7 1/4" Baseboard Installation

[Scott LaVoy]

Hello Everyone,

I'm looking for any expert advice I can get on cutting miters and copes on very small pieces of really tall baseboard on a basement bar I'm working on. You can see what I'm trying to build in the attachment. My problem is I have to cut the small pieces of baseboard to wrap around the 4 fluted pilasters on the front of the bar which project out from the bar front a little over 1.5". The way I see it I either 1.) have one long piece of baseboard with a cope on each end (which would really stink!), or 2.) I have to cut a cope and a miter on the 8 really short pieces projecting outward from the bar front (also really stinks!). I think the end product will look better if I go with my second option because the coped ends will be pointing inward toward the bar front. The problem with this option is that I have to cut the cope first then the miter and I have to get the miter perfect on the first try and I usually like to leave the miters a little long on the first try and then shave a little off if I have to. My Dewalt 718 sliding miter saw can only handle a 6 1/2" tall piece standing vertically, so I have to lay them flat and bevel cut the small pieces. Any suggestions or ideas for a jig to cut these small pieces without having to get them perfect the first run?

[Chris Padilla]

Technically, this is no different that wraping baseboard around a room with obstacles in the path. Yeah, some of the pieces will be super short--taller than they are long--but I don't see any other way around it. Cope the shorties...mark them well to the pilaster. Unless you are really good, I would not attempt a double-cope--I'd spend the time messing up the tiny pieces. :D

As to a jig, you could add a MDF fence and base to your saw...saw through it once to mark it and then use carpet tape (dbl-sided tape) to hold down the small pieces. I'd also use a stick of some kind to help hold down the smaller pieces as well.

Good luck...lottsa patience needed on this one!

[Josiah Bartlett]

You should always cope the short pieces- the whole point of coping is that the long piece gets cut straight so it can slide behind the joint as it expands and contracts. It is much easier to cope the short pieces before you trim them to length, although if you are coping short pieces you can just slap them on the bandsaw or scrollsaw table and do it with power.

[phil harold]

Your pdf does not open for me
So am going to assume here a bit
I would run the long one first and cope the short ones
Make sure to cope first then miter
It is a lot easier to clamp a 2' piece of trim and then cope than try to cope a 4" piece

[Scott LaVoy]

It sounds like the consensus is to cope the shorter pieces. Thanks for the replies.