It's just not that hard......

[Bill Huber]

I got a Milwaukee rail and stile bit set when they were on sale for $29 awhile back and really have just looked at it. I guess I was some what intimidated by it to a point, just not sure it would really work out or I could really use it.
I had a rail and stile jig for the router table that was given to me as a gift but it was just setting also.

Well today I decided it was time to take the bit by the shank and lean to use it. It's just not that hard and the bit set worked great, sharp and made very good cuts.

Setup is a lot lot easier then I though it would be, 2 test cuts and that was all there was to it. The the rail bit was really easy to match the profile of the stile bit.

So all the doors I have made to date have been mitered so now I guess I can do a rail and stile, now the next thing is raised panels, some day.

It is kind of fun being a newbie, you get to learn so much.

[Stephen Edwards]

Bill,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I wish you'd post some photos of the set up for those of us who haven't used these bits yet.

Though you may refer to yourself as a newbie, I've sure learned a lot from reading your posts! Thanks for sharing.

[Bill Huber]

Bill,

Thanks for sharing your experience. I wish you'd post some photos of the set up for those of us who haven't used these bits yet.

Though you may refer to yourself as a newbie, I've sure learned a lot from reading your posts! Thanks for sharing.

There is really not much to it after you decide to just do it.

I am using this jig, I am sure there are others that are better and I see no reason you can't make your own, this one was a gift so I used it.
The 2100 http://eagleamerica.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_400-1249_A_c2c_E_ln

I started out my setting the rail bit flush with the board while it was on the jig, I did use a backer board. Then set the fence even with the bearing on the bit and cut the rails.

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[Brad Wood]

It is kind of fun being a newbie, you get to learn so much.

Boy, I can relate to that for sure. Every single task in woodworking requires a level of understanding, practice, etc (like using a jointer, or good glue up techniques, or how to use a hand plane properly, etc, etc).

I recently used a rail and stile bit for the first time... once I realized everything was upside down, it made a little more sense :D

[Bill Huber]

Now put the stile bit in and set things up for the stiles.

I used the rail to set up the stile bit so that it was flush with the part that needed to be removed. Set the fence so the bearing was flush with the fence.

Cut the stiles.

This is the set I have and used, it was $29 on Amazon.

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[Chris Kennedy]

My first set of rail and stile bits came with an instructional DVD and a nice holder that had labels telling you which bit was which. I watched the DVD and thought -- I can do that. One of the things I thought silly was the instructor advocated labeling the cope and stick bits so you wouldn't get confused. I thought little of it.

My first set was all off. Seriously. They didn't mate correctly. This wasn't alignment -- this was just plain wrong. Looking at the setup diagrams and the profiles of the bits, I discovered that the bit that was in the "cope" slot wasn't the coping bit.

Some of this was an RTM moment, but I pulled the first bit, set it up, and then pulled the second bit, and everything went wrong.

On the other hand, once you set them up in the right order, they're pretty damn cool.

Cheers,

Chris

[Jack Ellis]

I recently built a couple of raised panel doors using a slot cutting bit and my table saw. Nothing fancy, and the jig I used to hold the panel upright on the saw needed to be modified, but the result is fine for a first attempt for a shop cabinet.

[Tim Thomas]

Thanks for posting this Bill. I also bought one of those sets and have yet to use it. Of course, I have to finish building my router table first, but I'm supposed to start on that this week. Maybe by next weekend I'll have a chance to crank up the rail and stile bits. It is reassuring to hear that they are newbie-friendly.

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Go for it Bill! I don't have the fancy bit set so I did mine with my table saw. I did have the bit for the raised panels. One hint on the panels. Make sure they are flat!

[keith ouellette]

Good work Bill. thats a nice router table set up you have there. I'm sure it makes it a little easier when you have the right stuff.

My experience was not as easy as yours. I bought a set almost a year before I used it and lost any and all instruction that came with it. It worked but the joints were not tight. There was a bag of tiny washers. I didn't know what they were for. Turned out they were shims to fine tune the set.

I got it right after a while. I can't wait to use them again now that I'm getting back into my shop.

[Chris Ricker]

I bought these sets when they were 39 bucks too, I haven't used them yet but plan on it soon for some shop cabs.
Thanks for the tutorial:)
so, the horizontal stiles first then align the long vertical rails next?
Thanks
CR

[frank shic]

if you have the space and extra money, having three routers set up for all the operations would make it even more efficient.

[Bill Huber]

I bought these sets when they were 39 bucks too, I haven't used them yet but plan on it soon for some shop cabs.
Thanks for the tutorial:)
so, the horizontal stiles first then align the long vertical rails next?
Thanks
CR

I did the ends of the rail first, I am not sure that is the best way but it worked for me.
Here is a thing I found that may help.

http://www.oldham-usa.com/Products/BitsMain/Tip%20and%20tricks/Sect02/5_basic_steps.htm

[Don Morris]

I remember my first raised panel doors with fond memories. LOML loves them even more as she uses them almost on a daily basis. Learning is fun to me and I look forward to projects that require a new technique or skill knowing that I'm going to "mess it up maybe the first time". But the people on the creek are great at giving you support, ideas, and better ways to accomplish tasks. Mark Sommerfeld's catalog has a section devoted to showing how to do raised panels with his bit set, but the technique is the same regardless of which set you use, just adjust for the size of the bits in your set. You can also get his DVD, and it's great, but that's an expense you don't need, if you just follow the advice in his catalog.