Woodworker's Journal Summer-2008, страница 23

Face Frame

ably more work, the rigid framework adds both strength and stiffness to the case, and the frame-and-panel design provides a more finished appearance, especially if the casework will be viewed from all sides.

Adding a Face Frame

Still another method of casework construction is to attach a face frame to the box in the previous example. Our old friends, stiles and rails, return to create the face frame. The assembled frame is then glued (and occasionally nailed as well) to the front edges of the box.

Adding a face frame to a box gives the box greater stiffness and resistance to racking. It's also a good option for casework with doors. The face frame "frames" the doors visually,

Stile

Box

Method

Adding a face frame to a box stiffens it and creates resistance to racking. It's a good option for casework with doors, as it frames the doors visually and the stiles provide a place to mount the hinges.

and the stiles provide a place to mount hinges. The top rail of the face frame often is sized wider than the stiles and bottom rail to provide an area for application of a crown molding.

Adding a Few Embellishments

Once you've settled on a method of case construction, you can choose to "dress it up" or "dress it down." Plain furniture styles, such as Shaker and Arts & Crafts, use simple lines, such as straight or tapered legs, subtle curves and sparse moldings. In contrast, period furniture styles use compound curves, elaborate gooseneck moldings and perhaps some carving.

Other Casework Variations

Some forms of casework don't seem to fit into any particular category. For example, corner cabinets don't really have sides; they're simply a face frame with canted corners. The back edges of the corner are rabbeted to accept the backboards.

Most examples of tall furniture casework are built in two or more sections. For example, a period tall chest has a post-and-rail lower case that supports a dovetailed box upper case. This design combines the best of both casework methods: the lower case is visually lifted from the floor and supported by cabriole legs; the strong, yet simple, box construction of the upper case is straightforward in construction and is easily fitted with partitions, dividers and drawers.

Still another unusual example is the tall case clock, sometimes referred to as a grandfather clock. Its tall, elongated case is really three separate boxes stacked upon one another. The base and middle section, or waist, are simple face-frame boxes. In contrast, the hood that frames the dial and houses the works, is an elaborate mix of construction methods. @

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