fitting inset drawer fronts

[Robert Reece]

I have a whole kitchen worth of inset drawer fronts to fit. I was thinking I would make them slightly large and then fit them. Should I do the final fitting with a plane or just run them downstairs to my jointer? (sounds like a lot of up and down, but I could use the exercise).

If plane, what plane is best? A block plane or something larger? I used to have a Stanley Low angle block plane but the last craftsman was putting up my cedar shingles and dropped it off the scaffolding. So, if I need a plane to do this job, I will be in the market for a nice plane, no cheap junk for me.

[Darnell Hagen]

If you're consistant and accurate with your openings, the fronts can be sawn to size and cleaned up with the jointer/ block plane/ sandpaper. If you need to fit to irregular or out of square openings, a block plane is the tool of choice. You want a standard angle plane, not a low, they're for end grain unless you regrind the edge to a much higher angle. I like my Veritas standard block plane.

[Peter Quinn]

Fitting kitchen cabinet drawer fronts? Are they solid or a mitered frame around a panel? If they are solid, you will be facing both edge and end grain, so if planing you may want both a low angle and a standard angle plane.

I'll usually use a combination of saw, jointer and hand planes, a very light touch, and a couple of nickles to set the gap. If the openings are out of square you will need to get used to making tapers, which is simple on the jointer by starting the pass a bit past the cutter head, or on a saw by shimming the piece off the cross cut fence or rip fence with sticky note pads.

I use blum adjusters to set the gap and make it adjustable going forward.

[Robert Reece]

The drawer fronts are frame and panel (so called "shaker style"). So I will be planing the end grain of the stiles. Maybe that calls for the jointer and or saws.

I did use the Blum slides with the front adjuster.

[Jay Allen]

When you have to do both end-grain and long grain in the same piece, it compounds things a little.

The jointer is not going to go well with the end-grain that is going to be the "trailing end" of your parts. It will tend to blow-out the edge and there really isn't a good way to support those fibers. You may get-by with it however by doing the height first and then trimming the width. This will cut off any of the blow-out from the first passes.

You could also accomplish the same thing with a router and a flush-trim bit. This allows for the use of a "back-up" block that keeps the blow-out from happening. Use the biggest diameter bit you can get ahold of for the smoothest cut.

An edge sander would be great, but very few of us have access to such things in the home-shop environment.

[Matthew Bradburn]

I've had reasonably good luck trimming doors with the festool saw and track, using laminate bits as shims to mark the desired size on the door, then cutting up to the line with the saw. It's pretty good for cutting both the long grain and end grain, I may have used a backer to prevent tearout as the sawblade exits the workpiece.

When attempting this on the jointer, there's a problem with the trailing cross grain; consider doing the trailing cross-grain first and then rotating the workpiece 180 degrees around the vertical axis to complete the cut -- working from both ends toward the middle if that makes sense. That's only if you intend to remove the same amount all along the edge, of course.

[Peter Quinn]

You could also accomplish the same thing with a router and a flush-trim bit. This allows for the use of a "back-up" block that keeps the blow-out from happening. Use the biggest diameter bit you can get ahold of for the smoothest cut..

You can still use the jointer, just use a back up block with it! Most jointers have at least a 3" diameter head, and that is likely the biggest diameter flush trimmer in your shop! But I'd probably use the TS with a panel sled, or at work a sliding panel saw. Definitely do the end grain passes first if possible.

Oh, most cabinet shops have a large horizontal oscillating belt sander, so if you have one of those and are comfortable with it, that is a good option too.

[Jim Becker]

Robert, there is the physical act of trimming the drawer fronts which folks have already commented on pretty well. But you also have to consider what the final size needs to actually be to provide an average gap that works seasonally through both expansion and contraction of the material, particularly if your drawer fronts are made with solid stock. Some fine furniture makers go to great pains to mathematically calculate this out. (there was an article a few years ago in Fine Woodworking, I believe, about this) Others just know from experience that when they build in the winter when it is colder and dryer, they need to leave a larger initial gap across the grain (usually top and bottom for a drawer with normal grain orientation) than they would if they were building during the summer.

Also, if you are using certain types of slides (usually with cabinetry and less common with furniture) you may need to bevel the top edge of the drawer front to insure it can slide into the opening without catching on the face frame at the top of the opening.

[keith micinski]

Why not just build them to size to start with? If you have irregular openings then obviously this won't work as well but most cabinets are pretty square to start with.

[Bill McDermott]

Robert, You might send the same question to the Neaderthals. Working primarily with handtools, the ideal of not using a plane to fit a drawer front would never have occurred to me. Interesting to see how many ways people skin cats. I suggest trying that forum to get a thread about proper tooling and technique. If I were to recommend a single plane to you - for this purpose and to fill the void in your arsenal, I'd suggest a low-angle smoother from Lee Valley (part number 05P25.01). That will require only a honing to work well. Less costly alternatives will demand a tune up. It will give good results on this and many more projects. As others have said, you need to work from the outside to the inside and avoid planing off the ends as the grain will blow out. Love a good honest reason to buy a cool new tool. Good luck. May your gaps be consistently tight. Bill

[Don Dorn]

There is no doubt that under those circumstances, my choice would be a plane - probably a smoother as I think it would take awhile and a block isn't very comfortable for a longer task. It also has a higher chance of beveling the edge due to the short bed.

Make the door fronts a tiny bit proud, set them in the opening and make a fine pencil mark. Plane to the pencil mark and any more that's necessary. This way, you custom make it for your opening. It won't take near as long as you think and there is very little danger of taking too much unless you go too long without checking. It's how the old cabnetmakers did it.

As to the end grain situation - yes, it adds a little more time, but go about half way and then come in from the other side with the plane. The only other option is to slightly chamfer the back edge so it doesn't tear out, but for your task, I would go with the first approach. I've done this and it takes about 30 - 40 minutes per drawer, but they fit just like you would want them to. Again, my opinion, but there is also allot of satisfaction in no noise and only shavings to sweep up when you're done. Can't tell I'm a neander can you?