Anyone use Space Balls in Raised Panel Door Construction??

[George Bokros]

My rail and stile set cuts 3/8" deep grooves 1/4" wide for the stub tenons and the panels. I have been using 1/4" as my clearance for my panel size calculations, is that what you use when using space balls? I just read in the McFeely catalog you should use 3/16" allowance for the space balls. Space balls are .26" in diameter.

Thanks

George

[Roger Feeley]

I used 1/4". They work great.

[Nicholas Lingg]

All the Time

[Alan Lightstone]

Yup. Works just fine.

[Don Jarvie]

I've used 100% silicone caulk and put the panels in when its wet. Works pretty good.

[Peter Quinn]

To your question about panel spacing, yes 3/16" is correct. The balls want to be under compression in use to keep the panel centered, and they can compress more to accommodate wood movement. I've used both balls and sponges, they certainly make the process simpler and improve performance.

[David Kumm]

1/4" OD tubing cut up does the same thing. It's not just the gap in the tongue but a little space to the raised part that needs to be left to expand to the shaped edge. Dave

[Jim Underwood]

We use them every single day of the week. We use a 1/2" tongue and groove profile, and the panel inset is 5/16", which compresses the 1/4" ball to 3/16". Any more than that and you risk the door popping apart if the panel expands in hot or humid weather. In fact, even with that recommended spacing, I've seen some pop apart when the door got really wet.

If you don't use a spaceball, then you'll need to make the panel inset a bit more to keep it from floating too much, and exposing unfinished areas, and/or rattling around in the frame.

[George Bokros]

Thanks for all the replies. I will change my panel clearance to 3/16"

George

[Ole Anderson]

Yes, but I often cut them in half depending on how much slop I ended up with in the panels.

[andy photenas]

I have used this item also but it was thinking on it more and i feel the space ballls are a very weak link in this.
I end up depending on them to center and keep the panel tight. I have a total of around 100 doors or so made with them so far and no problems.
But I have yet to come across any rubber item that does not dry out and im a bit worried about what is gona happen in 10-20 years as i hope to be putting out things that last 100+ years. also there really is a lot of outward pressure when i put this item in the door but that has not been an issue as of yet either.
What do you guys think ?

[Rob Feldner]

Yes, but I often cut them in half depending on how much slop I ended up with in the panels.

You might need to hunt around a bit, but they do have different diameter balls available.

[Kent A Bathurst]

Yes, but I often cut them in half depending on how much slop I ended up with in the panels.

Me too.

I put a drop of medium or thick CA glue in the bottom of the groove to hold them in place for assembly.

[Martin Wasner]

We get staining from the space balls. Maple and white oak seem to get it the worst. We don't do much natural, so the oil based stain washes out the oil from the space balls.

We use 1/4" balls, and make the panel a 1/4" less than the opening. As in, a 12" rail gets a 11-3/4" wide panel. Reading this makes me wonder if we should do 3/8" less than the opening. Once in a while we'll get doors that don't go together nicely, and squishing them less would probably reduce the oil getting squeezed out.

[Leo Graywacz]

I use 23ga pins on either end(grain) of the panel. Shoot them through the backside of the door with 5/8" pins.