Trimming Rails on Cabinet Doors

[Brad Keen]

I'm working on a set of 6 cabinet doors. I left the rails intentionally long but will need to cut them after gluing it up. I was just curious if there are any tips on doing this? I had thought that a flush cut saw would be a great tool for the job, but the guys at Woodcraft said that this wasn't the best approach.

My plan had been to use the flush cut saw and then use a low angle block plane if necessary. But the end grain is tricky, and I'm new to this, and I really don't want to blow out the bottom after all that effort.

Thanks! I've attached pictures so you can see what I'm talking about.

[Lee Schierer]

I usually trim them on my table saw, but if I were going to use just hand tools, I would mark the cut line and use a flush cut saw. You could use a hand plane, but would need to plane toward the center of the door or clamp a sacrificial strip to prevent tear out.

[George Bokros]

Why not trim them before glue up?

[Bill McNiel]

FWIW -I typically run the rails a little long

Hand tools - 12 pt crosscut saw leaving the line, block plane from each end.

Power - Track Saw excels at this and is faster

[Jim Koepke]

Mine are usually left a little proud and then trimmed with a block plane:

Block Plane on Rail.jpg

Take care when close to the stile as the grain might be going the other way.

jtk

[steven c newman]

One...I seem to recall those are known as Stiles....and the part left long is known as a horn. Use a back saw, like a tenon saw, to trim the horns flush to the rails. Use a knife wall to guide the saw. Knife all the way around. Saw and then clean up with a block plane IF need be. BTDT.

[Bill McNiel]

One...I seem to recall those are known as Stiles....and the part left long is known as a horn. Use a back saw, line a tenon saw, to trim the horns flush to the rails. Use a knife wall to guide the saw. Knife all the way around. Saw and then clean up with a block plane IF need be. BTDT.

The vertical elements are "Stiles", the horizontal elements are "Rails", I wasn't paying attention and just continued with the OP's nomenclature.

[Brad Keen]

Oh, sorry about the rails/stiles mixup. And thanks for the tips. That should help

[Jim Koepke]

Oh, sorry about the rails/stiles mixup. And thanks for the tips. That should help

Do the names change if the structure is rotated 90º on the bench?

jtk

[david charlesworth]

If not confident about sawing, clamp a block to guide the start of the cut so you can't damage the main frame. This should help to keep you square as well.

David Charlesworth

[Brad Keen]

I think I'll do that, because I am definitely NOT confident about my sawing.

[Jeff Heath]

Do the names change if the structure is rotated 90º on the bench?

jtk

Yes, but then the door would be built incorrectly. Of course, you already know that.......

[Jim Koepke]

Yes, but then the door would be built incorrectly. Of course, you already know that.......

Also my question was partly a joke since my piece being planed was rotated 90º on the bench to trim the excess rail.

jtk

[lowell holmes]

But. . . ...isn't it a pleasure to take a very sharp block plane and shave end grain off of stiles?

[Jim Koepke]

But. . . ...isn't it a pleasure to take a very sharp block plane and shave end grain off of stiles?

It's not my style...

jtk