Replies

1. 
   chrisindiana | May 06, 2005 11:07pm | #1

   Holly,

   Mortise & tenon is the best joint you could use. All doors & frames used to be made with this joint.  I have always used Titebond glue for gluing hickory without any problems.

   Chris 

    

1. 
   WillGeorge | May 06, 2005 11:53pm | #2

   I use hickory and ash all the time.. I love both woods..

   I find them quite stable. Usually use Elemers PROBOND interior/exterior and never had any problems (that I know of) but the Titebond may better?

2. 
   Elcoholic | May 07, 2005 04:21am | #3

   Who told you there was anything stronger than M&T's?  Through M&T's are a lot more work with a negligable strength advantage over blind M&T.  Unlee they're to be a design feature skip them.  Also since your panel are plywood you can glue them to the frames and the doors will be bullet proof.

   John O'Connell - JKO Handcrafted Woodworking

   The more things change ...

   We trained hard, but it seemed that every time we were beginning to form up into teams, we would be reorganized.  I was to learn later in life that we tend to meet any new situation by reorganizing; and a wonderful method it can be for creating the illusion of progress while producing confusion, inefficiency, and demoralization.

   Petronious Arbiter, 210 BC

3. 
   Ricks503 | May 07, 2005 06:03am | #4

   You can also use a Bridal Joint or a shorter version, the stub teneon.

   I have been making the type of kitchen cabinet doors from solid red oak and oak plywood and I use the stub tenon and it works fine since the center panel is glued in place.

   I made sure to plane all the oak being used for the rails and stiles to the same thickness  ( I found a variance of 1/32" between the stock I bought)

   I then made the 1/4" groove(mortise ) 1/2" deep on all of the pieces and then for the rails I used my dado set to cut cheeks on them, for my situation, I routed a finger pull so ther is no knob  - sand, scrape, fill the grain, stain, seal and then cut the center panel to size and glue it up.

   I went with Blum european hinges that I got from http://www.cabinetparts.com

   They came out great

   1 - measure the board twice

   2 - cut it once

   3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go

   4 - get a new board and go back to step 1

   
   

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   Edited 5/6/2005 11:04 pm ET by Rick

1. 
   wrudiger | May 07, 2005 07:11am | #5

   I use floating tenons.  Cut mortises in both stile and rail with a 1/4" router bit (I use a horizontal boring machine now, but used to do the router thing with a jig).  The tenons are 1/4" stock run through the router table with a 1/8" roundover bit to match the curved sides left on the mortises.  I make the tenons of 12" or longer scrap stock and then whack to length.  If you are making a lot of doors you can get into a good rhythm, and there is very little fitting to do.

4. 
   seankzn | May 07, 2005 11:10pm | #6

   Holler,

   I totally agree with Elcaholic.  As to glue, I used Titebond II on a scullery cupboard done in hickory much the way you plan to do.  No problems.

   Regards

1. 
   holler430 | May 09, 2005 04:26am | #7

   I guess I better correct myself. I had my doubts about the joint I'm referring to being called a through mortise and tenon, but I kept finding internet sites that called it that. Upon looking at my joint book, I finally found the correct name - corner bridle joint. So, now that I have that correct, is this a strong enough joint for cabinet door frames? It seems that cabinet doors wouldn't have much force on them, so I'm hoping it will be strong enough.

   And as for gluing in the plywood panels rather than floating them, wouldn't this keep the solid frame pieces from being able to expand and contract? I hear that hickory moves a lot. And not having air conditioning here in Montana, our humidity varies a lot through the seasons.

   Holly

1. 
   holler430 | May 09, 2005 11:52pm | #8

   Just wanted to get my last post up to the top of the list again, so hopefully someone will reply. Any info would be helpful.

   Thanks.

   Holler

1. 
   Ricks503 | May 10, 2005 12:30am | #9

   The bridle joint is plent strong.  As to the expansion of the wood with a glued in center panel the "frame"  can still expand , but If you are concerned, just glue the panels in the top and bottom middle 1 inch and leave a 1/16 - 1/8 inch gap on either side using a couple of pieces of screening spline cut into 1/2 - 1 inch lengths - it will compress as the wood expands and will keep the panel positioned  well. If really concerned, instead of glue lust put another piece of spline in middle top and bottom and let the panel float - the spline will prevent rattle

   Rockler sell Space Balls that do the same thing, but I had some spline left over from replaceing the screen in my storm door. - I like free better than paying for something.1 - measure the board twice

   2 - cut it once

   3 - measure the space where it is supposed to go

   4 - get a new board and go back to step 1