Is this what passes for workmanship these days? Is it now commonplace
to miter such corners, rather than coping?
Although this is partly a rant, it's mostly a question. I'm
wondering whether it's reasonable to ask him to tear it out and do it
right, or if mitering is what is considered normal these days in
construction and trim carpentry.
Kelly
dave
if it's going to be caulked and painted, then that's probably the standard
now. if it's to be stained (or already is), then i'd have them redo it
again. they may not know how to.
regards,
charlie
cave creek, az
No, Yes, No.
Kelly
Good point. I should have mentioned that this is pre-finished (clear-coated),
hemlock molding. Will not be caulked or painted (though the
contractor will probably try to hide the problem with some colored
putty).
Kelly
"Kelly E Jones" <kej...@ptdcs2.intel.com> wrote in message
news:bkf826$fu7$1...@news01.intel.com...
>
dave
Well then he did not do a good job of mitering the joints. You
cannot tell the difference between a good mitered joint and a good
coped joint, if they are done correctly.
--
Robert Allison
Georgetown, TX
--
There are no stupid questions.
There are a LOT of inquisitive idiots.
"Robert Allison" <robe...@ix.netcom.com> wrote in message
news:3F6B41E3...@ix.netcom.com...
>Well then he did not do a good job of mitering the joints. You
>cannot tell the difference between a good mitered joint and a good
>coped joint, if they are done correctly.
You can from above. And if you're suggesting that it makes no
difference which you do (as long as done correctly), that is not
right - a coped joint will look better when the wood moves.
Kelly
- Wm, dedicated amateur
--
William Morris, Tailor
Seamlyne Reproductions
http://www.seamlyne.com
"Kelly E Jones" <kej...@ptdcs2.intel.com> wrote in message
news:bkfg52$jtm$1...@news01.intel.com...
Nope, that's the way it's done. Congrats on your success. It really does
produce better-looking results than a miter, doesn't it?
--
Regards,
Doug Miller (alphageek-at-milmac-dot-com)
That's the way it's done but there are tricks to make it easier. If the
piece is short you can cut the straight part on the tablesaw (just set
it for a slight bevel). Then stop the cut and continue the curved parts
with a coping saw. If the piece is long, it helps if you have a RAS.
You can also use a saber saw with a thin blade set for a slight bevel.
(the reason for making the 45 degree cut first is to give you a profile
to follow)
- Wm
--
William Morris, Tailor
Seamlyne Reproductions
http://www.seamlyne.com
"Doug Miller" <spam...@milmac.com> wrote in message
news:5_Hab.3291$ev2.2...@newssrv26.news.prodigy.com...
> However, having said that, I don't know if you
>>have the leverage to make his redo the work. Have you paid him? did
>>you have a contract? Did it specify what type of joints he'd use?
>
> No, Yes, No.
>
> Kelly
>
Kelly,
In the contract, is there a clause to the effect that the work will be
done "in a professional and workman like manner" ?
In the work we've had done around our house (involving different
contractors for plumbing, septic system, well, drain fields ..), that
was standard wordage; we never had to fall back on that, but I would
think that mitered corners would not look "professional".
Of course, IANAL, and all that ....
Regards,
JT
"IANAL"?
New acronym...share, share? :)
- Wm
--
William Morris, Tailor
Seamlyne Reproductions
http://www.seamlyne.com
"John Thomas" <John....@intel.com> wrote in message
news:Xns93FB80167EE1Aj...@10.7.208.6...
I Am Not A Lawyer
http://www.diyonline.com/servlet/GIB_BaseT/diylib_article.html?session.docid=1666
> OK, I'll have to bite. What is coping, other than using a
> coping saw, that is? I have mitered many baseboards, and have
> had to make fine adjustments after cutting. Is this a way of
> making these "adjustments."
Coping is cutting the profile of a molding onto the abutting piece. When
the two pieces are fitted together, it is indistinguishable from a mitered
joint. When a mitered joint shrinks with lower humidity, the joint opens
up. When a coped joint shrinks, it is much less obvious.
They're also useful because the joint doesn't need to be 90 degrees. If
the angle is acute or obtuse, the joint will still look "closed".
It is reasonable to expect workman-like product. He should do it right, or
pay for damaged materials and leave. He should eat the price of extra
material.
--
Jim in NC
Bull. No journeyman carpenter would consider using miters. That is totally
amateuristic, or lower.
--
Jim in NC
I'm a Trim carpenter to trade, and as far as I'm concerned all joints (base,
crown, mouldings etc) should be coped, But having said that sometimes if you
pay 50c a foot thats what you will get. Not nowing what he is charging
it's hard to say how he should be doing it. But again if you think the
joints look crappy, then maybe he's just not good at what he's doing.
"WIlliam Morris" <seamlyne...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:bkfmqg$1b114$1...@ID-205671.news.uni-berlin.de...
>
>I've got a contractor working on a remodel in my home. As part of the
>job, he's installed some base molding. On inside corners, he has
>mitered (rather than coped) the joint. The joints look crappy.
>
>Is this what passes for workmanship these days? Is it now commonplace
>to miter such corners, rather than coping?
>
>Although this is partly a rant, it's mostly a question. I'm
>wondering whether it's reasonable to ask him to tear it out and do it
>right, or if mitering is what is considered normal these days in
>construction and trim carpentry.
