2 small tables-end grain lamp/end table, small storage coffee table

dont forget to allow for expansion! either use some space balls or some other product that will allow for movement of your panel allen,, allow a 1/8 on sides and 1/16 on the top..

Ill draw up a pic with measurments for you to see.

Im stuck at work all day till 6 or 7.

Larry, I already took some great hard foam that cushions perfectly.

I had sheets of it, so Im going to cut it down to shove small pieces into the channels(first I have to build it, and the task itself is a first, so I dont know anything yet)

larry & allen, there is plenty of room for expansion, the actual tongue that goes into the groove is only about 1/4" long, and the groove is only 3/8" deep, leaving 1/16" all around for expansion. so there is no need for foam or any such thing.

larry, space balls was a pretty good movie

you can call me barf, it's short for barfolemew.

I would put the spacers in cause it will help keep the panel centered and when the door shuts it will keep it from rattling. As a side note loml bought me a 6 pc. cabinetmakers bit set from mlcswoodworking.com that was only $120. All 1/2" shank with the panel bit, matched rail and stile bits, drawer lock joint bit, adoor lip bit and a glue joint bit. You do need to have a variable speed router to use the panel bit. Also for the price of a saw blade you can get other raised panel profiles.

i dunno, i've never used spacers in my raised panels, and have yet to have one move excessivly (1/16" on each side doesn't give them much room to run about in), nor have any of them rattled. i built a closet insert for my niece about 5 yrs back, with 6 doors with raised panels, and still holding tight and true, and these were in the hands of a teenage girl!

sorry dan, the eyes stopped working, couldnt even pick up my new truck, had to send my son. I drew up this very rough sketch, measurement cannot be altered, the top is done already.
Its basically, maple legs, walnut frames and ash raised panels.(I intend on using a gel stain to even it all out,on the 3 white woods. before I assemble anything)
Im skeptical about even posting a sketch, because Im not sure if Ill suceed with the build, so this isnt a 100% positive thing. Its a challenge for me, and Im going to start working on milling the wood and building the jig over the next few days,(as long as my stinky eyes cooperate)
Please dont make fun of my sketch, I understand it. Think you can draw it up Dan?

btw, the other side, instead of 2 ash panels, there will be 2 walnut framed doors with raised panels, at least that is my intention. Doors will fit into the 13.5x10 inch frame, with 4 inch walnut in between.
I hope Im somewhat sucessful, at least Im learning some new things.

allen, i live for challenges like this. as before, it will be my pleasure.

here's what i managed to cobble together for you allen. the table with: doors closed, doors open, a view of the back of it, and i added a little color to it too. i had to take a little liberty with the front doors, and added a bit of framework to attach the hinges. i also added a bottom to the case as well.

dan drawing suggestion,,the door should have the stiles running full length and rail should be in between them not on top of them.. also in the doors i have made which have been many,,i have used a panel raising bit that has a back cutter on it which makes the doors able to go all the way into the grove. and therfore allow for expansion with some space balls. without the space balls the panels would rattle like mentioned previously..and can move all one way causing possibly other issues.. dauh adauh thats all fer now
bar tolumew

Nowadays you can buy a good quality panel raising bit with a back cutter for about $54 with free shipping.

larry merlau said:

dan drawing suggestion,,the door should have the stiles running full length and rail should be in between them not on top of them..

Click to expand...

Larry can you explain why? Is this related to the strength of the joint and the aspect of the door hanging? Or are you just refering to the design aspect? I know most raised or panel doors i have seen have the stile full length.

thats pretty impressive dan, I think that is it 100%. (the style.)

The panels turned out to be maple, I had a nice 11 inch wide piece of maple, it was at bottom of pile of ash and white oak, but as soon as I planed it, I saw the staining and knew it was maple, it didnt look much like some of the ash.
I gotta alot of white stuff, very hard to tell what it is without a bit of planing.
I managed to get the panels planed and the legs all done, tomorrow I will work on the walnut, milling and preparing. I was just told an hour ago we are hosting tonights mothers day bbq. gotta get ready.
Dan, pretty darn nice.Im very impressed with your sketch up skills, especially since its totally my idea and design. wow.

its so nice, Im thinking, maybe I can buy a piece like that, instead of ........

you're welcome allen! happy to be of help. it was about 3 in the morning at the end of a long day larry, still, you're right about the doors. (love that new avatar pic of you, it shows how youthful you look without your beard... )

rob its just the way i was taught and i believe strength, and looks enter into it as well.. and dan even a dunce gets lucky once and awhile

a few more pics of the progress. with the framework held together, and the top put on, its easy to see how the breadboard ends are approx 1/4 inch lower than table top bottom. Thats how I had to do it to salvage it all after the top warped, and I didnt realize Id get it back flat.
I dont think its going to be thought of, since people who see it will think it was incorporated into the design.(it will bother me but I will live with it)
I miscalculated the two doors, I want to inset them, so I had to recut the rails. Always ok to make doors too big, just have to cut them down, smaller would have set me back hours. (one frame I cut today, was not walnut, I dont know how I used some darkened oak, but I did, and had to remill more walnut)
I clamped some of it together, just for a look, I havent pinned the bottom of the breadboards yet, and now I can build a jig and attempt to make raised panels.
If I fail, theres always 1/4 maple ply that would look beautiful in that walnut frame.
the last picture is all the wood cut and ready to glue, etc.....the panels need to be cut to size then raised. Solid panels, no glueups,

Im trying not to bore anyone to death with this simple stuff, I just wanted to show the progress Im making.

don't worry about that allen, its always good to see construction pics, as one never knows what one can learn from watching another. keep up the good work!

hey allen yur still going strong and that says it all alot folk would have thrown in the towel long ago with the obsticals you have over come.. and yu even put up with the likes of me and dan heckling yu

Looking good Allen. I wish my subcontractors could work half as fast as you do and they don't even have to overcome the obstacles that you have. Believe it or not you help to motivate alot of us with what you have accomplished in a short amount of time.

Im gonna leave the top alone for today, just got home a bit ago, but Im gonna go build me a dan noren lookalike jig and go cut a panel.
hehehehehe, or ruin a panel, or two, or three,

Thanx dan, you learned me good today. Im a bit on the not feeling too well today, so Im going to leave it just where I finished it off.
It was an easy thing to build, yet, following Dans advice, the panel didnt come out good, it came out perfect?(hate to use that word, and I used particle board for practice, but hey, it fit like a glove)
Here are the pics for the simple jig, again, Id like to thank everyone for the input, Im going to be a craftsman one day, even if it takes me another 25 years.(yeah, I have to write notes to myself when pushing jigs, to make sure I dont let hands go somewhere into a bad spot when Im doing repetitive work)