My old way of cutting crown was a mess until a guy in Spokane showed me his trick

I used to try and cut crown flat on the miter saw, holding it upside down and backwards, and I'd waste a ton of wood getting the angles wrong. About two years back, I was helping a buddy on a job in Spokane and his lead guy saw me struggling. He told me to just mark the wall and ceiling angles on the back of the piece with a pencil and treat those lines like any other trim cut. I mean, it sounds simple, but it changed everything for me. Now I get it right on the first try almost every time. Does anyone else have a different method that works for them?

4 comments

4 Comments

jana_jones1mo ago

Remember my friend who kept buying new jigs? He watched a guy just use a speed square on the wall and it clicked for him. Sometimes the old school way is just the right way.

kimr741mo ago

Friend of mine spent a fortune on clamps and guides. Then he watched a carpenter mark a perfect 45 with just a speed square and a pencil. Sold all his fancy jigs the next week.

cora5181mo ago

Wow, the professional secret was just using a pencil.

the_linda1mo ago

For years I believed you needed expensive gear to make good art. That post about the pencil really shifted my view. It's a strong reminder that skill matters more than tools. I wasted a lot of time chasing fancy supplies instead of just practicing. Now my favorite sketchbook is full of simple pencil drawings. What's the best simple tool you've used lately?