Way to cut bead profile manually on cabinet face frame

[TBroussard]

Practicing is a good idea, but I still don't think I would find myself hand planing a bead on the existing frames. I would prefer to machine then install the beads in a rabbet. The beads could be purposely left a little wide and trimmed flush with a router, a little shy and and trim the face frame (with a top bearing bit), or machine them close enough that a little hand sanding brings everything flush.

If I had to bead the existing frames to maintain grain pattern and color, I would try a router. I have a couple Porta-Cable laminate trimmers. The kits come with a belt drive attachment to enable routing right up to the wall. This would allow machining right up to the corners. I'd still need something more substantial than the base on the edge of the frame and a small bearing on the face to keep the bead uniform. I'm wondering how I would add an additional guide on the base to ride on the face frame without removing the benefit of routing right up to the corners. I'm thinking the portion over the bit would have to be round.

All of this is probably a personal preference of what you feel comfortable (and would enjoy) doing. The "hand tool gang" will tell you it's easier, quieter, and less messy with a few hand tools. Me? I'm still a production kind of guy. I've always enjoyed woodworking, but I still need to produce to get paid; so I lean towards power tools.

Tool arrived and I tried the scratch stock option, and I see your point now.  It is really slow and does not produce a clean bead profile when I try it on mounted face frame, tool wants to wander quite a bit.

I will probably try the option you mentioned next.  Will need to source a rabbet bit with bottom bearing. I had a look at the laminate trimmers you mentioned, I may look at an offset base for my Bosch palm router because I will have some issues with space and support.  I am guessing that I will need to remove something like a 1/4 or 3/8 of an inch considering the face is 3/4.  I have room on the width, but I need to play with the profile to see what looks right if it leaves a slight seam at the joint on the exposed face.

[MstrCarpenter]

I just looked at the offset base for a Bosch palm router. I couldn't find a bottom view, but found what i was looking for in the replacement "Sub-Base" (two for less than $20; wherever I saw them). It appears that I would possibly want to trim the sub-base (or make a new one) so when I was routing a rail it would cut really close to the stile before the base contacted it and raised the cutter off the surface.

Now, thinking about additional support: I"m thinking about a solid block about 3" x 3" x 2" attached to that sub-base with one of the corners radiused to match the diameter of the bit's bearing and notched to be positioned exactly above that bearing. That would give me an additional 2" to ride the front of the face frame. I could rotate the router anytime during the cut (no stopping and starting) from the bit in a trailing orientation to a leading orientation in respect to the router and base. As I'm picturing myself making the cut with right hand on the router and left on the block, I decided I want the block about 5" long with a 90° point, with the same radius. This would promote both hands being in the same position when I start, thus both wrists moving in unison as I rotate the cutter to the forward position.

If I wasn't so far behind, it would be fun to go out to the shop and try it.

B.T.W. Can you post a few pic.s of your learning curve with the scratch stock?