Applied finished end panel

[scott vroom]

I'm building shaker kitchen cabs with applied end panels. I've built cabs with finished end panels before but always with the end panel as part of the cab. This time around I tried something new: I built the box from 3/4" maple ply, all sides. On the end where the panel is to be applied, I ran two 1/4" grooves down the 1.5" stile in such a way that the plywood box side is flush with the frame inside edge, leaving the outer remaining 3/4" of faceframe with an exposed groove to attach the separately build end panel. I routed a tongue onto the front edge of the end panel and glued/clamped it to the FF, using screws to secure it from the back of the box. I don't 'splain things so clearly alla time so here's a couple of pics.

This method is pretty simple and yields a nice looking end panel, but it does leave the faceframe edge exposed, appearing to be part of the end panel stile. I'm looking forward to attempting a mitered applied end panel on a future project....much cleaner look but wrought with risk (DAMHIKT)

[Mark Blum]

I'm currently building a set of cabinets for my kitchen and I plan on doing the same type of integrated end panel. I purchased a lock miter bit for just this purpose. I'm hoping that will make the connection a little less fraught with problems, and result in a nice mitered appearance. I just finished milling all the stock for my face frames, so this lock miter attachment is coming up soon on my schedule.

[Peter Quinn]

Nice work Scott. We use a few variations of that idea at work for end panels, to joint two cabs at right angles for field installation, and other similar situations. For Stain grade work they often spec a mitered corner, for that I tape miter the corner, then build the FF with the glued up mitered corner, then finish the end panel, either before or after the FF is glued on depending on the size of the box.

[scott vroom]

Nice work Scott. We use a few variations of that idea at work for end panels, to joint two cabs at right angles for field installation, and other similar situations. For Stain grade work they often spec a mitered corner, for that I tape miter the corner, then build the FF with the glued up mitered corner, then finish the end panel, either before or after the FF is glued on depending on the size of the box.

Thanks Peter. I had considered incorporating the finished end panel (FEP) into the FF construction and then apply that structure to the box. It seemed like it would be wieldy so I decided to try it this way. The risk in doing it my way is that it may be difficult to close the joint where the FEP stile meets the face frame if everything isn't in perfect square. Better to build the FF-FEP structure as a single unit and attach it to the box I think.


Your approach to mitering is interesting. Are you saying that you miter a FF stile and a FEP stile and do that glue up first, then finish building out the FF using the mitered piece, and then finish building the FEP? I'm trying to picture how you would do that last part...the FEP. If it's a cope and stick FEP, it sounds like you're gluing up the 5 pieces (rails/stiles/panel) with the faceframe stcking up into the air, at a right angle to the door glue up? I guess that would work.