silly question... cope&pattern vs rail&stile... same thing?

[Ryan Brucks]

Hey guys,

I am likely getting a moulder head from WMooreprofiles and some custom knives.

I'd also like to get some knives for making traditional cabinet doors. I was just a bit confused by terminology here. I have always referred to these types of cutters and bits as "Rail and stile"

but I see this website, and indeed many, don't mention that and instead use "Cope and pattern".

Is there a true difference, or just different terms for the same thing?

[Tony Joyce]

Stile and Rail refer to the parts of the door. Cope and Stick are the actual cuts for the joint.

Stiles are the vertical pieces and rails are the horizontal pieces. Rails go between stiles, but mid-stiles(still vertical) go between rails.

Coping is the part with the projection that fits in the panel groove or sticking. Typically coping is across the grain and sticking is with the grain.

And yes sometimes the terms are used interchangeably.

[Ryan Brucks]

thanks Tony, cleared it up nicely for me. for some reason google was hard to get help from there.

[Chris Hedges]

I was under the impression, that any profile on the interior edge of a door frame is referred to as 'sticking'. Not sure that has anything to do with the type of cut. 'Coping' can mean to come into contact with. Id guess this is the origin of the terms used by woodworkers.

Chris


Stile and Rail refer to the parts of the door. Cope and Stick are the actual cuts for the joint.

Stiles are the vertical pieces and rails are the horizontal pieces. Rails go between stiles, but mid-stiles(still vertical) go between rails.

Coping is the part with the projection that fits in the panel groove or sticking. Typically coping is across the grain and sticking is with the grain.

And yes sometimes the terms are used interchangeably.

[Frank Drew]

One way to think of it is that the coping is the negative cut on the ends of boards to mate with/fit over the sticking (pattern) on the edges of the boards, allowing the two pieces (rail and stile) to join together without a gap.

[Jeff Duncan]

Or.....think of coping as fitting one part to the profile of another part;) Coping is the term for cutting the mating profile in door rails as mentioned, however it also applies to fitting moldings such a coping a crown molding in the corner. Or coping a piece of basecap into another. In any case I have seen some manufacturers, (like Freud), use the term "stile and rail sets" though most will use "cope and pattern". Point is they're the same thing so don't worry so much about the terminology as getting the right profiles:D

good luck,
JeffD