Raile/stile help

[Dave Lehnert]

First time working with a Raile and Stile bit.

The bit set I am using is a Harbor Freight 90009.

The one photo shows what I came up with using 3/4 inch stock. Is this bit set made for 1" stock?

The other photo shows the bit with a tape measure next to it. Sorry it's not clear but the start of the tip is on the 1" mark.

What am I doing wrong?

If the bit is for one inch stock I guess I know my problem.

[J.R. Rutter]

I'm used to shaper cutters, not router bits, but you must have to change bit height when you reconfigure the cutter to switch from cope to stick. The portion that is cut seems to mate, so the height change should get the cut positioned where you need it.

[glenn bradley]

I would check Fine Woodworking online or maybe even MLCS for instructions. You should be getting a matching like this when using the right bit and height on each piece:

[Jason Hallowell]

It looks like you are using a one-piece rail and stile bit, aka reversible. If this is the case, you need to remove the cutters from the arbor, swap them with each other putting the bearing on top, and then re-assemble before making the other cuts. This is quite a hassle if you're going to make cabinet doors more than once or twice. You may consider buying a set with two separate bits if you plan on making doors on a regular basis. In the mean time, here is a link to the manual for a reversible bit. http://www.grizzly.com/images/manuals/c1392_m.pdf

You will still need to set the height for each operation. I would suggest making set-up blocks out of plastic or hardwood to make setting the height much quicker and easier the next time you use them.

[Tom Veatch]

Dave, it is critical that you have several scrap pieces that are the identical thickness of your working stock - after jointing and planing to thickness, cut off a few pieces a few inches long to use setting up the bits for the thickness of the material.

Now look at the picture in Glenn Bradley's post. Look at the cross section of the stile cut - the one on the left. Notice the depth of the little step at the very top of the cross section and the thickness below the dado at the bottom of the cross section. Using your setup scrap pieces that are the exact same thickness as your working stock, adjust the height of the stile cutter until the depth of that little step is approximately equal to the bottom thickness. There's some leeway there, but you don't want the step too shallow or the edge of your rails will be too fragile. Likewise you don't want the bottom thickness to be too thin to reliably retain your raised panels. Then make the stile cut in all your rails and stiles. Note that cut is made on both rails and stiles.

Now, replace the stile cutter with the rail cutter. Only the ends of the rails will get this cut. Make a test cut in one of your scrap pieces that is the identical thickness of your rail material. Check that test piece against one of the stiles you've already made. If the surfaces aren't flush, adjust the rail cutter up or down as needed to make them flush.

Which direction do you adjust the rail cutter? In your test assembly, the stile represents the rail cutter. Move the rail cutter in the direction that the stile needs to move to make the surfaces flush. How much do you change the height of the cutter? Measure the step between the rail and stile surfaces. That's how much the rail cutter has to be raised or lowered.

Good Luck!

(Note the the cuts that I've called rail and stile cuts are traditionally called "cope" and "stick". But I think calling them rail and stile cuts is more direct and less confusing, especially to someone relatively inexperienced, so please bear with me on that.)

[Rob Hermann]

I used that exact set on 3/4" stock. It worked surprisingly well for the cost. I used in poplar and it did well for my project. It's all in the set up. Like previously mentioned, plenty of scrap to test fit and adjust the height and you'll be fine.

[Dave Wagner]

Definitely looks like you need to lower the cut so you have a slot in the one and not as much of a lip. I just went thru this last weekend, but did my reading and research.....

here's another good article
http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/graphics2/TM04-11railstile.pdf

[David DeCristoforo]

As noted by several people, your "issue" is cutter height. I have found it best to set the cutter up for a "profile" cut first. Make test cuts in "scrap" and adjust the cutter height until you are satisfied with the depth of the "step" on the face and the thickness of the "step" under the groove. As mentioned, you don't want this too thin or your door will be weak. Once you are happy with this, re-stack the cutters to make the cope cut and use the test piece you just made to align the cope cut with the profile. You may need to make several test cuts, adjusting the cutter height until it's "just right". Once it is, cope the ends of all your rails. Then, using your "good" test piece as a "gauge", re-stack the cutters again,reset the height and run all of the profile cuts. Making the cope cuts first will eliminate tear out and/or chipping from the coping cutter exiting through the shaped face of the stiles and rails. FWIW, those single bit "sets" are a PITA. Spend a little extra dough and get a "two bit" set with dedicated cutters.

[Chris Kennedy]

It may not be cutter height -- you may have reversed the cutters. When I bought my set, the cope and stick bits were in the wrong slots. I didn't pay attention to the profiles, just assumed they were labeled correctly. When I cut my first test, I had a fit that looked almost exactly like that.

Cheers,

Chris

[Dave Lehnert]

Thanks,

I will take a look at the links. I just needed to know I am on the right track.

The set is a 3 pc rail / stile and panel bit.

[Ed Peters]

is the cope cut which is the cross grain cut on the two ends of the rail. It is the tool you will want to run first. After your cope cuts are completed, set up the stick cutter to run all the edges through. As this cut is in line with the grain, it is advisable to use 3 steps to get to your final depth. This will minimize tear out along the edges of the profile.

Ed

[Tom Veatch]

...Making the cope cuts first will eliminate tear out and/or chipping from the coping cutter exiting through the shaped face of the stiles and rails. ...

Excellent point! Doing it that way wouldn't even require a third setup if one is comfortable judging the size of features on the stile from the size of the mating features on the rail. Do believe I'll try it that way next time.

[Karl Brogger]

Excellent point! Doing it that way wouldn't even require a third setup if one is comfortable judging the size of features on the stile from the size of the mating features on the rail. Do believe I'll try it that way next time.

so does using a left and right set of cutters, using a backer works pretty well too. Then again I've never made a door using a router.