trimming stiles

[Michael Handrinos]

Hi guys. I've a question about building doors with the stiles left longer than the door length. I know the why but how would you trim they after glue up? On smaller doors I think I'd use a crosscut sled, but one that's too wide for a sled to do it safely without it hanging off the back of the table? I'm not the best at sawing by hand. A router and sraight edge? Just want to do this safely.

Thanks
Mike

[Tom Welch]

This may not help you, but I trim my doors on my Radial arm saw. It's an original saw radial arm saw that cross cuts 24" and is dead accurate.

[Neal Clayton]

absent the radial arm saw, length of angle iron as a guide (or any other suitable straight edge) clamped to the door with a skilsaw.

[Alan Bienlein]

I have to ask but is there a reason your not cutting them to length before you glue up the door? Unless the stiles need to be longer for some type of design element I would still cut them to length before assembling the door. I guess I'm trying to understand the logic behind doing it after glue up.

[Bob Carreiro]

Place the door on the TS against your miter gauge with blade flat against the RAIL (i.e., one style sits on YOUR side of the blade and the other style sits on the FAR side of the blade). Turn the saw on, cut the style, turn the saw off, flip the door and repeat the process till all 4 styles are cut. This can be done safely, with even a small miter guage, but of course, attaching a fence to it or using a CC sled is more stable, although in my opinion, unnecessary except on bigger doors.

Good luck and happy woodworking,
Bob

[Michael Handrinos]

Thanks guys.

I have to ask but is there a reason your not cutting them to length before you glue up the door?

The reason is so you can dry fit everything as usual then use the longer stiles to knock it apart without dinging your door.

Mike

[Joe Chritz]

Wider cross cut sled.

My sled does 30"+ a bit with no trouble. I can't see a door every being wider than that.

Joe

[glenn bradley]

I assume you are following the school of thought that leaving the stiles long allows safer handling as far as stressing the corner joint goes. I go to that school as well ;-)

I handsaw them close and then finish them with a block plane working toward center from each outside edge to avoid blowout.

[Neal Clayton]

Wider cross cut sled.

My sled does 30"+ a bit with no trouble. I can't see a door every being wider than that.

Joe

interior doors are 32, exterior doors are 36, plus there's the whole "pushing ~100 pounds of wood" part.

[Frank Drew]

If you can't do the job on your table saw, it's very easy with a skilsaw, as noted by others.

I like to leave the stiles long until just before hanging the door, as protection while the door is still in the shop.

[Joe Chritz]

I'm taking this to be regular 5 panel cabinet doors and not pass through entry doors.

For big doors, I would opt for a jig and guided rail saw or router. Short of a slider or good panel saw there really wouldn't be a great way with conventional equipment.

4x8 foot CNC router would work well also. :)

Joe

[johnny means]

Duh! Obviously, you cannot possibly continue doing this type of work without a $20,000 slider:D.