Easy Coper for Coping Crown Molding

[George Bokros]

Has anyone successfully used these? Either I just can't make it work or something. If you have successfully used them what tooth count did you use for the jig saw blade? Maybe my red oak is just so hard it is difficult to cope. I had some crown installed in my two story foyer and the carpenter that installed it used these very successfully. You Tube videos make it look easy too.


What is the secret?

Thanks

Link for what I am talking about. https://www.rockler.com/easycoper-for-crown-molding

[Bill Orbine]

Slow is fast! Like they say in racing. My hunch is you are not too patient with making the cut. Trying to cut too fast and aggressive. Turning saw too sharply so quickly.

Other things to consider: Disable orbital action if you have one on jig saw. Don't use a down cut blade/ cut on the up stroke. Fresh blades is a must. If blade is bottoming out on cut (too short a blade), use a longer blade. Many of those scrolling blades, though narrow for tight turns, are just too short.

If above doesn't work, instead of a video of how easy they make it out to be.....how about a video of how difficult you make it to be?

Coping saw is how I cope with it! Most of the time.

[Tom M King]

I see no need to use anything but a coping saw. That's why they're called a "coping" saw. Sometimes, if it's natural finish, I will also use a jewelers saw in the sharp corners where the cove meets the larger sweeps. I can only see the jigsaw being more possibility to mess up, and make a bigger mess.

[Jared Sankovich]

I use a Collins coping foot on a jig saw. I don't see how cutting from the face would work out well.

The Collins foot/jig saw is used from the back.

[Paul F Franklin]

I've used both of the easy copers, for crown and baseboard and found them to work quickly and easily once you get the hang of it. Biggest hint: Clamp the board to a work surface with just the minimum amount hanging over the edge. Then clamp the jig to the work. Make a series of relief cuts into any curves, then make a cut wide of the edge of the miter to get rid of the bulk of the waste. Now go back and cut to the line of the miter. Sometimes it is easier to nibble to the line holding the jigsaw parallel to the stock rather than trying to cut along the line of the miter. I use a coarse blade, don't remember the number offhand, but a new, sharp blade.

Before I got the easy copers I always did them by hand using a coping saw, which of coarse works just fine. But the easy coper is way faster once you get the hang of it. I just wish they made them out of stiffer plastic. Above description sounds like a lot of steps....but they take seconds to do once you have it down.

[Charles Lent]

When coping, you need to bevel away the end grain of the moulding up to, but not cutting into the face surface of the moulding. If I have trouble seeing the edge I frequently rub the side of a pencil lead against the edge in order to make it stand out better. Then I cut away the end grain at an approximate reverse 45 degree angle up to the pencil line. The coping cut does not need to be neat or accurate anywhere except where the surface edge is. Easy Copers will hold your saw at the angle needed, but how accurately that you trim away the waste up to that pencil line is up to you. Take it slow and carefully nibble away the wood beyond the pencil line letting your saw foot ride flat on the angled end of the Easy Coper and you should get good results. Use the saw more like a grinding tool than a saw blade.

Charley

[Steve Shepherd]

I finally broke down and bought a coping saw, and wished I had several years ago when i did the entire house's crown moulding trying to do the coping with a jigsaw. Take your time and let the saw do the work...a round and half round file makes it perfect.

[Art Mann]

If you do a lot of coping, you can get really good at it. In general, I am not that skilled. Yet, when I was building my last house, It got to the point I could cope a crown joint at least as fast as the guy in the video with nothing but a coping saw. It just takes practice.

[Tom M King]

I watched part of the video too. Good grief. It's slower than using a coping saw, and having to worry about clamping it in a special jig, and then putting another piece on it to be clamped in place, it might take twice as long, and watching the blade jump in, a higher chance of messing up. I just lay it flat on sawhorses, and cope with a coping saw. It should fit perfectly, first go, right off the saw.

[Mel Fulks]

Well, I won't say the contraption is no good ,but I do think he should have tried the coping saw with handle down before
buying it. Maybe the "foot" is upside down too.

[Martin Wasner]

I've always wanted to try that Collins coping foot.

I use a jigsaw, I just free hand it with a narrow blade from the underside. I've never cut one that for perfect without some filing or hitting it with a belt sander sander gently.

[Jared Sankovich]

I've always wanted to try that Collins coping foot.

I use a jigsaw, I just free hand it with a narrow blade from the underside. I've never cut one that for perfect without some filing or hitting it with a belt sander sander gently.

The Collins foot is fantastic.