Stiles and Rails

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 12:29 pm

for the doors on a Barbie size armoire.

I am in the process of making Christmas presents for the great grand daughters. They are each receiving (from me) an armoire for their Barbie's and their belongings. Thery provide for closet space, drawers for accessories and a space for them when not being used.

The stiles and rails are to be made of 1 1/2" x 1/2" stock. How would you make the corner joints on the doors for this project.

My only thought has been half laps. Feedback please.

riot_nrrd · Post by **riot_nrrd** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 12:57 pm

Mitered half-lap sounds right to me. What's wrong with that?

I suppose you could also do a mitered slip joint to give you 4 faces glues instread of two. But I think the half-lap should work fine.

Were you looking for something fancier, like a a cope and stick?

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 1:29 pm

I sorta ruled out cope and stick because the stock is only 1/2" thick but I like the idea of the fancier appearance. I've built one that is still in service but it is showing signs of failure. The girls seem to use them a lot. They carry them to others homes for parties and such. I'd like to think I could build something the little ones could not tear up - the reason for my question about joints.

I just don't know.

charlese · Post by **charlese** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 10:38 pm

I believe I'd go with plain half laps. The stiles would always be on top. To further stabilize the doors, you can insert pegs (dowels if you will). Two per joint.

Plain half laps are easily done with a router and jig like "Quick and Easy Jig' on page 80 of the September "Wood Magazine".

riot_nrrd · Post by **riot_nrrd** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 11:18 pm

Well, then I'd just to a mitered half-lap with a decorative bead, or something like that. Someone (I think Fine Woodworking?) did a test recently of joints, and the lap joint was flagged the strongest (much to the chagrin of people like Kreg, or Festool domino, or others with similar products).

reible · Post by **reible** » Sun Aug 22, 2010 11:28 pm

Hey Dusty keep in mind you can buy router bit sets for 1/2" thickness wood, but then there is extra cost....

Lap joints can be "treated" with decorative additions, even as simple as a veeing bit or as was mentioned pegs. I think I'd be looking in this direction for a solution.

Ed

pennview · Post by **pennview** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 9:15 am

Dusty, you could also try mitered corners reinforced with splines (feathers) cut into the edges of the door frames. They're quick if you can easily thickness the the spline material to match the saw kerf and if you have a vertical jig to hold the frames for making the spline cuts.

jmoore65 · Post by **jmoore65** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:10 am

I was going to suggest mitered corners with splines.

shipwright · Post by **shipwright** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 11:56 am

For my money Dusty, go with your original plan - half laps, for strength and ease and then paint or decorate to fancy them up.

Paul M

dusty · Post by **dusty** » Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:37 pm

Thank you for the inputs. I am making two of these right now and have chosen to use simple half laps on the first one and mortised half laps on the second. I have never done a mortised half lap so this may be a learning experience.

I will pull out my Wood Magazine, Charlese and look at the jig. I have cut a few half laps with a router and never used a jig but probably should have. I cut my first couple using nothing but my hands and then quickly switched to a push board with a hold down clamp.

It is really amazing just how much that little router bit can cause a board to move even when holding it tight. I got a couple really sloppy half laps that way.