>
>Kelly
He might not have the ability to cope with your request. Any
experienced trim carpenter should have the skill to cope inside
corners. Coping baseboards is not as critical (as noticable) as crown
molding, I coped baseboards in the basement, garage, and inside
closets. Actually, it is easier than what people make it out to be.
Assuming a true 90 degree corner, and a foam or otherwise stable
material, a mitered joint in baseboard may look fine. Locally,
painted joints are almost always mitered for speed and since they'll
be caulked. That and baseboards don't show as often as crown joints,
especially outside crown joints (my personal problematic joint, always
takes three or four tries...)
I don't completely buy into the wood movement argument as much, I've
seen bad coped joints from separation as often as bad mitered ones
from separation. And I've seen a whole lot of bad coped joints
because somebody got the trim too short during the coping process.
Coping takes time. Unless a workman is getting paid for the time,
he's not going to take it.
Jeff
In my case, I have to go to a psychiatrist to learn to cope. I mean, life is
so rough. (ha-ha)
--
Christopher A. Young
Learn more about Jesus
www.lds.org
www.mormons.org
.
.
"Kelly E Jones" <kej...@ptdcs2.intel.com> wrote in message
news:bkf826$fu7$1...@news01.intel.com...
I've got a contractor working on a remodel in my home. As part of the
>it is indistinguishable from a mitered
> joint.
same profile...................isn't it ?
> When a mitered joint shrinks with lower humidity, the joint opens
> up.
Always glue your joints
> When a coped joint shrinks, it is much less obvious.
actually it is the same
He wouldn't be working for me, and I would not take a job that demanded such
shortcuts.
I teach carpentry. Guess what my students learn.
--
Jim in NC
Only one way of doing things? I also taught trim carpentry and I
taught both ways, because their are situations for both. How did
they cope outside corners?
Perhaps if you don't know what you are doing, a mitered joint may
look bad after a while, but I have mitered joints in my parents home
that I did back in 1968 and they still look fine. And thats in a
house with no air conditioning in Brownsville, Texas. Try finding a
place with greater humidity changes than that.
I almost always cope corners, because I do mostly stain grade work,
and to me, coping is as easy if not easier than mitering. It just
takes an extra step. But please don't try to instruct me that there
is only one way to do something,...your way. I have been in this
business too long to believe that.
A good carpenter can make either joint look and last just as long
and as good. I know this from experience. The problem is, there
aren't that many good carpenters anymore, if there ever were that
many.
>On Fri, 19 Sep 2003 15:40:54 +0000 (UTC), kej...@ptdcs2.intel.com
>(Kelly E Jones) wrote:
>>Is this what passes for workmanship these days? Is it now commonplace
>>to miter such corners, rather than coping?
>He might not have the ability to cope with your request.
LOL!
It's always been my understanding that the main advantages to coping over
miters are:
1. The work for corners that are not exactly at 90 degrees.
2. The joint doesn't spread apart when you nail it to the wall. I still
don't know how you'd miter an inside corner and nail it without it spreading
apart.
As far as the expansion/contraction issues to humidity, I'm not
understanding now one would be better than the other. The wood will expand
the same either way. No?
Mike Dembroge
"Kelly E Jones" <kej...@ptdcs2.intel.com> wrote in message
news:bkf826$fu7$1...@news01.intel.com...
>
> I've got a contractor working on a remodel in my home. As part of the
> job, he's installed some base molding. On inside corners, he has
> mitered (rather than coped) the joint. The joints look crappy.
>
> Is this what passes for workmanship these days? Is it now commonplace
> to miter such corners, rather than coping?
>
After contracting for a lot of renovations this year (windows, siding,
skylights) I am convinced that there are very few craftsmen left, just employees
of companies whose only concern is billing jobs.
I have decided in the future that, where possible, I'll just buy the tools,
practice, and do it myself.
BTW, I cope most of the baseboard and ALL of the chair rail and crown molding.
>"Jeff Cochran" <nos...@mydomain.dude> wrote in message > Coping takes time.
>Unless a workman is getting paid for the time,
>> he's not going to take it.
>He wouldn't be working for me, and I would not take a job that demanded such
>shortcuts.
You might not. The realities of construction might make you
ineligible for some jobs.
> I teach carpentry. Guess what my students learn.
Hopefully both coping and mitering.
Keep in mind that a lot depends on the area of the country as well.
Locally, shrinkage is often less of a problem than in northern
climates with a heating season. I'm looking at the original trim
molding in my house right now, all mitered, no cracks, all done in
1954.
Jeff
That's actually a good point. If mitered joints look crappy then
there's no guarantee the coped ones would be any better. The workman
may just be low quality or inexperienced at trim carpentry.
Jeff
bentcajungirl wrote:
> I coped all my joints in my house. There is no argument in my book good
> enough for not coping. It's pretty quick, the result is way better than
> mitering. On my trim, there was a tricky round part, I coped the straight
> aways and basically trimmed the round part with the coping saw, then with a
> big round bit on the Dremel tool, cleaned out the round part. I'd say it
> took about a minute per joint.
> Perry
> "andy" <non-o...@business.com> wrote in message
> news:3f6b396b$1...@usenet01.boi.hp.com...
> > My neighbor wanted to borrow my miter saw to re-trim several rooms in his
> > house. I loaned him that saw and a coping saw and taught him how to cope
> the
> > joints. He practiced in my garage/shop till he was comfortable with the
> > technique. He then proceded to do the entire job with carefully coped
> joints
> > and it looks great. He did a quality job and he is very proud of the
> result.
Gary (speed coper <g>)