Easy Cope Jig

[ed vitanovec]

I am going to install Crown Molding in my home and I am thinking about using the Easy Cope Jig. Does anyone have experience using one, do you like it?

http://www.easycoper.com/crown_molding_coping_jig.htm

Thanks!
Ed

[Kevin Presutti]

If you have a quality compound miter or a slider maybe you should think about getting this http://www.compoundmiter.com/index.html. I happened to buy a True Angle before I found this book. I have a Wixey 8" digital angle finder but would rather have the Bosch. The book is very enlightening on this topic. I will eventually have a Bosch angle finder, nothing wrong with the Wixey just smaller. There are several websites on cutting crown, many with drawing and charts. Most crown can be cut laying flat on the table, helps to make it simple. I'm not sure of your skill level but would recommend the book by Wayne Drake it is a great resource, and all the charts in the book saves much time in doing the math and eliminates any oops that make the piece useless. To answer your question I have looked at it but decided that time spent reading would benefit me more and I'm not up and down the ladder 100 times trying to get the fit right. Hope this helps.

Kevin

[Greg Portland]

I've used the Rockler Speedcope, it's essentially the same thing but with a clamp. I'm not an expert trim carpenter so I still needed to use a rasp to fine tune the fit of certain joints. However, the amount of rasping/fitting was significantly reduced (versus fixing my handsaw coped cuts). I used a Bosch jigsaw + a thin blade... IMO this is essential with either jig. Note that you could build a DIY version of either jig fairly easily.

Edit: I used a Starrett CP505A-12 to get the angles (tool has a nice chart to adjust for the crown spring angles). IMO this tool was even more helpful than the speedcope!

[Troy Turner]

Ed -

Haven't used one of those, but I looked at them and looked at the Kreg coping jig. Went with the Kreg jig and love it. Comes with an angle finder as well. Just set your spring angle, find the angle of your corners and BAM, instant fit. No filing/sanding. If you go that route, a piece of advice...if you use it to make scarf cuts, make sure it is out of the way of the blade. Even though it's heavy duty, the blade will still cut right through it :D

[Rich Engelhardt]

Edit: I used a Starrett CP505A-12 to get the angles (tool has a nice chart to adjust for the crown spring angles). IMO this tool was even more helpful than the speedcope
+1 to that - or the Starrett 505A-7, which is what I picked up. The CP505A-12 is just a bit too large for other trim work I do. The 7" ProSite is a better fit for me.
The 505A-7 lacks the chart & it doesn't allow an easy "no brainer" transfer to the miter saw.
I'm ok w/that though since I keep my miter saws "tuned" whenever I start a job w/one.

Starrett also sells a plastic version of the 505A-7 for a little over half the cost of the Aluminum one.

After seeing how really rotten some of the Starrett lower priced junk is, I went with the better one.
I'd almost swear that Starrett goes to HF, picks the junk off the shelf, slaps their name on it and doubles the price - or - they buy it direct from the same Chinese source and charge a little extra than HF because it has the Starrett name on it.
(Sorry - that just sort of came out & has little to do with the OP's question, other than to reaaly check out the plastic Starrett tool)

[Paul Steiner]

I recently did chair rail and crown having a set of rasps/files made all the difference. You really need them to fine tune the joint. Also a jigsaw with a really think blade is definitely the way to cut. Everything was paint grade so I was able to get by without a jig, but for stain grade I would definitely want one.

[Roy Turbett]

I have one and it works great. I use mine with a Bosch jig saw and fine tooth blade and get perfect copes every time. Be sure to read the instructions.

[C Scott McDonald]

Dont forget the Collins Coping foot either. I have one and once you it the hang of it the copes are fast. Plus since you are cutting upside down the you can use an aggressive blade to speed things up if you want to.

http://www.collinstool.com/collins_coping_foot.htm

Scott