I have a kitchen to do with inset doors and drawers. The frame around them has a bead detail on it. I have done smaller projects with the bead and its a real pain to get a nice fit with trying to mitre the bead. How has everybody else done this. I hope theres a quicker and less painless way of doing it that I haven’t come up with yet.
Pat
Replies
I think you are talking about a "cock bead"? Sometimes it's applied to the door or drawer front, other times it's applied or built in to the face frame. If you are mitering around the face frame, make sure the frame is built square. You still have to cut each piece. I like using a miter sled on the table saw for a better, more controllable cut. If you use one with the point of the V facing the operator, you will keep any fuzz to the outside corner of the piece and not on the inside of the bead, where it might show or chip. Miter saws are a little too coarse for my taste. A good, fine, cross cut blade can make very fine fitting cuts and you can shave just a bit when needed. I get better results if the pieces slip into place easily, rather than springing them in tight. A Lion miter trimmer can also make fine shaving cuts but I prefer the sled. If you are going to be producing this style for large production runs, Hoffman makes a specialized machine for frames that have the bead cut into the edge of the face frame material, it's too expensive for just a few jobs.
Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Thanks for the info. The bead is going on the faceframe. I have always done it on the rails and stiles and cut and mitred the bead. Someone told me to make the bead seperate and apply it after the face frame is together. What is your opinion on doing it that way.
Pat
Any
For a higher end chest of drawers or hutch, I'd say do it the traditional way, and mill the stiles and rails.
For a kitchen, mill a whack of bead material, and pin it on with a 23ga nailer. Looks clean, you can adjust it as required to compensate for and unevenness. And it can be replaced if damaged later on.
The older I get, the better I was....
Even some fine traditional furniture was made with separate cock beading--even applied cross grain on drawers.
Pat, I think the easiest way to do the bead on kitchen cabinets and such is to apply it after attaching the face frame. If you use some stick spacers when installing the face frames, you can make sure all the opposing opening sizes are identical. You can then set up your sled with a stop to cut multiple pieces. I like to glue mine in and sometimes will add a few 23 GA. pins.With some furniture, the frame is on edge rather than flat like a kitchen face frame. The combination of the bead shaped on the frame and the dado notch it fits into, on the vertical stiles, creates a structural component. This is a good approach with a chest of drawers and other furniture.Beat it to fit / Paint it to match
Pat
I'm in the process of building a kitchen with the same detail.
I'm routing the bead on the stiles and rails and making jigs to do all the miters. Its working out OK.
I've done it the other way to and you really cant go wrong either way.
Doug
Is this done after the face frame is assembled? Can you describe the jig you use? I'm trying figure out how to make the corners cleanly.
Rosco
I just saw this message, I'll respond to it when I get home tonight, going to a football game. I-AA playoffs here in San Marcos, TX.
Doug
Just got back to this myself. Good luck to your team. Me, I'm trying to forget about football, at least until next year.
Edited 12/11/2005 6:01 pm ET by Rosco
Rosco
Living down here in Texas about the only thing you ever hear of is TEXAS!
Yea my alma mater(University of Northern Iowa) beat Texas State and now play for the national I-AA championship next Friday. GO PANTHERS!!!
Heres how I deal with the face frame.
I mill up all my ff stock, then route the bead on the appropriate edges, some get one edge some get both.
I made a simple jig to clamp down to my miter saw that allows me to make the 45's on rails that butt into the styles. I dont flip the jig, just flip the rail over, if you have a sharp blade it will cut clean.
For the styles I set my sliding compound saw to cut to the exact depth of the bead and do my 45's. You will have to play with this a bit but once you get a system it goes fairly well.
For styles that have rails intersecting in the middle I cut my two 45's, both directions, and then just hit the center with a sharp chisel and knock that piece out, it doesn't matter if you get a little blow out on the back side, you'll never see it and the pocket screws dont pull it out of wack.
For the ends of the styles that have a rail butting into it I cut the 45 and run the piece in the table saw to cut off the bead, again dont worry about the backside getting cut from the circular blade, you'll never see it.
All my face frames get pocket screwed together and then attached to the carcass, I usually glue them on trying not to put any nails in if avoidable, usually a nail here or there is necessary but if you pick your spot wisely you'll never see them.
Here is some pictures of what I currently have going on.
I'm terrible at describing stuff, feel free to ask, maybe I can do better.
Or stop by the house this week and I'll show you in person!!! The weather is going to be in the 60 - 70's so I'm sure that you would enjoy the change. <G>
Doug
Thanks for the detailed explanation. Very clear. Nice looking cabinets too.
10 degrees this morning. State fans were looking for a warm bowl to go to but that was not to be. B-ball is heating up though.
I see your Wolverines are headed down here to the Alamo bowl, nothing for the Spartans?
As a former Iowa resident I know all to well the Big Ten BB season is heating up! Damn Hawkeyes, lost a pair to the interstate rivals last week.
Later
Doug
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