rail and stile bits

[Tom Lowry]

Howdy, newb here with a question.

I need to make some cabinet doors to match the ones in our kitchen. They are double cathedral flat panel. All the rail and stile sets I can find have only a 3/8 cut for the ogee, which I already have. My doors have a 3/4 cut (see sketch).

I located a custom shop that can make me a set of cutters but they want $300.

Anybody have any leads where I might find this kind of set?

Thanks,
Tom

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v249/DesertSkies/Wod%20Werkin/stile.jpg

[Jason Strauss]

Tom,

Welcome to the Creek!

I'd give these guys a try: http://www.ballewsawandtool.com/

Their web sit is okay, but I bet if you called them, they could really help you out. I've bought from them in the past.

Maybe worth a shot...

Good luck!

[Myk Rian]

Are you using a router or a shaper?

[Tom Lowry]

Thanks Jason, I called Blue Saw and Kenny sent me to Free Born. Struck out there and Cory with FB pointed me to LRH, we'll see what they say.
(edit) LRH came back with a $300 custom too.

Myk, I am using a router that will except 1/2 or 1/4 shank.

[keith micinski]

Remake all of your doors with the 3/8 bits or have the custom ones made at $300 which sounds like, as you are finding out, a fair price.

[Peter Quinn]

Do you have a corrugated back head? It might be cheaper to have HSS insert knives made, though not by much I'd guess. It might also make sense to start looking at door makers like Conestoga and see if anybody makes your doors. It could be cheaper to buy the doors if the run is small and they have the profile than to buy the cutters and make them your self.

I suppose another option is to find a basic ogee cutter that is close to your profile and make doors with a jack miter and dowels or M&T.

[Glen Butler]

If this is the cope and pattern I doubt you will find anything for less than $300, even if it is out there. Most sets are in the $300 range, some you can find cheaper, but what is your time worth to search and search for hours and hours, just to save $50. LRH makes the deepest rail pattern I have seen, but that is only 5/8". I say go for it.

[Rick Potter]

Tom,

It looks to me like some one did those with a raised panel router bit, using only part of it. I have a vertical raised panel bit from CMT that matches your sketch, using only part of the bit, but it would not work on cathedral cuts. I suggest checking for normal raised panel bits...they come in several sizes, and have a bearing on top so you could do the cathedral style.

Rick Potter

[Paul Atkins]

Here is a long stretch. Is it possible the cabinet shop that made them is still in business? If they are and don't make the same doors anymore they still might have the cutters you could buy for a good price.

[Matt Meiser]

Considering a good rail/stile set will easily run $150 and that set would be much larger, $300 sounds like a great price.

[Steve Clardy]

Tom,

It looks to me like some one did those with a raised panel router bit, using only part of it. I have a vertical raised panel bit from CMT that matches your sketch, using only part of the bit, but it would not work on cathedral cuts. I suggest checking for normal raised panel bits...they come in several sizes, and have a bearing on top so you could do the cathedral style.

Rick Potter


Yep. Looks like the profile of my Freeborn cutter.
#MC-54-006

[Tom Lowry]

I have a panel bit that is close but the arbor is build in. I wouldn't be able to cut the slot or tongue in the same pass but that could be an option, exhausting all others. I would just need to be precise with the setup.

I realize that $300 isn't out of line for a custom but was looking to the expertise of this forum to maybe point me towards a off the shelf solution. I only need to make four doors.

Woodworking is a hobby to me and there are lots of other neat tools I could use that money for that may get a little more use.

[Alan Schwabacher]

It looks like it could be cut with a small 2" diameter ogee panel raising bit with a 1/2" bearing. The groove is either cut separately, or with a slotting cutter mounted as a back cutter. The Lee Valley 16J64.58 bit is $48. The MLCS bit of this size is only available in 1/4" shank, which seems inadvisable to me. You have more options in a somewhat larger diameter bit (2 1/2 - 3") that would cut 3/4" with a larger bearing, but the ogee would line up differently.

[Tom Lowry]

Sent a 1:1 scale AutoCAD drawing of the profile to LRH and they came back with $700 for the set.http://www.twtex.com/forums/images/smilies/eek2.gif

North State tool came back with $340. Looks like I'll use them.

Thanks for the input fellas. http://www.twtex.com/forums/images/smilies/thumb.gif

[Steve Clardy]

Yea. :eek::eek: on the $700.00