. But I can’t think of another way except to try it by hand, which for me would be a lost cause on a piece of 4″ by 3″ solid walnut. Any ideas?
Replies
google: compound angles for crown molding
You can cut it flat on the table saw utilizing the miter gauge and blade tilt to create the proper compound angle. Google for the correct angle settings.
That is of course if your miter saw does not have blade tilt.
Bret
some ideas
1. You could cut it on the chop saw and just finish off the last bit by hand. Shouldn't be difficult.
2. As you built it up in segments you could have mitered the segments individually. You could put the 4" stock aside and make it again this way.
3. Rip off a bit of the molding to a height you can work with, and replace it afterwards as a separately mitered portion.
Good Ideas
Just so happens the way I would cut the molding on the chop saw would be to cut through the thickest part with the saw and leave the narrowest part to cut by hand. Just hopeI can keep the separate cuts aligned.
4" crown
Make a jig that can hold the crown at the exact verticle angle it will sit on the cabinet.
and then cut the edge at a 45° on the chop saw. If I understant you in the jig it will no longer be 4" tall
ASK
This isn't your typical crown molding, I take it. Electric compound miter saws were not around prior to the 80's and there are times when large moldings are beyond the capacity of any saw. Make a hand miter box and use a sharp saw. If necessary, use a low angle block plane to adjust the fit. Been done this way for centuries.
check this guy out
This guy is good, I used his vids to learn to cut crown. You can cut it on the flat.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IvqiIgD-Jug
You can make a sub base with the fence on the outside toward you
This gets the trim out from under the motor, which will allow you to cut taller trim.
I bought my first Rockwell miter saw sometime in the early seventies, and I think the blade was only 9" back then. I was running lots of trim back then, and this expanded the capacity of that little saw a lot.
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