DIY Home Improvement Forum banner

cabinet crown

4K views 40 replies 7 participants last post by  Fix'n it 
#1 ·
is it normal for the joints to not match up nearly perfectly ?
idk if i am cutting wrong, or thats just the way it is. the cabs are not perfectly square. i have dark cherry, and any imperfection shows.
 
#6 ·
no pics, as i didn't install any. i was just try'n it out to see how it goes.
no backer. i don't think i need any. as there is enough interface already there.

If the cabinets are not perfectly square (they should be) then all of the crown angles that you cut will need to be custom angles, or they won't fit the cabinets. You'll have gaps if you try to fit perfectly cut crown on out of square cabinets. You need an angle finder and a miter saw that cuts more than just a 45. And try to square the cabinets up. That should have been done at install time. Once you get them out of rack, the crown will go easier.
are any cabinets "perfectly" square ? i have not checked any of mine. but during install i did find out of square boxs. and how do you square up already assembled boxs ? the install isn't the issue, it was the assembly/manufacture.

When is the last time you trued up your saw? It doesn't take much to check if the saw is true---
i am using my bro's dewalt with a new $100+ blade. and i am not sure if it was trued up. i think it was, but i do not know. how do i check it ?
 
#4 ·
If the cabinets are not perfectly square (they should be) then all of the crown angles that you cut will need to be custom angles, or they won't fit the cabinets. You'll have gaps if you try to fit perfectly cut crown on out of square cabinets. You need an angle finder and a miter saw that cuts more than just a 45. And try to square the cabinets up. That should have been done at install time. Once you get them out of rack, the crown will go easier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: eandjsdad
#7 ·
Use a square and see if the blade is square to the fence---then set the square on the bed of the saw and check that the blade is square ---

A second check?? cut a wide scrap of wood---then flip it over and make a paper thin cut along your original cut---If the paper thin cut is perfectly straight---the fence is true--

Do a similar test against the fence---

Cheap saw or Rolls Royce--they all go out of whack if mishandled or worked hard---

I check mine every time it comes out of the truck,if it's getting used for trim---
 
#9 ·
Make a thin cut--the flip the board over---and cut along the original cut---

Perfect is needed--both back fences must be in line----use a straight edge---if one is out of line with your other,the miters will not be true.

Are you cutting the crown 'nested' against the fence (upside down)---if so,what are you using to keep the crown from moving? do you have crown stops or a home made jig to keep the cuts consistent?
 
#13 ·
Well---that doesn't make sense---:laughing:

You can make a simple jig that will get this job done---

You need to male a long --L shaped thing out of some 1/2 Inch scrap plywood----one is the table--the other is the fence---nest the crown ,upside down against the wood fence----glue/pin or otherwise attach a long thin stop to the 'table' so that the crown is always in the same position--

Then fasten this to the saw---double faced tape is dandy--a clamp might work---

Then cut the jig---45 left and 45 right---remove the loose scrap and you now have a throw away crown stop jig---

I've also hammered a wood plug into the holes in the front of the saw and screwed wood stops into the plugs---
dewalt crown stops - Google Search
 
#15 ·
Nice saw----make your self a jig---if the crown slips the tiniest bit while cutting,you miters will be off---

If you have double faced sticky tape.you could just stick a block to both sides of the table---
 
#17 ·
look at the crown stops in the picture I linked to----if the crown can't move out of position,your jig is good---

Cabinets are usually square-----cutting test blocks out of scrap wood will be the simplest way to see if the angle need adjusting---

If any of your cabinets have 45* offsets--then you need to be suspicious of the actual angle---make test blocks and adjust the angle as needed on the scrap---

Angle finders are dandy tools---some day I might own one---but I've installed thousands of feet of trim with little more than an adjustable bevel and a pad of paper----

Test blocks are good--if the test is perfect,then the crown should be ,too.
 
#20 ·
You can bed the crown in on the saw and draw a line on the saw where the crown sits and put the crown on the line each time. It is a lot better if you have the stops though.
 
#21 ·
i understand that. but the problem is, seems to me, that this cutting crown thing, is very exacting. like .001" could be noticed, at least with my darker finish. and "bedding the crown" isn't going to cut it. as the crown could have issues that will not let the piece be properly bedded.

oh, i know about .001". i am a hobby machinist. i have my own metal lathe and mill. and i have made several functioning engine parts for my hot rod.
 
#25 ·
I haven't seen 1 mil as a problem. On prestained with a penetrating stain, there's a fair amount of penetration into the wood, and sanding during the finishing schedule takes off more than 1 mil. It won't turn out like a CAD drawing, but visually it can look perfect.

It's wood...
 
#27 ·
If you are going to touch up the ends just touch up the joints before installing, you will never see even a slight .001 open joint. The down side is you can't glue the joints well with stain on them. Just know that on down the road chances are the joints will open after being up in the hotter air of the room.
 
#28 ·
I have installed many kitchens and done many crown jobs. Go to a hardware store and go into the finishing area and get a "touch up marker" that is close to the color of your crown and a wax putty stick. It doesn't have to be a perfect match but close. Before you assemble any miter, color the inside of the miter outside edge. This way you will not see the natural wood if your miter is off and it will not effect the glue. Use the wax putty sick to fill any gaps and nail holes, wipe off with some mineral spirits (Varsol). If it is dark wood, then a sharpie is all you need. Crown stops and jigs work well but I just mark the table like BigJim. If you have lots of crown then try to cut outside miters with the same material, if you are "cutting it close" cut all the big pieces first, this way you can use a miss cut somewhere else. Inside miters are fine for cabinets as long as everything is square BUT consider coping for walls or out of square cabinets.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top