When I’m making rails for cabinet doors using my cope-and-stick router bits, I can eliminate tearout from the end-grain cope cuts and work more safely at the same time if I mill two rails from one wide workpiece.
Here’s how to do it: Start with a workpiece that’s twice the width of the rails plus about 1/2″. Crosscut it to the final rail length. Cope the ends first, then mill the sticking profile along both edges. Rip the workpiece down the middle, and you’ll have two tearout-free rails a little wider than you need.
Trim them to final width, or wait to do this until after your doors are glued up and ready for final sizing.
– Earl L. Hanson
Chase City, Virginia
