Attaching faceframes to a built in

[Prashun Patel]

I am trying to plan out how to attach some cherry faceframes to a mudroom built-in unit I'm making.

The easiest for me would be to brad nail the frames to the carcasses. However, I'm nervous about trying to fill the holes. I'd use sawdust and shellac, but am afraid of how it'll look after a few years.

I contemplated a 23g pin nailer. However, the cheap ones seem only to shoot up to 1" without issue. Even if I splurged on a Cadex or Grex, I'm nervous that headless pins wouldn't have enough holding power.

Suggestions? Am I overthinking this? Please say yes, and that the 18ga brads'll be just fine!

[Marty Paulus]

Can you do pocket screws ala Kreg?

[Jerome Hanby]

Pocket screws were my first thought, too.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Pocket screws......

[Bob Wingard]

Use offset tongue & groove joinery such as that sold by Sommerfeld ... no mechanical fasteners needed ... just glue & clamp ... is also has the benefit of pulling everything into square. This is probably one of Sommerfeld's best bit sets available ... simple to setup ... easy to use ... foolproof ... used correctly, you should get a perfectly flush face frame to carcase fit every time.

[Prashun Patel]

The issue is that the faceframes are not one-per-carcass. I'd like to have solid stiles between each 'locker'. Therefore, pocket screwing from the outsides of the carcasses is tricky. Also, the space I'm working in is tight, so I have to put the backs on before. This will make clamping around the middle stiles difficult.

[Quinn McCarthy]

I just use finish nails from an air nailer. I have also used biscuits but a real PITa. Everything need to be aligned perfect.

[Jerome Hanby]

Maybe biscuits and some pin nails...

[joe milana]

Screw & bung 'em....a sign of craftsmanship in my book. Nails & putty....not so much.

[frank shic]

there is no easy solution if you want a large continuous face frame. the brads would be my choice. you can use the wax crazyons to fill in the holes to match afterwards.

[eric anton]

Is the carcass cherry as well? You could use glue and biscuits, then for clamping you could attach some temporary braces on the carcass walls to clamp against, at least then any nail holes you have to fill are on the carcass instead of the face.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Screw & bung 'em....a sign of craftsmanship in my book. Nails & putty....not so much.

Me: Hi, my name is Andy and I am ignorant...

Group: Hello Andy

Me: I do not know what it means to "bung" something. Looks to me like a "bung" is a cylinder that is drilled and threaded so that it can act like a nut. where does one place the bung and where does the screw go?

[Prashun Patel]

Andrew-
I think he means screw and PLUGS.

[joe milana]

Andy, It's simply a countersunk screw with a wooden plug covering it. Plugs can be cut from the face grain of scraps from your project. Screws are countersunk with a forstner bit. Tour any antique wooden boat & you are likely to see hundreds of them used. I've always liked the technique. Personal preference I guess.

bung.jpg

Me: Hi, my name is Andy and I am ignorant...

Group: Hello Andy

Me: I do not know what it means to "bung" something. Looks to me like a "bung" is a cylinder that is drilled and threaded so that it can act like a nut. where does one place the bung and where does the screw go?

[Jim Matthews]

Is this a production job, or something for your home?

Presuming the face frames will be affixed with glue, why not just hold them on temporarily with tape or face clamps?
if you're using pins for keeping the assembly straight, the heads could be nipped off, and driven into the "back" as opposed to face and the works rapped into place.