kreg beaded face frame jig

[Jim Becker]

I haven't seen it live or used one, but I only hear good things about it.

[Mike Heidrick]

So I am not telling anyone to modify a router bit but there is a Woodcraft Chamfer bit that occasional goes on sale for $5 - http://www.woodcraft.com/Product/200...CL--12-SH.aspx

Could watch for that one to go on sale and try this real cheap. $55 For the Kreg router bit seems high and I reall like Kreg stuff.

[Stan Urbas]

After looking at the videos and reading the posts, my question is: You are ONLY talking about beading the cabinet face frames, right? NOT the rails and styles on the door/drawer fronts, right?

The Kreg video shows the cutting and assembly of the face frames. This would not work for door rails & styles. Well, actually, it could work, but who would want the screws to be showing on the backs of the doors? Or would you go to the trouble of plugging them? WAY too much work! My only remedy would be to cut a groove in the receiving part, then to make the part with the butt-cut longer and do a matching cut on it, so that you end up with a T&G glue joint on your door rails & styles. A bit of work, but that would achieve the results.

Now getting back to the face frame. If you do the beads on your FF, are you then abandoning overlay doors? Obviously, if you have an overlay you cover up the beads, so it would have no purpose.

Since I only do overlay cabinets I would have to have some sort of way to incorporate the glue joint in order to make this beading approach feasible. Or am I missing something here (wouldn't be the first time)?

[Dave Mendoza]

Unfortunately, I've only heard good things from folks that received them free from Kreg (one of them writes quite a bit on this wonderful MB). It's becoming difficult to identify who has actually purchased one of these items and who is actually trying to sell for Kreg. I will need to put my hands on this setup at the next woodworking show.

[Jim Solomon]

While everything Kreg makes is well thought out, I just can not justify spending $499 for this tool. I could use that money for more important things for my workshop. IF I had a cabinet shop I can see it being worthwhile.

[Dave Mendoza]

I saw a demo live at the Baltimore woodworking show today. It's a great looking product. I can see paying this price if you are a doing an entire kitchen and want to speed things up. My only issue was the clamp. It didn't have a quick release, so it was a little tough releasing it once it was clamped.

[Loren Blount]

This looks like a nice system for making beaded face frames, but couldn't you use a sled that runs in the miter slot of your router table to hold the rails and stiles as you pass them over the bit to make the notches instead of buying the kreg fence system, or building a dedicated jig, or is there something I'm missing from watching the video.


Loren

[Mike Heidrick]

My only issue was the clamp. It didn't have a quick release, so it was a little tough releasing it once it was clamped.

Did it have the blue boot? The quick release is in there on all there newer clamps.

I hope to see this face frame setup in Feb. in Collinsvile.

[Dave Mendoza]

Did it have the blue boot? The quick release is in there on all there newer clamps.

I hope to see this face frame setup in Feb. in Collinsvile.

Hi Mike - I asked the person doing the demonstrations and he said it didn't have the quick release. He did make some minor errors during his demonstration, so it could be he wasn't completely familiar with the jig. I'll wait until I do a bar in the basement before I put this jig on my wishlist. Once you get in the groove, it seems you can pump out face frames quickly. For now, I'll apply the bead afterwards or do it the Glen Huey way. Might take a little longer, but it leaves a few more dollars in my wallet for some Festool. I walked out of the show with the ETS 150/5 and a show special for a Kreg Klamp table.

[Alan Bienlein]

Here is and update on the one I made.The first pic shows how I clamp and the fence extensions with thw built in stops
01-03-10 010.JPG
Here is the back of the jig with it extended. Including the fence extensions it was about an hour to build
01-03-10 011.JPG
Next post I'll show pics of the frames I've done in pecan.

[Alan Bienlein]

Here are some of the frames Ive done with this.
01-03-10 007.JPG01-03-10 009.JPG

[Alan Bienlein]

And here are the rest of them
01-03-10 005.JPG01-03-10 001.jpg01-03-10 004.JPG
I didn't buy their special bit which would have made it quicker but I am doing it this way from now on.

[Mike Heidrick]

I seriously think Alan's version is SWEET and about $480 cheaper even if you bought everything new!!! Great job Alan!

[Jason Yeager]

I was thinking a sled would work as well, either in the miter slot, or just made to ride on the outside of the router table. Alan's jig is pretty sweet too, I like the ingenuity.

[Peter Quinn]

Just out of curiousity Peter, how do you guys mount doors when using an applied bead? Mount the plate to the partition, or use a plate that screws into the back of the face frame?

Karl, I just read this post and realized I never replied. 99% of our beaded FF cabinets get solid brass full mortised butt hinges that are mortised into the bead, so I have never had to deal with Euro hinge plates at all. We do use them for some frameless cabs, but the bulk of our stuff is very New England traditional.

For side jobs out of my home shop I've used some half crank blum hinge clips that seem to hang off the back of the FF's. My parts rep sent them, I guess they are made for beaded inset FF applications. They accept the blumotion for doors too which I like.