Need help finding a "Fine Woodworking"article

[Mike]

Hi, I recall seeing an article recently about fitting inset cabinet doors. I think it was in FWW but I maybe mistaken. I saw it within the last

18 months or so. Mike

[Rumpty]

Mike,

I have that issue somwhere, but reading it the guy went to all sorts of trouble making them fit. I donno, but if you make a square cabinet and square door it should fit, no? BTW, I was looking at these Blum inset hinges at a cabinet store today and they work well for the inset door. They made a bevel on each edge of the door to provide for clearance and a tight fit of the door.

Gee whiz Mike right on top of the stack, the April 2005 issue, # 176.

R.

[Mike]

[Mark & Juanita]

There have been several articles in recent history:

Fitting inset doors: ShopNotes Vol 14, #80 Mar/Apr 2005 pp 26 ff Install inset doors with ease: Fine Woodworking March/April 2005 pp 74 ff

While in the ideal world, the easiest installation is to have perfectly square doors and perfectly square frames, in my world those events have yet to happen. Slight misalignments and other stuff happens. These articles give some good tips for fitting doors in the real world.

+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+ If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough +--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+

[stoutman]

For future reference:

[Wes Stewart]

FWW No.176, April 2005, pp 74-79

Wes

[Swingman]

If can be of some help, here's the pertinent parts of an old post of mine from a couple of years back:

One method, of many:

Requirement: Perfectly, as possible, "square" face frame/cabinet sides.

Requirement: Perfectly, as possible, "flat" stock for the doors rails and stiles, so the door has NO warp.

If the door is warped, do something to get rid of it ... the warp, or the door. If the FF/cabinet sides are warped ... well.

You have previously made the door oversize in both dimensions ... about

3/32" wider and taller than the door opening ... you want to end up with about a 1/16" gap, all around, between the door and the face frame of a single, inset door in a cabinet.

Generally start by placing a bottom and top side, usually the bottom rail and hinge side stile, in the door opening.

Then start your choice of planing, cutting, jointing, sanding, on the top rail and opposite stile, for a TIGHT fit of the door in the opening.

Once you get the top and hinge side reduced to where the door will go JUST go in the opening with NO room to spare, pull the door out and make a mark

1/8" across the top rail and opposite stile.

Plane, cut, joint, sand, to this line ... but sneak up on it, with as many trial fittings as you need.

TIP: A good block plane is a invaluable tool when fitting inset doors.

Good luck ...

[Lenny]

Is the door getting painted ? Varnished ? Finish will add thickness. What part of the country are you located ? What time of year are you fitting the doors? Seasonal changes will effect the gap. In my opinion, if you don't factor in all these variables you could be re-fitting the doors if you only allow 1/16" gap.

Lenny

[Mike]

[Swingman]

If a pig had wings ...

The 1/16" gap around inset doors/drawers is traditional in fine furniture, but you do what you want.