Coping

Just like in life, it's how well you deal with irregularities that sets you apart...

This morning I cut all the base shoe.  I installed all of it in the bathroom because it will be easy to paint in place.  That's not necessarily true in the bar area.  Some of the shoe will be difficult to do in place, so I'll prime and paint before installing it.  Other parts need to be stained to match the cabinets and that's also easier done prior to installation.

One of the tricks to get a tight fitting inside joint is "coping"  Remember in the previous post where I mentioned that nothing is plumb, square, or level?  Coping solves the problem when corners aren't 90 degrees, too.

 Rather than cutting both side with an inside miter, you only do one (the one on the right in this photo).  Just let the other side die into the corner.

Step two is to to take a pencil and rub it along the edge of the mitered cut.  It gives a clear definition of the molding's profile.

Now just take your coping saw (you wondered why it was called a coping saw didn't you?) and cut along the pencil line.  You don't want it perfectly perpendicular; removing a little extra material at the back of the molding will actually make it fit better in the end.

When you're done, it will look like this photo.  It's OK that it is ugly at the back, as long as you followed the pencil line along the miter's edge...

Then flip it back over and check the fit.

Voila.

Perfect joint.