Best way to attach face frames

[Brad Tallis]

Hello All-

I am building some cabinets for a lady at our church. I have the cases and the face frames built.

I was wondering... What is the best way to attach the face frames to the cases? I'm assuming glue and some small nails, but was wondering if there was a better way. Also, there are 3 cabinets, each with their own face frame. Now I am wondering if I should have built the face frame in one big assembly. I'm concerned that the face frames be nice and flush with each other when I hang them.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Brad Tallis

[Mark Rios]

I like glue and pocket screws.

[Jim Becker]

I use glue and either pocket screws or biscuits. I never use brads or nails for this particular job.

[Ken Shoemaker]

Biscuits .. They align the face frames perfectly too. Takes the guesswork out of it.

[Charlie Plesums]

I also vote for glue and pocket screws.

It is customary to put a horizontal left/right screw from one face frame into the next, to pull the cabinets tight together and keep them aligned. If it isn't too late, make the face frames about 1/8 inch larger than the cabinets on the sides, so that the fronts touch tight even if the wall is a little uneven.

[Phil Maddox]

Pocket holes, screws and glue in areas that you can't see the pocket holes. glue and clamp on other areas. Brads and putty look unprofessional IMO.

I build face frames in as long a piece as I can but you can make yours look good, no big deal.

Good Luck.

PHil

[Joe Chritz]

No best way all the time.

I ditto a couple others in that I now use pocket screws where they will not be visible. Either biscuits/glue or just glue and clamps where it will be seen. Other people clamp the frames on and shoot a couple pins in, angled from the back side where they won't be seen

Joe

[jack duren]

Just glue and clamps. Save the screws....Jack

[Russ Massery]

Glue and pocket screws

[Steve Clardy]

A little tutorital I have on another forum.

http://thewoodworkers.us/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=2580&highlight=face+frame


I use glue, brad from the inside. No unsightly pocket screw holes, no biscuits.:)

edit. I always overhang the face frame on at least one cab when they attach together .

[David Eisenhauer]

When building large (upscale) bookcase units that will be installed in a run, I always line up the boxes to get a nice, flush look on my FF at the shop (before delivery to the site) then clamp the units together, and drill/install that screw gizmo that is a male screw from one side to a female threaded insert on the adjoining unit (forget the real name for those gizmos). When installing the units at the site, I screw them together and shim as necessary to make up for out of plumb/square stuff. As Charlie said, leave a little overhang on the FF to get a clean look even if the carcase ends up with a slight bow in it. If all else fails and you can't get a clean, flush, tight look at the FF joinup, then run a "Vee" groove or core box router bit down the line and accent it rather than hide it. Try it on some scrap to see what I mean. Oh yeah, glue/clamp works well and it is a real "you-know-what" to get a good color match when filling FF nail holes.

[Bob Reda]

I always use tongue and groove to attach the face frame to the cabinet, there are a lot of router sets to do this.

[richard poitras]

I worked in a custom cabinet shop for two years the way we did it was dado the face frame , apply white glue in the dado, install frame to the box, hot melt glue the frame to the box on the inside and let white glue set up and its done. The hot melt works as your clamp , very fast assemble once you have all your frames dadoed...

[Craig Feuerzeig]

I'm with Jack, glue and clamp. Now the best way to clamp it is a story for another....:rolleyes:

[Brent Harral]

For paint grade I glue and shoot a finish nail. For stain grade just glue and clamp. Make a couple 2X6 "stands" and clamp for 30 minutes. By the time you whip up your next face frame or two, remove previous and repeat :D A couple times I have had to remove the glued FF from the case and the FF left behind CHUNKS on the ply edge so I've never been concerned of not enough strength from just glueing..

<img src="http://pic14.picturetrail.com/VOL563/2750473/9536181/140095722.jpg">

[Dino Makropoulos]

The best way is the bowclamps.
I use them and they work much better than regular clamps.

For only 3 cab's, white glue and weights?



You can see the bowclamps in action here:

http://www.sawmillcreek.org/attachment.php?attachmentid=32200&d=1140290519

http://sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=31535

[Jerry Strojny]

I use glue and pocket screws for the face frame. Then biscuits to glue the frame to the carcass. Works for me.

[Brad Tallis]

Thank you all for your replies.

There were a lot of great replies. I like the dado idea to keep the face frames straight with the carcase. I also would love to use pocket holes/screws, but don't want them to be visible (even on the inside).

So, I will probably just do the glue and clamp idea. There is no real stress on the face frame, so this should work fine.

Thanks for all your help!

Brad :)

[Brian Jarnell]

Biscuits to align and so easy.