Technique needed for roundover face frame

[Nathan Yeager]

I am desiging a small cubbyhole type cabinet that will have 20 total spaces (5 x 4). It will be a simple plywood case with cherry face frame and moulding.

I would like all face frame pieces to be rounded over. I am not sure what the best technique is for accomplishing this. Theoretically the intersections will come to a perfect point. I'm unsure if half lap joints are still appropriate as well as how to construct the mating roundover faces.

I've attached a pic of the entire case as well as one of the face frame intersections to describe what I am trying to do.

Thanks for any suggestions.
-Nathan

[Joe Chritz]

How wide are the stiles and rails of the face frame?

It is a bit different than a traditional beaded face frame, although you could use a beaded frame for that application and it would look good.

If you can find a profile you like you could use a mullion set for a router. Just like glass door grills.

Joe

[Jim Holman]

Use an applied molding, faster to the case with brads and miter all corners.

[Nathan Yeager]

The rails and stiles are 1/2" wide.

Jim: Not exactly sure what you mean by "miter all corners". How does that help me with the intersecting round-overs?

[Chip Lindley]

It's not an easy thing to accomplish. If you should round over each edge of the mouldings with a router bit, it will look just like you used a router to round over all the edges. There will be no crisp intersection between vertical and horizontal dividers.

To accomplish what you want, half round moulding strips can be milled with a router bit. The perimeter applied with mitered corners. Then apply half-rounds to the divider fronts in the horizontal direction. Intersections with the perimeter moulding is best done by sanding the ends to a concave radius, same as the moulding profile. This might be easiest done with sandpaper wrapped around a dowel in the drill press. A fence can be made to guide the moulding against the sanding mandrel.

Each piece will have to be fit individually to achieve a good looking joint. Labor-intensive, Yes! But, IMO this method would be preferable to cutting 90 degree male and female V's to fit all pieces together.

After the long, horizontal divider mouldings are applied, it's time to add short pieces in the vertical direction. Lots of sanding and fitting, but it will achieve a truely nice-looking cabinet with perfect "X's" at each divider intersection! Probably nobody will appreciate it as much as you will!

[Joe Chritz]

At a 1/2" wide you have a very large job ahead of you. You essentially need to cope the ends somehow to align with the verticals. I like the sanding drum idea. I wonder if you could attach the verticals and then sand the ends of the horizontals with the same radius. You would have a lot of trial and fit to sneak up on a good fit.

If it is paint you can get away with a lot more since you can fill easily.

Doing it as a giant beaded face frame would be easiest but the pieces would have to be a fair bit wider. Probably 7/8" to 1" at the very minimum.

Joe

[johnny means]

Gert yourself a sharp cove bit to match your round over. Use this to machine the ends of your "rail" pieces after installing the "stile" pieces which must be coved on each end. The perimeter pieces would be applied first with normal miters. Of course, this would be very labor intensive and require ludicrously tight tolerances to look good.

[Richard Dragin]

Build the cabinet and then rout the face with a round over bit. Build an over sized base for your router so you don't tip. Very simple.

[johnny means]

Build the cabinet and then rout the face with a round over bit. Build an over sized base for your router so you don't tip. Very simple.

I don't think he wants the rounded corners that would make. Routers don't make mitered corners to well. Think melamine raised panel doors.

[russell lusthaus]

I you went with a chamfer instead of the roundover, a little chisel work in the corners will give you the crisp look you are after.

[Greg Book]

You could miter every intersection, so that basically every intersection would have an X shaped joint. Every stick of wood would the width or height of each cubby, the ends would be spear shaped and fit together with an X shaped joint. This is probably easier and more accurate than cutting a cove to fit over another piece.

[Thom Porterfield]

Consider a different approach: let either the rails or the stiles be proud of the other. This would allow a butt joint (ala Arts and Crafts/Green&Green, etc) and be very quick and have the cleanest joints. You already have that element going in the way the top of the cabinet overhangs the front and sides.

[Nathan Yeager]

Thanks for the suggestions.

Greg, I suppose you are right. This is the only way I see it working. I was hoping to find something different as I lose the strengthening aspect of the face frame by dividing up all of the pieces.

For this piece it is purely ornamental and I'm not too worried about it. But I wanted to practice the technique on this simple piece for another more prominent project I have in mind.

I think I can get my miter saw set up to accurately and efficiently make each of those cuts on the rails and stiles. Not looking forward to cutting the V's into the top trim and base moulding though.