How do I make a bead around the door of a cabinet?

[Radek Kowalski]

The question is really in the title. How do I put a bead around cabinet door. The bead would have to be in the frame. Which tools would I need. Thanks for your time.

[Frank Drew]

Radek,

The very simplest method is to take a small block of wood, say 2" x 2" x .75" (50mm x 50mm x 18mm) and drive a short, straight slot wood screw right into the center of one of the faces of the block. The amount the screw head protrudes from the block will be the approximate size of your bead, in this case called a screw bead. 1/4" (5-6mm) looks about right for the average sized cabinet door.

The block of wood acts as the fence and the screw head, perhaps sharpened a bit, is the cutting edge; it works best for me to cut with the slot of the wood screw. And, to keep the screw from turning in use, I drive a small brad into the block right next the screw at the other end of the slot and then hammer the brad over into the slot.

This is somewhat similar to a scratch stock, another tool that could be used to cut a bead along the face edge of a board. Both methods can use some sandpapering to finish the shape.

[Justin Leiwig]

The question is really in the title. How do I put a bead around cabinet door. The bead would have to be in the frame. Which tools would I need. Thanks for your time.

I've seen it done with a router table. Before you assemble the face frame you run the edges which are going to be near the doors past a beading bit. Seems easy enough, of course I haven't tried it myself. Soon though hopefully!

[Jim Becker]

Unless you are going to do mitered frames for the doors, putting a bead around the edge of the door (or edge of the opening) is generally going to be easier by putting an applied molding around the frame. This requires that you downsize the door to make up for the intended thickness of the bead/molding. You'll also need to decide if you want to relieve the face on the edge of the door slightly to create a reveal to match what you would get with a beading cutter in a router or shaper.

[Al Navas]

... How do I put a bead around cabinet door. The bead would have to be in the frame. Which tools would I need...
Radek,

You will find the full story at my blog (http://sandal-woodsblog.com/2008/06/25/a-beading-i-will-go/).

I recently applied a very nice bead on a little stool I built for our #2 granddaughter. I used a recently-purchased Stanley 66 beading tool:


http://sandal-woodsblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/06/stanley76-2.png (http://sandal-woodsblog.com/2008/06/25/a-beading-i-will-go/)


It works GREAT! The nice thing about is that you can either make your own cutters, or buy them in brand new sets.

.

[Radek Kowalski]

Thanks to everyone who responded. You have one lucky granddaughter. A beading tool looks like a cool idea but 145.00 is out of my range right now. I will see if I can get one used.

I would love if I could just do this on a router, I will look into bits in a couple minutes.

Thanks for your time.

[Larry Fox]

No need to spend $145, you can make a shop-made scratch-stock very quickly and easily. Lee Valley also sells beading / reeding / fluting cutters and even blanks to make your own profile for very little $$. Just make your scratch-stock accept these cutters and you are off to the races.

[Matthew Voss]

Look up 'Jack Miter' - there's lots of ways to do this.

[Al Navas]

Thanks to everyone who responded. You have one lucky granddaughter. A beading tool looks like a cool idea but 145.00 is out of my range right now. I will see if I can get one used...
Radek,

You are correct, and I should have mentioned that mine was bought used, for $40, if I remember correctly. And, as Larry mentions, you can buy either the cutters in sets, or buy the blank stock and make your own profiles. The main drawback I have seen in doing so: The sharp edges don't last long - the soft steel must be hardened. This is much more work than I am willing to put into metal work.

.

[Lee Schierer]

Either make up the bead from identical material as a separate piece and glue it in place or use the scratch stock method. I recenttly had to do several replacement pieces for a guy for some doors that had a small double bead down the middle of the door frames on both sides. I made a scratch stock and a cutter in about 20 minutes and completed the four pieces in less than half an hour. I used a piece of hack saw blade for the cutter. I filed the two beads into the hacksaw blade with a rat tail file. If you use the scratch stock read the grain on the surface you will be cutting and don't try to scratch into the ends of the grain as you will get a ratty looking cut.

[John Lucas]

Sorry for being laet with this reply.

http://www.woodshopdemos.com/phy-sb114.jpg

The story: http://www.woodshopdemos.com/phy-sb-8.htm

[Brian Peters]

Don't jack miter it, lots of wasted time. Apply it. Make it in the router table or shaper, apply it with some glue and 23ga pins or 18ga brads. I'm not into applying it to doors. This requires you to not be able to fit them well and adds much time. Apply it to the face frame and fit the doors to that opening. Also if you do make it make sure you don't rip 5/16 or 3/8 strips to bead those, I prefer to bead a wider board and then rip them off. It's safer and gives you more to hold onto, especially if you have a feeder. :o

[Per Swenson]

Brian,

I can't help it.
Jack miters are not a waste of my time.
Maybe yours, but a properly jack mitered beaded frame,
commands more money as it appears to derive from accomplished skill.
Pinning it on in our book is akin to phoning it in, or calling yourself a cabinet maker, then ordering your doors from Rockler.

No, don't get me wrong, I know a few carcass makers who do just that.
Build box's and order doors. But they will be the first to tell you,(But not the customer) That they are just making money.

They call them selves Business men. They are building a business, not cabinets. A completely different skill set.

Per