bead on face frame

[robert micley]

could you folks help me with appying a bead to the face frame. i am going to pin nail it around. but how would you make the bead- what type of router bit and what sort of dimensions. i could just use a round over bit and cut strips. do folks do this or use a special beading bit.also how deep do folks usually do there bead- 1/16 inch or even 3/16. is the total width of the applied bead about 1/4 inch or less.do you have to even glue it or is a pin nailer enough. thanks

[frank shic]

robert, i use a 1/4" beading bit in a router table, run the board FACE side towards the router fence, rip the bead off so that the small rabbet gap is preserved, trim the piece manually with a small modeler's miter box and set the bead in the opening GAP side facing towards the outside of the opening and set it so that the bead sits flush to the face frame, fit the rest of the pieces for the opening and then nail them in place with a grex pinner. you can also glue them for extra security.

[Jim Summers]

could you folks help me with appying a bead to the face frame. i am going to pin nail it around. but how would you make the bead- what type of router bit and what sort of dimensions. i could just use a round over bit and cut strips. do folks do this or use a special beading bit.also how deep do folks usually do there bead- 1/16 inch or even 3/16. is the total width of the applied bead about 1/4 inch or less.do you have to even glue it or is a pin nailer enough. thanks

I made some beading for the same thing once. I had an old craftsman shaper head for the tablesaw that I used and then ripped the strips as needed. I don't have a pin nailer so I just glued and clamped it. I would have shot some pin nails if I had a nailer though also with glue.


HTH

[frank shic]

btw robert, DO NOT FORGET to take into account the thickness of the inset door/drawer front when you're dimensioning the cabinet so you don't come up short when it comes time to install the drawer slides (learned this the hard way lol). i've also found that the blum tandem drawer slides and the blum undermount slides give you just enough clearance if you flush the sides to the face frame.

[Philip Berman]

masking tape holds the bead while the glue dries. Simpler than clamps and you won't need 200 clamps to do a large cabinet.

Phil

[Craig Michael]

Here's the beading bits whiteside offers. What size you want is dependent on your tastes. I personally like the 5/16 for most of my work.

http://www.routerbits.com/cgi-router...55593_26299+62

You can rout the beading in a router table then cut each piece and apply it with glue or you can do the beading directly on the face frames and do jack miters. The easier of the two is cutting the strips. You don't say whether it is painted or stained, I assumed painted, but that would determine the method with me. If its painted, I'd cut strips, much easier and quicker for what I have for tools.

[Jeff Duncan]

I don't apply my beading, I run the FF stock through the shaper
with a beading cutter to profile the parts. Applying the beading after is arguably faster...I just never cared for doing it that way myself.

good luck,
JeffD

[Jim Summers]

I don't apply my beading, I run the FF stock through the shaper
with a beading cutter to profile the parts. Applying the beading after is arguably faster...I just never cared for doing it that way myself.

good luck,
JeffD

How do you do the joints? I have seen them hand cut or I have also seen a jig to use with a router also.

[robert micley]

thanks a lot. i am not a big fan of beading because of dust but figured i would it just this once.

[Jeff Duncan]

How do you do the joints? I have seen them hand cut or I have also seen a jig to use with a router also.

I use the tablesaw for my cuts. There are several good ways to go about it, custom router bits being another, and there are a couple fairly new devices on the market that can also help with this that may be within reach at something like $600 for the most expensive one.

With the tablesaw I use my slider to cut all the miters first. Then I follow up with a dado blade to remove the waste. Once you set the fence for the cuts they go very quickly. I also use loose tenon joinery for my frames. With my slot mortiser it really doesn't take too much more time than using pocket screws and makes for a much more rugged construction.

good luck,
JeffD

[frank shic]

the bead will take your cabinetry skills to another level... once you get over the initial frustration of fitting the doors and drawer fronts!

[Russell Tribby]

If you're applying the bead after the fact you may want to recess it approx. 1/32" so that you don't hit the bead with the sander as you're sanding the face frame down. You don't really have that option if you're beading the ff with a router bit but if you're going to apply it after the fact it might be a good idea.

[frank shic]

use a router-based pocket hole cutter if you don't want to deal with having to sand the face frames afterwards