How To Chamfer Cabinet Door Frame?

How do you build doors like this one? Frame and panel, M&T joinery, inside edge is chamfered.

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Full link:

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Does the chamfer extend all the way to the ends of the stiles with a matching "inside chamfer" (?) on the ends of the rails to create the crisp corner?

This guys cleans up the corners after routing the assembled frame, but I can't see (me) doing that for the 120+ corners I'd need to clean up for my kitchen doors and drawers.

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I'm sure hoping that there is some router table/table saw trick that I don't know about.

Reply to
DerbyDad03
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Reply to
-MIKE-

That bit looks like it cuts the chamfer all the way down to the slot. Do you know if the bits come apart so that you can use washers to make a shallower chamfer and leave some "flat" wood between the chamfer and the panel?

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Yes.

Not >

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A lot more work.

See Mike's link. Rail and stile router bits come in all styles.

Reply to
Leon

Mike's link is a start, but I'll keep looking. I don't think that bit - unless it's adjustable with washers - is the same profile. That appears to be a full chamfer while the style I'm looking for is shallower.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

And one of Roy Underhill's programs demonstrates how to produce a similar b eveled or curved, mating edge (making window sashes) using hand planes. I n Roy's demo, one small part of the tenon is shaved (cut off) to accommodat e a space needed for the full mating, otherwise, the concept (profile-makin g) is essentially the same.

When using a router bit, try to make sure you can mark your board, exactly, and score the cut line with a razor edge, such that, there is little to no tear out along the facing's back-beveled edge. A sharp router bit helps prevent tear out, of course. Depending on your lumber, that beveled edge co uld have some tear out, so take note of this possibility.

In Roy's demo, not only does he score this cut/bevel edge line, but he hand cuts the bevel, a bit, before using the hand plane. This can be seen in this video, at the 4:15 through 5:00 time. Though you may not make a beve led cut, you might want to consider, at least, scoring your cut line, this way:

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You had mentioned having hand re-positioning issues, using the router, on a previous project. Possibly, any subsequent hand re-positioning issues ma y compound a tear out issue. A score line might help prevent this.

*Re-positioning your hands may not come into play, as I suppose a miter gau ge would be used for stability, when routing the ends of a board, this way.

Not trying to be redundant, but score lines have often save my efforts on e ven the simplest of cuts, so I try to use them on 'most everything.

Sonny

Reply to
Sonny

It would depend on the set. With some sets adding washers or repositioning a cutter results in a misfit. IIRC some sets allow this. It appears that if you shim a cutter to leave a flat space you may end up having to make a double pass with or with out some cutters. IMHO running a second pass may ruin the profile or allow a loose fit. I would look for a bit set that matches you needs with out extra set up.

Reply to
Leon

Look here

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Now look at the profile pictures below the big picture of the bit set. Go to set 91-504. Scroll down to the pricing of that set. $89.00 including a set up block.

FWIW I do not use set up blocks. On scraps I adjust the height of the bit to what I want in appearance and then when coping the ends of the rails I test on a scrap to fit the stiles.

Reply to
Leon

Reply to
-MIKE-

Thanks, but 91-504 is not the profile I am trying to achieve. That profile appears to be flat-chamfer-flat. I'm looking for chamfer-flat.

If you look closely at this image, you will see that the chamfer starts on the outside face of frame and ends part way down the inside edge of the frame. Imagine that instead of just softening the inside edge of the frame with a quick sanding, I want to chamfer that edge about halfway down towards the panel.

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I could probably set the height of that bit to eliminate the outer flat section, but that would move the groove up also and I'd lose the reveal that I am going for - unless the bit is adjustable via washers - which it does not appear to be.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

Understood, adjust the cutter up about 1/16".

Understood, see above.

Correct! But I think the groove would only be 1/16" closer to the face of the frame if you raised the bit 1/16" to eliminate the top flat area just before the chamfer begins. If you are using flat panels for the door inserts it might be hard to tell the difference. And maybe you want more flat below the chamfer, that would certainly require a different bit.

BUT, basically I wanted to show you that this is the style bit you are looking for.

Give Infinity a call, IIRC they are a small spin off company, son of the owner of the original Jaseda bit company.

Reply to
Leon

That's the opposite of what I am trying to achieve. Can you move the flat section down so that it is next to the panel and the chamfer starts at the face of the frame? Thanks! ;-)

Reply to
DerbyDad03

I will call them later. I called Freud, who makes adjustable R&S bits like the 99-760 1/4" round- over set, but they don't make an adjustable chamfer profile.

I know the profile I want exists, because SWMBO saw it at HD and we both like it. I want more reveal than plain old boring "centered" and the chamfer softens the depth nicely.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

It's more than likely the production stuff you saw at HD was built using stacked shaper cutters rather than a router.

Reply to
Scott Lurndal

Well, just because it exists does not mean it is available. What you both may have seen is a proprietary design that only the manufacturer has. BUT you will likely find something close enough.

Reply to
Leon

Yes, I had considered that possibility/issue, although it's hard to believe that such a simple profile isn't readily available.

I called Infinity and the rep doesn't think they carry what I want, at least not based on my verbal description. She asked that I send them a picture of the profile that I want so she can show it to her techs. "Maybe they can think of something that will help" I sent them this.

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I'll let you know what they say. Thanks for the nudge in the right direction.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

All you need is a regular cope and stick bit or bits where the cutters are removeable so you can shim or cut in two passes. These look like they could work...

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For that matter, you cut cut it all on a table saw but the ends of the rails might need a small amount of hand work.

Reply to
dadiOH

Does the chamfer extend all the way to the ends of the stiles with a

Now look at the profile pictures below the big picture of the bit set.

Honestly, the original link you posted where the guy used a router, then cut the edges by hand... you'd be surprised at how good and fast you'd get at that using a scary-sharp chisel.

Reply to
-MIKE-

Hey MIKE and Leon...

Looked at the links with keen interest. It is my imagination, or are route r bids less expensive or at least holding their prices?

I had a couple of projects to do about 10 years ago where I edged all the t rim by hand for a client. It wasn't a ton (500' or so) and I didn't want t o buy Amana, CMT or others because of the price, so I went with MLCS since they told me that if I didn't like them I could return them. I liked the bi ts and put a couple of my contractor buddies on to them and they used their door sets with great success.

Best for them was the fact that they were literally 30-40% less than the bi g guys. Now MLCS is cheaper than I remember, and likewise the bits on the links you posted.

Is it my imagination? Are production methods to the point where these guys can hold the line on pricing?

Robert

Reply to
nailshooter41

Thanks for that. A few issues/questions.

Issue: The angle is 22° while I was looking for 45° so I don't kn ow how that will work for me. I'd hate to drop $130 for something that we don't like. Obviously I will looking at the return policy from where ever I buy.

Issue: This guy did not give that bit a very good review:

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Question: When you look at that bit do you think that washers could be placed between the angled cutter and the groove cutter? The goal is *not* to have the chamfer go all the way down to the slot. See the bottom profile here, which I sent to Infinity tools to see what they had:

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That means that the angle cutter and groove cutter need to be spaced some distance apart in order to leave a right angle section at the panel. Then, of course, the coping bit needs to be able to be altered to match.

Reply to
DerbyDad03

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