Cope-And-Stick Frame Joints
Contemporary frame-and-panel construction involves detailing the inner edges of
the stiles and rails with decorative profiles (shapings), along with a slot cut
beneath the profile to accomodate the floating panel. The traditional method of
joining the rails to the stiles was to use a stuck mortise-and-tenon joint, however
modern production requires a less time-consuming, more economical joint. The advent
of shaping machines such as the router gives us the ability to quickly, easily,
and most importantly accurately produce a joint suitable for profiled framing joints.
The cope-and-stick joint (or cope-and-pattern joint) is formed by with two different
profiles. The first pass through the shaper adds the interior profile to the stiles
and rails. Once all the pieces have been shaped, the ends of the rails receive a
second pass that gives them an inverse of the first profile. This allows the ends
of the rails to be neatly inserted into the profile of the stiles, and essentially
forms a groove-and-stub-tenon joint. This produces only slightly more glue surface
than a groove-and-stub-tenon joint, however it adds a great deal to the visual effect
of the panel. |