Setting Up the Jig
1. Before you pick up the jig, make a simple crosscut on
your saw to create a 2 foot long piece of your molding to be used as
a template throughout the job.
2. To begin setting up the jig, place your
template piece in the jig with the bottom edge up. This orientation
is very important. Every single cut you make is done with the bottom
of the molding closest to the blade. In English pubs, people drink
toasts by saying "Bottoms up!", which means they tilt they glasses
until the bottom is above the rim, and they drain their beer in one
gulp. (Now that you've read that, it will be a lot easier to
remember "Bottom's up!" every time you place a piece of crown
molding in the jig.)
 3.
Adjust the fence so that the top and bottom edges of the molding
are flush, as shown in the photo at right.. That is, the top of the
molding (which meets the bottom of the jig) should form a 90 degree
angle where it meets the sliding fence.
4. Tighten the two knobs on the jig to lock in
your setting. That's it! You are now all set to make every compound
cut required in a standard crown molding installation.
Making the Cuts
There are only five different cuts required in almost any crown
molding job. You are either cutting a left or right inside or
outside corner, or you are making a splice to join two lengths of
molding on a long wall. As you stand in the center of a rectangular
room and look into one of the four corners, the piece of molding
which will be attached to the wall on the left of the corner is an
"inside left". If your room has alcoves, or is L-shaped, you will
have at least one outside corner.
Not all corners are exactly 90 degrees. By using the
TRUE ANGLE protractor, you can check each angle. Divide
the number by 2 (the result will invariably be within a degree or
two of 45), and set your saw accordingly for a tight fitting joint
every time. Let's make some cuts...
Take the 2 foot long template piece you cut earlier and write
"Inside" on it. Now you need to cut an inside right on one end of
the template, and an inside left on the other. Let's begin with the
inside right.
Looking at the saw, swing the blade 45 degrees to your left. Place
the molding in the jig ("Bottom's UP!) and place the jig on the bed
of the saw. The bulk of the workpiece should be to the left of the
blade. Slide the jig so that the cut will remove a minimum of waste.
Make sure the jig is NOT IN THE PATH OF THE BLADE. Without turning
on the saw, drop the blade to make sure it misses the jig. Adjust if
required. Keep your left hand on the molding inside the confines of
the jig (where it is safe), and make the cut.
To summarize: On a right inside corner, the blade is 45
degrees to the left, and the bulk of the workpiece is to the left of
the blade.
What's really nice is that you don't have to remember
that - it's printed right on the jig (along with the orientations
for left inside corners and both outside corners).
Now, let's cut a left inside corner on the other end of the
template. Looking at the saw, swing the blade 45 degrees to your
right. Place the molding in the jig ("Bottom's UP!) and place the
jig on the bed of the saw. The bulk of the workpiece should be to
the right of the blade. Slide the jig so that the cut will remove a
minimum of waste. Make sure the jig is NOT IN THE PATH OF THE BLADE.
Without turning on the saw, drop the blade to make sure it misses
the jig. Adjust if required. Keep your right hand on the molding
inside the confines of the jig (where it is safe), and make the cut.
To summarize: On a left inside corner, the blade is 45
degrees to the right, and the bulk of the workpiece is to the right
of the blade.
When you are cutting actual pieces (as opposed to the template),
you may have to make a very slight adjustment to the 45 degrees,
depending on how close to 90 degrees your room's corners are. But
you'll be pleasantly surprised that almost all cuts will end up
working quite well with the saw set to 45 degrees. You now know how
to make all your inside and outside corner cuts. The only thing left
to cover is splicing. In that case, you place the workpiece in the
jig ("Bottom's up!"), set the blade at 45 degrees in either
direction, and make a cut at one end of one piece of molding. Then,
leave the setup exactly the same and make your second cut on the end
of a second piece of molding. As long as the angle of the miter saw
blade remains the same, you'll have a perfect splice every time.
Installation
In one hand, hold the end of the workpiece that fits in
the corner. In the other hand, hold your template. With the bottoms
down, slide them both into the corner and make minor adjustments
until you have a perfect fit (no gaps). Nail the workpiece in place
- a finish nailgun works wonderfully, and they're cheap to rent.
If the workpiece is more than a couple of feet long, you'll need a
helper. If a live body isn't available, take a look at Rockler's
Multi-Quick support. It's very inexpensive and it will hold a length
of molding in position while you make minor adjustments and/or nail
the piece in place.
Notes
You'll need to make up three templates - one for inside corners,
one for outside corners, and one for splices. They are used as
visual checks so you always make the right cut, and also to line up
the molding on the wall during installation.
Note that the jig doesn't slide on the bed of your saw once you're
set up, or that the molding doesn't slip in the jig. This is in part
due to a non-slip material applied to both faces of the back (fixed)
fence - a small detail but one you'll be delighted with in the
course of the job.
The jig can handle moldings up to 4-7/8" wide (depending on the
angles of the top and bottom edges).
Choosing a Crown Molding
To see pictures of various crown molding which can be used in
applications such as walls, cabinets and furniture, visit the
following links:
 Shown:
Rockler item #53530
Suggested Tools and Supplies
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