?? Cutting cabinet rails

[Randy C]

Am attempting to build my first set of cabinet doors and was wondering if there is any process to simplify cutting the top rail?

After I cut the rabbit to hold the panel on the inside edge, I need to cut the top rail to the correct length. I need to have the correct measurement for the tenon and also for the cheek cut.

This seems to me that this will be a difficult task because this will require four precise cuts for each rail. (I.e. Tenon and cheek cut for each end of the rail.

Is there any process for approaching this to make it easier.

Thanks

[cputnam]

...and your question is?

Seriously, consider making one master rail and then using that to gauge the others. If you cut overlong, you can adjust the lengths with a shooting board and the tenon shoulders with either chisel or shoulder plane. Tenon cheeks can be adjusted with router plane, shoulder plane, chisel, or rabbeting block plane. Going through all that with hand tools should only be a couple minutes per rail. Don't know what your setup time for precision cuts is nor what your stock usage is.

[JGrout]

you know the width of the door and the width of the stiles already 

The way I proceed is to deduct the width of the stiles and that = the length of the rail.  Now add the depth of a groove (x2) and you have the net length of the rail. 

To cut the tenons accurately  set the fence on your TS the length of the tenon away from the blade and use that to cut the tenons accurately in four cuts 

It really is just a matter of good math

Joe

edit to add: this link is a   a much more thorough disertation

it covers both cope and stick and tongue and groove measurements

[Randy C]

J Grout

Thanks a bunch. Exactly what I was looking for. Seems obvious but I couldn't see it for some reason.

[handi]

Choose which will guide the fit. You can fit the FF to the boxes, or the boxes to the FF. 
The boxes will rarely be precisely the dimension you planned on because the plywood rarely is. 
Make your FF the size you want, and shim between the boxes as needed to fit them behind the frame. There is no law stating the box side must be in full contact.

[jteneyck]

This is one of the reasons I use loose tenons to build doors. No math required; you just cut the rails to their final length and proceed directly to cutting the mortises. When the mortises are cut, you're done. No paring, shoulder planes, etc required.

John

[wrb]

I also use loose tenons. Super simple and fast. All cuts are final and no further tuning is necessary.

[fredhargis]

I agree the loose tenons are about as easy as it gets relative to this, but I read a Mark Adams tip once that really works well. Put the 2 stiles next to each other tightly (clamp if you want. Take your tape (or ruler or whatever scale you use for the project) and set the mark of the door width on one side of the stiles...so if the door is 18", put the 18" mark on one edge. Then read the mark on the other side, that becomes the width of the rail and you add the tenon length (X2) to it. This is more handy when the stiles aren't exactly some nominal width.

[AHill]

Stop blocks are your friend. Dial in the width, set your stop bock, and then you're gold.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Stop blocks are your friend. Dial in the width, set your stop bock, and then you're gold.

This was going to be my answer as well. Jigs and stop blocks are a key to all wood working projects. One time set up.