Raised Panel Cabinet Doors

Brent Dowell

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Does anyone have a link to a good tutorial or just some tips on how to create raised panel doors?

I've got the router bits for the cope and stick cuts and a raised panel cutter, as well as a decent router table.

Looking for tips on how to size the doors to the opening, that sort of thing.

I figure I'll practice a little bit on some practice wood first before I do the real doors.

Thanks in advance for your help!

Brent
 
Brent, I've got a lot out of this link.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHnLvps8968


It is basically an commercial for Sommerfeld tools. I have bought one of the cabinet sets as a replacement set and have been happy with them. Don't fall for the yellow circular height setting tool... I still haven't found that it worked that well. I'll give an update some day if I get a chance to work with it more now that I have rebuild my router table.
 
Here is a tip to small they don't work.:thumb::thumb::rofl::rofl::rofl:
Sizing all depends on your door. Is it overlay or flush? Is it a half overlay or full overlay? Or is it half overlay with a rabbit? Now that these questions have been answered . How wide is the stock you are using? How much stock are you removing with the cutter? If it is half overlay with a rabbit how much stock is that cutter going to remove?
 
Some of my cutters give me a 3/8" deep groove and others 1/2" I use the little rubber spacers (not space balls) from Woodworkers Hardware.
I determine my panel size by the opening of the door. As in, I dry assemble the door and measure the hole. I then add if its a 3/8" deep groove 7/16" for my panel width and height and if its a 1/2" deep groove I add 5/8" width and height. This gives me enough to just compress against the rubber spacers and allows for the wood to move.

if I have a lot of doors to build as in for a kitchen ill work the math out to get an approximation of the panel size then I can at least make all the blanks and have them ready for final size when the time comes.
also for 3/4" doors you generally want to make your raised panel 5/8" thick and cut the profile in 2 passes set the bit a little high and the fence forward slightly then drop the cutter and move the fence to the necessary position for the final cut. This takes wear and tear off the bit and reduces the risk of blowing out your panels when running them.

On another note if you are doing flat panels as in a shaker door all they are are raised in reverse. for 3/4" thick stock I make a 3/8" thick panel so as not to protrude beyond the thickness of the back of the door and still provide a solid panel. (1/4" is too flimsy)

Hope this helps!
 
chuck is right ofcourse, you size the door according to your opening and desired look. Inset, 1/2 inch overlays, 3/8 overlays, etc....
for the panel, the bit set usually includes instructions since each set cuts grooves different depths.
Its actually simple. How do I know? Because Ive made dozens of raised panels with my one bit set, theres really no mystery to it.
Set up carefully, do the math, double check the math. No, you better check the math 4 times, then make your cuts.
 
Brent,

How to calculate the length of the stile is easy, as it is the length of the door. It is the rail length, and the panel height and width that is more involved. They have to take into account the interlock (tongue) and in case of the panel, the interlock and the expansion. The interlock is determined by your router bits. I suggest you get the instructions from your router bit OEM. I have a Whiteside stile and rail set and their online catalog (PDF) has an explanation on page 28 (pg 31 according to the PDF). They also have a separate PDF for their "Instructions for Style and Rail Setup".

I found the following for Freud's 2 + 2 Raised Panel Bit Set. http://www.ptreeusa.com/PDF/RPD Instructions.pdf I really suggest that you find your raised panel bit set instructions as a first step.

I prepare extra "stile" and "rail" components out of lesser wood for practice pieces which you will need to fine tune your setup.

All of the above says nothing about fitting a door to an opening. If you are going to insert this door, then there is whole other discussion about fitting it into the opening.
 
I've got a set of bits I purchased from Glenn. Rob sent me some good info he had squirreled away as well.

I've got the wood pretty much ready to go, just need to decide on the size of the doors and the overlay.

I think I'll do a mockup in pine, just to make sure I have all the mechanics down first.

Thanks everyone for your help! I'll keep you posted.
:thumb:
 
Brent,

Take a piece of scrap wood and make a couple of cuts with the bits - then measure the tongue and the depth of the groove.

Overlay doors are VERY forgiving.

If they are 1/8 inch too big or small - is OK - just as long as they all match.

Make the mock ups and you will be fine.
 
if you can, and wont worry about a few wasted pieces, I usually make an extra rail and stile when making several similar doors.
never know, but having that extra piece could save a lot of aggrevation and time.
 
My question on this topic is does one setup and cut long strips of wood and put the groove element on a whole batch of wood then cut to size, thereby ensuring plenty of spare material all cut in same pass or do u cut the individual door bits and do them in small lengths if you doing say a dozen doors? Surely at end of day the side profile of a rail is essentially a molding once cut.

Sent from my SGH-I337M using Tapatalk
 
I am just a hobbyist not a pro, but I have made a few dozen doors.

I find that the wood needs to be stabilized in order to end up with doors that will retain their shape (flat).

I will cut all the rails and stiles to a little oversized (1/4 to 1/8) and a little thicker that finished (7/8)

I also cut the glue up piece same way

I then sticker that stock and leave it for at least a few days in the shop at normal shop temp.

Then all in one day - I finish face on a jointer - thickness in the planer - edge on the jointer - cut to width on the table saw.

I also cut rails (horizontal) to length and stiles (vertical) just a tad long (1/8)

I use feather boards as much as possible on the router table - and rout all the pieces

I don't need to assemble everything in the one day.

I DO - sticker all the rails and stiles even if only overnight.

I do the glueups whenever it is convenient - before or after rails and stile matters not.

I thickness the glued up panels on the belt sander.

I generally take the panel cuts in 3-4 passes - with 1-2 dead passes. Generally don't need much sanding.
 
Like Leo, I don't do this for a living, but over the years, I've made maybe a hundred or so raised panel doors.

I use pretty much the same methodology as Leo, and have had good results overall.

I cut my rail/stile stock in long lengths, put the profile on them, then cut them to the needed lengths after shaping (on the router table). I cut the stiles a bit long, and trim them to length after assembly.

For the raised panels, I use 'snot balls' in the grooves, to keep the panels centered and allow for expansion. I generally cut the panels ¼" narrow and short, and I put a coat of finish on the panels before assembly.
 
One key thing not yet mentioned. Choose your wood very carefully. If it wants to be less than flat, use another piece. I choose the straightest grain for rails and stiles, leaving the panel to display 'character.' The larger and longer the door, the more important this is. Mill and sticker as Leo says. Let the wood relax into what it wants to be and choose from there. Plan on extra pieces as Allen says. Is this for your entertainment center?
 
I would go on to say that the pieces in the glue up should be as narrow as is practical. The wider the piece, the more likely that section is to warp. Also the more likely is is to swell and shrink. If all the glue up pieces are the same width - say 4" - then all the movement will be equal.
 
One key thing not yet mentioned. Choose your wood very carefully. If it wants to be less than flat, use another piece. I choose the straightest grain for rails and stiles, leaving the panel to display 'character.' The larger and longer the door, the more important this is. Mill and sticker as Leo says. Let the wood relax into what it wants to be and choose from there. Plan on extra pieces as Allen says. Is this for your entertainment center?

Yep, Just trying to finish up a few projects. I did put the surround around it last week and just want to get a couple of doors made for it. So close to finishing it off.
 
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