Powermatic 2A single end tenoner for cabinet door rails?

[Bobby Robbinett]

So I am looking at a Powermatic 2A or an old Oliver single end tenoner. I was winding if one of these units can be used to cope cabinet door rails? In particular shaker rails with a 22 degree bevel around the panel profile. I know that single end tenoners are commonly used for mission style doors with no panel profile, just not sure if they are good for shaker doors with the bevel panel profile? Trying to free up some shapers for other task and a buddy has a Powermatic 2A that he would sell me for a decent price. Just curious.

[Jared Sankovich]

If they have the cope spindles, yes.

[Bobby Robbinett]

If they have the cope spindles, yes.

I probably wouldn’t need the saw blade section as my stock will already be cut to length. I plan to use it solely as a cope machine for making mostly 22 degree shaker doors. Would this setup be as accurate as a standard shaper with a Weaver sled? Are they adjustable to get them tuned and cutting squarely?

[Kevin Jenness]

They are solid machines. The one I saw had spiral steel blades that were set poorly, producing a tapered tenon. Apart from that it worked well.

[Mark Wooden]

As Jared said, long as either machine has cope spindles and heads, they're great for making any kind of cope cut within the machines capacities. I've used Powermatic, Poitras and Millbury tennoners for cabinet rails over the years and once set up, they're easier than using a shaper. Tooling can be costly though if they have certain types of heads that manufacturers no longer make knives for, requiring new heads.