# Coping with quarter round



## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

In preparation for installing some quarter round along the baseboard moulding in my house I realized I had a few places where making mitered cuts would be very difficult and I decided the best way would be a coped joint. 

Since my quarter round stock is 5/8", I made a simple sled jig that uses a 5/8" cove bit to cope the end of the quarter round.

It is basically a push block with a locking clamp to hold the stock. One edge lets you cope for a right hand joint and the opposite edge for a left hand joint without changing anything other than how the quarter round stock is positioned in the sled.

The key is a clamp that holds the quarter round stock while cutting. I cut the cove profile on a wide piece and then ripped it narrower to make a clamp block. The clamp block is attached to a top piece that holds it to the sled and allows it to be tightened against the quarter round. A little sandpaper glued to the edge of the sled where it meets the stock helps keep the quarter round in place. 

The photos explain it easier than I can describe it.

My test cuts on some scrap worked well and allowed me to make the cuts with confidence and minimal effort.


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

brilliant Oliver...
and all this time I was using a RTA grinder w/ a, unbacked sanding disks...


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## PhilBa (Sep 25, 2014)

Sweet. I noticed several coping sleds for sale that seem fairly complex but when you just ride against a fence, it makes it a lot easier to build a jig. I've been doing more fence riding jigs lately, beats making a miter track based jig (or buying one).


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## Ghidrah (Oct 21, 2008)

Way back when I was taught what why and how a back cut and cope was produced, (interior house trim) the rational for the back cut is to provide the correct profile. The reason for the angle on the cope was to provide an edge sharp enough to override an obtuse inside corner and dig into the opposing trim piece a smidge to account for possible future shrinkage.

The router and the jig certainly makes a beauty of a cut, in a perfect world where all is square and wood doesn't shrink.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

So ,Oliver what length of material do you find optimum to cope. Obviously a 10'-20' length would not be feasible to cope that way, being a might awkward to handle. 
Another unrelated question is what kind of joint do you use to join two straight pieces of molding, butt,12 deg., 45 degree? Just curious.

Herb


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## Stick486 (Jan 4, 2013)

I'd like to venture that a support roller can take yo the longer lengths..
or...
it could be adapted foe free hand routering...
utility knife to back cut f need be...


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## Gaffboat (Mar 11, 2012)

Herb Stoops said:


> So ,Oliver what length of material do you find optimum to cope. Obviously a 10'-20' length would not be feasible to cope that way, being a might awkward to handle.
> Another unrelated question is what kind of joint do you use to join two straight pieces of molding, butt,12 deg., 45 degree? Just curious.
> 
> Herb


The longest piece I need to cope with this jig is less than 6 feet and won't be a problem since it weighs virtually nothing and I can easily hold it while coping with no problems. If I have to join two straight pieces of molding I usually make a 45º scarf joint because I can sand the final joint to make it almost invisible, especially when it will be painted. For the project needing the jig, the quarter round will be stained.


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

This is a really good idea, Oliver, I am going to make one of these, I like the simplicity of it all. Thanks for showing the details they are easy to understand.
Herb


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## Cherryville Chuck (Sep 28, 2010)

Stick486 said:


> I'd like to venture that a support roller can take yo the longer lengths..
> or...
> it could be adapted foe free hand routering...
> utility knife to back cut f need be...


Both are great ideas. You could take Oliver's jig and turn it upside down, add a fence for the router to run against and then handheld the profile on the quarter round. 

I use a sharp knife to back cut all my mouldings just for good measure.It seems to me they just tend to fit better together if you do.


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## paduke (Mar 28, 2010)

Ghidrah said:


> Way back when I was taught what why and how a back cut and cope was produced, (interior house trim) the rational for the back cut is to provide the correct profile. The reason for the angle on the cope was to provide an edge sharp enough to override an obtuse inside corner and dig into the opposing trim piece a smidge to account for possible future shrinkage.
> 
> The router and the jig certainly makes a beauty of a cut, in a perfect world where all is square and wood doesn't shrink.


 Two different worlds shop vs field view But I agree in the field nothing beats a coped sharp edge for making 1/4 rd tite fits


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## DesertRatTom (Jul 3, 2012)

Elegant. Sure beats the old coping saw.


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## firstmuller (Aug 28, 2014)

DesertRatTom said:


> Elegant. Sure beats the old coping saw.


Thats what I always used. Looks like a nice jig.
Allen


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## JudgeMike (Feb 27, 2012)

Great idea Oliver! Very clever...


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Great sled Oliver!

Anyone making this time saver just needs to remember to feed the material into the bit in the proper direction (right to left). For left hand the material will be to the front of the sled and right hand the material will be at the rear of the sled. Just see the pictures Oliver provided for feed direction and this sled should work great.


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